Vehicle component including a lighting system

• US 9,776,560 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Neal, Kenneth Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US15/078,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20170274817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77, 315 82, 315149, 315158, 315297, 315307, 315312, 362487, 362488
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/331 Electroluminescent elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A vehicle component includes a housing, a faceplate, an electrical device a photosensor, and a lighting system. The faceplate is attached to the housing, and has a first opening and a second opening. The electrical device is at least partially disposed within the housing so as to be accessible through the first opening, and having an electrical connection configured to receive electrical power from an electrical power supply. The photosensor is at least partially disposed within the housing and within the second opening. The lighting system is configured to be activated by the photosensor and powered by the electrical power supply of the electrical device.

Claims

1. A vehicle component, comprising:

a housing;

a faceplate attached to the housing, and having a first opening and a second opening;

an electrical device at least partially disposed within the housing so as to be accessible through the first opening, and having an electrical connection configured to receive electrical power from an electrical power supply;

a photosensor at least partially disposed within the housing and within the second opening; and

a lighting system configured to be activated by the photosensor and powered by the electrical power supply of the electrical device, the lighting system extending along an outer edge and configured to illuminate at least one of the faceplate and an area adjacent the faceplate.

2. The vehicle component according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting system is disposed around a periphery of the faceplate.

3. The vehicle component according to claim 1, wherein

the electrical device is one of a USB port, and an auxiliary jack.

4. The vehicle component according to claim 1, further comprising

a control device configured to receive a signal from the photosensor to change an illumination level of the lighting system.

5. The vehicle component according to claim 1, wherein

the lighting system is configured to provide a first level of illumination and a second level of illumination, the first level of illumination being different from the level of second illumination, each of the first and second levels of illumination being greater than zero.

6. The vehicle component according to claim 1, wherein

the photosensor is configured to sense a first level of ambient light and a second level of ambient light, and when the first level of ambient light is sensed the lighting system provides the first level of illumination, and when the second level of ambient light is sensed the lighting system provides the second level of illumination.

7. A method of providing light to a vehicle component, the method comprising:

powering an electrical device via an electrical power supply, the electrical device being at least partially disposed within a housing, and being accessible through a first opening in the housing;

sensing a level of ambient light using a photosensor, the photosensor being at least partially disposed within a second opening of the housing;

powering a lighting system using the electrical power supply of the electrical device, the lighting system extending along an outer edge of a faceplate of the electrical device and configured to illuminate at least one of the faceplate and an area adjacent the faceplate; and

based on the level of ambient light sensed by the photosensor, activating the lighting system to illuminate one of a first level of illumination and a second level of illumination.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the lighting system is disposed around a periphery of the faceplate.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the electrical device is one of a USB port, and an auxiliary jack.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising

transmitting a signal from the photosensor to a control device, such that the control device alters the one the first level of illumination and the second level of illumination.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein

providing a first level of illumination using the lighting system based on a first condition and providing a second level of illumination using the lighting system based on a second condition, the first level of illumination being different from the level of second illumination, each of the first and second levels of illumination being greater than zero.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the level of ambient light sensed by the photosensor is a first level of ambient light, and further sensing a second level of ambient light, and when the first level of ambient light is sensed, providing the first level of illumination using the lighting system, and when the second level of ambient light is sensed, providing the second level of illumination using the lighting system.

13. A vehicle component, comprising:

a housing;

a faceplate attached to the housing, the faceplate having a first opening and a second opening;

an electrical device at least partially disposed within the housing so as to accessible through the first opening;

a photosensor at least partially disposed within the housing and within the second opening; and

a lighting system configured to be activated by the photosensor and configured to provide a first level of illumination and a second level of illumination, the first level of illumination being different from the level of second illumination, each of the first and second levels of illumination being greater than zero, the lighting system extending along an outer edge of the faceplate and configured to illuminate at least one of the faceplate and an area adjacent the faceplate.

14. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein

the lighting system is disposed around a periphery of the faceplate.

15. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein

the electrical device is one of a USB port, and an auxiliary jack.

16. The vehicle component according to claim 13, further comprising

a control device configured to receive a signal from the photosensor to change an illumination level of the lighting system.

17. The vehicle component according to claim 13, wherein

the photosensor is configured to sense a first level of ambient light and a second level of ambient light, and when the first level of ambient light is sensed the lighting system provides the first level of illumination, and when the second level of ambient light is sensed the lighting system provides the second level of illumination.