Illuminated vehicle badge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10064259-B2
Application number	US-201615151543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 11, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle badge is provided herein. The badge includes one or more light sources configured to illuminate in a pseudorandom sequence. Each respective light source illuminates in a first illumination sequence defined by a first set of parameters and a subsequent second illumination sequence defined by a second set of parameters. A controller is operably coupled with the light sources and has a counter therein. The counter determines the subsequent illumination sequence while the first illumination sequence occurs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle badge comprising:
a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence between first and second subsequent illumination sequences; and
a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter therein, the counter determining the subsequent illumination sequence while the first illumination sequence occurs based on a parameter defined by a base value that is generated from a sample taken from the counter.

2. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are disposed between a housing and a substrate.

3. The vehicle badge of claim 2 , further comprising:
a decorative layer disposed between an exterior surface of the housing and the plurality of light sources.

4. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein an activation state of the plurality of light sources is each independently controlled by a unique routine.

5. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the base value is compared to a predefined value in a lookup table, wherein an illumination parameter is output to the light source based on the predefined value of the lookup table.

6. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein one or more bits of the counter are masked to limit the number of illumination parameters.

7. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination start time of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

8. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination duration of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

9. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination color of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

10. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are aligned and form a similar geometry with indicia defined within a housing disposed forwardly of the plurality of light sources.

11. A vehicle badge comprising:
a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence in a first illumination sequence and a second, subsequent illumination sequence; and
a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter therein, wherein the counter determines the subsequent illumination sequence and additional sequences are flashed to the controller once said vehicle badge is attached to a vehicle.

12. A vehicle badge comprising:
a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence in a first illumination sequence and a subsequent second illumination, wherein each non-illuminated light source in the first illumination sequence has a generally equal probability to become illuminated in the second illumination sequence; and
a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter configured to determine the subsequent illumination sequence.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Buttolo Pietro
• Salter Stuart C
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Surman James J
• Rankin James Stewart

Classifications

• B60R13/005

  Manufacturers' emblems, name plates, bonnet ornaments, mascots or the like; Mounting means therefor · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• F21V3/00

  Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses (with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0088

  Details of electrical connections (B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195) · CPC title

• B60Q1/26 Primary

  the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic · CPC title