Vehicle with overhead vehicle state indication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10377302-B2
Application number	US-201816151379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2018
Priority date	Oct 16, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle comprising an optically transmissive roof window, an overhead console arranged in an overhead position with respect to a driver position in the vehicle, an optical element attached to a rear portion of the overhead console, the optical element facing the roof window, a light source for emitting light receivable by the optical element, the light source is configure to emit the light when an electric system of the vehicle is powered on. The optical element is arranged to receive at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source such that an image representative of the optical signal and the shape of the optical element is visible through the roof window from the interior of the vehicle. The invention further relates to a method for providing an image indicative of a state of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an optically transmissive roof window arranged in a roof of the vehicle;
a overhead console arranged in an overhead position with respect to a driver position in the vehicle, the overhead console is attached to the vehicle interior in a frontal location in the vehicle with respect to the roof window, wherein a rear portion of the overhead console extends under the roof window such that a vertical gap is formed between the roof window and an upper surface of the rear portion, the upper surface facing the roof window,
an optical element attached to the rear portion of the overhead console, the optical element facing the roof window, and
a light source arranged in the rear portion of the overhead console for emitting light receivable by the optical element, wherein said light source is configured to emit light when an electric system of the vehicle is powered on,
wherein the optical element is arranged to receive at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source such that the optical element is illuminated by the emitted light which causes an optical signal to be emitted from the optical element towards the roof window, wherein an image representative of the optical signal and a shape of the optical element is visible in the roof window from the interior of the vehicle and, wherein the image is indicative of a state of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to continuously emit light until the electric system is powered off.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the image representative of the optical signal and the shape of the optical element appears as a projection on an opposite side of the roof window from the rear portion of the overhead console outside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical gap is less than or equal to about 200 mm, 150 mm, 100 mm, about 80 mm, about 50 mm, about 40 mm, about 30 mm, or about 20 mm.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the image representative of the optical signal and the shape of the optical element is visible to at least a driver of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is an at least partly optically diffusive element configured to at least partly spread the light received from the light source.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the optical element is comprised in a waveguide, wherein a main portion of the waveguide is covered by the upper surface of the rear portion of the overhead console, wherein the main portion of the waveguide is configured to transmit light received from the light source towards the optical element.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the overhead console comprises edge portions connected with the upper surface, wherein an angle between the upper surface and the edge portion is such that the edge portion is a slanted edge.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the upper surface lies in a generally horizontal plane.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the shape of optical element is static, whereby the image is also static.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1 , comprising a control unit configured to receive a signal indicative of that the electric system of the vehicle is powered on, and to control the light source to emit light in response to the received signal.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive an indication that the electric system is powered off, and in response to receiving that indication, control the light source to stop emitting light.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a car.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical system is at least one of an ambient light system, an external light system, a door locking system, an ignition system, or a combination thereof.

15. A method for providing an image indicative of a state of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:
an optically transmissive roof window arranged in a roof of the vehicle;
a overhead console arranged in an overhead position with respect to a driver position in the vehicle, the overhead console is attached to the vehicle interior in a frontal location in the vehicle with respect to the roof window, wherein a rear portion of the overhead console extends under the roof window such that a vertical gap is formed between the roof window and an upper surface of the rear portion, the upper surface facing the roof window,
an optical element attached to the rear portion of the overhead console, the optical element facing the roof window, and
a light source arranged in the rear portion of the overhead console, wherein the method comprises:
receiving a signal indicative that an electric system of the vehicle is powered on,
emitting light by the light source in response to the signal indicative that the electric system of the vehicle is powered on,
receiving, by the optical element, at least a portion of the emitted light, and
in response to the received light, emitting, by the optical element, an optical signal towards the roof window such that the image indicative of the state of the vehicle and a shape of the optical element is visible through the roof window from the interior of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Palm Niklas
• Lienhart Thomas
• Ekeroth Per

Classifications

• B60Q3/80

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

• B60Q3/70 Primary

  characterised by the purpose · CPC title

• B60Q3/64

  for a single lighting device · CPC title

• G02B27/0101

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/01 Primary

  Head-up displays · CPC title