Personalized ambient lighting

• US 9,876,994 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lickfelt, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/655,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20170318266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 187 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0094 Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/50 Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings
• 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: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback

Abstract

According to one aspect, personalized vehicle ambient lighting on a vehicle is provided. Presence information associated with a user is detected. Image color information is captured from an image is taken by a camera such that the user is within the image. Image color information associated with the user is extracted from the image. Red, green, blue (RGB) color values indicative of a color associated with the user are created. A light emitting diode (LED) activation scheme based on the RGB color values associated with the user is generated. Portions of a plurality of RGB LEDs are activated based on the LED activation scheme.

Claims

1. A system for personalized vehicle ambient lighting on a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor detecting a presence of a user;

an image sensor capturing image color information from an image of the user;

a controller having a processor operably connected to the image sensor, wherein the controller controls capturing of the image based on the presence of the user;

an image processor extracting image color information associated with the user from the image and generating color values indicative of a color associated with the user, wherein the processor for the controller generates a light emitting diode (LED) activation scheme based on the color values;

a first plurality of LEDs; and

a first LED driver connected to the controller and the first plurality of LEDs, wherein the first LED driver activates portions of the first plurality of LEDs based on the LED activation scheme.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a second plurality of LEDs; and

a second LED driver connected to the controller and the second plurality of LEDs, wherein the second LED driver activates portions of the second plurality of LEDs based on the LED activation scheme.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second LED driver activates portions of the second plurality of LEDs based on the LED activation scheme to produce personalized vehicle ambient lighting having a color different than a color of the first plurality of LEDs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of LEDs is associated with a puddle light system, an internal ambient lighting system, or an external ambient lighting system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects the user based on a proximity of a key fob from the sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor for the controller generates the LED activation scheme based on a profile associated with the key fob when image color information associated with the user is unavailable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a touch sensor which detects the user based on contact between the user and a door handle of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the image sensor to pan and motion track the user or focus lock on the user while the user is moving.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the image processor extracts image color information associated with an article of clothing of the user and creates the color values indicative of a color associated with the article of clothing of the user, and

wherein the processor for the controller generates the LED activation scheme based on the color values associated with the article of clothing of the user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor for the controller generates the LED activation scheme based on a time of day, a weather report, a predetermined color palette, or randomly when image color information associated with the user is unavailable.

11. The system of claim 10, comprising a telematics unit receiving the time of day or the weather report.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller comprises a memory storing the predetermined color palette.

13. The system of claim 1,

wherein the processor for the controller generates the LED activation scheme on a continually updated basis based on a speed at which the user is walking, and

wherein the LED activation scheme includes an adjustment to a brightness, an intensity, or a duration of activation based on the speed of the user.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the LED activation scheme includes an adjustment to a brightness, an intensity, or a duration of activation based on a proximity of the user to the vehicle.

15. A method for personalized vehicle ambient lighting on a vehicle, comprising:

detecting a proximity of a user to the vehicle;

capturing image color information from an image of the user;

extracting image color information associated with the user from the image;

creating color values indicative of a color associated with the user;

generating a light emitting diode (LED) activation scheme based on the color values; and

activating portions of a plurality of LEDs based on the LED activation scheme.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of LEDs is associated with a puddle light system, an internal ambient lighting system, or an external ambient lighting system.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

identifying an article of clothing of the user;

extracting image color information associated with the article of clothing of the user from the image;

creating color values indicative of a color associated with the article of clothing; and

generating the LED activation scheme based on the color values associated with the article of clothing.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

extracting predominant image color information and secondary image color information associated with the user from the image;

creating color values indicative of the predominant color and the secondary color; and

generating the LED activation scheme based on the color values associated with predominant color or the secondary color.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

generating a second LED activation scheme based on the secondary color; and

activating portions of a second plurality of LEDs based on the second LED activation scheme.

20. A method for personalized vehicle ambient lighting on a vehicle, comprising:

detecting a proximity of a user to the vehicle;

capturing image color information from an image of the user;

extracting first and second image color information associated with the user from the image;

creating first and second sets of color values indicative of a first color and a second color associated with the user based on the extracted first and second image color information;

generating a first and second light emitting diode (LED) activation scheme based on the first and second sets of color values associated with the user; and

activating portions of a first and second plurality of LEDs based on the first and second LED activation schemes, respectively.