Interior lighting system of a motor vehicle and a method for controlling the same

• US 6,935,763 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Hiller, Mathias, Mueller, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsidulko, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/204,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 362/276, 362/802, 362488-490, 362/230, 362/464, 362/501, 362/231, 362/295, 362/510, 315 77- 83, 340/438, 340/455, 340/461, 340/691.6, 340/815.65, 340/555, 250/214, 250/200, 359/601, 359/616
• US Class Current: 362/276
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• 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

An interior lighting system for a motor vehicle includes a lighting device configured to light a motor vehicle interior and a control unit configured to regulate the brightness and/or the color of the light emitted from the lighting device. The color of the light emitted from the lighting device may be automatically adjusted in accordance with at least one operating parameter and/or at least one parameter associated with the environment of the motor vehicle. Such parameters include, for example, a deviation of an actual temperature from a predetermined desired temperature of the motor vehicle interior and/or the driving speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An interior-lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a lighting device adapted to illuminate a motor vehicle interior with ambient light; and

a control unit configured to regulate at least one of a brightness and a color of the ambient light emitted by the lighting device to illuminate the motor vehicle interior, the control unit configured to automatically vary the at least one of the brightness and the color of the ambient light as a function of at least one operating parameter of the motor vehicle that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant.

2. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure an outside temperature, the control unit configured to regulate the at least one of the brightness and the color in accordance with the measured outside temperature.

3. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to vary the color of the ambient light as a function of a deviation between an instantaneous temperature and a setpoint temperature of the motor vehicle interior specified by the motor vehicle occupant.

4. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to vary the color of the ambient light as a function of a speed of the motor vehicle specified by a motor vehicle driver.

5. The interior-lighting system according to claim 4, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a speed of the motor vehicle, wherein an output signal from the sensor is an input to the control unit.

6. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device includes at least two light sources configured to emit a different color, the control unit configured to independently control each light source.

7. The interior-lighting system according to claim 6, wherein a first light source is configured to emit white light.

8. The interior-lighting system according to claim 6, wherein the lighting device includes a plurality of light sources configured to produce white light by superimposition of light emitted by the light sources.

9. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device includes at least one of an indirect comfort light, a footwell light, a door-handle light and a diffuse interior lighting.

10. The interior-lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is manually controllable.

12. The interior-lighting system according to claim 3, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the interior of the motor vehicle, wherein an output signal from the temperature sensor is an input to the control device.

11. An interior-lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a lighting device configured to illuminate a motor vehicle interior with ambient light;

a control unit configured to regulate at least one of a brightness and a color of the ambient light emitted by the lighting device to illuminate the motor vehicle interior, the control unit configured to automatically vary the at least one of the brightness and the color of the ambient light as a function of at least one operating parameter of the motor vehicle that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant; and

a sensor configured to detect an operating state of one of an air-conditioner and a heating system;

wherein the control unit is configured to vary the color of the ambient light as a function of a deviation between an instantaneous temperature and a setpoint temperature of the motor vehicle interior specified by the motor vehicle occupant; and

wherein an output signal of the sensor is an input to the control device.

13. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of ambient light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit; and

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the ambient light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of detecting an outside temperature, the color of the ambient light varied in the automatically varying step as a function of the detected outside temperature.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the color of the ambient light is varied in the automatically varying step as a function of one of an operating state of at least one of an air-conditioner and a heating system and a deviation of an instantaneous temperature from a setpoint temperature of an interior of the motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the automatically varying step includes the substeps of:

setting a color perceived as cold in accordance with a detection of one of a cooling of the air-conditioner, a non-heating of the heating system and an exceeding of the setpoint temperature; and

setting a color perceived as warm in accordance with a detection of a heating of the air-conditioner, a heating of the heating system and an undershooting of the setpoint temperature.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of varying the color of the ambient light as a function of a motor vehicle speed.

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of activating the interior-lighting system by opening a motor vehicle door, the automatically varying step including the substep of regulating the interior lighting system to a substantially white, bright light in accordance with the activating step.

19. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of ambient light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit; and

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter;

wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of varying the color of the ambient light as a function of a motor vehicle speed; and

wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of setting at least one of a color promoting concentration and a calming color when the motor vehicle speed exceeds a specified threshold value.

20. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit; and

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter;

wherein the lighting device includes at least two light sources configured to emit light of different colors, the automatically varying step including the substep of changing the color by increasing a brightness of a first light source and decreasing the brightness of a second light source.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first light source is configured to emit white light, the automatically varying step including the substep of producing white light by increasing the brightness of the first light source and decreasing the brightness of at least one second light source.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of producing white light by superimposing light emitted by a plurality of light sources.

23. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of ambient light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit;

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter; and

activating the interior-lighting system by opening a motor vehicle door;

wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of regulating the interior lighting system to a substantially white, bright light in accordance with the activating step; and

wherein the automatically varying step includes the substep of regulating the lighting device to a colored, subdued light in accordance with a presence of an occupant in the vehicle by one of closing a motor vehicle door, a specified delay and starting a motor vehicle engine.

24. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

activating the lighting device only during operation of the motor vehicle with an exterior lighting device of the motor vehicle being on;

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit; and

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter.

25. An interior-lighting system for a vehicle, comprising

a lighting device adapted to illuminate a motor vehicle interior with ambient light;

and

a control unit configured to regulate at least one of a brightness and a color of the ambient light emitted by the lighting device to illuminate the motor vehicle interior, the control unit configured to automatically vary the at least one of the brightness and the color of the ambient light as a function of at least one operating parameter of the motor vehicle that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant;

wherein the lighting device includes at least one of;

(a) a diffuse interior lighting device;

(b) an indirect comfort light;

(c) a footwell light; and

(d) a door-handle light.

26. A method for controlling an interior-lighting system of a motor vehicle having a lighting device, at least one of a brightness and a color of ambient light emitted by the lighting device being regulatable, comprising the steps of:

detecting at least one operating parameter that is at least one of controllable and controlled by a motor vehicle occupant at a control unit; and

automatically varying at least one of the brightness and the color of the ambient light emitted by the lighting device as a function of the at least one operating parameter;

wherein the lighting device includes at least one of;

(a) a diffuse interior lighting device;

(b) an indirect comfort light;

(c) a footwell light; and

(d) a door-handle light.