VEHICLE REAR ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20170106784A1
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gondhi, Srihari Prasad, Abdelnour, Sleiman N., Ramasami, Udayakumar, Helwig, Stephen Kenneth, Yan, Li
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323

Abstract

A vehicle spot or floodlight system includes a vehicle rear-mounted light source such as a backup light array configured to emit light at a first intensity and at another intensity that is different from the first intensity. Emission of light at the another intensity is caused by an actuator operatively associated with the rear-mounted light source. A controller selectively allows the actuator to cause the emission at the another intensity. The controller allows the actuator to cause the emission of light at the another intensity only on receiving a signal indicating that the vehicle transmission is in a park or on receiving a signal indicating that the vehicle ignition is set on run, accessory, or off. The controller resets the actuator to off after a predefined time period when the ignition system is set on accessory or off, or when the transmission is placed in drive.

Claims

1. A vehicle spot or floodlight system, comprising:

a vehicle rear-mounted light source configured to emit light at a first intensity and at another intensity that is different from the first intensity;

an actuator operatively associated with the rear-mounted light source to cause emission of light at the another intensity; and

a controller configured to selectively allow the actuator to cause the emission at the another intensity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rear-mounted light source comprises a vehicle backup light array.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the another intensity illuminates a predefined area disposed behind the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a switch associated with one or more of the vehicle, a vehicle key, or a vehicle key fob.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is one or more of a microprocessor, a vehicle basic control module (BCM), and a pulse-width modulator (PWM).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allow the actuator to cause the emission of light at the another intensity only on receiving a signal indicating that a transmission of the vehicle is placed in a park configuration.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to allow the actuator to cause the emission of light at the another intensity only on receiving a signal indicating that an ignition system of the vehicle is placed in a run configuration, an accessory configuration, or an off configuration.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to reset the actuator to an off status after a predefined time period on receiving a signal indicating that the ignition system is placed in the accessory configuration or the off configuration.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to reset the actuator to the off status on receiving a signal indicating that the transmission is placed in a drive configuration.

10. A vehicle including the system of claim 1.

11. A method for providing a rear spot or floodlight for a vehicle, comprising:

providing a vehicle rear-mounted light source configured to emit light at a first intensity and at another intensity that is different from the first intensity;

providing an actuator operatively associated with the rear-mounted light source to cause emission of light at the another intensity; and

by a controller, selectively allowing the actuator to cause the emission at the another intensity, or not.

12. The method of claim 11, including providing the rear-mounted light source comprising a vehicle backup light array.

13. The method of claim 11, including configuring the rear-mounted light source whereby the another intensity illuminates a predefined area disposed behind the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, including providing the actuator as a switch associated with one or more of the vehicle, a vehicle key, or a vehicle key fob.

15. The method of claim 11, including providing the controller as one or more of a microprocessor, a vehicle basic control module (BCM), and a pulse-width modulator (PWM).

16. The method of claim 11, including configuring the controller to allow the actuator to cause the emission light at the another intensity only on receiving a signal indicating that a transmission of the vehicle is placed in a park configuration.

17. The method of claim 16, including further configuring the controller to allow the actuator to cause the emission light at the another intensity only on receiving a signal indicating that an ignition system of the vehicle is placed in a run configuration, an accessory configuration, or an off configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, including further configuring the controller to reset the actuator to an off status after a predefined time period on receiving a signal indicating that the ignition system is in the accessory configuration or the off configuration.

19. The method of claim 18, including configuring the controller to reset the actuator to the off status on receiving a signal indicating that the transmission is placed in a drive configuration.