Vehicle illumination assembly

• US 9,227,565 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sura, Bhargav, Weinert, Norbert, Cat, Quan, Johnson, Randall, Phan, Nelson
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/017,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 362/488, 362/84, 362/464
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens

Abstract

A vehicle interior illumination assembly includes a lighting fixture and a controller. The lighting fixture has a proximity detection layer and an illumination layer, with one of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer overlaying the other of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer. The controller is operably connected to the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer. The controller is configured to toggle the illumination layer on and off in response to detecting a first movement gesture at the proximity detection layer. The controller is configured to adjust a first prescribed lighting parameter of the light produced by the illumination layer in response to detecting a second movement gesture at the proximity detection layer.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior illumination assembly, comprising:

a lighting fixture having a proximity detection layer and an illumination layer, with one of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer overlaying the other of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer; and

a controller operably connected to the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer, the controller being configured to toggle the illumination layer on and off in response to the controller detecting a first movement gesture at the proximity detection layer, the controller being configured to adjust a first prescribed lighting parameter of the light produced by the illumination layer in response to the controller detecting a second movement gesture at the proximity detection layer different from the first movement gesture, the first prescribed lighting parameter being changing of the color of light produced by the illumination layer, and the controller being configured to adjust a second prescribed lighting parameter in response to the controller detecting a third movement gesture at the proximity detection layer that is different from the first and second movement gestures, the second lighting parameter each being adjusting a level of brightness of light produced by the illumination layer.

2. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the first movement gesture includes the controller detecting a single contact with a finger within a first predetermined time period.

3. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the second movement gesture includes the controller detecting a plurality of contacts with the finger within the first predetermined time period.

4. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the second movement gesture includes the controller detecting a single contact with the finger for at least a second predetermined time period greater than the first predetermined time period.

5. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting fixture is separately toggled on and off by a separately operable switch that is spaced apart from the lighting fixture.

6. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting fixture comprises a first lighting fixture having a first illumination layer and the proximity detection layer, and a second lighting fixture having a second illumination layer that is operated in concert with the first illumination layer.

7. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting fixture comprises a first lighting fixture having a first illumination layer and a first proximity detection layer, and a second lighting fixture having a second illumination layer and a second proximity detection layer that is operated independently of the first illumination layer, the first lighting fixture being spaced apart from the second lighting fixture.

8. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting fixture comprises a first lighting fixture having a first illumination layer and a first proximity detection layer, and a second lighting fixture having a second illumination layer and a second proximity detection layer, the first lighting fixture being spaced apart from the second lighting fixture, the controller being configured to operate the first and second illumination layers in unison in response to detecting a fourth movement gesture at one of the first proximity detection layer and the second proximity detection layer, and operate the first illumination layer independently from operation of the second illumination layer in response to detecting a fifth movement gesture at one of the first proximity detection layer and the second proximity detection layer.

9. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the proximity detection layer comprises an array of proximity switches defining a touch-sensitive surface.

10. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the first movement gesture includes the controller detecting a single contact with a finger within a first predetermined time period.

11. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the second movement gesture includes the controller detecting a linear movement with a finger along the touch-sensitive surface.

12. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the second movement gesture includes the controller detecting contact with and movement of two fingers along the touch-sensitive surface.

13. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 12, wherein

the second movement gesture further includes the controller detecting simultaneous linear movement of the two fingers along the touch-sensitive surface.

14. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 9, wherein

the second movement gesture includes the controller detecting movement of a finger along the touch-sensitive surface in a circular pattern.

15. A vehicle interior illumination assembly, comprising:

a lighting fixture having a proximity detection layer and an illumination layer, with one of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer overlaying the other of the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer; and

a controller operably connected to the proximity detection layer and the illumination layer, the controller being configured to toggle the illumination layer on and off in response to the controller detecting a first movement gesture at the proximity detection layer, the controller being configured to adjust a first prescribed lighting parameter of the light produced by the illumination layer in response to the controller detecting a second movement gesture at the proximity detection layer, and the controller being configured to adjust a second prescribed lighting parameter in response to the controller detecting a third movement gesture at the proximity detection layer, the first, second and third movement gestures each being different from one another and each being selected from a group of movement gestures consisting of;

pulse-like contact between a finger and the lighting fixture along the proximity detection layer, contact between a finger and the lighting fixture along the proximity detection layer for at least a predetermined first period of time, contact between a finger and the lighting fixture along the proximity detection layer for a predetermined second period of time that is longer than the first period of time, contact between a finger and the lighting fixture with linear movement of the finger along the proximity detection layer, contact between two fingers and the lighting fixture with parallel movements of the two fingers along the proximity detection layer, and contact between a finger and the lighting fixture with circular movement of the finger along the proximity detection layer.

16. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 15, wherein

one of the first, second and third prescribed lighting parameters include adjusting a level of brightness of light produced by the illumination layer in response to detecting the second movement gesture at the proximity detection layer.

17. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 15, wherein

one of the first, second and third prescribed lighting parameter include changing of the color of light produced by the illumination layer in response to detecting the second movement gesture at the proximity detection layer.

18. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 17, wherein

another of the first, second and third controller is configured to adjust a second prescribed lighting parameter that includes adjusting a level of brightness of light produced by the illumination layer in response to detecting a third movement gesture along the proximity detection layer.

19. The vehicle interior illumination assembly according to claim 17, wherein

the illumination layer is configured to selectively emit at least two different colors.

20. A vehicle interior illumination assembly, comprising:

a first lighting fixture having a first proximity detection layer and a first illumination layer, with one of the first proximity detection layer and the first illumination layer overlaying the other of the first proximity detection layer and the first illumination layer, the first lighting fixture being installed within a vehicle at a first location;

a second lighting fixture having a second proximity detection layer and a second illumination layer, with one of the second proximity detection layer and the second illumination layer overlaying the other of the second proximity detection layer and the second illumination layer, the second lighting fixture being installed within a vehicle at a second location spaced apart from the first location; and

a controller operably connected to the first and second proximity detection layers and the first and second illumination layers, the controller being configured to toggle at least one of the first and second illumination layers on and off in response to the controller detecting a first movement gesture at one of the first and second proximity detection layers, the controller being configured to adjust a first prescribed lighting parameter of the light produced by at least one of the first and second illumination layers in response to the controller detecting a second movement gesture along at least one of the first and second proximity detection layers different from the first movement gesture, the first prescribed lighting parameter being the linking and unlinking of operation of the first lighting fixture to the operation of the second lighting fixture, and the controller being configured to adjust a second prescribed lighting parameter of the light produced by at least one of the first and second illumination layers in response to the controller detecting a third movement gesture along at least one of the first and second proximity detection layers different from the first and second movement gestures, the second prescribed lighting parameter being selected from one of the group of parameters in the group consisting of changing of the color of light produced by at least one of the first and second illumination layers, and adjusting a level of brightness of light produced by the illumination layer.