INTERIOR TRIM APPARATUSES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES INCLUDING ONE OR MORE INFRARED EMITTING DIODES AND ONE OR MORE INFRARED SENSORS

• US 20160238707A1
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: THOMAS, Louis, Vander Sluis, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,658,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings

Abstract

Interior trim apparatuses for motor vehicles are provided. In one example, an interior trim apparatus for a motor vehicle comprises one or more infrared (IR) light emitting diodes (LEDs). One or more IR sensors are cooperatively configured with the one or more IR LEDs to detect a presence of a nomadic device and/or a user input.

Claims

1. An interior trim apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:

one or more infrared (IR) light emitting diodes (LEDs); and

one or more IR sensors that are cooperatively configured with the one or more IR LEDs to detect a presence of a nomadic device and/or a user input.

2. The interior trim apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dummy control panel, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are configured to direct a first IR beam proximate the dummy control panel for detecting the user input provided by an occupant of the motor vehicle to the dummy control panel.

3. The interior trim apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are configured to direct a second IR beam at a different angle than the first IR beam for proximity detection of a part of the occupant moving proximate the dummy control panel.

4. The interior trim apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the one or more IR LEDs and at least a portion of the one or more IR sensors are arranged together to form an IR LED-, sensor-array, and wherein the dummy control panel is disposed above the IR LED-, sensor-array and the IR LED-, sensor-array is configured to direct the first IR beam generally upward.

5. The interior trim apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a docking arrangement for stowing the nomadic device, and wherein the one or more IR LEDs and the one or more IR sensors are disposed in or on the docking arrangement.

6. The interior trim apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one docking station transmitting coil disposed on or proximate the docking arrangement; and

an electronic control unit in communication with the one or more IR LEDs, the one or more IR sensors, and the at least one docking station transmitting coil, wherein the electronic control unit and the at least one docking station transmitting coil are cooperatively configured for transmitting energy to a receiving coil in the nomadic device for charging the nomadic device during stowing in the docking arrangement.

7. The interior trim apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are configured to direct a first IR beam generally along and/or proximate the docking arrangement for detecting the presence of the nomadic device.

8. The interior trim apparatus of claim 7, wherein one or more IR LEDs are configured to direct a second IR beam at a different angle than the first IR beam for proximity detection of a part of an occupant of the motor vehicle moving proximate the docking arrangement.

9. The interior trim apparatus of claim 7, wherein the docking arrangement has an upper section and a lower section that is disposed under the upper section, wherein at least a portion of the one or more IR LEDs and at least a portion of the one or more IR sensors are arranged together to form an IR LED-, sensor-array that is disposed in or on the upper section of the docking arrangement, and wherein the IR LED-, sensor-array is configured to direct the first IR beam generally downward towards the lower section of the docking arrangement.

10. The interior trim apparatus of claim 9, wherein the docking arrangement comprises a first retaining member that is disposed in the upper section of the docking arrangement and a second retaining member that is disposed under the first retaining member, and wherein the first and second retaining members are configured to move relative to each other to receive and stow the nomadic device.

11. The interior trim apparatus of claim 7, wherein one or more of the one or more IR LEDs are used to determine if the nomadic device is arranged in a predetermined proper orientation in the docking arrangement.

12. The interior trim apparatus of claim 11, wherein the docking arrangement is configured to allow locking of the nomadic device in the docking arrangement when the nomadic device is arranged in the predetermined proper orientation.

13. The interior trim apparatus of claim 12, wherein the docking arrangement is configured to prevent locking of the nomadic device in the docking arrangement when the nomadic device is out of position relative to the predetermined proper orientation.

14. The interior trim apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are used to determine the presence of any additional nomadic devices in the docking arrangement.

15. The interior trim apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are used to identify one or more predetermined identifying attributes of the nomadic device.

16. The interior trim apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more IR LEDS and the one or more IR sensors are cooperatively configured to detect whether the user input was provide by a driver or a passenger of the motor vehicle.