Lighting systems of vehicle seats

• US 10,464,476 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mazuir, Clarisse, Zhang, Arthur Y., Last, Matthew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Application Number:
  US15/263,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/725 for illumination, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/58 Seat coverings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/233 Seats; Arm rests; Head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/292 Ignition locks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/60 characterised by optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• 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: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0016 Furnishing for windows and doors sunshades F21V33/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Lighting may be provided using light sources such as lighting systems with arrays of light-emitting diodes. A lighting system may be integrated into a seat, a door panel, a dashboard, or other interior portions of a system such as a vehicle. The interior portions of the vehicle may be illuminated using lighting systems to provide ambient light, to provide custom surface textures and other decorative patterns, to provide icons, text, and other information, and to provide custom gauges and other illuminated regions. Illuminated regions may overlap sensors such as capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors. The light-emitting diodes in a lighting system may supply light that passes through openings in a cover layer. The layer may be formed from fabric, leather, or other materials. Lens structures may guide light through the openings.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a body;

a window, a door, and a seat mounted in the body;

a covering layer on the seat;

a touch sensor in the seat, wherein the touch sensor receives user input from a user'"'"'s finger;

an illumination system that produces illumination that is visible through openings in the covering layer on the seat;

a motor in the seat; and

control circuitry that is configured to;

direct the motor to reposition at least a portion of the seat based on the user input received by the touch sensor in the seat; and

adjust the illumination based on the user input received by the touch sensor in the seat.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the touch sensor comprises a force sensor in the illumination system.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the illumination system includes an array of light-emitting diodes and wherein the touch sensor is interposed between the array of light-emitting diodes and the covering layer.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the illumination system includes an array of light-emitting diodes and wherein the covering layer comprises a covering layer selected from the group consisting of:

a leather covering layer and a fabric covering layer.

5. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the illumination system includes an array of light-emitting diodes and wherein the covering layer comprises plastic with openings that allow light from the array of light-emitting diodes to pass.

6. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the covering layer comprises woven fabric having openings and wherein the illumination system has lens structures that protrude into the openings.

7. The system defined in claim 6 wherein the illumination system includes an array of light-emitting diodes that emit light that passes through the lens structures that protrude into the openings.

8. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the illumination system includes an array of organic light-emitting diodes on a substrate layer.

9. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the covering layer comprises fabric and wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor formed from conductive strands in the fabric.

10. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the illumination system includes an array of light-emitting diodes, wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor, wherein the user input comprises a touch sensor gesture received by the capacitive touch sensor, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the light-emitting diodes to move the illumination across the covering layer in response to the touch sensor gesture.

11. A system, comprising:

a body having an interior with an interior surface;

a window in the body;

at least one seat in the interior;

a covering layer on the interior surface, wherein the covering layer comprises a covering layer selected from the group consisting of;

a leather covering layer, a wood covering layer, and a fabric covering layer;

control circuitry; and

an illumination system coupled to the control circuitry that produces illumination in an illuminated region that is visible through openings in the covering layer, wherein the illumination system includes;

an array of light-emitting diodes that produce the illumination; and

a capacitive touch sensor that overlaps the light-emitting diodes and that receives user input from a user'"'"'s finger, wherein the control circuitry adjusts the illumination in response to the user input received by the capacitive touch sensor that overlaps the light-emitting diodes.

12. The system defined in claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is configured to reposition the illumination region in response to the user input.

13. The system defined in claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the illumination in the illumination region to produce a decorative pattern on the covering layer.

14. The system defined in claim 13 wherein the covering layer comprises fabric with openings that overlap the seat and wherein the illumination region is on the seat.

15. The system defined in claim 13 wherein the covering layer comprises leather and overlaps a door panel on the door and wherein the illumination region is on the door panel.

16. The system defined in claim 11 wherein the covering layer comprises fabric and wherein the capacitive touch sensor is formed from conductive strands in the fabric.

17. A system, comprising:

a body having an interior;

at least one window in the body;

at least one seat in the interior;

fabric in the interior;

an illumination system comprising light-emitting diodes that emit light through openings in the fabric in a decorative pattern;

a touch sensor that overlaps the light-emitting diodes and that gathers touch input from a user'"'"'s finger; and

control circuitry that controls the light-emitting diodes to adjust the decorative pattern based on the touch input received by the touch sensor that overlaps the light-emitting diodes.

18. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising a door in the body, wherein the fabric forms a portion of a door panel on the door and wherein the decorative pattern is on the door panel.

19. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the fabric covers at least part of the seat and wherein the decorative pattern is on the seat.

20. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor, wherein the touch input comprises a touch sensor gesture received by the capacitive touch sensor, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to direct the light-emitting diodes to move the decorative pattern across the fabric in response to the touch sensor gesture.