System and method for interior lighting and display screen synchronization in vehicle

Abstract

Systems and methods for interior lighting and display screen synchronization in a vehicle are provided. A content area is determined on a display screen in a vehicle. The content region is divided into a plurality of geometric content region bands. Each of the plurality of geometric content region bands is mapped to a lamp associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of interior illumination bands in the vehicle. A dominant color is determined in each of the plurality of geometric content region bands. An illumination command is issued to a lamp in each of the plurality of internal illumination bands to illuminate the internal illumination bands with a primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content bands.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technical field generally relates to vehicles, and more specifically to systems and methods for synchronizing interior lighting and displays in vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles typically include entertainment systems that use displays within the vehicle to deliver entertainment media content. Synchronizing and matching the colors of the entertainment media content on the displays with the interior lighting can provide vehicle users with a harmonious and immersive experience.

[0003] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for synchronizing interior lighting and displays in vehicles. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical and background information, based on the following detailed description and the appended claims. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An interior lighting and display synchronization system for a vehicle includes at least one processor and at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one memory includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to: define a content area on a display screen in the vehicle; divide the content area into a plurality of geometric content zone bands; map each of the plurality of geometric content zone bands to a lamp associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of interior lighting zones in the vehicle; determine a primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content zone bands; and issue a first illumination command to the lamps in each of the plurality of interior lighting zones to illuminate the interior lighting zone using the primary color associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content zone bands.

[0005] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: identify a first application displaying content on the display screen; and determine the height and width of a content area on the display screen associated with the first application.

[0006] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: dividing a content region into a plurality of geometric content region bands, wherein the number of geometric content region bands in the plurality of geometric content region bands is based on a first application.

[0007] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: map each of a plurality of geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of a plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle using a mapping table, wherein the mapping table defines the association between the geometric content bands and the lamps in the interior lighting bands.

[0008] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: to determine a content area on a display screen in a vehicle by identifying a horizontal and vertical offset of the content area relative to the horizontal and vertical edges of the display screen.

[0009] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: determine a primary color in each of a plurality of geometric content area bands by identifying the color with the highest number of pixels in the geometric content area band as the primary color.

[0010] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to: determine a vehicle state; issue a first illumination command to lamps in each of a plurality of internal lighting strips to illuminate the internal lighting strips at a first time using a primary color associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of geometric content strips; determine an updated primary color in each of a plurality of geometric content area strips; and issue a second illumination command to lamps in each of the plurality of internal lighting strips according to an illumination update frequency based on the vehicle state to illuminate the internal lighting strips at a second time using an updated primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips.

[0011] A method for synchronizing interior lighting in a vehicle with a display screen includes: defining a content area on the display screen in the vehicle; dividing the content area into multiple geometric content area bands; mapping each of the multiple geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of multiple interior lighting bands in the vehicle; determining a primary color in each of the multiple geometric content area bands; and issuing a first illumination command to the lamp in each of the multiple interior lighting bands to illuminate the interior lighting band using the primary color associated with the corresponding one of the multiple geometric content bands.

[0012] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes: identifying a first application displaying content on the display screen; and determining the height and width of a content area on the display screen associated with the first application.

[0013] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes: dividing the content region into a plurality of geometric content region bands, wherein the number of geometric content region bands in the plurality of geometric content region bands is based on a first application.

[0014] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes: using a mapping table to map each of a plurality of geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of a plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle, wherein the mapping table defines the association between the geometric content bands and the lamps in the interior lighting bands.

[0015] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes: determining a content area on a display screen in a vehicle by identifying horizontal and vertical offsets of the content area relative to the horizontal and vertical edges of the display screen.

[0016] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes determining a primary color in each of a plurality of geometric content area bands by identifying the color with the highest number of pixels in the geometric content area band as the primary color.

[0017] In at least one embodiment, the method further includes: determining a vehicle state; issuing a first illumination command to lights in each of a plurality of internal lighting strips to illuminate the internal lighting strips at a first time using a primary color associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of geometric content strips; determining an updated primary color in each of a plurality of geometric content area strips; and issuing a second illumination command to lights in each of the plurality of internal lighting strips according to an illumination update frequency based on the vehicle state to illuminate the internal lighting strips at a second time using an updated primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips.

[0018] A vehicle including an interior lighting and display synchronization system includes at least one processor and at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one memory includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to: determine a content area on a display screen in the vehicle; divide the content area into a plurality of geometric content area bands; map each of the plurality of geometric content area bands to a lamp associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle; determine a primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content area bands; and issue a first illumination command to the lamp in each of the plurality of interior lighting bands to illuminate the interior lighting band using the primary color associated with the corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content bands.

[0019] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: identify a first application displaying content on the display screen; and determine the height and width of a content area on the display screen associated with the first application.

[0020] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: dividing a content region into a plurality of geometric content region bands, wherein the number of geometric content region bands in the plurality of geometric content region bands is based on a first application.

[0021] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: map each of a plurality of geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of a plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle using a mapping table, wherein the mapping table defines the association between the geometric content bands and the lamps in the interior lighting bands.

[0022] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: to determine a content area on a display screen in a vehicle by identifying a horizontal and vertical offset of the content area relative to the horizontal and vertical edges of the display screen.

[0023] In at least one embodiment, the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: determine a primary color in each of a plurality of geometric content area bands by identifying the color with the highest number of pixels in the geometric content area band as the primary color. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein the same numerals denote the same elements, and wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of a vehicle including an interior lighting and display screen synchronization system according to at least one embodiment;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a functional block diagram of a controller including an internal lighting and display screen synchronization system according to at least one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for synchronizing interior lighting in a vehicle with a display screen according to at least one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 4 It is a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen including a full-screen content area according to at least one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 5 It is a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen including a portion of the display screen content area according to at least one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 6 It is a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen including a general screen content area according to at least one embodiment;

[0031] Figure 7 It is a block diagram representation of dimensions associated with exemplary positioning of a content area on a display screen according to at least one embodiment; and

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic representation of an exemplary geometric content area band on a display screen and a corresponding interior lighting band in a vehicle, according to at least one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit application and use. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any express or implied theory presented in the foregoing technical field, background art, summary of the invention, or the following detailed description. As used herein, the term module refers to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), electronic circuitry, a processor (shared, dedicated, or grouped) and memory executing one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuitry, and / or other suitable components providing the described functionality.

[0034] This document describes embodiments of the present disclosure in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be understood that such block components can be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform specified functions. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure can employ various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, etc., which can perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced in combination with any number of systems, and the systems described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0035] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the system (and its various operating components) are not described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures included herein are intended to illustrate exemplary functional relationships and / or physical couplings between various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0036] refer to Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a functional block diagram of a vehicle including an interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 according to at least one embodiment. The vehicle 10 typically includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. Although the vehicle 10 is described as a passenger car in the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 can be other types of vehicles, including trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and recreational vehicles (RVs).

[0037] In various embodiments, the body 14 is arranged on the chassis 12 and substantially surrounds the components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 may together form a frame. The wheels 16 and 18 are rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near respective corners of the body 14.

[0038] In various embodiments, vehicle 10 is an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle that is automatically controlled to transport passengers and / or goods from one place to another. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, vehicle 10 is a so-called Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 automation system. Level 2 automation means that the vehicle assists the driver in various driving tasks under the supervision of the driver. Level 3 automation means that the vehicle can take over all driving functions in certain situations. All major functions are automatic, including braking, steering, and acceleration. At this level, the driver can completely let go until the vehicle otherwise informs the driver. Level 4 system indicates “high automation”, which refers to the performance of the automated driving system in specific driving modes for all aspects of dynamic driving tasks, even if the human driver does not respond appropriately to intervention requests. Level 5 system indicates “full automation”, which refers to the full-time performance of the automated driving system for all aspects of dynamic driving tasks under all roadway and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver.

[0039] As shown in the figure, vehicle 10 typically includes a propulsion system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, at least one controller 34, and a communication system 36. The controller 34 is configured to implement an automated driving system (ADS). The propulsion system 20 is configured to generate power to propel the vehicle. In various embodiments, the propulsion system 20 may include an internal combustion engine, an electric motor such as a traction motor, a fuel cell propulsion system, and / or any other type of propulsion configuration. The transmission system 22 is configured to transmit power from the propulsion system 20 to the wheels 16, 18 according to a selectable speed ratio. According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may include a step-ratio automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), or other suitable transmission. The braking system 26 is configured to provide braking torque to the wheels 16, 18. In various embodiments, the braking system 26 may include a friction brake, a brake-by-wire brake, a regenerative braking system such as an electric motor, and / or other suitable braking systems.

[0040] Steering system 24 is configured to influence the positioning of wheels 16. Although depicted for illustrative purposes as including a steering wheel and steering column, in some embodiments contemplated within the scope of this disclosure, steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel and / or steering column. Steering system 24 includes a steering column coupled to axle 50 associated with the front wheels 16 via, for example, a rack and pinion or other mechanism (not shown). Alternatively, steering system 24 may include a steer-by-wire system comprising an actuator associated with each of the front wheels 16.

[0041] The sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40a-40n that sense observable conditions of the external and / or internal environments of the vehicle 10. The sensing devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, radar, lidar, global positioning system, optical camera, thermal imager, ultrasonic sensor, steering wheel sensor, and / or other sensors.

[0042] The vehicle dynamics sensor provides vehicle dynamics data including longitudinal velocity, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and longitudinal acceleration. The vehicle dynamics sensor may include wheel sensors that measure information relating to one or more wheels of the vehicle 10. In one embodiment, the wheel sensors include wheel velocity sensors coupled to each of the wheels 16, 18 of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the vehicle dynamics sensor may include one or more accelerometers (provided as part of an inertial measurement unit (IMU)) that measure information relating to the acceleration of the vehicle 10. In various embodiments, the accelerometers measure one or more acceleration values ​​of the vehicle 10, including lateral and longitudinal acceleration and yaw rate. In at least one embodiment, the vehicle dynamics sensor provides vehicle movement data.

[0043] Actuator system 30 includes one or more actuator devices 42a-42n that control one or more vehicle features, such as, but not limited to, one or more wheels 16, 18, propulsion system 20, transmission system 22, steering system 24, and braking system 26. In various embodiments, vehicle features may also include interior and / or exterior vehicle features, such as, but not limited to, doors, trunk, and cabin features, such as air, music, lighting, etc. (not numbered).

[0044] Communication system 36 is configured to wirelessly communicate information to and from other entities, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles (“V2V” communication), infrastructure (“V2I” communication), remote systems, and / or personal devices. In an exemplary embodiment, communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate via a wireless local area network (WLAN) using the IEEE 802.11 standard or by using cellular data communication. However, additional or alternative communication methods (such as dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) channels) are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. A DSRC channel refers to a one-way or two-way short-to-medium-range wireless communication channel specifically designed for automotive use and with a corresponding set of protocols and standards.

[0045] Data storage device 32 stores data for use in the ADS of vehicle 10. In various embodiments, data storage device 32 stores a defined map of the navigable environment. In various embodiments, the defined map may be predefined by and obtained from a remote system. For example, the defined map may be assembled by a remote system and communicated to vehicle 10 (wirelessly and / or via wire) and stored in data storage device 32. It is understood that data storage device 32 may be part of controller 34, separate from controller 34, or part of controller 34 and a separate system.

[0046] The controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a computer-readable storage device or medium 46. The processor 44 may be any custom or commercially available processor, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the controller 34, semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or any device generally used for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or medium 46 may include volatile and non-volatile memory such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operational variables when the processor 44 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device or medium 46 may be implemented using any of several known memory devices such as PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (electrical PROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined memory device capable of storing data (some of which represent executable instructions used by the controller 34 to control the vehicle 10).

[0047] The instructions may include one or more separate programs, each comprising an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. When executed by processor 44, the instructions receive and process signals from sensor system 28, execute logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms for automatically controlling components of vehicle 10, and generate control signals to actuator system 30 based on the logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms to automatically control components of vehicle 10. Although in Figure 1 Only one controller 34 is shown, but embodiments of vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media and cooperate to process sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate control signals to automatically control the features of vehicle 10. In various embodiments, the controllers(s) 34 are configured to implement ADS.

[0048] refer to Figure 2 A functional block diagram of a controller 34 including an interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 according to at least one embodiment is shown. The controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and at least one memory 46. The at least one processor 44 is a programmable device including one or more instructions stored in or associated with the at least one memory 46. The at least one memory 46 includes instructions that the at least one processor 44 is configured to execute. The at least one memory 46 includes embodiments of the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100. The controller 34 is configured to communicatively couple to at least one display 200, a plurality of lamps 202, and a central computing device 204. The display 200 is configured to display content associated with an application actively running in the vehicle 10. The lamps 202 are disposed inside the vehicle 10. Each of the lamps 202 is configured to generate light in one of a plurality of different colors. In at least one embodiment, the central computing device 204 is another controller 34 in the vehicle 10. Figure 2 The controller 34 shown may include additional components to facilitate the operation of the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100. The operation of the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 will be described in more detail below.

[0049] refer to Figure 3 A flowchart representation of a method for synchronizing interior lighting and a display screen in a vehicle 10 according to at least one embodiment is shown. Method 300 will be described with reference to exemplary implementations of an interior lighting and display screen synchronization system 100. As will be understood from this disclosure, the order of operations within method 300 is not limited to... Figure 3 The execution may be performed in one or more different orders as applicable and in accordance with this disclosure, rather than in the order shown.

[0050] At point 302, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies an application associated with content displayed on the display screen 200 in the vehicle 10. In at least one embodiment, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 requests an identifier for an application associated with the content being displayed on the display screen 200 from the central computing device 204 of the vehicle 10. The central computing device 204, in response to the request, provides the identifier of the application to the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100. In at least one embodiment, the identifier of the application is an application identifier.

[0051] At 304, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines a content area on the display screen 200 based on an identified application. The application uses an application-specific content area to display content. The identified application is used to determine the associated application-specific content area. In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 stores the association between application identifiers of different applications and application-specific content areas. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 uses the application identifier received from the central computing device 204 to retrieve the application-specific content area.

[0052] At 306, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines the height and width of the content area. As described above, each application uses an application-specific content area to display content on the display screen 200. In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 stores the association between application identifiers of different applications and application-specific content areas. The stored application-specific content areas are defined by predefined heights and predefined widths. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines the predefined height and predefined width associated with the retrieved application-specific content area.

[0053] At 308, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies the horizontal and vertical offsets of the content area relative to the entire display screen 200. As described above, each application uses an application-specific content area to display content on the display screen 200. In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 stores the association between application identifiers of different applications and application-specific content areas. The stored application-specific content areas are defined by the horizontal and vertical offsets of the application-specific content areas relative to the entire display screen 200. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies predefined horizontal and vertical offsets associated with retrieved application-specific content areas.

[0054] At 310, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 defines the content area in pixels of the display screen 200. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 has determined the size and placement of the content area on the display screen 200 based on predefined height, predefined width, predefined horizontal offset, and predefined vertical offset. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 uses the size and placement of the content area on the display screen 200 to define the pixels in the display screen 200 used to display content within the content area.

[0055] At 312, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 divides the content area into multiple geometric content area bands. In at least one embodiment, the geometric content area bands have a rectangular shape. In at least one embodiment, the geometric content area bands have a square shape. In at least one embodiment, the geometric content area bands have a non-rectangular shape. Each application is associated with a predefined number of geometric content area bands.

[0056] In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 stores the association between application identifiers for different applications and a predefined number of geometric content area bands. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 retrieves the predefined number of geometric content area bands associated with the application identifiers and divides the content area into the predefined number of geometric content area bands.

[0057] The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 defines the height and width of geometric content area bands. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies specific pixels within each geometric content area band based on the height, width, horizontal offset, and vertical offset of the geometric content area band relative to the entire screen. The horizontal and vertical offsets of each geometric content area band relative to the entire screen are calculated based on the position of the geometric content area band within the content area and predefined horizontal and vertical offsets of the content area.

[0058] At 314, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 maps each of the geometric content area bands in the content area to a lamp 202 in the corresponding interior lighting band. Each of the plurality of geometric content area bands corresponds to one of the plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle 10. Each of the plurality of interior lighting bands includes a plurality of lamps 202. In at least one embodiment, a mapping table stored at the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 defines the association between each geometric content area band and a lamp in the associated interior lighting band. The interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 uses the mapping table to map each of the geometric content area bands in the content area to a lamp 202 in the corresponding interior lighting band.

[0059] At 316, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines the dominant color in each geometric content area band within the content area. In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 counts the number of pixels associated with the display of each color in each geometric content area band. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies the color with the highest pixel count in each geometric content area band as the dominant color for that geometric content area band. In at least one embodiment, the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 uses a clustering algorithm to determine the dominant color in each of the geometric content area bands within the content area.

[0060] At point 318, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 issues an illumination command to the lamps 202 in each of the interior lighting strips to illuminate the interior lighting strips using the primary color corresponding to the associated geometric content area strip on the display screen 200. Each of the geometric content area strips on the display screen 200 corresponds to an interior lighting strip in the vehicle 10. Each interior lighting strip includes a plurality of lamps 202. The interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 issues an illumination command to the lamps 202 in each of the interior lighting strips to generate light corresponding to the primary color of the associated geometric content area strip on the display screen 200. For example, if the primary color for the geometric content area strip on the display screen 200 is blue, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 issues a command to the lamps 202 in the interior lighting strip associated with that geometric content area strip to generate blue light.

[0061] The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines an updated primary color in each of the geometric content area bands and issues an illumination command to the lamps 202 in each of the associated internal lighting bands to update the generated light according to the updated primary color.

[0062] In at least one embodiment, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 determines the vehicle state of the vehicle 10. Examples of vehicle states include, but are not limited to, driving state and parked state. The interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies the interior lighting strip illumination update frequency based on the vehicle state. For example, if the vehicle state is driving, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies the driving interior lighting strip illumination update frequency, and if the vehicle state is parked, the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 identifies the parked interior lighting strip illumination update frequency. The parked interior lighting strip illumination update frequency is greater than the driving interior lighting strip illumination update frequency. The driving interior lighting strip illumination update frequency is a lower frequency to avoid distracting the driver of the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is in a driving state.

[0063] refer to Figure 4The diagram illustrates a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen including a full-screen content area 400 according to at least one embodiment. Many applications use the entire display screen as the content area 400 to display content. An example of such an application is a movie application. The content area 400 has been divided by an internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100 into nine geometric content area bands 400a, 400b, 400c, 400d, 400e, 400f, 400g, 400h, and 400i.

[0064] refer to Figure 5 The diagram illustrates a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen 500 including a portion of the display screen content area 502 according to at least one embodiment. Many applications use a portion of the display screen 500 as the content area 502 to display content. An example of such an application is a music playback application. The music playback application uses the content area 502 to display cover art associated with the music being played by the music playback application. The content area 502 has been divided by an internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100 into nine geometric content area bands 504a, 504b, 504c, 504d, 504e, 504f, 504g, 504h, and 504i. The number of geometric content area bands is associated with the application displaying content on the display screen 500.

[0065] refer to Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a block diagram representation of an exemplary display screen 600 including a universal screen content area 602 according to at least one embodiment. Many applications include a universal screen content area 602 and an application tray and / or navigation bar. The internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 defines the content area 602 as the entire display screen 600 minus the screen area 604 covered by the application tray and / or navigation bar. The content area 602 has been divided by the internal lighting and display synchronization system 100 into nine geometric content area bands 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d, 606e, 606f, 606g, 606h, and 606i. The number of geometric content area bands is associated with the application displaying content on the display screen 600.

[0066] refer to Figure 7The diagram illustrates a block diagram representation of dimensions associated with an exemplary positioning of a content area 702 on a display screen 700 according to at least one embodiment. An internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100 has determined a predefined width X and a predefined height Y of the content area 702 associated with an application displaying content on the display screen 700. The internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100 has determined predefined horizontal offset a and predefined vertical offset b of the content area 702 relative to the display screen 700 associated with the application displaying content on the display screen 700. The content area 702 has been divided by the internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100 into four geometric content area bands 704a, 704b, 704c, and 704d. The number of geometric content area bands is associated with the application displaying content on the display screen 700.

[0067] refer to Figure 8 The diagram illustrates exemplary geometric content area bands 802a, 802b, 802c, 802d, 802e, 802f on a display screen 800 according to at least one embodiment, and corresponding internal lighting bands 804a, 804b, 804c, 804d, 804e, 804f in the vehicle 10. The content area covers the entire display screen 800. The content area is divided into six geometric content area bands 802a, 802b, 802c, 802d, 802e, 802f by an internal lighting and display screen synchronization system 100. The number of geometric content area bands is associated with the application displaying content on the display screen 800. Each of the geometric content area bands 802a, 802b, 802c, 802d, 802e, 802f corresponds to an internal lighting band 804a, 804b, 804c, 804d, 804e, 804f.

[0068] For example, geometric content area 802a on display screen 800 corresponds to internal lighting area 804a. Internal lighting area 804a includes a light tube and a lamp 202 disposed in the driver's side door handle of vehicle 10. Geometric content area 802b on display screen 800 corresponds to internal lighting area 804b. Internal lighting area 804b includes a lamp 202 disposed in the sunroof of vehicle 10. Geometric content area 802c on display screen 800 corresponds to internal lighting area 804c. Internal lighting area 804c includes a light tube and a lamp 202 disposed in the passenger side door handle of vehicle 10. Geometric content area 802d on display screen 800 corresponds to internal lighting area 804d. Internal lighting area 804d includes a lamp 202 disposed in the map pocket and footrest space on the driver's side of vehicle 10. Geometric content area 802e on display screen 800 corresponds to internal lighting area 804e. The interior lighting strip 804e includes lights 202 disposed in the center console of the vehicle 10. The geometric content area strip 802f on the display screen 800 corresponds to the interior lighting strip 804f. The interior lighting strip 804f includes lights 202 disposed in the map pocket and footrest space on the passenger side of the vehicle 10.

[0069] The use of the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 eliminates the need for scripting dynamic effects for automotive interior lighting systems, while providing a method for dynamically adjusting the lighting system in the vehicle 10 in coordination with the content appearing in real time on the in-vehicle display 200.

[0070] By using a software layer to read the primary color on several geometric content area bands of display screen 200 and mapping each geometric content area band to an internal lighting band including lamp 202, the colors on display screen 200 can be "extended" beyond display screen 200 and throughout the cabin of vehicle 10. Depending on the active application, the geometric content area bands can be adjusted to accommodate various on-screen content, such as full-screen movies, album art for streaming music, or standard in-vehicle menus.

[0071] The use of the interior lighting and display synchronization system 100 provides a unique and standardized immersive experience. Unlike alternative lighting spaces in the consumer electronics market, vehicle 10 offers a unique 3D immersive environment where the positioning, placement, and number of lights 202 are guaranteed. Since vehicle lighting does not require optional accent lighting, this ensures a standardized immersive experience for each user. As an automaker with complete knowledge and control over media sources, display 200, and interior lights 202, it can use dynamic geometric content area bands with different sizes and positions. For example, this can exclude navigation bars, dead zones, and other user interface elements on display 200 to focus on the desired content within the content area of ​​display 200.

[0072] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be understood that numerous variations exist. It should also be understood that the exemplary embodiments or multiple exemplary embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of this disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient roadmap for implementing the exemplary embodiments or multiple exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from the scope of this disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing interior lighting and displays in a vehicle, comprising: At least one processor; as well as At least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operations: Define a content area on the display screen in the vehicle; The content area is divided into multiple geometric content area bands; Map each of the plurality of geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of the plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle; Determine the primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content area bands; as well as A first illumination command is issued to the lamps in each of the plurality of internal illumination strips to illuminate the internal illumination strip using the primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operations: The first application that identifies the content displayed on the display screen; and Determine the height and width of the content area on the display screen associated with the first application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operation: dividing the content region into the plurality of geometric content region bands, wherein the number of the plurality of geometric content region bands is based on the first application.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the following operations: map each of the plurality of geometric content area bands to a lamp associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle using a mapping table, wherein the mapping table defines the association between the geometric content bands and the lamps in the interior lighting bands.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to: determine the content area on the display screen in the vehicle by identifying a horizontal offset and a vertical offset of the content area relative to the horizontal and vertical edges of the display screen.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, to determine the primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content area bands by identifying the color having the highest number of pixels in the geometric content area band as the primary color.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the following operations: Determine the vehicle status; The first illumination command is issued to the lamp in each of the plurality of internal lighting strips to illuminate the internal lighting strip at a first time using the primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips; Determine the updated primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content area bands; as well as A second illumination command is issued to the lamps in each of the plurality of internal lighting strips according to the illumination update frequency based on the vehicle state, so as to illuminate the internal lighting strips at a second time using the updated primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips.

8. A method for synchronizing interior lighting in a vehicle with a display screen, comprising: Define a content area on the display screen in the vehicle; The content area is divided into multiple geometric content area bands; Map each of the plurality of geometric content area bands to a corresponding lamp associated with one of the plurality of interior lighting bands in the vehicle; Determine the primary color in each of the plurality of geometric content area bands; as well as A first illumination command is issued to the lamps in each of the plurality of internal illumination strips to illuminate the internal illumination strip using the primary color associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of geometric content strips.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: The first application that identifies the content displayed on the display screen; as well as Determine the height and width of the content area on the display screen associated with the first application.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: The content area is divided into multiple geometric content area bands, wherein the number of geometric content area bands in the multiple geometric content area bands is based on the first application.

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