Multi-colored vehicle interior lighting

• US 6,536,928 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Hein, David Anthony, Berta, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US09/798,253
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/488, 362/491, 362/501, 116/28.1
• US Class Current: 362/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system includes a sensor to detect a first set of conditions and a second set of conditions. The vehicle lighting system also includes a light emitting source. The light emitting source is operable to illuminate selectively between a first lighting characteristic and a second lighting characteristic. The light emitting source is adapted to be actuated at the first lighting characteristic in response to a first signal operatively generated by the sensor indicating the first set of conditions. The light emitting source is also adapted to be actuated at the second lighting characteristic in response to a second signal operatively generated by the sensor indicating the second set of conditions.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

at least one sensor to detect a first set of conditions and a second set of conditions, wherein said first set of conditions includes an illumination level as detected by the at least one sensor; and

a light emitting source being operable to illuminate selectively between a first color and a second color,

wherein the light emitting source is adapted to be actuated at the first color in response to a first signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the first set of conditions, and the second color in response to a second signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the second set of conditions.

2. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 where in the first signal is generated by the sensor.

3. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 where in the second signal is generated by the sensor.

4. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first set of conditions includes a position of a vehicle door.

5. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first set of conditions includes a gear state of a transmission of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a filter.

7. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a gear state of a transmission wherein the sensor is positioned and adapted to detect the gear state.

8. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting source is adapted to be actuated to emit a first color in response to the first signal indicating that the illumination level is below a first predetermined value, and adapted to be actuated to emit a second color in response to a second signal indicating that the illumination level is above a second predetermined value.

9. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 further comprising an interior floor, the light emitting source being positioned and adapted to illuminate the interior floor.

10. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting source is manually movable between the first color and the second color.

11. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting source is mounted in an overhead position within the vehicle interior.

12. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first set of conditions includes the vehicle being in motion and a first illumination level as detected by the sensor, and the second set of conditions includes the vehicle being stationary and one of the first and a second illumination level as detected by the sensor.

13. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting source is a light emitting diode.

14. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting source is a multi-colored light emitting diode.

15. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the second color is a non-glare producing color.

16. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first set of conditions includes the vehicle being in motion, and the second set of conditions includes the vehicle being stationary.

17. The vehicle lighting system of claim 16 wherein one of the first and the second color is red.

21. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14 wherein the light emitting source is a light emitting diode.

22. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14 wherein the light emitting source is a multi-colored light emitting diode.

23. The vehicle lighting system of claim 14 wherein the second color is a non-glare producing color.

18. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

at least one sensor to detect a first set of conditions and a second set of conditions;

a light emitting source being operable to illuminate selectively between a first color and a second color, wherein the light emitting source is adapted to be actuated at the first color in response to a first signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the first set of conditions, and the second color in response to a second signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the second set of conditions; and

a seat, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned and adapted to detect a weight positioned in the seat.

19. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

at least one sensor to detect a first set of conditions and a second set of conditions;

a light emitting source being operable to illuminate selectively between a first color and a second color, wherein the light emitting source is adapted to be actuated at the first color in response to a first signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the first set of conditions, and the second color in response to a second signal operatively generated by the at least one sensor indicating the second set of conditions; and

a vehicle door movable between a closed position and an open position such that the first and second set of conditions includes the position of the door, the light emitting source being positioned on the vehicle door, the light emitting source being adapted to be actuated to emit a light having a first color in response to the door being in the open position, and adapted to be actuated to emit a light having a second color in response to the door being in the closed position.

20. The vehicle lighting system of claim 19 wherein one of the first and the second color is red.

24. The vehicle lighting system of claim 19 wherein the light emitting source is positioned on the vehicle door such that the light emitting source is visible to an approaching vehicle when the vehicle door is in the open position.

25. The vehicle lighting system of claim 19, wherein the light emitting source is further positioned on the vehicle door such that the light emitting source is visible to a vehicle occupant when the vehicle door is in the closed position.

26. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a light emitting source mounted on a vehicle door, the vehicle door movable between a closed position and an open position,

wherein the light emitting source is further adapted to be actuated to emit the color red in response to the door being moved to the open position, and adapted to be actuated to emit a light having a second color in response to the door being moved to the closed position.