Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus

• US 7,525,254 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor, Mueller, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; David Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Tung X
• Application Number:
  US10/980,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 315/77, 315/80, 315/82, 3151691-1693, 315/209.R, 315/291, 315307-308, 315/312, 307 101- 103, 307/10.6, 307/10.8, 362/231, 362/464, 362/466, 362487-489
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• 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: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus, in which an LED-based light source is configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle. The light source is controlled such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors. Examples of vehicles in which such methods and apparatus may be used include, but are not limited to, an automobile, airplane, boat, non-motorized vehicle, etc. The LED-based light source may be disposed inside the vehicle (e.g., dashboard, instrument panel) or outside the vehicle (e.g., brake lights, undercarriage lighting), and may be controlled to generate white light as one of the perceivable colors. A user interface may be employed to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation. Additionally, information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle may be employed to control the LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the condition associated with the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising acts of:

A) generating at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle from at least one LED-based light source;

B) varying a color of the at least one portion of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors;

C) adjusting the variable color of the at least one portion of the generated visible radiation via at least one user interface coupled to at least one controller;

D) receiving at least one network signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation, the at least one network signal including address information and plural lighting information, the plural lighting information including first lighting information relating to the color of the at least one portion of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information; and

E) processing the at least one network signal based on an address associated with the at least one LED-based light source and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act B) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the at least one portion of generated visible radiation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation inside the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating at least one component that conveys information to an operator of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating a dashboard of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating an ignition key area of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation outside the vehicle.

8. A method, comprising acts of:

A) generating at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle from at least one LED-based light source;

B) receiving information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle; and

C) varying a color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors based at least in part on the received information;

D) receiving at least one network signal relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation from at least one controller configured as an addressable controller;

E) receiving at least one network signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation, the at least one network signal including address information and plural lighting information, the plural lighting information including first lighting information relating to the color of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information; and

F) processing the at least one network signal based on an address associated with the at least one LED-based light source and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act C) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the act C) includes an act of varying the color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including white.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum and at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum, and wherein the act C) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the color of the generated visible radiation is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of:

D) adjusting the color of the generated visible radiation via at least one user interface.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one network signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising an act of:

receiving at least one wireless electromagnetic signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one wireless electromagnetic signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation inside the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating at least one component that conveys information to an operator of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating a dashboard of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating an ignition key area of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation outside the vehicle.