Vehicle display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532079-B2
Application number	US-202318525947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2023
Priority date	Dec 1, 2023
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a display unit and a computer communicatively coupled to the camera. The display unit includes a display panel, a circuit board fixed relative to the display panel, a plurality of visible-light light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the circuit board, and a plurality of infrared LEDs mounted to the circuit board and interspersed with the visible-light LEDs. The circuit board is arranged to direct emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs to the display panel. The computer is programmed to actuate a component based on an infrared image from a camera depicting an occupant illuminated by the infrared LEDs, and adjust a brightness of the infrared LEDs based on an ambient brightness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle system comprising:
a display unit including:
a display panel;
a circuit board fixed relative to the display panel, wherein the circuit board is fixed behind the display panel and arranged parallel to the display panel;
a plurality of visible-light light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the circuit board; and
a plurality of infrared LEDs mounted to the circuit board and interspersed with the visible-light LEDs;
the circuit board being arranged to direct emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs to the display panel;
the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs being arranged in a two-dimensional pattern on the circuit board; and
a computer communicatively coupled to the display unit; the computer programmed to:
actuate a component based on an infrared image from a camera depicting an occupant illuminated by the infrared LEDs; and
adjust a brightness of the infrared LEDs based on an ambient brightness.

2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is programmed to increase the brightness of the infrared LEDs in response to an increase of the ambient brightness.

3 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising the camera, wherein:
the camera is configured to detect visible light and infrared light; and the computer is programmed to actuate the component based on a visible-light image from the camera depicting the occupant.

4 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising the camera, wherein:
the camera is configured to detect visible light and infrared light; and the computer is programmed to, in response to the ambient brightness exceeding a threshold, actuate the component based on a visible-light image from the camera depicting the occupant.

5 . The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the computer is programmed to actuate the component based on the infrared image when the ambient brightness is below the threshold.

6 . The vehicle system of claim 5 , wherein the computer is programmed to actuate the component based on the infrared image when the ambient brightness is above the threshold.

7 . The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the computer is programmed to, in response to the ambient brightness being below the threshold, refrain from actuating the component based on the visible-light image.

8 . The vehicle system of claim 7 , wherein the computer is programmed to adjust the brightness of the infrared LEDs by changing a pulse-width modulation of the infrared LEDs.

9 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein:
the display unit includes a light guide plate fixed behind the display panel; and the circuit board is arranged to direct the emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs into the light guide plate at an edge of the light guide plate.

10 . The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs are arranged in a row along the edge of the light guide plate.

11 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein a number of the visible-light LEDs is greater than a number of the infrared LEDs.

12 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the display unit includes a plurality of optical domes enclosing the respective visible-light LEDs, and the infrared LEDs are enclosed in respective ones of the optical domes.

13 . The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein a subset of the optical domes enclose the respective infrared LEDs.

14 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a dashboard, the display unit being mounted to the dashboard.

15 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising the camera, wherein the camera is spaced from the display unit.

16 . A vehicle system comprising:
a display unit including:
a display panel;
a circuit board fixed relative to the display panel;
a plurality of visible-light light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the circuit board; and
a plurality of infrared LEDs mounted to the circuit board and interspersed with the visible-light LEDs;
the circuit board being arranged to direct emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs to the display panel;
a computer communicatively coupled to the display unit; and a camera, the camera being configured to detect visible light and infrared light; the computer programmed to:
actuate a component based on an infrared image from the camera depicting an occupant illuminated by the infrared LEDs;
in response to the ambient brightness exceeding a threshold, actuate the component based on a visible-light image from the camera depicting the occupant;
adjust a brightness of the infrared LEDs based on an ambient brightness; and
actuate the component based on the infrared image when the ambient brightness is below the threshold.

17 . A vehicle system comprising:
a display unit including:
a display panel;
a circuit board fixed relative to the display panel;
a plurality of visible-light light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the circuit board; and
a plurality of infrared LEDs mounted to the circuit board and interspersed with the visible-light LEDs;
the circuit board being arranged to direct emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs to the display panel;
a computer communicatively coupled to the display unit; and a camera, the camera being configured to detect visible light and infrared light; the computer programmed to:
actuate a component based on an infrared image from the camera depicting an occupant illuminated by the infrared LEDs;
in response to the ambient brightness exceeding a threshold, actuate the component based on a visible-light image from the camera depicting the occupant;
adjust a brightness of the infrared LEDs based on an ambient brightness; and
in response to the ambient brightness being below the threshold, refrain from actuating the component based on the visible-light image.

18 . A vehicle system comprising:
a display unit including:
a display panel;
a circuit board fixed relative to the display panel, wherein the circuit board is fixed behind the display panel and arranged parallel to the display panel;
a plurality of visible-light light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted to the circuit board;
a plurality of infrared LEDs mounted to the circuit board and interspersed with the visible-light LEDs; and
a plurality of optical domes enclosing the respective visible-light LEDs, wherein the infrared LEDs are enclosed in respective ones of the optical domes;
the circuit board being arranged to direct emissions from the visible-light LEDs and infrared LEDs to the display panel; and
a computer communicatively coupled to the display unit; the computer programmed to:
actuate a component based on an infrared image from a camera depicting an occupant illuminated by the infrared LEDs; and
adjust a brightness of the infrared LEDs based on an ambient brightness.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Larry Mark
• Guo Biaohe
• Van Hoeckel Martin
• Diedrich Jonathan

Classifications

• B60K35/22 Primary

  Display screens · CPC title

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title

• B60K2360/332

  Light emitting diodes · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title