Method for controlling a vehicle's lighting functionality

• US 7,567,864 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Tumas, Todd M., Inbarajan, Krishnaraj, Ziehr, Lawrence P., Ampunan, Nathan, Willey, Mark R., Nemesh, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/312,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20070142988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/49, 701/1, 701/29, 701/35, 701/36, 701/207, 701/213, 701/208, 315/82, 315/83, 315/154, 340/426.25, 340/468, 340/469, 362/492, 362/487
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/305 Calendar date or clock time
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/33 Driving situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A method for controlling a vehicle'"'"'s lighting functionality is disclosed herein. The method may include realizing a preferred vehicle lighting configuration and transmitting a signal to the vehicle via a radio frequency communication system. In response to the signal, the vehicle lighting system may alter a current vehicle lighting configuration to correspond with the preferred vehicle lighting configuration.

Claims

1. A method for realizing a preferred vehicle lighting configuration, the method comprising:

determining a location of a vehicle via a location detection system in communication with the vehicle; and

determining the preferred vehicle lighting configuration based upon a vehicle user'"'"'s preferred configuration and upon recognition and analysis of the vehicle'"'"'s location relative to ambient light conditions.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the location detection system comprises a radio frequency communication system.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the location detection system is a global positioning system.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the preferred vehicle lighting configuration includes at least one of an internal vehicle lighting configuration or an external vehicle lighting configuration.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the preferred vehicle lighting configuration includes vehicle headlamp configuration.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the preferred vehicle lighting condition is selected from ON and OFF.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the location detection system transmits a signal indicative of the location of the vehicle upon a request from a vehicle user.

8. A method of controlling a vehicle lighting system, the method comprising:

determining a location of a vehicle via a location detection system in operative communication with the vehicle;

transmitting information to the vehicle via a radio frequency communication system, the information being indicative of at least one condition ambient to the vehicle;

in response to the information, requesting a user preferred vehicle lighting configuration; and

altering a current vehicle lighting configuration to coincide with the user preferred vehicle lighting configuration.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the information is transmitted to the vehicle by a call center.

10. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the information is provided in a form selected from a signal, a display, an audio prompt, and combinations thereof

11. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the at least one condition ambient to the vehicle is selected from vehicle location, time of day, weather ambient to the vehicle, light ambient to the vehicle, and combinations thereof

12. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the location detection system is a global positioning system.

13. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the radio frequency communication system is a two-way radio frequency communication system in communication with a call center.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the two-way radio frequency communication system transmits the information to the vehicle at predetermined intervals during vehicle operation.

15. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the two-way radio frequency communication system transmits the information to the vehicle in response to a request for the information from a user.