An ambient lighting system for automobiles configured to illuminate a passenger compartment, comprises: an optical system in turn comprising: a plurality of RGB LED light sources; a structural support on which the light sources are placed; and a contact surface on which a user can interact, and through which light rays can exit. The ambient lighting system also includes: a control unit configured to control the RGB LED light sources in order to present light animations; and a touch sensor configured to detect touch of the contact surface in a defined region, which is configured to define, along the optical system at least one soft key. The ambient lighting system further includes: a voice command recognition system electronically connected to the control unit and configured to recognize voice commands; and a projector configured to project an image, such as a symbol and/or logo, on the contact surface.

The invention relates to a user interface for a vehicle adapted to present visible information; the user interface comprises a two-dimensional display for displaying information on a display portion, and an optical faceplate comprising a contact surface, a three-dimensional display surface for displaying information, and an optic light guide material provided between the contact surface and the three-dimensional display surface; wherein the two-dimensional display comprises a pixel arrangement and a cover layer covering the pixel arrangement; wherein the contact surface contacts the display to transmit information from the pixel arrangement to the three-dimensional display surface; wherein the faceplate is integrated into the display. The invention also relates to a vehicle.

A light control apparatus includes a diffuser plate, a light source, a light pipe, and a light blocker. The diffuser plate includes at least one opening therein. The diffuser plate includes feature located around the opening in the diffuser plate that exposes a portion of the diffuser plate. A light source positioned proximate a second surface of the diffuser plate is optically coupled to a light pipe positioned around a portion of the opening near the second surface of diffuser plate. A light blocker is positioned near a second portion of the at least one feature. The light blocker is positioned between the light source and the second portion of the feature, the light blocker having an opening therein to allow light to pass from the light source to the diffuser plate proximate the second portion of the feature.

A head-up display includes a display device and a projection optical system; the projection optical system includes first and second optical elements arranged in order of an optical path from the image; and when optical paths corresponding to an upper end and a lower end of the virtual image are defined as an upper ray and a lower ray, respectively, and a diverging effect and a converging effect are defined as being negative and positive, respectively, the first and the second optical elements satisfy conditional expressions P_u1−P_l1<0 and P_u2−P_l2>0 (where P_u1 denotes a local power of the first optical element acting on the upper ray, P_l1 denotes a local power of the first optical element acting on the lower ray, P_u2 denotes a local power of the second optical element acting on the upper ray, P_l2 denotes a local power of the second optical element acting on the lower ray).

A display device includes a light guide body and displays an image of light emitted from the light guide body. The light guide body is of a curved shape, and includes a light guide plate and an optical element that diffracts and emits light propagating inside the light guide plate. The optical element is provided in the light guide body so that the angle of the optical element relative to a propagation direction in which the light propagates inside the light guide plate is constant irrespective of where in the optical element.

A waveguide head-up display (HUD) includes a waveguide that includes a lower surface and an upper surface and is configured to receive an input and project, based on the input, at least one image from the upper surface and into an eyebox, and a prism arranged at least one of on and above the waveguide. The prism includes a lower surface facing the waveguide and configured to receive the at least one image and an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to project the at least one image received via the lower surface of the prism. The upper surface of the prism is angled relative to the upper surface of the waveguide such that a first normal of the upper surface of the prism is different from a second normal of the upper surface of the waveguide.

An ambient lighting system for automobiles configured to illuminate a passenger compartment, comprises: an optical system in turn comprising: a plurality of RGB LED light sources; a structural support on which the light sources are placed; and a contact surface on which a user can interact, and through which light rays can exit. The ambient lighting system also includes: a control unit configured to control the RGB LED light sources in order to present light animations; and a touch sensor configured to detect touch of the contact surface in a defined region, which is configured to define, along the optical system at least one soft key. The ambient lighting system further includes: a voice command recognition system electronically connected to the control unit and configured to recognize voice commands; and a projector configured to project an image, such as a symbol and/or logo, on the contact surface.

A component for a vehicle interior may comprise a housing; a cover structure comprising a cover surface; and a user interface at the cover surface comprising a light display. The light display may comprise a light guide comprising a projection. The cover structure may comprise a cover base and a cover layer. The cover layer may be molded on the cover base. The cover base may comprise the light guide. The cover layer may comprise an aperture. The projection may extend into the aperture. The cover base may comprise an aperture, recess, notch and/or indentation. The cover layer may comprise a generally opaque material preventing visibility of a recess in the cover base. The cover base may comprise a different color and/or softness than the cover layer. The cover structure may comprise apertures and/or recesses for the light guide.

The invention relates to a touch surface comprising: a carrier substrate (510, 610) comprising 2 opposite faces (511, 512) one (511) of the faces being exposed to touch; and comprising on the face (512) opposite the face (511) exposed to touch, a combined proximity and force sensor (300) comprising: an insulating substrate (210); —conductive tracks (221, 222) deposited on said substrate (210) and configured to produce a capacitive sensor; a force sensor (230) consisting of an assembly of conductive nanoparticles in colloidal suspension in an electrically insulating ligand; a protective layer (310) covering the conductive tracks and the nanoparticle assembly.

The invention also relates to a method for detecting and measuring the force applied by a touch against such a touch surface.

A display device for a vehicle includes: a first transparent or translucent layer comprising a pictogram, a second transparent or translucent layer, covering the pictogram, a liquid crystal display, arranged in line with the pictogram, and a light source configured to emit light to illuminate the pictogram by passing through the liquid crystal display and the second layer. The liquid crystal display at least partially covers the second layer, and an assembly formed by the first layer and the second layer is rigid.