US5206562A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lighting system for use in vehicle cabin
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1991-09-18
•
Granted: 1993-04-27
•
Expires: 2011-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A lighting system for use in a vehicle cabin comprises a step lamp arranged to a door, a foot lamp arranged to a seat and a seat lamp arranged to a roof. An ON-OFF circuit turns on the step, foot and seat lamps when the door is opened, and turns off these lamps when the door is closed. An arithmetic circuit controls the step, foot and seat lamps in luminance to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and step, the floor and the seat.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshio Matsuno
- 👤 Hitoshi Matsui
- 👤 Izumi Okamura
- 👤 Teruaki Shigeta
- 👤 Yoshinori Tanabe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:51
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q3/00; B60Q3/20; B60Q3/217; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/32; B60Q1/323; B60Q1/324; B60Q1/325; B60Q3/80; B60Q2500/00; B60Q2500/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of controlling a lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having a door, a step, a floor, a roof and a seat, the lighting system including a step lamp arranged to the door, a foot lamp arranged to the seat and a seat lamp arranged to the roof, the method comprising the steps of: checking whether or not the door is opened; detecting brightness of the road and step, the floor and the seat when the door is opened and generating brightness indicative signals indicative of said brightness detected; determining luminous intensities of the step lamp, the foot lamp and the seat lamp in response to said brightness indicative signals to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and step, the floor and the seat and generating luminous intensity indicative signals indicative of said luminous intensities determined; and controlling the step lamp, the foot lamp and the seat lamp in response to said luminous intensities indicative signals.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of controlling a lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having a door, a step, a floor, a roof and a seat, the lighting system including a step lamp arranged to the door, a foot lamp arranged to the seat and a seat lamp arranged to the roof, the method comprising the steps of: checking whether or not the door is opened; detecting brightness of the road and step, the floor and the seat when the door is opened and generating brightness indicative signals indicative of said brightness detected; determining luminous intensities of the step lamp, the foot lamp and the seat lamp in response to said brightness indicative signals to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and step, the floor and the seat and generating luminous intensity indicative signals indicative of said luminous intensities determined; and controlling the step lamp, the foot lamp and the seat lamp in response to said luminous intensities indicative signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said checking step is carried out with a door switch and an ON-OFF circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting step is carried out with three sensors.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of controlling a lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having first and second doors, steps, floors, roofs and seats, the lighting system including first and second step lamps arranged to the first and second doors, first and second foot lamps arranged to the first and second seats, and first and second seat lamps arranged to the first and second roofs, the method comprising the steps of: checking whether or not the first door is opened; detecting brightness of the road and first step, the first floor and the first seat when the first door is opened and generating brightness indicative signals indicative of said brightness detected; determining luminous intensities of the first step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp in response to said brightness indicative signals to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and first step, the first floor and the first seat and generating first luminous intensity indicative signals indicative of said luminous intensities determined; and controlling the first step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp in response to said first luminous intensity indicative signals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of controlling a lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having first and second doors, steps, floors, roofs and seats, the lighting system including first and second step lamps arranged to the first and second doors, first and second foot lamps arranged to the first and second seats, and first and second seat lamps arranged to the first and second roofs, the method comprising the steps of: checking whether or not the first door is opened; detecting brightness of the road and first step, the first floor and the first seat when the first door is opened and generating brightness indicative signals indicative of said brightness detected; determining luminous intensities of the first step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp in response to said brightness indicative signals to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and first step, the first floor and the first seat and generating first luminous intensity indicative signals indicative of said luminous intensities determined; and controlling the first step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp in response to said first luminous intensity indicative signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the steps of: establishing luminous intensities of the second step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp relative to said luminous intensities of the first step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp and generating second luminous intensity indicative signal indicative of said luminous intensities established; and controlling the second step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp in response to said second luminous intensity indicative signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said luminous intensities of the second step lamp, foot lamp and seat lamp are set to 0, 50% and 50%, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
221 words
A lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having a door, a step, a floor, a roof and a seat, comprising: a step lamp arranged to the door; a foot lamp arranged to the seat; a seat lamp arranged to the roof; ON-OFF means for turning on sais step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp when the door is opened, and turning off said step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp when the door is closed; first sensor means for detecting a brightness of the road and step and generating a road/step brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the road/step detected; second sensor means for detecting a brightness of the floor and generating a floor brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the floor detected; third sensor means for detecting a brightness of the seat and generating a seat brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the seat detected; and arithmetic circuit means for controlling said step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp luminous intensity in accordance with said step brightness indicative signal, said floor brightness indicative signal and said seat brightness indicative signal to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and step, the floor and the seat.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
221 words
A lighting system for use in a cabin of a vehicle on a road, the vehicle having a door, a step, a floor, a roof and a seat, comprising: a step lamp arranged to the door; a foot lamp arranged to the seat; a seat lamp arranged to the roof; ON-OFF means for turning on sais step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp when the door is opened, and turning off said step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp when the door is closed; first sensor means for detecting a brightness of the road and step and generating a road/step brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the road/step detected; second sensor means for detecting a brightness of the floor and generating a floor brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the floor detected; third sensor means for detecting a brightness of the seat and generating a seat brightness indicative signal indicative of said brightness of the seat detected; and arithmetic circuit means for controlling said step lamp, said foot lamp and said seat lamp luminous intensity in accordance with said step brightness indicative signal, said floor brightness indicative signal and said seat brightness indicative signal to obtain a gradual increase in brightness in order of the road and step, the floor and the seat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A lighting system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step lamp includes a red diverging lens portion for warning a driver in a follower vehicle that the door is opened, and a transparent converging lens portion for lighting up the road and the step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A lighting system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said seat lamp includes a diverging lens portion for lighting up an entirety of the seat, and a converging lens portion for lighting up a part of the seat.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A lighting system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said ON-OFF means include a door switch and an ON-OFF circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2337794A
Cited
US2582738A
Cited
US2635681A
Cited
US4139801A
Cited
US4217628A
Cited
US4236101A
Cited
US4368406A
Cited
US4695769A
Cited
JPS59114138A
Cited
JPS59145638A
Cited
JPS61193945A
Cited
US4670819A
Cited
US4866345A
Cited
US5047688A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-26 | 1996-10-26 | 1997-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-26 | 2000-10-26 | 2001-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-26 | 2004-10-26 | 2005-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |