Vehicle Cabin Lighting With Capacitive Gesture Brightness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices for vehicle passenger compartments are not easily controllable and are not suitable for flat, compact designs, especially in the rear or front areas, as they rely on mechanical switches and lack intuitive operation.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with contactless control elements, such as capacitive sensors, allows for the control of light-emitting elements like LEDs or OLEDs through hand movements, enabling individual and intuitive control of light emission, including switching and brightness adjustment, using a control unit that interprets sensor signals to drive the light-emitting elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical switches are used for controlling light-emitting elements, then individual controllability is achieved, but the construction becomes bulky and not flat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical switches with capacitive sensor elements that detect hand approach contactlessly. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical moving parts, enabling a flat construction while maintaining individual control capability through capacitive coupling between the sensor and the user's hand.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the control function from physical mechanical switches and implements it through capacitive sensing. By removing the mechanical switching mechanism entirely and using only capacitive detection, the device achieves a flat profile while preserving individual controllability through touch-based interaction.
2Ease of operation
If proximity sensors are used for contactless control, then intuitive operation is achieved, but the device cannot be designed for rear or front area lighting applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control solution using capacitive sensor elements that can be applied to various vehicle lighting applications including rear area lighting, front area lighting, and overhead console lighting. The same capacitive sensing principle works across different locations and lighting configurations, providing adaptability while maintaining intuitive contactless operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, controllable lighting system that can be easily installed in vehicles, offering intuitive operation and maintaining a flat design while allowing for precise control of light emission, enhancing user interaction and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the control elements operating contactlessly are capacitive sensor elements, each capacitive sensor element having at least one detection antenna
Implementation Method 2
light-emitting elements are two-dimensional light-emitting elements such as especially two-dimensional light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Implementation Method 3
two-dimensional organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a lighting device having a first number of light-emitting elements and having a second number of control elements, operating contactlessly, for controlling the light-emitting elements such as especially for switching the light-emitting elements on or off and/or for controlling their brightness, the second number being less than or equal to the first number, the light-emitting elements being controlled contactlessly by a movement of at least one hand of a user over two or more control elements. The invention also relates to a relevant method.