Method of operating an illumination system for an interior of a vehicle, illumination system for an interior of a vehicle, and vehicle

• US 9,889,794 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Wengelnik, Heino, Scheible, Michael, Neumann, Markus, Burghoff, Christian, Baumgarten, Thorb
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Dedei K
• Application Number:
  US15/498,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20170313245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/188 Displaying information using colour changes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/34 Backlit symbols
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/217 Doors, e.g. door sills; Steps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating an illumination system (1) for an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), the illumination system (1) having a control unit (2) and an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40). Furthermore, the invention relates to an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), having an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40), wherein furthermore at least one functional element (20) is arranged in the interior (31) of the vehicle (30), which has an element color (50) for displaying the functional element (20), as well as a vehicle (30) with an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of the vehicle (30).

Claims

1. A method for operating an illumination system for an interior of a vehicle, the illumination system having a control unit and an ambient illumination with at least one lamp, which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color, the method comprising:

a) determining an element color by the control unit, which element color is assumed by a functional element arranged in the interior of the vehicle for displaying the functional element;

b) providing at least one ambient color by the control unit, wherein the at least one ambient color is different from the element color determined in step a);

c) selecting an ambient color from the at least one ambient color provided in step b); and

d) emitting light in the ambient color selected in step c) by the lamp of the ambient illumination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of an ambient color in step c) is performed manually by a user of the vehicle or by the control unit.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein colors are saved in the control unit in a parameterized manner in a color space.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the functional element has one or more functional states with different element colors, wherein in step b) the at least one ambient color is provided different at least with respect to an active element color.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein colors are saved in the control unit in a parameterized manner in a color space.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the control unit, colors are saved in a parameterized manner in an additive color space.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the control unit, colors are saved in a parameterized manner in an RGB color space.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional element has one or more functional states with different element colors, wherein in step b) the at least one ambient color is provided different at least with respect to an active element color.

9. An illumination system for illuminating an interior of a vehicle, having an ambient illumination with at least one lamp, which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color, wherein at least one functional element is arranged in the interior of the vehicle, which has an element color for displaying the functional element, wherein the ambient color in a vicinity of the functional element is different from the element color of the at least one functional element.

10. The illumination system according to claim 9, wherein the illumination system has a control unit, which is designed for executing a method, the method comprising:

a) determining an element color by the control unit, which element color is assumed by a functional element arranged in the interior of the vehicle for displaying the functional element;

b) providing at least one ambient color by the control unit, wherein the at least one ambient color is different from the element color determined in step a);

c) selecting an ambient color from the at least one ambient color provided in step b); and

d) emitting light in the ambient color selected in step c) by the lamp of the ambient illumination.

11. The illumination system according to claim 10, wherein the functional element has an illumination element, in particular an illumination stone, for the active emission of light in the element color.

12. The illumination system according to claim 10, wherein the functional element is formed as one or more of the group of functional elements of button, switch, slide control, and screen element.

13. The illumination system according to claim 10, wherein the functional element has a frame section, wherein the frame section is colorable in the ambient color.

14. The illumination system according to claim 9, wherein the functional element has an illumination element, in particular an illumination stone, for the active emission of light in the element color.

15. The illumination system according to claim 9, wherein the functional element is formed as one or more of the group of functional elements of button, switch, slide control, and screen element.

16. The illumination system according to claim 14, wherein the functional element is formed as one or more of the group of functional elements of button, switch, slide control, and screen element.

17. The illumination system according to claim 14, wherein the functional element has a frame section, wherein the frame section is colorable in the ambient color.

18. The illumination system according to claim 9, wherein the functional element has a frame section, wherein the frame section is colorable in the ambient color.

19. A vehicle with an illumination system for illuminating an interior of the vehicle, wherein the illumination system having an ambient illumination with at least one lamp, which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color, wherein at least one functional element is arranged in the interior of the vehicle, which has an element color for displaying the functional element, wherein the ambient color of in a vicinity of the functional element is different from the element color of the at least one functional element.