Adjustable task lighting system using liquid crystals

Abstract

Adjustable task lighting system using liquid crystals. A computer-implemented method includes receiving, using a user interface element associated with an adjustable task lighting module, user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern for light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module. The method also includes determining a control voltage based on the user input. Thereafter, the method includes controlling an adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable task lighting module to provide the determined control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable task lighting module to configure the adjustable task lighting module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

Description

[0001] introduce

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of this disclosure. Within the scope described in this section, the work of the currently named inventors and aspects of this description that might not otherwise conform to the prior art at the time of filing are neither expressly nor implicitly acknowledged as prior art relative to this disclosure.

[0003] Task lighting in vehicles is designed to provide illumination for specific activities, enhancing both functionality and safety. This type of lighting is strategically placed to help drivers and passengers perform tasks requiring clear visibility, such as reading maps, operating controls, or searching for items within the vehicle. Typically, task lighting includes features such as overhead reading lights, glove box lights, and footwell lights. Overall, task lighting plays a vital role in improving the convenience and comfort of vehicle occupants, ensuring that important tasks can be performed safely and efficiently even in low-light conditions.

[0004] This disclosure generally relates to an adjustable task lighting system using a liquid crystal. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure provides a vehicle including an adjustable mission lighting system. The adjustable mission lighting system includes an adjustable mission lighting module, a user interface element associated with the adjustable mission lighting module, data processing hardware, and memory hardware communicating with the data processing hardware. The adjustable mission lighting module includes a light source, a configurable liquid crystal element, and an adjustable voltage source coupled to and configured to provide a control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring an illumination beam pattern of the adjustable mission lighting module. The memory hardware stores instructions that, when executed by the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. These operations include receiving user input using the user interface element, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable mission lighting module, determining a control voltage based on the user input, and controlling the adjustable voltage source to provide a control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring the adjustable mission lighting module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0006] Embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the features listed below. In some embodiments, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material. In some examples, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction. These operations may also include selecting the corresponding specific direction to form a selected illumination beam pattern.

[0007] In some examples, determining the control voltage includes determining a control voltage that causes the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a specific direction. In some embodiments, the configurable liquid crystal element includes a curved configurable liquid crystal element. The selected illumination beam mode may include at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a flood illumination mode. User interface elements may include at least one of a physical slider or a touch sensor.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method executed by data processing hardware, which causes the data processing hardware to perform operations. These operations include: receiving user input using a user interface element associated with an adjustable task lighting module, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module; determining a control voltage based on the user input; and controlling an adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable task lighting module to provide the control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable task lighting module for configuring the adjustable task lighting module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the features listed below. In some embodiments, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material. In some examples, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction. These operations may also include selecting the corresponding specific direction to form a selected illumination beam pattern.

[0010] In some examples, determining the control voltage includes determining a control voltage that causes the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a specific direction. The configurable liquid crystal element may include a curved configurable liquid crystal element. The selected illumination beam mode may include at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a flood illumination mode.

[0011] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a system including data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The memory hardware stores instructions that, when executed by the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. These operations include: receiving user input using a user interface element associated with an adjustable task lighting module, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module; determining a control voltage based on the user input; and controlling an adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable task lighting module to provide the control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable task lighting module for configuring the adjustable task lighting module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure may include one or more of the features listed below. In some embodiments, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material. In some examples, the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction. These operations may also include selecting the corresponding specific direction to form a selected illumination beam pattern.

[0013] In some examples, determining the control voltage includes determining a control voltage that causes the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a specific direction. The configurable liquid crystal element may include a curved configurable liquid crystal element. The selected illumination beam mode may include at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a flood illumination mode.

[0014] This disclosure provides the following examples:

[0015] Example 1. A vehicle including an adjustable mission lighting system, the adjustable mission lighting system comprising:

[0016] Adjustable task lighting module, including:

[0017] light source;

[0018] Configurable liquid crystal element; and

[0019] An adjustable voltage source is coupled to the configurable liquid crystal element and configured to provide a control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring the illumination beam pattern of the adjustable task illumination module;

[0020] User interface elements associated with the adjustable task lighting module;

[0021] Data processing hardware; and

[0022] Memory hardware that communicates with the data processing hardware and stores instructions, which, when executed by the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations, including:

[0023] The user interface element is used to receive user input, which represents a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module;

[0024] The control voltage is determined based on the user input; and

[0025] The adjustable voltage source is controlled to provide the control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring the adjustable task illumination module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0026] Example 2. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

[0027] Example 3. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction.

[0028] Example 4. The vehicle according to Example 3, wherein the operation further includes selecting the corresponding specific direction to form the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0029] Example 5. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein determining the control voltage includes determining the control voltage to cause the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a particular direction.

[0030] Example 6. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a curved configurable liquid crystal element.

[0031] Example 7. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein the selected illumination beam mode includes at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a floodlight illumination mode.

[0032] Example 8. The vehicle according to Example 1, wherein the user interface element includes at least one of a physical slider or a touch sensor.

[0033] Example 9. A computer-implemented method executed by data processing hardware, the computer-implemented method causing the data processing hardware to perform operations, the operations including:

[0034] User input is received using a user interface element associated with the adjustable task lighting module, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module;

[0035] The control voltage is determined based on the user input; and

[0036] An adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable mission illumination module is controlled to provide the control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable mission illumination module for configuring the adjustable mission illumination module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0037] Example 10. A computer-implemented method according to Example 9, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

[0038] Example 11. A computer-implemented method according to Example 9, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction.

[0039] Example 12. A computer-implemented method according to Example 11, wherein the operation further includes selecting the corresponding specific direction to form the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0040] Example 13. A computer-implemented method according to Example 9, wherein determining the control voltage includes determining the control voltage to cause the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a particular direction.

[0041] Example 14. A computer-implemented method according to Example 9, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a curved configurable liquid crystal element.

[0042] Example 15. The computer-implemented method according to Example 9, wherein the selected illumination beam mode includes at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a floodlight illumination mode.

[0043] Example 16. A system comprising:

[0044] Data processing hardware; and

[0045] Memory hardware that communicates with the data processing hardware and stores instructions, wherein when the data processing hardware executes the instructions, the instructions cause the data processing hardware to perform an operation, the operation including:

[0046] User input is received using a user interface element associated with the adjustable task lighting module, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module;

[0047] The control voltage is determined based on the user input; and

[0048] An adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable mission illumination module is controlled to provide the control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable mission illumination module for configuring the adjustable mission illumination module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0049] Example 17. The system according to Example 16, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

[0050] Example 18. The system according to Example 16, wherein:

[0051] The configurable liquid crystal element includes a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment can be individually configured to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction; and

[0052] The operation also includes selecting the corresponding specific direction to form the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0053] Example 19. The system according to Example 16, wherein determining the control voltage includes determining the control voltage to cause the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a particular direction.

[0054] Example 20. The system according to Example 16, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element includes a curved configurable liquid crystal element. Attached Figure Description

[0055] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0056] Figure 1 This is a view of an example vehicle according to the principles of this disclosure, which includes an adjustable task lighting system.

[0057] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an adjustable task lighting system.

[0058] Figure 3A , 3B 3C and 3D are side views of an example adjustable task lighting module.

[0059] Figure 4 It is used for control Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an example layout for the operation of an adjustable task lighting system.

[0060] Throughout the accompanying figures, the corresponding figure labels indicate the relevant parts. Detailed Implementation

[0061] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be comprehensive and will fully communicate the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. Specific details (such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods) are set forth to provide a full understanding of the configurations of this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required, that the example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0062] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” used herein may also be intended to include plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “containing,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless explicitly identified as the order of execution, the method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or illustrated. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0063] When an element or layer is referred to as "on another element or layer," "attached to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly located on, attached to, connected to, attached to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be an intervening element or layer present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly located on another element or layer," "directly attached to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening element or layer present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0064] In this document, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another. Unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the example configuration.

[0065] In this application (including the following definitions), the term "module" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuits; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuits; combinational logic circuits; field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs); (shared, dedicated, or group) processors that execute code; (shared, dedicated, or group) memory that stores the code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or combinations of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0066] As used above, the term "code" can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, and / or objects. The term "shared processor" covers a single processor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor" covers a processor that, in combination with additional processors, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "shared memory" covers a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory" covers memory that, in combination with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules. The term "memory" can be a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." The term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical and electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium, and therefore can be considered tangible and non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, including non-volatile memory, magnetic storage devices, and optical storage devices.

[0067] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented, in part or in whole, by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or depend on stored data.

[0068] A software application (i.e., a software resource) can refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, a software application may be referred to as an "application," "app," or "program." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and game applications.

[0069] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., sequences of instructions) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., typically used in firmware, such as boot programs). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), and magnetic disks or magnetic tapes.

[0070] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented using high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including machine-readable media that receive machine instructions as machine-readable signals. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0071] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be dedicated or general-purpose, coupled to receive and transmit data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0072] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be implemented by one or more programmable processors (also known as data processing hardware) to execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by manipulating input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be implemented by special-purpose logic circuitry, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits). By way of example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, as well as any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Generally, a processor receives instructions and data from read-only memory or random access memory, or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data or operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both. However, a computer does not need to have such devices. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, by way of example: semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. Processors and memory may be supplemented or incorporated therein by dedicated logic circuitry.

[0073] To provide interaction with the user, one or more aspects of this disclosure can be implemented on a computer with a display device, such as a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touchscreen for displaying information to the user, and optionally with a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual, auditory, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, voice, or tactile input. Furthermore, the computer can interact with the user by sending and receiving documents to and from the device used by the user; for example, by sending a webpage to a web browser on the user's client device in response to a request received from a web browser.

[0074] Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” is intended to refer to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as: (1) at least one A alone; (2) at least one B alone; (3) at least one C alone; (4) at least one A and at least one B; (5) at least one A and at least one C; (6) at least one B and at least one C; and (7) at least one A, with at least one B and at least one C. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” is intended to refer to any combination or subset of A, B, and C, such as: (1) at least one A alone; (2) at least one B alone; (3) at least one C alone; (4) at least one A and at least one B; (5) at least one A and at least one C; (6) at least one B and at least one C; and (7) at least one A, with at least one B and at least one C. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, “A or B” is intended to refer to any combination of A and B, such as: (1) at least one A alone; (2) at least one B alone; and (3) A and B.

[0075] Task lighting in vehicles is designed to provide illumination for specific activities, enhancing both functionality and safety. This type of lighting is strategically placed to assist drivers and passengers in performing tasks requiring clear visibility, such as reading maps, operating controls, or searching for items within the vehicle. Typically, task lighting includes features such as overhead reading lights, glove box lights, and footwell lights. Overall, task lighting plays a vital role in improving the convenience and comfort of vehicle occupants, ensuring the safe and efficient performance of important tasks even in low-light conditions. However, conventional task lighting systems offer only a single pre-configured illumination beam pattern that can be turned on or off, which may make it difficult to meet customer needs or expectations for lighting that can vary between directional lighting, spot lighting, task lighting, and / or floodlighting. Therefore, there is a need for adjustable task lighting systems. In the disclosed examples, adjustable task lighting systems include one or more liquid crystal segments that can be controlled or configured to provide multiple different illumination beam patterns or shapes. In some embodiments, the liquid crystal segments are segments or sheets of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

[0076] While configurations are shown and described herein in conjunction with vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, airplanes, trains, motorcycles, etc.), it should be understood that the disclosed configurations can be additionally or alternatively used to provide adjustable task lighting systems for any other type of equipment (e.g., video conferencing systems, computers, bicycles, industrial equipment, etc.). Here, the vehicle or equipment may be operated by a person or independently.

[0077] For details, please refer to the following: Figure 1 , 2 Images 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D illustrate a vehicle 10 (e.g., a car, truck, airplane, train, motorcycle, etc.) in conjunction with an adjustable task lighting system 12 for providing illumination with a configurable illumination beam pattern 16 (also referred to as illumination beam shape, direction, etc.). The adjustable task lighting system 12 includes one or more adjustable task lighting modules 14; only one is shown for clarity. The adjustable task lighting module 14 can be positioned anywhere within the vehicle 10. The adjustable task lighting module 14 has an associated user interface element 18 that can be operated by an occupant 100 of the vehicle 10 to provide user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern 16 of the light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module 14. The user interface element 18 can be, for example, a physical slider, button, switch, or capacitive touch element.

[0078] The adjustable mission lighting system 12 includes an illumination control module 20, which can be stored and executed by, for example, a body control module (BCM) 22 or any other control module of the vehicle 10. The illumination control module 20 is configured to control the adjustable mission lighting module 14 to emit light having an illumination beam pattern 16 selected by the occupant 100 via a user interface element 18. Specifically, the BCM 22 stores, for example, machine-readable or computer-readable instructions on memory hardware 24 for executing the illumination control module 20. These instructions can be executed by the data processing hardware 26 (e.g., a processor) of the BCM 22 to execute the illumination control module 20. Here, the illumination control module 20 executes... Figure 4 The operation, or other operations described elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0079] Figure 3A , 3B Figures 3C and 3D are side views of example adjustable task lighting modules 14, 14a-n. In some embodiments, the adjustable task lighting module 14 is packaged or otherwise embedded in a material such as a polymer (not shown for clarity of illustration). As shown, the adjustable task lighting module 14 includes a light source 302 for emitting light, which may be a collimated or decollimated light source. The light source 302 may include one or more light-emitting elements, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In some embodiments, the light source 302 includes a micro-LED panel.

[0080] The adjustable task lighting module 14 also includes one or more substrates 304, 304a-n, to which one or more liquid crystal elements 306, 306a-n are attached, adhered, or otherwise mounted. In some examples, substrate 304 is made of a structural composite, such as a polymer or a printed circuit board (PCB). In some embodiments, liquid crystal element 306 comprises or is formed of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) material. Figure 3A and 3B The example includes three liquid crystal elements 306, while Figure 3C and 3D The example only includes one liquid crystal element 306. However, the adjustable task lighting module 14 can have any number of liquid crystal elements 306.

[0081] By controlling the adjustable voltage source 308 to apply a control voltage to the liquid crystal element 306 or to both ends of the liquid crystal element 306, the orientation of the liquid crystals 310, 310a-n of the liquid crystal element 306 can be controlled to have any desired angle or tilt, such that light can be emitted from the liquid crystal element 306 at any desired angle, or randomly, such that the liquid crystal element 306 randomly disperses light, or is opaque. In some examples, the angle, tilt, or orientation of the liquid crystal 310 varies with the control voltage applied to the liquid crystal element 306 by the adjustable voltage source 308. As shown, the liquid crystal element 306 of the adjustable task illumination module 14 can be controlled to have the same or different angles, such that the adjustable task illumination module 14 can provide multiple different illumination beam patterns based on user input received using the user interface element 18. Figure 3A and 3C The example provides a narrow task illumination beam pattern, while Figure 3B and 3D The example provides a floodlight illumination mode. However, the liquid crystal elements 306(s) of the adjustable mission illumination module 14 can be configured to emit light according to any arrangement or combination of directions or angles. In some embodiments, a single adjustable voltage source 308 can be controlled to provide multiple different control voltages to multiple liquid crystal elements 306. In other embodiments, the adjustable mission illumination module 14 may have a different adjustable voltage source 308 for each liquid crystal element 306.

[0082] Although the liquid crystal element 306 appears linear in the illustrated example, it can have any one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional shape. Example shapes include, but are not limited to, linear, rectangular, square, circular, and annular shapes. Furthermore, the liquid crystal element 306 can be oriented at different angles or orientations relative to other liquid crystal elements 306.

[0083] In some examples, the illumination control module 20 uses a user interface element 18 to receive user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task illumination module 14. The illumination control module 20 determines a corresponding control voltage for each liquid crystal element 306 of the adjustable task illumination module 14 based on the user input. Subsequently, the illumination control module 20 controls one or more adjustable voltage sources 308 of the adjustable task illumination module 14 to provide one or more of the determined control voltages to the configurable liquid crystal elements 306 to configure the adjustable task illumination module 14 to emit light with the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0084] Figure 4 It is used for control Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary arrangement of the operation of a computer-implemented method 400 for an adjustable task lighting system 12. These operations can be performed by data processing hardware (e.g., Figure 1 Data processing hardware 26) is based on data stored in memory hardware (e.g., Figure 1 The method 400 is implemented by executing instructions on the memory hardware 24). Many other methods can be used to implement method 400. For example, the execution order of operations can be changed, and / or one or more of the operations and / or interactions can be altered, eliminated, subdivided, or combined. Furthermore, Figure 4 The operations can be performed sequentially and / or in parallel by, for example, separate processing threads, processors, devices, discrete logic, circuits, etc.

[0085] At operation 402, method 400 includes receiving user input using a user interface element 18 associated with the adjustable task lighting module 14, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern 16 of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module 14. At operation 404, method 400 includes determining a control voltage based on the user input. At operation 406, method 400 includes controlling an adjustable voltage source 308 associated with the adjustable task lighting module 14 to provide a control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element 306 of the adjustable task lighting module 14 for configuring the adjustable task lighting module 14 to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

[0086] Several embodiments have been described. However, it will be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

[0087] The foregoing description is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of this disclosure. Elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable, and may be used in the chosen configuration even if not specifically shown or described. Elements or features of a particular configuration may also vary in many ways. Such variations should not be considered a departure from this disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle including an adjustable mission lighting system, the adjustable mission lighting system comprising: Adjustable task lighting module, including: light source; Configurable liquid crystal element; and An adjustable voltage source is coupled to the configurable liquid crystal element and configured to provide a control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring the illumination beam pattern of the adjustable task illumination module; User interface elements associated with the adjustable task lighting module; Data processing hardware; and Memory hardware that communicates with the data processing hardware and stores instructions, which, when executed by the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations, including: The user interface element is used to receive user input, which represents a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module; The control voltage is determined based on the user input; and The adjustable voltage source is controlled to provide the control voltage to the configurable liquid crystal element for configuring the adjustable task illumination module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a plurality of configurable liquid crystal segments, wherein each configurable liquid crystal segment is individually configurable to transmit light in a corresponding specific direction.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the operation further includes selecting the corresponding specific direction to form the selected illumination beam pattern.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein determining the control voltage includes determining the control voltage to cause the configurable liquid crystal element to transmit light in a particular direction.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a curved configurable liquid crystal element.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the selected illumination beam mode includes at least one of a narrow spot illumination mode, a task illumination mode, or a floodlight illumination mode.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the user interface element comprises at least one of a physical slider or a touch sensor.

9. A computer-implemented method executed by data processing hardware, the computer-implemented method causing the data processing hardware to perform operations, the operations including: User input is received using a user interface element associated with the adjustable task lighting module, the user input representing a selected illumination beam pattern of light emitted by the adjustable task lighting module; The control voltage is determined based on the user input; as well as An adjustable voltage source associated with the adjustable mission illumination module is controlled to provide the control voltage to a configurable liquid crystal element of the adjustable mission illumination module for configuring the adjustable mission illumination module to emit light having the selected illumination beam pattern.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the configurable liquid crystal element comprises a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal material.

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