Vehicle exterior lamp

• US 6,260,988 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Hiroshi, Yamaguchi, Hisao, Misawa, Akihiro, Iwasa, Tadanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hobden, David V.
• Application Number:
  US09/206,384
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 362/276, 362/459, 362/464, 362/487, 362/495, 362/500, 362/501, 362/505, 362/506, 362/509, 362/510, 362/513, 362/540
• US Class Current: 362/276
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/30 for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle

Abstract

Provided a vehicle exterior lamp capable of illuminating the ground surrounding a vehicle. When returning to a predetermined position of a parking lot, a road or the like where a vehicle has been parked, a switch of a transmitter is operated. By doing so, the vehicle is illuminated in a predetermined color and a selected mode, and the vicinity of a door of the vehicle is illuminated by this light, so that the condition of the ground can be confirmed. Particularly, the color of the light, emitted from a light-emitting source, can be arbitrarily set, and the setting can be made, taking the brightness and the saving of the energy into consideration. Even if discriminating information, such as a code, is not provided between the transmitter and a receiver, the color of the illumination of the vehicle can be discriminated from that of other vehicles.

Claims

1. A vehicle exterior lamp comprising:

a light-emitting source mounted on a vehicle, the source being configured to emit light for illuminating a ground location from said vehicle;

a transmitter for outputting predetermined electromagnetic waves; and

a receiver responsive to said predetermined electromagnetic waves and adapted to drive and control said light-emitting source based upon said predetermined electromagnetic waves;

wherein, when said predetermined electromagnetic waves indicative of operation of at least one from the set including;

a keyless entry system and a door lock motor, are received at said receiver, said light-emitting source produces a responsive light output for a predetermined time period, the responsive light output having a color different from an ordinary light used when one within said at least one set is not operated; and

wherein, when a door of the vehicle is opened, said light-emitting source produces an alternative light having a color different from said ordinary light and different from the responsive light output associated with said at least one set.

2. A vehicle exterior lamp according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter is a portable wireless device.

3. A vehicle exterior lamp according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter for outputting said predetermined electromagnetic waves is a transmitter of a keyless entry system.

4. A vehicle exterior lamp according to claim 1, wherein said light-emitting source comprises a light-emitting diode.

5. A vehicle exterior lamp comprising:

a light-emitting source mounted on a vehicle, the source being configured to emit light for illuminating a ground location from said vehicle; and

a timing control circuit adapted to change a color of the emitted light;

wherein the color is changed based upon at least one of the following;

lapse of a predetermined time period, operation of a keyless entry system, and operation of a door lock motor.

6. A vehicle exterior lamp according to claim 5, wherein said light-emitting source comprises a light-emitting diode.