Vehicle entertainment and communication system personal control unit with racetrack lighting design

• US 8,147,080 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Avionics Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Foreman, Bradley, Sakadjian, Hagop, Nguyen, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): May, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Leah S
• Application Number:
  US12/416,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 362/29, 362/26, 362/27, 362/488, 362/489, 362/491, 362/109, 362/85, 362/249.1, 362/249.02, 362/249.16, 362/231, 362/236, 362/253, 362/311.02, 362/311.01, 362/332, 362/458, 482/902
• US Class Current: 362/29
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/04 portable; hand held
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0228 Line cord switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/182 Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks H01H9/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A personal control unit (PCU) for a transportation-based entertainment system comprises a number of buttons. Illumination is provided for the buttons by illuminating a border region that is rounded containing some of the keys, and is provided for some of the buttons themselves. A light diffusion mechanism is provided between the illumination source and the illuminated regions related to the keys so that the illumination appears even across the entire PCU. A controller may adjust the illumination level and color of the illumination source. A system may be provided for matching at least one of color and brightness of the PCU lighting with cabin lighting.

Claims

1. A personal control unit (PCU) for controlling an entertainment or communications system in a vehicle, comprising:

a case;

a top surface comprising a rounded and elongated region comprising;

a plurality of user control elements; and

one or more illumination regions;

an illumination source or sources located within the case, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) including at least two different types of the LEDs, and illumination from the illumination source is transmitted through the one or more illumination regions to a user of the PCU; and

an illumination diffuser located between the illumination source and the illumination regions of the top surface,

wherein the rounded and elongated region is race-track shaped, comprising two semi-circles at opposite ends joined by parallel lines,

wherein a first type of the LEDs are laid out to positionally correspond with a border of the rounded and elongated region to illuminate a region adjacent to the border of the rounded and elongated region, and a second type of the LEDs are laid out positionally to reside within the rounded and elongated region and more towards a center of the rounded and elongated region than the first type of the LEDs.

2. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first type LEDs comprise fourteen in number.

3. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first type LEDs are colored.

4. The PCU as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first type LEDs are color adjustable.

5. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second type LEDs comprise ten in number.

6. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second type LEDs are white.

7. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, a controller for varying an attribute of the illumination source.

8. The PCU as claimed in claim 7, wherein the attribute is brightness.

9. The PCU as claimed in claim 7, wherein the attribute is color.

10. The PCU as claimed in claim 7, wherein the illumination source comprises a first type LED and a distinct second type LED, and wherein the first type LED and the second type LED are separately controllable by the control.

11. The PCU as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller is user controllable during normal operation.

12. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diffuser is comprised of a translucent flexible material.

13. The PCU as claimed in claim 12, wherein the material is rubberized silicon.

14. The PCU as claimed in claim 12, wherein a thickness of the diffuser over one or more of the LEDs is approximately 0.03-0.04″

.

15. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diffuser is comprised of a single piece of material.

16. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bottom surface comprising a keyboard with keys.

17. The PCU as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a separate light diffuser and for the bottom keys.

18. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an isolation element for isolating illumination from the first type LEDs and the second type LEDs from mixing together.

19. The PCU as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent or translucent border window bordering the rounded and elongated region, the window comprising a layer above the diffuser.

20. The PCU as claimed in claim 19, wherein the border window is made of acrylic.

21. The apparatus PCU as claimed in claim 19, wherein the border window is textured to further diffuse lighting on at least one of its top and bottom surface.

22. The apparatus PCU as claimed in claim 19, wherein the illumination sources comprise a plurality of RGB LEDs that are oriented so that a same-colored end faces the border window.