Steering wheel lighting customization system for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A system for customizing the lighting configuration of a steering wheel (1) of a motor vehicle (10), this system comprising: - a steering wheel (1) incorporating light sources capable of being illuminated in a plurality of lighting configurations; - a digital instrument cluster (2); - a human-machine interface (3) associated with the digital instrument cluster (2), this human-machine interface (3) having selectable access to said plurality of lighting configurations. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: System for customizing the lighting configuration of a motor vehicle's steering wheel

[0001] The present invention relates to systems for improving the comfort and habitability of motor vehicles, and more particularly to systems for personalizing the lighting configuration of steering wheels of such vehicles.

[0002] Various devices are known in the prior art for adjusting the angular and / or longitudinal position of the steering wheel to ensure improved interior space and comfort in the motor vehicle. To further personalize the steering wheel configuration, devices are also known that allow the driver to change the color of the steering wheel via a switch provided on the steering wheel itself.

[0003] Although existing systems are partly satisfactory, the lighting (or visual) configuration of steering wheels can still be improved in order to further enhance the user experience.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a system for personalizing the lighting configuration of the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, ensuring an improved user experience.

[0005] To this end, a system for personalizing the lighting configuration of a motor vehicle's steering wheel is proposed firstly, this system comprising - a steering wheel incorporating light sources capable of being switched on according to a plurality of lighting configurations; - a digital instrument cluster; - a human / machine interface associated with the digital instrument cluster, this human / machine interface including selectably said plurality of lighting configurations.

[0006] Various additional features may be provided, alone or in combination: - at least one lighting configuration is associated with a predefined driving context of the motor vehicle; - the driving context is associated with the level of ambient light, ambient sound, ambient temperature, the speed of the motor vehicle, user preferences or data and / or motor vehicle data; - at least one first lighting configuration and a second distinct lighting configuration are, respectively, associated with a first driving mode and a second mode of driving distinct from the motor vehicle; - said plurality of lighting configurations is partially accessible when the motor vehicle is in manual driving mode; - the human / machine interface is configured to display on the digital instrument cluster schematic representations associated with said lighting configurations, these schematic representations including a color palette and a color selector allowing at least one color to be selected to be applied to said light sources; - the lighting configuration of a light source includes the color of the emitted light, the luminous intensity, the duration of ignition, the order of ignition and / or the direction of illumination of the light source; - light sources include light-emitting diodes, micro-LEDs or optical fibers; - the light sources include an array of light elements covering at least partially the steering wheel.

[0007] Secondly, a motor vehicle comprising the system presented above is proposed.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and concrete upon reading the following description of embodiments, which is made with reference to figure [Fig.1] which schematically illustrates a motor vehicle integrating a system for personalizing the lighting configuration of the steering wheel according to various embodiments.

[0009] With reference to [Fig. 1], a steering wheel 1 of a motor vehicle 10 is shown, incorporating light sources capable of being illuminated in a plurality of lighting configurations. The lighting configuration of a light source may include the color (or light spectrum) of the emitted light, the luminous intensity, the duration of illumination, the order of illumination, and / or the direction of illumination (in the case of adjustable light sources).

[0010] Light sources include, for example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), micro-LEDs, or optical fibers. In one embodiment, the light sources comprise an array of very finely structured light elements covering at least partially the flywheel 1.

[0011] The vehicle 10 also includes a digital instrument cluster 2. This digital instrument cluster 2 is generally part of a central cluster commonly installed in or on the dashboard. The digital instrument cluster 2 is positioned in a central part of the driver's field of vision, particularly near the steering wheel 1. The digital instrument cluster 2 is, for example, an LED screen or, more generally, a display device.

[0012] A human-machine interface 3 (or HMI) representing the steering wheel 1 is associated with the digital instrument cluster 2. In one embodiment, the human-machine interface 3 is part of the digital instrument cluster 2 (for example, when this digital instrument cluster 2 includes a touchscreen). The human-machine interface 3 includes, in a selectable manner (for example, in the form of buttons), the plurality of lighting configurations of the light sources equipping the steering wheel 1.

[0013] The human / machine interface 3 is intended to offer a plurality of selectable lighting configurations to the driver's choice of the light sources equipping the steering wheel 1. This human / machine interface makes it possible, in fact, to personalize the color, intensity and / or lighting animation (duration, order or direction of lighting of the light sources, for example) of the steering wheel 1.

[0014] The human-machine interface 3 can be implemented in the form of software modules, or a combination of electronic circuits (or "hardware") and software modules. More generally, the human-machine interface 3 includes all technical means involved from the generation of schematic representations of the lighting configurations, to the display of these schematic representations on the digital instrument cluster 2, and the control of a selected lighting configuration.

[0015] In one embodiment, a plurality of schematic representations associated with predefined lighting configurations is offered by the human / machine interface 3 to the driver on the digital instrument cluster 2. The human / machine interface 3 is responsible for activating any lighting configuration selected by the driver.

[0016] In one embodiment, at least one lighting configuration offered by the human-machine interface 3 is associated with a predefined driving context of the vehicle 10. This driving context is, for example, associated with the ambient light level (day / night), ambient sound (in particular, music), ambient temperature, the speed of the vehicle 10, user preferences or data (age, gender, for example), and / or data of the vehicle 10 (color, driving modes, vehicle model, for example). In one embodiment, at least one distinct first lighting configuration and a distinct second lighting configuration are, respectively, associated with a distinct first driving mode and a distinct second driving mode of the vehicle 10 (for example, manual driving and autonomous or automated driving of the vehicle 10).In another embodiment, the plurality of lighting configurations offered by the human-machine interface 3 is partially accessible when the vehicle 10 is in manual driving mode (as some visual configurations of the steering wheel 1 could be potentially too distracting). Sensors enabling the detection of such contexts are known to those skilled in the art. This advantageously results in contextualized lighting configurations of the steering wheel 1.

[0017] In one embodiment, activating a button (in particular, a steering wheel pictogram 1) on the human-machine interface 3 triggers the display on the digital instrument cluster 2 of visual indicators or schematic representations associated with lighting configurations of the steering wheel 1. These schematic representations indicate the possibility of customizing the lighting configuration (in particular, the color) of the steering wheel 1. In one embodiment, these schematic representations include a color palette and a color selector allowing the driver to select at least one color to apply to the light sources (i.e., which will become the color of the steering wheel 1). This is an ergonomic and intuitive means made available to the driver to personalize their steering wheel 1. The human-machine interface controls the lighting / visual configuration selected by the driver.

[0018] In one embodiment, a touch on the human-machine interface 3 representing the steering wheel 1 on the digital instrument cluster 2 allows the color of the steering wheel 1 to be personalized. This advantageously results in visual comfort providing an improved user experience. Driving comfort is thus increased and personalized to the driver.

Claims

Demands

1. A system for personalizing the lighting configuration of a steering wheel (1) of a motor vehicle (10), this system comprising - a steering wheel (1) integrating light sources capable of being lit according to a plurality of lighting configurations; - a digital instrument cluster (2); - a human / machine interface (3) associated with the digital instrument cluster (2), this human / machine interface (3) selectively comprising said plurality of lighting configurations.

2. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least one light configuration is associated with a predefined driving context of the motor vehicle (10).

3. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the driving context is associated with the level of ambient light, ambient sound, ambient temperature, the speed of the motor vehicle (10), user preferences or data and / or data of the motor vehicle (10).

4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one distinct first light configuration and a distinct second light configuration are, respectively, associated with a distinct first driving mode and a distinct second driving mode of the motor vehicle (10).

5. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said plurality of light configurations is partially accessible when the motor vehicle (10) is in manual driving mode.

6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the human / machine interface (3) is configured to display on the digital instrument cluster (2) schematic representations associated with said light configurations, these schematic representations comprising a color palette and a color selector allowing at least one color to be selected to be applied to said light sources.

7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light configuration of a light source includes the color of the emitted light, the luminous intensity, the duration of ignition, the order of ignition and / or the direction of illumination of the light source.

8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light sources comprise light-emitting diodes, micro-LEDs or optical fibers.

9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light sources comprise an array of light elements covering at least partially the steering wheel (1).

10. Motor vehicle (10) comprising the system of any one of the preceding claims.

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