Automotive lamp control

• US 9,937,850 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph P. Zizzadoro
• Original Assignee: Joseph P. Zizzadoro
• Inventors: Zizzadoro, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US15/441,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/02 the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/50 Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for configuring automotive lamp illumination control are provided. One example method includes, at a computing device, generating a graphical user interface for configuring at an automotive lamp illumination pattern. The graphical user interface includes user input elements and is displayed by way of a display device. An input command is received by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements. The input command corresponds to the at least one of the user input elements. A message is transmitted to an automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including a first communication port of the computing device and a second communication port of the automotive lamp control device, based on the received input command. The message is received at the automotive lamp control device, and an action is performed in response to receiving the message.

Claims

1. A system for configuring automotive lamp illumination control, the system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a processor,

a memory coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon,

a display device, and

a first communication port; and

an automotive lamp control device comprising;

a second communication port,

wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including the first communication port and the second communication port, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

generate a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

cause the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of the display device,

receive, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmit, to the automotive lamp control device by way of the communication path, a message based on the received input command,

wherein the automotive lamp control device is configured to;

receive the message, and

perform an action in response to receiving the message, and

wherein the graphical user interface further includes;

a selectable list of automotive lamps, wherein each of the automotive lamps is selectable for inclusion in the at least one illumination pattern,

a plurality of illumination pattern test buttons, selectable to cause the testing of the at least one illumination pattern, and

an illumination pattern shortcut input element that is selectable to configure which illumination pattern of a plurality of illumination patterns is commenced in response to the inputting of a predetermined user input command.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination pattern includes a periodic sequence of initiating and ceasing illumination of one or more of the automotive lamps.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lamps includes at least one of a high beam lamp, a low beam lamp, a fog lamp, a front turn signal, a daytime running lamp, a parking lamp, a rear turn signal, a brake lamp, a reverse lamp, a center-mounted center stop lamp, or a license plate lamp.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of illumination patterns includes at least one of a preconfigured illumination pattern or a custom illumination pattern.

5. A system for configuring automotive lamp illumination control, the system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a processor,

a memory coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon,

a display device, and

a first communication port; and

an automotive lamp control device comprising;

a second communication port,

wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including the first communication port and the second communication port, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

generate a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

cause the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of the display device,

receive, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmit, to the automotive lamp control device by way of the communication path, a message based on the received input command,

wherein the automotive lamp control device is configured to;

receive the message, and

perform an action in response to receiving the message, and

wherein the graphical user interface further includes a custom illumination pattern screen by which a user can configure a custom illumination pattern, the custom illumination pattern screen including;

an option to select, from among the plurality of custom illumination patterns, a custom illumination pattern to be generated.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes a list of entries for the custom illumination pattern, with each of the entries of the list including:

an option to select one or more of the automotive lamps to include in the custom illumination pattern;

an option to select an illumination action for the selected one or more automotive lamps for the custom illumination pattern; and

an option to select a speed for the illumination action for the selected one or more automotive lamps for the custom illumination pattern.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a plurality of the automotive lamps are selectable for simultaneous illumination for the custom illumination pattern.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the illumination action includes repeatedly commencing and ceasing illumination of at least one of the automotive lamps for a predetermined number of repetitions.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the option to select the speed includes an option to select the speed from among a plurality of different speeds at which the selected illumination action for the selected one or more of the automotive lamps is executed.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes an option to read current values from the automotive lamp control device.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes an option to write new illumination pattern data to the automotive lamp control device, wherein, in response to receiving selection of the option to write new illumination pattern data, the processor transmits a message to the automotive lamp control device to cause the automotive lamp control device to store data corresponding to the customized illumination pattern generated by way of the plurality of user input elements, for use during subsequent execution of the custom illumination pattern.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes an option to reset the plurality of user input elements of the custom illumination pattern screen.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes an option for testing the custom illumination pattern and an option for ceasing the testing of the custom illumination pattern.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the custom illumination pattern screen further includes:

an option to save custom illumination pattern settings to a file, and

an option to load custom illumination pattern settings from a file.

15. A system for configuring automotive lamp illumination control, the system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a processor,

a memory coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon,

a display device, and

a first communication port; and

an automotive lamp control device comprising;

a second communication port,

wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including the first communication port and the second communication port, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

generate a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

cause the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of the display device,

receive, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmit, to the automotive lamp control device by way of the communication path, a message based on the received input command,

wherein the automotive lamp control device is configured to;

receive the message, and

perform an action in response to receiving the message, and

wherein the automotive lamp control device further includes;

a third communication port that is configured to be coupled to a communication port of a vehicle.

16. A system for configuring automotive lamp illumination control, the system comprising:

a computing device comprising;

a processor,

a memory coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon,

a display device, and

a first communication port; and

an automotive lamp control device comprising;

a second communication port,

wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to the automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including the first communication port and the second communication port, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

generate a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

cause the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of the display device,

receive, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmit, to the automotive lamp control device by way of the communication path, a message based on the received input command,

wherein the automotive lamp control device is configured to;

receive the message, and

perform an action in response to receiving the message, and

wherein the memory further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

cause the display device to display, via the graphical user interface, a vehicle motion-related user input element that is selectable to control whether illumination patterns are executable while a vehicle is in motion,

receive, by way of the vehicle motion-related user input element, a vehicle motion-related setting, and

transmit, to the automotive lamp control device by way of the communication path, the vehicle motion-related setting.

17. A method for configuring automotive lamp illumination control, the method comprising:

at a computing device;

generating a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

causing the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of a display device,

receiving, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmitting, to an automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including a first communication port of the computing device and a second communication port of the automotive lamp control device, a message based on the received input command; and

at the automotive lamp control device;

receiving the message, and

performing an action in response to receiving the message,

wherein the graphical user interface further includes;

a selectable list of automotive lamps, wherein each of the automotive lamps is selectable for inclusion in the at least one illumination pattern,

a plurality of illumination pattern test buttons, selectable to cause the testing of the at least one illumination pattern, and

an illumination pattern shortcut input element that is selectable to configure which illumination pattern of a plurality of illumination patterns is commenced in response to the inputting of a predetermined user input command.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement a method for configuring automotive lamp control, the method comprising:

at a computing device;

generating a graphical user interface for configuring at least one automotive lamp illumination pattern, the graphical user interface including a plurality of user input elements,

causing the graphical user interface to be displayed by way of a display device,

receiving, by way of at least one of the plurality of user input elements, an input command corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of user input elements, and

transmitting, to an automotive lamp control device by way of a communication path including a first communication port of the computing device and a second communication port of the automotive lamp control device, a message based on the received input command; and

at the automotive lamp control device;

receiving the message, and

performing an action in response to receiving the message,

wherein the graphical user interface further includes;

a selectable list of automotive lamps, wherein each of the automotive lamps is selectable for inclusion in the at least one illumination pattern,

a plurality of illumination pattern test buttons, selectable to cause the testing of the at least one illumination pattern, and

an illumination pattern shortcut input element that is selectable to configure which illumination pattern of a plurality of illumination patterns is commenced in response to the inputting of a predetermined user input command.