Systems and methods for controlling illumination of center caps in vehicle wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12349259-B2
Application number	US-202318330520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2023
Priority date	Jun 7, 2023
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a wheel including a center cap having a first portion configured to rotate with the wheel and a second portion configured to remain stationary. The second portion includes a light source and a power storage module. The system further includes a generator configured to generate power and output the power to at least the power storage module, a power converter coupled between the power storage module and the light source, and a control module. The control module is configured to receive a signal indicative of a key associated with the vehicle being within a defined distance, and in response to receiving the signal, control the power converter to output the power generated by the generator and stored in the power storage module to the light source. Other examples systems and methods for controlling a light source in a wheel of a vehicle are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling at least one light source in a wheel of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a wheel including a center cap having a first portion configured to rotate with the wheel and a second portion configured to remain stationary as the wheel rotates, the second portion including at least one light source and a power storage module;
a generator coupled to the power storage module, the generator configured to generate electric power and output the electric power to at least the power storage module;
a power converter coupled between the power storage module and the at least one light source; and
a control module in communication with the power converter, the control module configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of a key associated with the vehicle being within a defined distance;
receive a second signal indicative of a characteristic of the vehicle, the characteristic including at least one of a vehicle maintenance recommendation and a vehicle fault condition; and
in response to receiving the first signal and the second signal, control the power converter to output the electric power generated by the generator and stored in the power storage module to the at least one light source and control the at least one light source to output a defined light sequence based on the second signal to provide a notification to an approaching user of the characteristic of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the defined light sequence is a first defined light sequence;
the control module is configured to, in response to receiving only the first signal, control the at least one light source to output a second defined light sequence based on the received first signal; and
the first defined light sequence and the second defined light sequence are different.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first portion of the center cap includes a housing and a shaft coupled to the housing; and
the light source and the power storage module are positioned within the housing.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the second portion of the center cap includes an emblem associated with the vehicle; and
the control module is configured to control the light source to illuminate the emblem.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the housing includes a body and a transparent face attached to the body; and
the transparent face is positioned adjacent to the emblem.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one light source includes one or more LEDs.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the generator includes at least one magnet coupled to a rotating component of the first portion and at least one coil coupled to a stationary component of the second portion.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power storage module includes a battery and/or an ultra-capacitor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the control module includes a communications module in communication with a virtual key module associated with the vehicle; and
the communications module is configured to receive the first signal via the virtual key module.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a switching device coupled to the control module, the switching device controllable to put the center cap of the wheel in a pairing mode for linking to the control module.

11. A method of controlling at least one light source in a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel including a center cap having a first portion configured to rotate with the wheel and a second portion configured to remain stationary as the wheel rotates, the second portion including the light source and a power storage module, the method comprising:
receiving a first signal indicative of a key associated with the vehicle being within a defined distance;
receiving a second signal indicative of a characteristic of the vehicle, the characteristic including at least one of a vehicle maintenance recommendation and a vehicle fault condition; and
in response to receiving the first signal and the second signal, controlling a power converter to output electric power generated by a generator and stored in the power storage module to the light source and controlling the light source to output a defined light sequence based on the second signal to provide a notification to an approaching user of the characteristic of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the defined light sequence is a first defined light sequence;
the method further comprise controlling the light source to output a second defined light sequence based on the received first signal; and
the first defined light sequence and the second defined light sequence are different.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first portion of the center cap includes a housing and a shaft coupled to the housing; and
the light source and the power storage module are positioned within the housing.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the second portion of the center cap includes an emblem associated with the vehicle; and
controlling the light source to output the defined light sequence includes controlling the light source to illuminate the emblem.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the housing includes a body and a transparent face attached to the body; and
the transparent face is positioned adjacent to the emblem.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the generator includes at least one magnet coupled to a rotating component of the first portion and at least one coil coupled to a stationary component of the second portion.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the power storage module includes a battery and/or an ultra-capacitor.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling a switching device to put the center cap of the wheel in a pairing mode.

19. A system for controlling at least one light source in a wheel of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a wheel including a center cap having a first portion configured to rotate with the wheel and a second portion configured to remain stationary as the wheel rotates, the second portion including at least one light source and a battery;
a generator configured to generate electric power and output the electric power to at least the battery, the generator including at least one magnet coupled to a rotating component of the first portion and at least one coil coupled to a stationary component of the second portion;
a power converter coupled between the battery and the at least one light source; and
a control module configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of a key associated with the vehicle being within a defined distance;
receive a second signal indicative of a characteristic of the vehicle, the characteristic including at least one of a vehicle maintenance recommendation and a vehicle fault condition;
in response to receiving the first signal, control the power converter to provide the electric power generated by the generator and stored in the battery to the at least one light source and control the at least one light source to output a first defined light sequence based on the received first signal; and
in response to receiving the first signal and the second signal, control the at least one light source to output a second defined light sequence based on the received second signal to provide a notification to an approaching user of the characteristic of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a switching device coupled to the control module, the switching device controllable to put the

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Bloecker Stanley R

Classifications

• H05B47/19 Primary

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• F21S43/20

  characterised by refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters · CPC title

• B60B7/006 Primary

  the surface being reflective or including lighting · CPC title

• B60R13/005

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

• B60Q1/543

  for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045) · CPC title