1215results about "Lighting circuits" patented technology

Methods and apparatus for providing illumination in a marketplace. In one example, radiation comprising variable color light is generated using a plurality of LEDs. One or more articles in the marketplace are illuminated with the generated radiation, and the spectral content of the generated radiation is controllably varied over a period of time so that a customer of the marketplace perceives a change in color and / or an illusion of motion associated with the article(s) due to a selective color interaction between the generated radiation and the article(s). Examples of marketplaces include, but are not limited to, consumer environments, work environments, sporting environments, entertainment environments, retail establishments, restaurants, museums, art galleries and the like.

The present invention provides a light tube for illumination by a power supply circuit including a bulb portion and a pair of end caps disposed at opposite ends of the bulb portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed inside the bulb portion and in electrical communication with the pair of end caps for illuminating in response to electrical current to be received from the power supply circuit.

An apparatus and method for illuminating a vehicle including a light source connected to an illuminatable component such as an interior or exterior vehicle door handle or steering wheel, and a control system including a plurality of sensors that monitor the vehicle and surroundings for predetermined conditions and selectively illuminate the component as a means of conveying information or warnings about the vehicle or its surroundings. Illumination may be enhanced by other auditory signals such as audio alarms or vibration. Predetermined conditions may include the proximity of a vehicle user, key fob activation or proximity, input from an entertainment system, activation of a pressure sensor, the presence of a person or object in proximity to the vehicle, or the vehicle's ignition or gear state.

A system is provided with a conversation support means. A conversation support means creates a conversation response, and outputs it in a sound, a character, etc. A conversation response is created in a manner that combines words by inserting a reference keyword as a leading keyword in the response sentence model prepared separately. A conversation support means retrieves the reference keyword beforehand provided in conversation support by dictionary collation from the conversation entry content made by a sound, a manual entry, etc. by a user. Furthermore, the retrieved reference keyword themselves or another reference keyword associated with the retrieved reference keyword are handled as a leading keyword. A series of user conversation contents inputted by the conversation support are accumulated as a base data for determining a user interest. The base data is analyzed to determine a user interest for providing suitable information service.

An illumination module for a vehicle includes at least one illumination source for illuminating a target area at the vehicle. The illumination module may be mounted at a handle of a vehicle door and may be operable to illuminate the handle region and / or pocket region of the vehicle door and to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the vehicle and generally below the door handle assembly. The illumination module may include an icon established thereat and the at least one illumination source may back light the icon so that the icon, when the illumination module is activated, is viewable by a person viewing the vehicle. The illumination module may project or direct the illumination toward a targeted area so that the icon is discernible at the targeted area.

A series of motions where a user approaches, gets in, drives or stays in, and gets off a vehicle is divided into a plurality of scenes. In each scene, a hospitality operation is executed for assisting use of the vehicle by the user or for entertaining the user. Information about disturbances on the user is obtained in each specified scene. In accordance with the scene, user biological characteristic information, and the information about disturbances, a hospitality operation device to be used and a hospitality operation by the hospitality operation device are determined.

A rearview assembly for a vehicle including a mounting structure for mounting to a vehicle, a rearward viewing device, and housing with a position sensor, is provided. The position sensor includes first and second radiation emitters, a radiation reception element, and sensor processing circuitry coupled to one of the position sensors and the radiation reception element. The position sensor determines the position of an object in the vicinity of the rearward viewing device.

A device for controlling lighting, especially inside the passenger compartments of vehicles, including at least one light source and at least one sensor which influences the light source and which detects at least the movement of a body within the active range of the sensor. A control unit, which is used to control the light source according to a sensor signal provided by a sensor, is associated with the light source. Control unit, which are controlled by the control unit, track the light from the at least one light source according to a sensor signal corresponding to the position of the body. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the device.

An apparatus and method for illuminating a vehicle including a light source connected to an illuminatable component such as an interior or exterior vehicle door handle or steering wheel, and a control system including a plurality of sensors that monitor the vehicle and surroundings for predetermined conditions and selectively illuminate the component as a means of conveying information or warnings about the vehicle or its surroundings. Illumination may be enhanced by other auditory signals such as audio alarms or vibration. Predetermined conditions may include the proximity of a vehicle user, key fob activation or proximity, input from an entertainment system, activation of a pressure sensor, the presence of a person or object in proximity to the vehicle, or the vehicle's ignition or gear state.

A vehicle system includes a user interface device and an autonomous mode controller. The user interface device receives a user input representing a driving mode selection. The autonomous mode controller commands one or more vehicle subsystems to operate in accordance with characteristics associated with the driving mode selection. Examples of characteristics can include how aggressively the vehicle accelerates or decelerates, a minimum distance from the vehicle to a front vehicle, or how frequently the vehicle changes lanes, among others.

This invention relates to mirror assemblies for vehicles and in particular to interior rearview minor assemblies having touch screen inputs corresponding to elements representing a symbol. The symbols are located behind a reflective element and not visible until activated by selection of the corresponding input or other means.

A guide plate on the head of the flashlight provides an alignment feature which aligns a pair of flashlight charging contacts with a pair of terminals in charging unit for releasably holding the flashlight in its charging receptacle. The flashlight is held within the charging receptacle in a consistent orientation, so that the flashlight switch may be easily found when the flashlight is grasped. The charging receptacle grips the head portion of the flashlight with a pair of spring-loaded jaws. A battery assembly is provided which presents both positive and negative terminals at the forward end of the battery unit. Connections are made from the forward end of the battery to an interconnection module within the flashlight head assembly.

A light panel includes an outer layer, a first proximity switch, an electroluminescent element and a base portion. The outer layer includes a translucent portion. The first proximity switch is disposed beneath the outer layer and has first and second electrically conductive switch portions that are arranged to form an electric field that emanates through the outer layer when the first proximity switch is energized. The electroluminescent element is disposed beneath the outer layer to provided backlighting to the outer layer. One of the first and second electrically conductive switch portions of the first proximity switch forms at least a portion of an electrode of the electroluminescent element. The base portion is disposed beneath the electroluminescent element and the first proximity switch.

A lighting assembly (10) is adjustable between flood and spot lighting conditions for selectively illuminating an interior passenger compartment in a motor vehicle. The assembly (10) includes a housing (16) which clamps to a supporting member, such as a headliner (12), via a sleeve (18) interacting with a rotary cam lock (22). An LED light source (26) is orbitally supported within the housing (16) for projecting light in a directionally adjustable manner. A lens (50) is disposed in the light path (28) and is moveable between an extended spot position for task lighting and a retracted flood position for general illumination within the interior compartment. A switch (74) is responsive to movement of the lens (50) into its spot position for automatically energizing the LED (30). The switch (74) opens, thus de-energizing the LED (30) when the lens (50) is returned to its flood condition. A lighting control circuit (78, 78′) is responsive to an override signal, such as from a door switch (80, 80′), for independently activating the light source (26) when the lens (50) is in its flood position. The light source (26) is supported for orbital movement within the housing (16) by a gimbal mechanism which includes an inner gimbal (38) carried in a cross (40). Pintals (42, 44) establish intersecting perpendicular axis (A,B) to accomplish the orbital movement. A latch mechanism (64) cooperates with leaf springs (62) by controlling movement of the lens (50) between its flood and spot conditions by a repeated push impulse applied by the finger of an operator. The switch (74) is incorporated into the leaf springs (62).

A lighting system for a vehicle comprises a sealed unitary light module including at least one high-intensity power light emitting diode operates with a luminous efficiency of at least about 7 lumens per watt when passing a forward current of at least about 350 milliamps and that emits a luminous flux of at least about 25 lumens when operated at its operating voltage. The sealed unitary light module is removable as a unit from the vehicle and includes a heat dissipating element and a lens.