Interior illumination system and method for a motor vehicle

• US 20060239017A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Woo, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/459
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47

Abstract

A system and method for providing interior illumination in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The system and method include provisions for adjusting the interior lighting conditions to improve visibility of the illuminated objects under different ambient lighting conditions. In some cases, the system and method can also include provisions that adjust interior lighting conditions quickly if sudden changes in ambient light are detected, to prevent flicker and/or to provide a continuously variable or continuously relative dimming.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least one interior illumination device of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of:

retrieving vehicle speed information related to a speed of the motor vehicle;

providing a signal to the interior illumination device based on the vehicle speed information; and

wherein the vehicle speed information is used to alter the condition of the interior illumination device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the condition is related to an illumination level of the interior illumination device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a delay timer if the vehicle speed information indicates a vehicle speed that is less than a predetermined speed.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the delay timer holds a current condition of the interior illumination device.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the condition of the interior illumination device is adjusted after the timer has elapsed.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the delay timer has a time duration greater than an inherent delay of an interior illuminating system.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of resetting a delay timer if the vehicle speed information indicates a vehicle speed that is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed.

8. An interior illumination system comprising:

at least one interior illumination device;

an input device configured to receive information from a user;

an ambient light detector configured to provide a signal related to an ambient lighting condition;

wherein

the interior illumination system provides a signal to the interior illumination device based on input information received from the input device and ambient light information received from the ambient light detector;

wherein the signal to the interior illumination device is continuously variable.

9. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination device is an instrument cluster.

10. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination device is a switch.

11. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination device is a display.

12. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination system continuously changes a brightness level for the interior illumination device as ambient light information received from the ambient light detector continuously changes.

13. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination system continuously changes a maximum available brightness level for the interior illumination device as ambient light information received from the ambient light detector continuously changes.

14. The interior illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the interior illumination system continuously changes a minimum available brightness level for the interior illumination device as ambient light information received from the ambient light detector continuously changes.

15. A method for controlling an interior illumination system of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of:

retrieving information related to an ambient light level;

determining a rate of change of the ambient light level; and

altering an illumination characteristic of at least one illuminated component based on the rate of change of the ambient light level.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the illumination characteristic is changed if the rate of change is greater than a predetermined rate of change.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the illumination characteristic is changed if the rate of change is less than a predetermined rate of change.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of determining an initial ambient light level and comparing the initial ambient light level to at least one predetermined light limit.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the illumination characteristic is changed if the rate of change is less than a predetermined rate of change and if the initial ambient light level is greater than the predetermined light limit.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the illumination characteristic is changed if the rate of change is greater than a predetermined rate of change and if the initial ambient light level is less than the predetermined light limit.