Docket No.: P0842-INUS
ADVANCED SUNROOF LIGHTING SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to windows of a vehicle, More particularly, the present
disclosure relates to a window system that allows for different performance under different
operating conditions by providing lighting and varying the opaqueness of the window between
clear and fully opaque.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Windows within the roof of an automobile include different types and names, including
sunroofs, moonroof, panorama roof’, panoramic roof’, etc. (herein all referred to as a “sunroof™).
A typical sunroof has a transparent glass layer. More advanced sunroofs have a screen or movable
access door to block light when desired. The ability to control light is important. The driver and
other vehicle occupants may want light in certain situations. In other situations, direct sunlight
may be undesirable, For example, when itis hot outside, a driver and other vehicle occupants may
not want direct light on them. Access doors can block sufficient light but are thick and often
unsightly. Screens may impinge some, but not all light. Further, screen deployment require
mechanical components, adding cost and potential failure points. Other sunroofs may be heavily
tinted to impinge incoming light, However, these do not allow for sunlight to freely pass through
when desired by the driver and other occupants, Also, the level of tinting may be insufficient
certain conditions, For example, a lightly-tinted sunroof may not block enough sunlight in hot and
bright conditions. Conversely, a heavily-tinted sunroof may block too much sunlight in overcast
days
[0003] Additional challenges of providing sufficient interior cabin lighting exist when sunroofs
occupy most of the vehicle roof since lights are often overhead, mounted on the vehicle ceiling
(underside of the roof), In addition, traditional lights are not uniform and provide non-uniform
light and do not provide enough light in all areas of the vehicle. The brightness of the light is also
not tunable to provide a range of lighting options from dim to bright
[0004] Hence, there is a need for a sunroof lighting system that overcomes the aforementioned
drawbacks.Docket No.: P0842-INUS
SUMMARY
[0005] The window according to the present disclosure introduces an advanced sunroof lighting
system to allow a desirable amount of ambient light during daytime while also providing a
desirable amount of light during nighttime or other obscured light times, The advanced sunroof
lighting system consists of multiple layers. In an embodiment, a first transparent layer and a
second transparent layer substantially sandwich a tint layer. This tint layer is electrically
controllable to allow none, some, or all (neglecting any scattering that occurs by the tint layer
itself) of the natural sunlight that is incident on the sunroof to pass through the tint layer. The
advanced sunroof lighting system may also have a transparent lighting layer between the first and
second transparent layers, such as between the tint layer and the second transparent layer. This
transparent lighting layer has a plurality of light sources that are preferentially light emitting diodes
(LEDs) attached to a control mechanism, such as a variable power source or a variable resister,
that allows for the tuning of the LED i and/or color. Because the light in the transparent
lighting layers from the sides, the layer has a plurality of scattering centers, which serve to redirect
the
ght from the light sources on the side of the layer towards the vehicle cabin and the occupants
within,
[0006] in embodiments, the advanced sunroof lighting system has an electrical controller to
control whether the tint layer is tinted and that can also control the brightness and/or color of the
lights. The driver or other occupants may interface with the electrical controller through a user
interface shown on the dashboard, a computer screen attached to the vehicle, or a remote
application (such as an app running on a mobile device). When selected by the user (or according
to certain rules automatically set up or set up by the user), the controller changes the level of
tinting For example, during a morning commute, the user may select (or a program set up) for
the controller to lighten the tint layer to selectively allow a portion of light through to the vehicle
cabin, The user can also control the transparent lighting layer through the controller to have the
layer emit light from the plurality of light sources to illuminate the interior cabin to a desired
lighting level or a desired color levelDocket No.: P0842-INUS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] FIG. | illustrates a side profile of an exemplary vehicle according to certain
embodiments of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an advanced sunroof lighting system
according to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 schematic illustration of a transparent lighting layer according to certain
embodiments of the invention
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates a user interface and a controller for controlling the advanced sunroof
lighting system according to certain embodiments of the invention,
[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of the advanced sunroof lighting system in a first mode
of operation according to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates the operation of the advanced sunroof lighting system in a second
mode of operation according to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of the advanced sunroof lighting system in another
embodiment of the second mode of operation.
[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of the advanced sunroof lighting system in a third mode
of operation according to certain embodiments of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates the user interface that allows a user to interface with the advanced
sunroof lighting system according to certain embodiments of the invention
[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by
referring to the detailed description that follows, It should be appreciated that like reference
numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein
showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for
purposes of limiting it
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] FIG, | illustrates a side profile of an exemplary vehicle 100 such as, for example, a
passenger car, truck, sport utility vehicle, or van. Vehicle 100 includes a frame 102 that is
supported by a set of wheels 104. Vehicle 100 includes a power source (not shown) configured to