Multi-color in-dash lighting system for changing vehicle backlighting

• US 9,434,300 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mohammad A. Pasdar
• Original Assignee: Mohammad A. Pasdar
• Inventors: Pasdar, Mohammad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US13/904,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20140226303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23.08, 362/488, 362/489, 362/490
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity

Abstract

A vehicle interior lighting system for enabling a driver to control the intensity and color of interior lighting is presented. The system includes a controller that controls the color and intensity of interior lighting, a selector control that switches color and intensity controls to various groups of interior lights (such as instrument lights, indicator light), a color that controls light color and an intensity control that controls light intensity. In practice the controller is a microcontroller, the lights are tri-color light emitting diodes, the selector control is a multi-position switch, and the color and intensity controls are potentiometers.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior lighting system, comprising:

a controller;

a selector control applying a user adjustable selector input to said controller;

a color control applying a user adjustable color input to said controller;

an intensity control applying a user adjustable intensity input to said controller;

an instrument cluster having instrument illumination devices emitting light having a first color and a first intensity;

an array of indicators having indicator illumination devices emitting light having a second color and a second intensity; and

,

compartment interior illumination devices emitting light having a third color and a third intensity;

wherein said controller controls said first color of said instrument illumination devices based on a first color input;

wherein said controller controls said second color of said indicator illumination devices based on a second color input;

wherein said controller controls said third color of said compartment interior illumination devices based on a third color input;

wherein said controller controls said first intensity of said instrument illumination devices based on a first intensity input;

wherein said controller controls said second intensity of said indicator illumination devices based on a second intensity input; and

,

wherein said controller controls said third intensity of said compartment interior illumination devices based on a third intensity input.

2. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said instrument illumination devices, said indicator illumination devices, and said compartment interior illumination devices are light-emitting diodes.

3. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said light emitting diodes are tri-color light-emitting diodes.

4. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 3, wherein said color control is a potentiometer.

5. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 4, wherein said intensity control is a potentiometer.

6. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 5, wherein said controller includes an Analog to Digital converter for digitizing said intensity input.

7. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 5, wherein said selector control includes a multiple position switch.

8. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 7, wherein when said selector control is in a first position, said compartment interior illumination devices, said instrument illumination devices, and said indicator illumination devices are off.

9. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 8, wherein when said selector control is in a second position, said controller sets said first intensity and said first color of said instrument illumination devices.

10. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 9, wherein when said selector control is in a third position, said controller sets said second intensity and said second color of said indicator illumination devices.

11. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 10, wherein when said selector control is in a fourth position, said controller sets said third intensity and said third color of said compartment interior illumination devices.

12. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 11, wherein when said selector control is in a fifth position, said controller sets said first intensity and said first color of said compartment interior illumination devices, said second intensity and said second color of said instrument illumination devices;

and said third intensity and said third color of said indicator illumination devices.

13. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 12, wherein said controller is a microcontroller.

14. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 13, wherein said microcontroller includes a programming input port for receiving an operating program.

15. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 14, wherein said microcontroller is a flash programmable microcontroller.

16. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 12, further including a first control device for turning said instrument illumination devices on and off.

17. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 12, further including a second control device for turning said indicator illumination devices on and off.

18. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 12, further including a third control device for turning said compartment interior illumination devices on and off.

19. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, further including a vehicle operation control device for selectively applying external electrical power.