VEHICLE ADAPTIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20170217367A1
• Filed: 01/31/2017
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pflug, Goerg, Gieseke, Achim
• Granted Patent: US 10,906,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/305 Calendar date or clock time
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/31 Atmospheric conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting control system for a vehicle includes a controller configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to connect with or communicate with at least one light of the vehicle. The controller, responsive to at least one input, adjusts a color of the at least one light of the vehicle and an intensity of the at least one light of the vehicle. The input may include one or more of (i) a driver attentiveness input and (ii) a driver age input, and optionally a time of day input, an ambient light input, a weather condition input, and/or a navigation input.

Claims

1. A lighting control system for a vehicle, said lighting control system comprising:

a controller configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to connect with or communicate with at least one light of the vehicle;

wherein, with the controller disposed at the vehicle, said controller, responsive to at least one input, adjusts a color of the at least one light of the vehicle and an intensity of the at least one light of the vehicle; and

wherein the at least one input comprises at least one of (i) a driver attentiveness input and (ii) a driver age input.

2. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light comprises an interior light of the vehicle.

3. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light comprises a display of the vehicle.

4. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a driver attentiveness input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to a determination that the driver is drowsy or inattentive as compared to the colors of light provided responsive to a determination that the driver is awake or attentive.

5. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a driver age input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to an age input pertaining to the age of the driver of the vehicle.

6. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a time of day input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during daytime hours as compared to the colors of light provided during morning and evening hours.

7. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises an ambient light input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during high ambient lighting conditions as compared to the colors of light provided during lower ambient lighting conditions.

8. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a weather condition input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during rainy conditions as compared to the colors of light provided during sunny conditions.

9. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a navigation input, and wherein, responsive to the navigation input, said controller determines that a travel time to an input destination will require that the driver drive the vehicle later in the evening or night and adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors as compared to colors provided when an input destination will be reached during daytime.

10. The lighting control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input comprises a user input so a user can select a lighting schedule, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light in accordance with the user selected lighting schedule.

11. A lighting control system for a vehicle, said lighting control system comprising:

a controller configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to connect with or communicate with at least one light of the vehicle;

wherein the at least one light comprises a display of the vehicle;

wherein, with the controller disposed at the vehicle, said controller, responsive to at least one input, adjusts a color of the at least one light of the vehicle and an intensity of the at least one light of the vehicle;

wherein the at least one input comprises a driver attentiveness input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to a determination that the driver is drowsy or inattentive as compared to the colors of light provided responsive to a determination that the driver is awake or attentive; and

wherein the at least one input comprises a driver age input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to an age input pertaining to the age of the driver of the vehicle.

12. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one light comprises an interior light of the vehicle.

13. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises a time of day input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during daytime hours as compared to the colors of light provided during morning and evening hours.

14. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises an ambient light input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during high ambient lighting conditions as compared to the colors of light provided during lower ambient lighting conditions.

15. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises a weather condition input, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors during rainy conditions as compared to the colors of light provided during sunny conditions.

16. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises a navigation input, and wherein, responsive to the navigation input, said controller determines that a travel time to an input destination will require that the driver drive the vehicle later in the evening or night and adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors as compared to colors provided when an input destination will be reached during daytime.

17. The lighting control system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input comprises a user input so a user can select a lighting schedule, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light in accordance with the user selected lighting schedule.

18. A lighting control system for a vehicle, said lighting control system comprising:

a controller configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to connect with or communicate with at least one light of the vehicle;

wherein the at least one light comprises at least one of (i) an interior light of the vehicle and (ii) a display of the vehicle;

wherein, with the controller disposed at the vehicle, said controller, responsive to at least one input, adjusts a color of the at least one light of the vehicle and an intensity of the at least one light of the vehicle;

wherein the at least one input comprises (i) a driver attentiveness input, (ii) a driver age input and (iii) a navigation input; and

wherein, responsive to the navigation input, said controller determines that a travel time to an input destination will require that the driver drive the vehicle later in the evening or night and adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors as compared to colors provided when an input destination will be reached during daytime.

19. The lighting control system of claim 18, wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to a determination that the driver is drowsy or inattentive as compared to the colors of light provided responsive to a determination that the driver is awake or attentive, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light of the vehicle to provide different colors responsive to an age input pertaining to the age of the driver of the vehicle.

20. The lighting control system of claim 18, wherein the at least one input comprises a user input so a user can select a lighting schedule, and wherein said controller adjusts the color of the at least one light in accordance with the user selected lighting schedule.