Individualizable lighting system for a vehicle

Abstract

A lighting system for a vehicle and a corresponding motor vehicle is implemented with personalized or individualizable lighting functions. A part of a lighting device is reserved for implementing main lighting functions in accordance with legal requirements and another part of the lighting device is reserved for generating individualizable lighting functions. The part for individualizable lighting functions can be freely programmed and actuated via a user interface, such as a smartphone, within the scope of the technical power limitations of the individual lighting devices while taking into consideration legal requirements.

Claims

1. A lighting system for a vehicle, the lighting system comprising: a lighting device formed with a main lighting region and an individual lighting region, said individual lighting region being offset from said main lighting region in a direction transverse to an illumination direction of said main lighting region and being separate therefrom without an overlap between said main lighting region and said individual lighting region; a control system actively connected to said lighting device; and a user interface configured for interacting with said control system for operating said lighting device; said individual lighting region being configured to generate individual light functions that are freely programmable via said user interface with regard to an optical configuration thereof and that are directly controllable with regard to an activation state thereof.

2. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said control system is combined with, or actively connected to, an on-board computer that is operatively associated with said user interface.

3. The lighting system according to claim 1, which further comprises a user interface provided by a mobile terminal and enabled for active connection to said control system, and wherein the mobile terminal is equipped with control software for direct control of the individual light functions.

4. The lighting system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to receive preprogrammed profiles for individual light functions and to integrate the profiles into said control system.

5. The lighting system according to claim 2, wherein the on-board computer is configured to receive preprogrammed profiles for individual light functions and to integrate the profiles into said control system.

6. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein profiles are programmable via said user interface that contain an activation action for particular individual light functions, depending on particular operating states of the vehicle.

7. The lighting system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile terminal is a smartphone or a tablet computer.

8. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said individual lighting region contains a multiplicity of separate luminous devices.

9. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said individual lighting region includes a display mounted adjacent said main lighting region.

10. The lighting system according to claim 1, configured as a lighting device for exterior vehicle illumination.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising a lighting system according to claim 1.

12. A lighting system for a vehicle, the lighting system comprising: a lighting device formed with a main lighting region configured to perform basic light functions related to an operation of the vehicle, and a display screen adjacent said main lighting region and configured to emit freely programmable light functions, said display screen being an LCD or an LED display; a control system actively connected to said lighting device; and a user interface configured for interacting with said control system for operating said lighting device; said display screen being configured to generate individual light functions that are freely programmable via said user interface with regard to an optical configuration thereof and that are directly controllable with regard to an activation state thereof.

13. The lighting system according to claim 12, wherein said lighting device is a brakelight assembly of the vehicle.

14. The lighting system according to claim 12, wherein said lighting device is a headlight assembly of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will be elucidated in the following in embodiment examples with reference to the associated drawings. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 a block diagram of a lighting system according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 a lighting device of the lighting system according to the invention with separate luminous means;

(4) FIG. 3 a lighting device of the lighting system according to the invention with a display; and

(5) FIG. 4 a motor vehicle according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a lighting system 10 according to the invention for a vehicle. The lighting system 10 comprises a lighting device 12, a control system 14 and a user interface 16. The lighting device 12 is, in turn, subdivided into a main lighting region 18 and an individual lighting region 20.

(7) In the individual lighting region 20, purely by way of example four individual luminous means 22 have been represented. Between the control system 14 and the lighting device 12 an active connection 24 is indicated. The active connection 24 here is a bus system 26 of the control system 14. Furthermore, an active connection 28 between the control system 14 and the user interface 16 is indicated. In the present case this active connection has been designed to be wireless as a radio link over the Internet 30.

(8) Individual light functions 42 that can be generated with the individual luminous means 22 in the individual lighting region 20 are freely programmable as regards their optical configuration. If, purely by way of example, the individual luminous means 22 are LEDs 32, these may for technical reasons have two states each, namely “on” and “off”. Accordingly, with the LEDs 32 in the present case 15 individual light functions 42 would be realizable (a deactivated state of all the LEDs 32 not being counted as a light function). If the LEDs 32 are additionally dimmable, the number of individual light functions 42 that can be generated is multiplied by the respective number of dimming states that can be assumed. Within the scope of these technical limits, the individual light functions 42 that can be generated with the LEDs 32 in the individual lighting region 20 are freely programmable via the user interface 16. Similarly, the light functions are directly controllable via the user interface 16. This means that solely by the output of a user signal 34 using the user interface 16 each individual light function 42 achievable with the LEDs 32 can be directly switched on or off.

(9) FIG. 2 shows, on the basis of an example represented by a two-part tail lamp 36, how the lighting device 12 may have been designed. Three variants—labeled A, B and C—are shown. The remaining elements of the lighting system 10 according to the invention are not represented in FIG. 2. Since in FIG. 2 in each case it is a question of variants of the two-part tail lamp 36, for the sake of clarity not all reference symbols are contained in each view A to C.

(10) In the variants A to C of the tail lamp 36 which are shown, the main lighting region 18 has been realized in conventional manner as an elongated luminous strip. The individual lighting region 20 is constituted by the individual luminous means 22 below the main lighting region 18. In variant A, in each instance three LEDs 32 have been arranged horizontally for this purpose. In variants B and C, additional known optical elements 38 are used in order to generate strip-like regions which, for instance, may have been backlit with LEDs and then have a homogeneous luminous appearance.

(11) Whereas in the main lighting region 18 of the tail lamp 36 basic light functions 40, such as, in this example, a rear light, are generated, in the individual lighting region 20 freely programmable light functions, the individual light functions 42, can be generated. As already presented in the description relating to FIG. 1, these functions are determined only by the technical functional limits of the individual luminous means 22 used in the individual lighting region 20, and can otherwise be configured completely freely. Purely by way of example with respect to variant C, the existing optical elements 38 can be backlit jointly, individually or even with fluid transitions, for instance from left to right.

(12) In contrast to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 shows the tail lamp 36 with a display 44. In this case it is a question, by way of example, of an LC display that for the purpose of generating the individual light functions 42 has been arranged in the individual lighting region 20 or constitutes the latter in the example shown in FIG. 3. With such a display 44, even complex individual light functions 46, for instance, are capable of being represented. For instance, via the user interface 16 (see FIG. 1) a handwritten input can be programmed, for instance via a touchscreen, as a complex individual light function 46 and then displayed in the individual lighting region 20 as a complex individual light function 46 via the control system 14.

(13) FIG. 4 shows, moreover, a motor vehicle 48 according to the invention with the lighting system 10 according to the invention. The control system 14 of the lighting system 10 here has been integrated into an on-board computer 50 of the motor vehicle 48. The user interface 16 of the lighting system 10 here comprises, on the one hand, operating elements of an infotainment system 52 of the motor vehicle 48 and, on the other hand, a mobile terminal 54, in the present case in the form of a smartphone. The mobile terminal 54 includes programming and control software 56. For instance, an input can be made in handwritten form on a touchscreen 58 of the mobile terminal 54, said input then being converted by the programming and control software 56 into corresponding control data 60 which are then communicated to the control system 14 for the purpose of generating the complex individual light functions 46 from FIG. 3.

(14) In FIG. 4 it is indicated that the on-board computer 50 or also the mobile terminal 54 has been designed also to receive preprogrammed profiles 62 for individual light functions 42, for instance over the Internet 30, and to transmit these profiles to the control system 14 or to integrate them. In the case of the smartphone as user interface 16, this happens in wireless manner over the Internet 30 via the active connection 28. The infotainment system 52, on the other hand, has been built into the motor vehicle 48 and coupled directly with the on-board computer 50.

(15) Arbitrary profiles 62 may also be programmed via the user interface 16 itself. For the purpose of controlling the activation state of the individual light functions 42, these profiles 62 may also contain activation actions pertaining to particular operating states of the motor vehicle 48 for particular individual light functions 42. However, these functions can be chosen freely by the user, so the latter is able to stipulate which operating state is to be a criterion for controlling an individual light function 42.

(16) In the present FIG. 4, the lighting system 10 according to the invention has been provided by way of example for the purpose of realizing a tail lamp 36 and a headlight 64. In both cases it is accordingly a question of an exterior vehicle illumination 66. However, the lighting system 10 according to the invention is equally suitable for application in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(17) 10 lighting system 12 lighting device 14 control system 16 user interface 18 main lighting region 20 individual lighting region 22 individual luminous means 24 active connection 26 bus system 28 active connection 30 Internet 32 LEDs 34 user signal 36 tail lamp 38 optical elements 40 basic light functions 42 individual light functions 44 display 46 complex individual light functions 48 motor vehicle 50 on-board computer 52 operating elements of an infotainment system 54 mobile terminal 56 programming and control software 58 touchscreen 60 control data 62 profiles 64 headlight 66 exterior vehicle illumination