Method for darkening a vehicle interior, darkening device and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for darkening an interior (12) of a vehicle (10) using a darkening device (14) with at least one adjustable darkening element, by the adjustment of which a degree of darkening (22) for the interior (12) can be predetermined, comprising the steps: - detecting at least one sensor value (36) of an environmental sensor (18) which characterizes an incidence of light (16) into the interior (12); - Retrieving a stored user value (20); - Determination of the degree of darkening (22) as a function of the user value (20) and the sensor value (36); - Output of a control signal to control the adjustable dimming; and - Darkening the vehicle interior (12) according to the determined degree of darkening (22) by adjusting the darkening element. Furthermore, the invention relates to a darkening device (14) and a vehicle (10).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for dimming an interior of a vehicle using a, in particular electrical, dimming device having at least one adjustable dimming element. The method further relates to a corresponding dimming device and a corresponding vehicle.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONIt could be quite inconvenient for the user of a vehicle to adjust the roller blinds with any change in climatic conditions, especially if the user is unable to do this by himself, for example if the user of the vehicle is a child or a pet. In addition, most vehicles are equipped with totally opaque roller blinds, which is not optimal for all lighting conditions.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a method, a dimming device and a vehicle, with which automatic shading of the external light entering the vehicle interior, in particular of the sunlight, takes place as a function of a user requirement and the incidence of light into the interior.The subject matter according to the independent claims achieves this object. Further embodiments are shown in the specification, the dependent claims and the drawings.A first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for dimming an interior of a vehicle using an in particular electrical dimming device, having at least one adjustable dimming element, wherein a degree of dimming for the interior can be predefined by the setting. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps:In a first step, at least one sensor value of an environmental sensor, in particular of the vehicle, is detected, wherein the sensor value characterizes a light incidence into the interior. In the second step, a stored user value is retrieved, for example, a user setting, an external value or the like. In the third step, the degree of darkening is determined as a function of the user value and the sensor value. In the fourth step, a control signal for a control or for controlling the adjustable dimming element of the dimming device is output as a function of the determined degree of dimming. In addition, in a fifth step, the vehicle interior is obscured in accordance with the degree of obscuring determined by adjusting the obscuring element with the output control signal.In other words, the dimming element may be louvers that automatically adjust a window front via a motor controller, for example, based on sensor inputs. The blind may consist of several layers of different transparency and materials with different properties, which are suitable for different climate situations. An algorithm determines which layer in the blind is suitable for the sensed / determined climate conditions and rolls down the corresponding blind. The system learns the preferences of the users over time and incorporates feedback into the decision making. A combination of parameters may be used to understand the preferences of the users without limiting to sensor inputs, such as occupants in the vehicle, time of day, route, time of year, external environment, and / or additional data from third party sources.An advantage of the method according to the invention is that the incidence of light through the vehicle windows into the interior can be perfectly regulated in order to achieve the climatic conditions in the interior that are preferred by the user.In one embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment of the degree of darkening is carried out by a self-learning algorithm and / or an artificial intelligence.In another embodiment of the present invention, a previous user preference is taken into account in determining the degree of darkening. In other words, the system learns the user preference over time and incorporates the feedback into the decision making.In another embodiment of the present invention, a combination of parameters is used to understand the user's preferences, particularly without being limited to sensor inputs.In another embodiment, the user value characterizes the occupants of the vehicle, the time of day, the route, the time of year, the external environment, and / or additional data from third-party sources.In a further embodiment of the present invention, the brightness of optical elements in the vehicle interior can be adjusted on the basis of the determined degree of darkening. The optical element can be, for example, one or more screens, an interior lighting system and / or a lighting system for operating elements.A second aspect of the present invention relates to a dimming device for dimming an interior of a vehicle having at least one adjustable dimming element, by means of the adjustment of which a degree of dimming for the interior can be predefined and which is designed to carry out a method according to the first step of the present invention.Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention are to be considered advantages and advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the present invention and vice versa.In an embodiment of the present invention, the dimming element consists of several different transparent and / or individually adjustable layers or shades.In a further embodiment of the present invention, a motor is provided by which the dimming element and in particular the layers are movable and / or an environmental sensor for detecting the incidence of light is provided, which sensor is in particular designed as a photovoltaic light sensor, photoelectric sensor or as a rain light sensor. Additionally or alternatively, the dimming device comprises a control device for determining the incidence of light and / or for outputting a control signal.A third aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle which is configured to carry out the method according to the first aspect of the present invention and / or comprises a dimming device according to the second aspect of the present invention.Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention are to be considered advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first and / or second aspect of the present invention and vice versa.Further advantages, features and details of the invention are evident from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown solely in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in any other combination or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the principles disclosed. In the figures, the same numbers are used to indicate like features and components. Some embodiments of systems and / or methods according to embodiments of the present subject matter will be described below by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying figures.The drawings show in: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a method for obscuring a vehicle interior using an obscuring device; and FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the vehicle which comprises the dimming device with a control device for carrying out the method shown in FIG. 1.In the figures, the same reference numerals denote the same elements or elements having the same function.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONAs used herein, the word "exemplary" is used in the sense of "serving as an example, instance, or illustration.". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be considered preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.The terms "comprises," "including," or other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a structure, apparatus, or method comprising a list of components or steps not only includes those components or steps, but may also include other components or steps not expressly listed or associated with such structure or apparatus or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or device preceded by the term "comprises" or "comprising" do not exclude, without further limitations, the presence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a particular embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.FIG. 1 schematically shows a method for dimming an interior 12 of a vehicle 10 using a dimming device 14, having at least one adjustable dimming element, by the adjustment of which a degree of dimming 22 for the interior 12 can be predefined.The method comprises the following five steps: In the first step, at least one sensor value 36 of an environmental sensor 18 is detected, which characterizes a light incidence 16 into the interior 12. In the second step of the method, a stored user value 20 is called up. In the third step, the degree of darkening 22 is determined by a control device 24 (shown in FIG. 2 ) as a function of the user value 20 and the sensor value 36. In a fourth step, a control signal is output by the control device 24 for controlling the adjustable dimming element as a function of the determined degree of dimming 22.The controller 24 may be AI controlled and include an engine temp model capable of making predictions or decisions based on multiple data points. This model can also process text inputs, for example. The model is capable of processing multiple inputs, such as sensor values 36 and / or user values 20, which may include route data from a depth camera 26, a user preference obtained by the input of user preferences 28, inputs from third party 30, and / or external environment inputs 32.The input of the environment sensor 18 can be, for example, the input of a photovoltaic light sensor that uses pulse-modulated light that repeatedly emits light at fixed intervals, when the light is incident directly. The latter detects the current driving state on the basis of the incident sunlight and the reflected infrared light flashes and makes this information available to a microcontroller such as the control unit 24.For the light intensity of the light incidence, for example, a pulse modulated light photoelectric sensor which repeatedly emits light basically at fixed intervals could be used.A rain light sensor can be used for glare. To improve performance, the output of the rain light sensor and a forward facing camera may be merged and weighted because the rain light sensor may only output a function of light intensity, but unpleasant glare and glare suppression are functions of relative light intensity of the scene and the angle of the light source that may be detected by a camera and not by the light sensor.In an initial state, the microcontroller or controller 24 may receive these inputs for direct light, light intensity, or glare and provide them to a DC motor capable of adjusting the dimming element. If the dimming element consists of several different transparent and / or individually adjustable layers, the motor can move a certain film or layer and the motor power can be changed for this purpose based on control logic.A self-learning artificial intelligence algorithm may perform continuous learning based on multiple inputs, e.g., the AI engine temp module uses decision making algorithms to further learn to achieve its user-defined preference, e.g., by following the ISO 26262 motor vehicle safety goal. The output 34 of the controller 24 may be an estimated drive input of a variable shape for the motor based on an AI model. In other words: In the determination of the degree of darkening 22, earlier user preferences are taken into account in particular.A combination of parameters may be used to understand the user's preferences without being limited to sensor inputs. The user value 20 may characterize the occupants of the vehicle 10, the time of day, the route, the time of year, the external environment, and / or additional data from third-party sources.In addition to the method, the dimming device 14 for dimming the interior 12 with at least one adjustable dimming element is also presented, by the adjustment of which a degree of dimming 22 for the interior 12 can be predefined and wherein the dimming device is configured to carry out a method as shown here. Loaded in addition to the method and the dimming device 14 is also a vehicle 10 which is designed to carry out the method shown here and / or has the dimming device 14.Reference numerals denote reference numerals10 Vehicle 12 Interior region 14 Dimming device 16 Light incidence 18 Environment sensor 20 User value 22 Degree of dimming 24 Control device 26 Route data 28 Input of user preferences 30 Inputs from third party 32 External environment inputs 34 Output 36 Sensor value

Claims

A method for dimming an interior (12) of a vehicle (10) using a dimming device (14), having at least one adjustable dimming element, by the adjustment of which a degree of dimming (22) for the interior (12) can be predefined, comprising the steps of: - detecting at least one sensor value (36) of an environmental sensor (18) which characterizes a incidence of light (16) into the interior (12); - retrieving a stored user value (20); - determining the degree of dimming (22) as a function of the user value (20) and the sensor value (38); - outputting a control signal for controlling the adjustable dimming element as a function of the determined degree of dimming (22); and - dimming the interior (12) in accordance with the determined degree of dimming (22) by adjusting the dimming element.The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination of the degree of darkening (22) is carried out by a self-learning algorithm and / or an artificial intelligence algorithm.The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a user preference is taken into account in the determination of the degree of darkening (22).The method of claim 3, characterized in that a combination of parameters is used to understand the user's preferences.The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the user value (20) characterizes the occupants of the vehicle, the time of day, the route, the time of year, the external environment and additional data from third party sources.The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brightness of optical elements in the interior (12) of the vehicle (10) is adjusted as a function of the determined degree of darkening (22).A dimming device (14) for dimming an interior (12) of a vehicle (10), comprising at least one adjustable dimming element, by the adjustment of which a degree of dimming (22) for the interior (12) can be predefined, and configured to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.The dimming device (14) according to claim 6, characterized in that the dimming element comprises a plurality of differently transparent and / or individually adjustable layers.The dimming device (14) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the dimming device comprises a motor, by means of which the dimming element and in particular the layers are movable, and / or an environmental sensor (18), which is in particular designed as a photovoltaic light sensor, photoelectric sensor or rain light sensor, for detecting a light incidence (16) and / or a control device (24) for determining the light incidence (16) and / or for outputting a control signal.A vehicle (10) configured to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and / or comprising a dimming device (14) according to any one of claims 6 to 8.

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