Printed LED rylene dye welcome/farewell lighting

• US 9,961,745 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Abdelnour, Sleiman N., Helwig, Stephen Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Dedei K
• Application Number:
  US14/824,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• 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 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a lighting device disposed on the vehicle. At least one detection sensor is configured to detect a proximity of an occupant and a controller is configured to identify an approach and a departure of the occupant. The controller is configured to control the lighting device to output a first emission of light in response to the approach and a second emission in response to the departure.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a lighting device disposed on the vehicle;

a proximity sensor configured to detect a proximity of a proximity device carried by an occupant; and

a controller configured to identify an approach and a departure of the occupant based on the detected proximity and control the lighting device to output a first emission of light in response to the approach and a second emission in response to the departure.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first emission corresponds to a first color of light and the second emission corresponds to a second color different from the first color.

3. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first emission comprises one or more wavelengths having a longer wavelength than the second emission.

4. The illumination apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first color corresponds to a warmer color than the second color.

5. The illumination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the first emission and the second emission correspond to substantially white light each having hues corresponding to the first color and the second color respectively.

6. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises a first light generating layer printed in a first liquid suspension configured to emit the first emission.

7. The illumination apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting device comprises a second light generating layer printed in a second liquid suspension configured to emit the second emission.

8. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light sensor in communication with the controller configured to communicate an ambient light signal to the controller to control the intensity of at least one of the first emission and the second emission.

9. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor corresponds to a proximity antenna configured to detect a fob as a proximity device.

10. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a lighting device disposed on the vehicle configured to output an emission of light;

an ambient light sensor configured to output an ambient light signal corresponding to an environment proximate the vehicle;

at least one detection sensor configured to output a detection signal to indicate a proximity of an occupant; and

a controller configured to;

identify an occupant proximate the vehicle and activate the emission based on the detection signal; and

control an intensity of the emission based on the ambient light signal.

11. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the ambient light signal and record changes in a lighting level communicated by the ambient light signal.

12. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set an intensity of the emission based on a recent maximum value or minimum value of the lighting level over a predetermined period of time.

13. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to the most recent 30 seconds to 10 minutes of data corresponding to the lighting level.

14. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set the intensity of the emission to an increased level based on the recent maximum value that is brighter relative to the lighting level corresponding to a current light condition.

15. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set the intensity of the emission to a decreased level based on the recent minimum value that is darker relative to the lighting level corresponding to a current light condition.

16. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further in communication with a rain sensor disposed on the vehicle configured to output a rain signal.

17. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to increase the intensity of the emission in response to having identified moisture from the rain sensor in a predetermined period of time.

18. A method for controlling at least one vehicle light source comprising the steps of:

detecting a light intensity of ambient light proximate a vehicle;

detecting a lighting event configured to activate the light source;

calculating an emission intensity of the light source based on the detected light intensity; and

activating the light source in response to a lighting event at the emission intensity, wherein the emission intensity is calculated based on the detected light intensity to activate the light source based on a lighting condition having occurred at a previous time.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising monitoring the light intensity while the light source is activated and adjusting the light intensity based on a current level of the light intensity.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the adjusting the light intensity based on a current level of the light intensity is smoothly adjusted relative to the current light level over a period of time corresponding to a difference between the current level and at least one of a maximum and a minimum of the light intensity identified in the data.