Methods and systems for controlling light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10137832-B2
Application number	US-201715464496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2017
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

Systems, vehicles, and methods for controlling light are provided. In an exemplary embodiment a vehicle with a cabin includes a light senor positioned within the vehicle, where the light sensor is configured to send a light intensity signal. A lamp module is positioned within the vehicle, where the light sensor is in communication with lamp module. The lamp module is configured to trigger a darkness lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is at about a darkness set value or less. A lamp is positioned within the cabin, where the lamp is in communication with the lamp module. The lamp is configured to emit a darkness spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the darkness lighting scheme. The darkness spectrum has a maximum illumination wavelength less than about 555 nanometers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a cabin;
a light sensor positioned within the vehicle, wherein the light sensor is configured to send a light intensity signal;
a lamp module positioned within the vehicle, wherein the light sensor is in communication with the lamp module, wherein the lamp module is configured to trigger a darkness lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is at about a darkness set value or less, and wherein the lamp module is configured to trigger a daylight lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is greater than the darkness set value; and
a lamp positioned within the cabin, wherein the lamp is in communication with the lamp module, wherein the lamp is configured to emit a darkness spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the darkness lighting scheme, wherein the darkness spectrum has a maximum illumination wavelength that is less than about 555 nanometers, wherein the lamp is configured to emit a daylight spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the daylight lighting scheme, and wherein the maximum illumination wavelength of the daylight spectrum is different than the maximum illumination wavelength of the darkness spectrum.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a toggle switch, wherein the lamp is activated and deactivated by the toggle switch.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a lamp power supply electrically connected to the lamp, wherein the lamp power supply provides a maximum of about 2 watts of power to the lamp.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lamp comprises a controllable lamp, wherein the maximum illumination wavelength of the lamp is to be controlled.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the maximum illumination wavelength of the daylight spectrum is about 555 nanometers.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the darkness set value is about 0.001 candela per square meter.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the maximum illumination wavelength of the darkness spectrum is about 505 nanometers.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the light sensor comprises a cabin sensor and an external sensor, wherein the cabin sensor is positioned within the cabin and the external sensor is positioned to sense light exterior to the vehicle;
the lamp comprises a reading lamp and a dash lamp;
the lamp module is configured to trigger the darkness lighting scheme for the dash lamp when the light intensity signal from the external sensor is at about the darkness set value or less; and
the lamp module is configured to trigger the darkness lighting scheme for the reading lamp when the light intensity signal from the cabin sensor is at about the darkness set value or less.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the lamp module is configured to trigger a twilight lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is greater than the darkness set value and about equal to or less than a twilight set value; and
wherein the lamp is configured to emit a twilight spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the twilight lighting scheme, and wherein the maximum illumination wavelength of the twilight spectrum is between about 505 nanometers and about 555 nanometers.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the twilight set value is about 3 candela per square meter.

11. A system for controlling light comprising:
an occupant space configured for occupation by a person;
a light sensor positioned within the occupant space, wherein the light sensor is configured to send a light intensity signal;
a lamp module in communication with the light sensor, wherein the lamp module is configured to trigger a darkness lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is about a darkness set value or less, and wherein the lamp module is configured to trigger a daylight lighting scheme when the light intensity signal is greater than the darkness set value; and
a lamp in communication with the lamp module, wherein the lamp is configured to emit a darkness spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the darkness lighting scheme, wherein the darkness spectrum has a maximum illumination wavelength of about 505 nanometers, wherein the lamp is configured to emit a daylight spectrum when the lamp is activated and when the lamp module triggers the daylight lighting scheme, and wherein the maximum illumination wavelength of the daylight spectrum is different than the maximum illumination wavelength of the darkness spectrum.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a toggle switch, wherein the lamp is activated and deactivated by the toggle switch.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the maximum illumination wavelength of the daylight spectrum is about 555 nanometers.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the lamp comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the plurality of LEDs comprise LEDs that emit different wavelengths, and wherein power provided to each of the plurality of LEDs is to be varied to change the maximum illumination wavelength of the lamp.

15. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a lamp power supply configured to provide electricity to the lamp, wherein the lamp power supply provides a maximum of about 2 watts of power to the lamp.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Chen Houli
• Shen Li
• Zhu Jie

Classifications

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• H05B45/10 Primary

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• B60Q3/80 Primary

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

• B60Q1/143

  combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers · CPC title