Vehicle Interior Lighting Inclination Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for visualizing a motor vehicle's inclination, such as using interior lighting, face challenges in effectively displaying a wide range of angles in an intuitive and impressive manner without appearing unsteady or overly complex, particularly in balancing visibility at small and medium inclinations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using interior lighting to create a virtual plane that intersects the vehicle horizontally, dynamically modeling changes in inclination through sequential or parallel activation of illuminants, simulating the movement of a fluid or spirit level, with adjustable intensity and color to represent the vehicle's inclination, and optionally incorporating acoustic feedback to enhance the visualization experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If interior lighting is used to display a wide range of inclination angles, then the visibility of inclination changes is improved, but the display may appear unsteady or overly complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinclination angle visibilityVSAvoiddisplay complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interior lighting is divided into multiple independently controllable illuminants arranged in a sequence, allowing the display to be segmented into discrete zones that can be activated independently based on the inclination angle, thus managing complexity while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different zones of the interior lighting are assigned different functions or properties based on their position in the sequence, with each zone representing a specific inclination range, allowing localized control that simplifies the overall display while maintaining accurate angle representation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If all illuminants are activated to show small inclinations, then small angle visibility is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmall inclination visibilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of activating all illuminants for every inclination measurement, only the necessary subset of illuminants corresponding to the current inclination angle range is activated, providing sufficient visualization while minimizing energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The activation state of illuminants is dynamically changed based on the inclination angle parameter, transitioning between different activation patterns (no illumination, partial illumination, full illumination) to match the magnitude of inclination detected

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If sequential activation of illuminants is used, then the visualization becomes more intuitive, but the response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisualization intuitivenessVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The illuminants are pre-positioned in a spatial sequence that corresponds to inclination angles, and the control system pre-determines which illuminants should be activated based on the detected angle, eliminating the need for sequential activation and reducing response time while maintaining intuitive visualization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach provides an intuitive and visually engaging way to display the vehicle's inclination, ensuring that both small and large angles are clearly visible while maintaining an impressive display without appearing unsteady, and allows for energy savings by adjusting illumination accordingly.

Implementation Method 1

The inclination of the motor vehicle within the space is thereby preferably measured in relation to the perpendicular. In particular, it is derived from the acceleration due to gravity in the direction of the center of gravity.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration due to gravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

The interior lighting comprises light-emitting diodes arranged adjacent to one another, which are designed as a so-called LED light strip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission from illuminants: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS11619489B2Method for visualizing an inclination of a motor vehicle in the motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.04.04 VOLKSWAGEN AG

AI summary

A method for visualizing an inclination of a motor vehicle in the motor vehicle, in which the inclination of the motor vehicle is measured and made visible in the interior of the motor vehicle. The inclination is made visible by interior lighting of the motor vehicle. At least one virtual plane is formed, which intersects the motor vehicle horizontally when the latter is in a horizontal position and serves as a reference plane for displaying the inclination. Changes in the inclination of the motor vehicle are modeled dynamically by the interior lighting by the sequential and/or parallel activation of illuminants of the interior lighting.