System and method for adjusting the light intensity of an analog needle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12145442-B2
Application number	US-202217749742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2022
Priority date	Sep 17, 2021
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for adjusting the intensity of light provided to an analog needle are disclosed herein. The system and method adjust the intensity of light provided to the analog needle based on an operating state of an engine of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory in communication with the processor, the memory having a needle intensity module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
gradually decrease an intensity of light provided to an analog needle when in a shutdown state from a maximum intensity to a minimum intensity, wherein the shutdown state occurs when an engine of a vehicle transitions from a running state to an off state that occurs when an engine speed of the engine is below a shutdown threshold, and
increase the intensity of light provided to the analog needle to a middle intensity when the engine is in the off state, the middle intensity being more intense than the minimum intensity and less intense than the maximum intensity.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle operates in an electric vehicle mode powered by an electric motor when the engine is in the off state.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the needle intensity module further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to gradually increase the intensity of light provided to the analog needle when in a start state that occurs when the engine speed exceeds a start threshold from the minimum intensity to the maximum intensity as the engine transitions from the off state to the running state.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of light provided to the analog needle is additionally based on a learned behavior of a driver of the vehicle.

5. A method comprising steps of:
gradually decreasing an intensity of light provided to an analog needle when in a shutdown state from a maximum intensity to a minimum intensity, wherein the shutdown state occurs when an engine of a vehicle transitions from a running state to an off state that occurs when an engine speed of the engine is below a shutdown threshold; and
increasing the intensity of light provided to the analog needle to a middle intensity when the engine is in the off state, the middle intensity being more intense than the minimum intensity and less intense than the maximum intensity.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle operates in an electric vehicle mode powered by an electric motor when the engine is in the off state.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of increasing the intensity of the light provided to the analog needle when in a start state, wherein the start state occurs when the engine speed of the engine exceeds a start threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of gradually increasing the intensity of the light provided to the analog needle when in the start state from the minimum intensity to the maximum intensity as the engine transitions from the off state to the running state.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
gradually decrease an intensity of light provided to an analog needle when in a shutdown state from a maximum intensity to a minimum intensity, wherein the shutdown state occurs when an engine transitions from a running state to an off state that occurs when an engine speed of the engine is below a shutdown threshold; and
increase the intensity of light provided to the analog needle to a middle intensity when the engine is in the off state, the middle intensity being more intense than the minimum intensity and less intense than the maximum intensity.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , further including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to gradually increase the intensity of light provided to the analog needle when in a start state from the minimum intensity to the maximum intensity as the engine transitions from the off state to the running state, wherein the start state occurs when the engine speed of the engine exceeds a start threshold.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Evans George M
• France Aaron M
• Austin Benjamin Piya
• Herring Craig D
• Babian Philip J
• Isobe Ichiroh
• Garrett William Patrick

Classifications

• H05B47/105 Primary

  in response to determined parameters · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/214

  Variable gauge scales, e.g. scale enlargement to adapt to maximum driving speed · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/235

  with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points · CPC title