Ambient lighting system to mitigate the impact of travel across time zones

• US 9,493,112 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Thomas, Lisa C., Loftis, Richard J., Armatorio, Andrew L., Hart, Colin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US14/564,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20160159276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/209.R, 315 76- 80
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 Cabin passenger reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means

Abstract

A system and method for a customized ambient lighting environment for individuals in vehicles travelling rapidly across multiple time zones, that can be automated and/or based on user input and which allows each user to be exposed to light in accordance to selected preferences and circumstances, in order to begin acclimating the user to a new time zone, or avoid acclimating to a new time zone, and/or otherwise mitigate circadian desynchrony.

Claims

1. A system for providing light exposure to mitigate the impact on a user in a vehicle of rapidly travelling across time zones comprising:

a user area;

a light emitting source configured to direct light into the user area, said light emitting source being adjustable for a plurality of lighting characteristics including a duration, an intensity level, a light projection angle, and a wavelength or combination of wavelengths; and

a user interface configured to;

receive a selection of a time zone from a plurality of selectable time zones;

determine a plurality of parameters corresponding respectively to the plurality of lighting characteristics based on the selected time zone; and

selectively control an adjustment of one or more of the plurality of lighting characteristics of the light emitting source using the plurality of parameters.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, where the light is directed to illuminate a predetermined area of the user area.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, where the predetermined area is one or more of a predetermined user head area and a predetermined user eye area.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, where the light source is configured with baffles designed to absorb a portion of the light projected outside of a predetermined area.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, where the selected time zone is one or more of a destination time zone, an origin time zone, or another time zone.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, where the wavelength of the light source includes one or more of a red, a blue and a green wavelength.

7. An aircraft incorporating the system of claim 1.

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein:

the user area is one of a plurality of user areas in the vehicle;

the light emitting source is one of a plurality of light emitting sources;

the user interface is one of a plurality of user interfaces;

the plurality of light emitting sources respectively correspond to the plurality of the user areas;

the plurality of user interfaces respectively correspond to the plurality of the user areas; and

for individual user areas of the plurality of user areas;

the respective light emitting source is configured to emit a beam of light focused on the respective individual user area;

the respective user interface is configured to receive a respective selection of a time zone of a destination of a passenger in the respective individual user area; and

the respective user interface is configured to adjust parameters for lighting characteristics of the respective light emitting source based on a light exposure cycle at the destination of the passenger in the respective individual user area.

9. A method for providing light exposure to mitigate the impact of rapid travel across time zones on a user in a vehicle comprising:

directing light toward a user area using a light emitting source, the light emitting source being adjustable for a plurality of lighting characteristics including a duration, an intensity level, a light projection angle, and a light wavelength or combination of wavelengths;

receiving a selection of a time zone from a plurality of selectable time zones via a user interface device;

determining a plurality of parameters corresponding respectively to the plurality of lighting characteristics based on the selected time zone; and

selectively controlling an adjustment of one or more of the plurality of lighting characteristics of the light exposure using the plurality of parameters.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, where directing the light includes focusing the light into a beam to project and illuminate a predetermined area of the user area.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, where the predetermined area is one or more of a predetermined user head area and a predetermined user eye area.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

baffling the beam of light with baffles designed to absorb a portion of the beam projected outside of a predetermined area.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the selected time zone is one or more of a destination time zone, a origin zone, or another time zone.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, where selectively controlling the adjustment of the light is based on a number of planned days in the selected time zone.

15. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

directing each of a plurality of lights to one or more of a plurality of passenger seating positions.

16. The method as recited in claim 9, where selectively controlling an adjustment of the light includes adjusting the light wavelength to one or more of a red, a blue and a green wavelength.

17. The method recited in claim 9, wherein:

the user area is one of a plurality of user areas in the vehicle;

the light emitting source is one of a plurality of light emitting sources;

the user interface is one of a plurality of user interfaces;

the plurality of light emitting sources respectively correspond to the plurality of the user areas;

the plurality of user interfaces respectively correspond to the plurality of the user areas; and

the method further comprises, for individual user areas of the plurality of user areas;

emitting from the respective light emitting source a beam of light focused on the respective individual user area;

receiving via the respective user interface a respective selection of a time zone of a destination of a passenger in the respective individual user area; and

adjusting parameters for lighting characteristics of the respective light emitting source based on a light exposure cycle at the destination of the passenger in the respective individual user area.