PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11097658-B1
Application Number: US-201916671051-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Lighting system for vehicle interior

Abstract:
Lighting may be provided using light sources such as lighting systems with arrays of light-emitting diodes. A lighting system may be integrated into a seat, a door panel, a dashboard, or other interior portions of a system such as a vehicle. The interior portions of the vehicle may be illuminated using lighting systems to provide ambient light, to provide custom surface textures and other decorative patterns, to provide icons, text, and other information, and to provide custom gauges and other illuminated regions. Illuminated regions may overlap sensors such as capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors. The light-emitting diodes in a lighting system may supply light that passes through openings in a cover layer. The layer may be formed from fabric, leather, or other materials. Lens structures may guide light through the openings.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a body having a fabric layer; 
 an illumination system that emits light through the fabric layer, wherein the illumination system produces text on the fabric layer in a first mode and produces ambient lighting through the fabric layer in a second mode; 
 a sensor that produces sensor data; and 
 control circuitry that controls the illumination system and that determines whether to operate the illumination system in the first mode or the second mode based on the sensor data. 
 
     
     
       2. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a vehicle body, the fabric layer comprises an interior fabric layer, and the illumination system illuminates an interior of the vehicle body. 
     
     
       3. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the illumination system comprises light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       4. The system defined in  claim 3  wherein the illumination system comprises a light guide layer overlapping the fabric layer and wherein the light-emitting diodes emit the light into the light guide layer. 
     
     
       5. The system defined in  claim 3  wherein the illumination system comprises fibers that receive the light from the light-emitting diodes and that have light extraction regions through which the light escapes towards the fabric layer. 
     
     
       6. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the sensor comprises a touch sensor overlapping the fabric layer and wherein the sensor data is produced in response to touch input. 
     
     
       7. The system defined in  claim 6  wherein the touch sensor comprises capacitive touch sensor electrodes. 
     
     
       8. The system defined in  claim 7  wherein the control circuitry adjusts a position of the light on the fabric layer based on the touch input. 
     
     
       9. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the text comprises text selected from the group consisting of: speed information, temperature information, and media playback information. 
     
     
       10. The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry adjusts at least one of a color, intensity, and pattern of the ambient lighting based on the sensor data. 
     
     
       11. A system, comprising:
 a body having a cover layer with openings; 
 a lighting system that emits light through the openings; 
 a sensor that overlaps the lighting system and that produces sensor data; and 
 control circuitry that controls the lighting system based on the sensor data, wherein the light system is hidden from view when the lighting system is unilluminated. 
 
     
     
       12. The system defined in  claim 11  wherein the openings comprise microperforations. 
     
     
       13. The system defined in  claim 11  wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor. 
     
     
       14. The system defined in  claim 11  wherein the body comprises a vehicle body and the cover layer forms an interior surface of the vehicle body. 
     
     
       15. The system defined in  claim 11  wherein the lighting system comprises a pixel array that produces an image and wherein the control circuitry adjusts the image based on the sensor data. 
     
     
       16. A system, comprising:
 a body having an interior surface and an exterior surface; 
 a cover layer on the interior surface with openings; 
 an illumination system that emits a pattern of light through the openings; 
 a sensor that gathers user input; and 
 control circuitry that adjusts the pattern of light based on the user input. 
 
     
     
       17. The system defined in  claim 16  wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a force sensor, a touch sensor, and a proximity sensor. 
     
     
       18. The system defined in  claim 16  wherein the body comprises a portion of a vehicle and wherein the cover layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: fabric, leather, and plastic. 
     
     
       19. The system defined in  claim 16  wherein the openings comprise microperforations and wherein the illumination system is hidden from view when the illumination system is unilluminated. 
     
     
       20. The system defined in  claim 16  wherein the illumination system comprises a light-emitting diode and a light guide that receives the light from the light-emitting diode.

Description:
The application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/263,971, filed Sep. 13, 2016 now U.S. Pat. No. 10,464,476B1, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/356,131, filed Jun. 29, 2016, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to light-emitting devices, and, more particularly, to customizable lighting systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Equipment such as embedded systems may sometimes include light-emitting components that provide aesthetic lighting and informative visual output such as display and status indicator light output. Lighting systems for equipment may sometimes be insufficiently flexible, may produce output that is insufficiently informative and that is not aesthetically appealing, or may be unable to respond to varying input conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     A lighting system may have light-emitting diodes that supply illumination. The light-emitting diodes may be formed in a display layer that contains an array of organic light-emitting diodes or a display layer formed from an array of crystalline semiconductor dies. Light-emitting diodes may also be used to provide illumination that is distributed using fibers or other light guides. In some configurations, lighting systems may contain stand-alone light sources such as light-emitting diodes that are coupled to fibers or larger area light-emitting diodes formed from thin-film circuitry on a substrate. 
     A lighting system may be integrated into a seat, a door panel, a dashboard, or other interior portions of a system such as a vehicle. These interior portions of the system may be illuminated with light from a lighting system. 
     Illumination from a lighting system may serve as provide ambient light, may create a custom surface texture or other decorative pattern on a seat or other interior surface, may include icons, text, and other information, and may include custom gauges. Illuminated regions may overlap sensors such as capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors. The light-emitting diodes in a lighting system may supply light that passes through openings in a cover layer. The layer may be formed from fabric, leather, or other materials. Lens structures may guide light through the openings. 
     Further features will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an illustrative system that may have lighting in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system with lighting in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing how individually adjustable light-emitting components such as light-emitting diodes may emit light in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an illustrative lighting system showing how a fiber or other light guide may distribute illumination in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an illustrative light projection system such as an image projector of the type that may be used to provide lighting in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system in which a light guide plate is used in providing illumination in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system that is covered with a layer having openings aligned with light-emitting components in the lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of an illustrative lighting system that provides illumination through openings in fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system with lens structures that guide illumination through openings in a covering layer such as a fabric covering layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system with a force sensor layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17  are diagrams showing illustrative patterns of illumination that may be produced with a lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a diagram showing how a user may reposition light output regions produced by a lighting system using touch gestures supplied to a touch sensor in the lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of an illustrative compartment in which a camera and a lighting system are being used to provide a user with visual instructions on how to load an item into the compartment in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an illustrative illuminated wireless charging pad in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 21  is a perspective view of an illustrative input device such as a lever and associated visual guidance that is being provided using a lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional side view of an adjustable-depth receptacle with a lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 23  is a perspective view of an illustrative magnetic holder for an item such as a cup and an associated lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 24  is a flow chart of illustrative operations involved in using a lighting system in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An illustrative system of the type that may be provided with illumination is shown in  FIG. 1 . System  10  may be a vehicle, a kiosk, a room in an office or other building, or other environment that includes lighting. Illustrative configurations in which system  10  is a vehicle may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , system  10  may include windows such as front window  12 , rear window  14 , and side windows that are mounted in body  14 . Body  14  may have doors  16 . Surfaces  18  of doors  16  may sometimes be referred to as door panels and face the interior of body  14 . Dashboard  20  may be located in front of seats  22 . Buttons, dials, and other components  24  may be provided on dashboard  20  and elsewhere in system  10  and may be provided with illumination from a lighting system. A camera such as camera  26  and other input-output components may be provided in system  10  and may monitor movements of users (occupants) of system  10 . Footwells  28  may be covered with carpeting or other suitable material. Seats  22  may include pressure sensors such as pressure sensor  31  to measure pressure (weight) due to the presence of a driver, passenger, or other occupants (users) in seats  22 . Headrests  30  may be mounted on the rear portions of seats  22 . Seatbelts  32  may be used to restrain occupants of system  10  in seats  22 . 
     Illumination such as user-customized lighting and other lighting may be provided on the interior and/or exterior surfaces of system  10 . As examples, lighting may be provided on the interior surface of doors  18  (e.g., on door panels), in footwells  28  (e.g., in the carpet or other material in footwells  28 ), on dashboard  20  (e.g., locations associated with components  24  and/or other portions of dashboard  20 ), on horizontal areas (seating surfaces) of seats  22 , on the front of rear of seatbacks in seats  22 , on the front or rear of headrests  30 , on a headliner (e.g., on the interior of a vehicle roof), on interior surfaces of A pillars, B pillars, C pillars, or other structural components), on seatbelts  32 , on a steering wheel, on an arm rest or console between seats  22 , on an arm rest on doors  16 , on mirrors, on rear seat footwells or other portions of floor  34  of system  10 , or any other interior and/or exterior surfaces of system  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system with lighting. As shown in  FIG. 2 , system  10  may include control circuitry  36 . Control circuitry  36  may include one or more microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, microcontrollers, or other processing circuitry. Control circuitry  36  may also include storage such as volatile and non-volatile memory, solid state drives, hard disk drives, and removable storage media. During operation of device  10 , control circuitry  36  may process data and take suitable actions in response. Data may be gathered from circuitry  36  (e.g., clock information, status information on the current operating state of system  10 , etc.) and may be gathered from input devices  38 . Based on the data that is processed by control circuitry  36 , control circuitry  36  may use electrical components such as output devices  40  to take actions such as displaying visual output for a user of system  10  with a lighting system in devices  40 , presenting audio output to the user, adjusting an electromechanical actuator (e.g., to adjust steering, braking, etc.), controlling a motor (e.g., to position a seat), etc. 
     Input devices  38  may include force sensors. For example, devices  38  may include force sensors based on strain gauges, force sensors based on piezoelectric materials, force sensors based on compressible resistive foam, capacitive force sensors (e.g., force sensors based on collapsible foam, fabric with conductive strands that serve as capacitive electrodes, or other capacitive force sensor structures), or other force sensor structures that detect applied force such as applied force from the fingers (or other body part) of a user. Devices  38  may include one or more proximity sensors that detect when a user&#39;s fingers (or other body part) or other external object is in the vicinity of the proximity sensor. The proximity sensors may include light-based proximity sensors formed using light emitters (e.g., infrared light-emitting diodes) and corresponding light detectors (e.g., infrared light detectors that detect infrared light from the infrared light-emitting diodes that have been reflected off of nearby objects), may include capacitive proximity sensors (e.g., sensors with capacitive proximity sensor electrodes that make capacitance measurements to detect when objects are nearby), may be acoustic proximity sensors, and/or may be other types of proximity sensors. Input devices  38  may also include touch sensors. The touch sensors may be based on acoustic touch technology, light-based touch technology, resistive touch, force-based touch, or other touch technologies. As an example, the touch sensor(s) may be capacitive touch sensors having capacitive touch sensor electrodes such as electrodes formed from strands of conductive material in a fabric, electrodes formed from strips of metal or other conductive material on dielectric substrates, or electrodes formed from conductive pads with other configurations. Input devices  38  may also include environmental sensors (e.g., gas sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, particulate sensors, etc.), keyboards and other devices with one or more keys or other buttons, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, compasses, pressure sensors (e.g., air pressure sensors and/or force sensors), touch sensors in displays, microphones to gather voice commands and other audio input, and other input components. 
     Output devices  40  may include devices for presenting audio output (e.g., speakers, tone generators, etc.), may include vibrators and other haptic devices, and other components for presenting information to a user. Output devices  40  may also include lighting systems. For example, devices  40  may include displays or other structures having arrays of pixels for presenting images to a user. Each pixel in this type of device may have an associated light-emitting diode. Devices  40  may also have stand-alone light emitting components such as single-element and multi-element status indicator lights and other light sources. Light sources for arrays of pixels and for stand-alone light emitting components may be formed from organic light-emitting diodes (e.g., diodes formed from thin-film circuitry on a substrate) and/or may be light-emitting diodes formed from crystalline semiconductor dies (sometimes referred to as micro-LEDs or micro-light-emitting diodes). If desired, light sources for lighting systems in devices  40  may include lamps, electroluminescent panels, and other components that generate light. 
     During operation, control circuitry  36  may generate control signals that direct a lighting system to generate output light (e.g., images, ambient lighting, lighting to adjust the aesthetic appearance of a structure in system  10  by illuminating an interior surface of system  10  with a decorative pattern, virtual speedometers and other vehicle gauges, media playback information panels and other information regions, etc.). An illustrative lighting system that has multiple light emitters is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , lighting system  42  may have light emitters such as light-emitting diodes  44  that emit light  46 . Control circuitry  36  ( FIG. 2 ) may issue control signals on paths  48  that determine the amount of light  46  that is emitted by each light-emitting diode  44 . Light-emitting diodes  44  may be stand-alone elements (e.g., light emitters that are spatially isolated from other light emitters and/or that are adjusted independently from nearby light emitters) or may form part of a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array of light-emitting diodes. A one-dimensional array of light-emitting diodes may, as an example, form part of a multi-element status indicator (e.g., a gauge in which a progressively increasing number of elements are turned on when a measured value is increasing). A two-dimensional array of light-emitting diodes  44  may form a display (e.g., a structure for displaying static and/or moving images to a user). Lighting systems with individual light-emitting diodes  44 , lighting systems with one-dimensional arrays of light-emitting diodes, and lighting systems with two-dimensional arrays of light-emitting diodes may be used to supply ambient lighting, decorative lighting (e.g., illuminated trim, surfaces with aesthetically pleasing decorative patterns), or other types of illumination. 
     If desired, lighting systems such as lighting system  42  of  FIG. 4  may contain light guides that guide light internally in accordance with the principle of total internal reflection. In the example of  FIG. 4 , light-emitting diode  44  is emitting light  46 ′ into light guide  50 . Light guide  50  may be a fiber, a molded plastic structure, or other light guiding structure. If desired, light guides such as light guide  50  may have one or more light extraction regions such as regions  52 . The light extraction regions of light guide  50  may be characterized by roughened surfaces, protrusions such as bumps or ridges, recesses such as pits or grooves, or other light extraction features. In the presence of a light extraction region such as light extraction regions  52 , light  46 ′ from the interior of light guide  50  may be scattered out of light guide  50  as illumination (light)  46 . Fibers and other elongated light guide structures may be incorporated into piping in seat cushions in seats  22  (see, e.g., illustrative piping  23 ), into trim on the interior surfaces of system  10 , or in other portions of system  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , lighting system  42  may include a light projector such as light projector  54 . Light projector  54  may produce monochrome or multicolor output in the form of an image (e.g., a projected color image or a projected monochrome image), in the form of a single block of light (colored, white, etc.), or in the form of a decorative pattern (e.g., alternating black and white strips, etc.). Projector  54  may display light output in region  60  on surface  56  of structure  58 . Structure  58  may be a layer of plastic, a layer of fabric, metal, natural materials such as leather or wood, paper, other materials, or combinations of these materials. For example, structure  58  may be a covering layer formed from fabric, vinyl or other plastic, wood, or leather on dashboard  20  or other interior surface of system  10  and region  60  may be provided with a decorative light pattern, an image containing information on the operational status of system  10 , an image containing information on environmental parameters associated with the operating environment for system  10  (e.g., temperature, speed, etc.), or other illumination. 
     In addition to using projector  54  or instead of using projector  54  to modify the appearance of structure  58 , a reflective display device may be incorporated into structure  58  and/or overlapped by structure  58 . For example, a reflective display device such as reflective display device (reflective display)  59  may be located under structure  58  in configurations in which structure  58  is a layer of fabric, a layer of plastic, a layer of metal, a leather layer, or a structure formed from other materials. In this type of arrangement, structure  58  may be a light-transmitting structure such as a light-transmitting layer with perforations or other openings, translucent portions, clear portions, openings filled with clear plastic, or other light-transmitting layer. 
     Reflective display device  59  may have an array of pixels suitable for producing images (text, graphics, video, etc.) or may have one or more larger independently adjustable areas for changing the overall appearance of structure  58  (e.g., without producing images formed from arrays of pixels). The larger areas may be rectangular, circular, or other shapes, may have outlines in the shapes of icons or text, or may have other suitable shapes. 
     Reflective display device  59  may be an electronic ink device, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) device, an electrowetting display device, an electrofluidic display device, a reflective liquid crystal display device without a backlight, or other light modulating device that is illuminated with ambient light (or light from projector  54 ) rather than emitting light or modulating backlight from a backlight unit. 
     The state of reflective display device  59  and, if desired, the output of projector  54 , may be adjusted to dynamically control the outward appearance of surface  56  of structure  58 . Consider, as an example, a scenario in which structure  58  is a layer of material with openings (e.g., fabric, perforated metal, leather, or plastic, etc.), a layer of material with translucent areas, or other light-transmitting layer that overlaps reflective display device  59 . When reflective display device  59  has a first state (e.g., a low reflectance state) and/or when projector  54  is not emitting light, the appearance of structure  58  may be relatively dark and natural looking (i.e., structure  58  may have its natural appearance, which may match the appearance of similar structures in system  10  that are not associated with reflective display devices). When the reflective display has a second state (e.g., a high reflectance state) and/or when projector  54  is emitting light, the appearance of structure  58  may be lighter, may be sparking or shiny, may be characterized by a recognizable pattern of light and dark areas, may have a different visual texture, etc. or may otherwise be visually distinguishable from the appearance of structure  58  when reflective display device  59  has its first state. The output of projector  54  and/or the state of reflective display device  59  in layer  58  may be adjusted whenever it is desired to change the color, texture, pattern of light and dark areas, and other visual attributes of structure  58 . 
     Reflective display devices may consume relatively low amounts of power, particularly when refreshed infrequently, and may therefore be suitable for use in applications in which low power consumption is desired and in which the appearance of surface  56  is not changed frequently. For example, it may be desirable to include reflective display device  59  under portions of structure  58  in arrangements in which structure  58  forms an Ulterior structure in a system such as a vehicle (e.g., an interior panel in a vehicle, a portion of a seat in a vehicle, a portion of a headrest or dashboard in a vehicle, a portion of a floor mat, a trim structure, or other interior vehicle component, or an interior vehicle structures. Reflective display device  59  may be used to provide a customized visual appearance to structure  58  (e.g., adjustable visual texture, adjustable color, etc.) and may be used to display dynamic patterns to structure  58  that form indicators, icons, and other visual patterns (e.g., an indicator that does not change frequently such as a cup holder position indicator, button location indicator, a warning light indicator, etc.). 
     Layer  58  and the reflective display device that is overlapped by layer  58  may be illuminated with light from the interior of system  10  that is produced by projector  54  (e.g., colored light, white light, patterned light, images, etc.) and/or ambient light from the interior of system  10  (e.g., daylight that has entered the interior of a vehicle through vehicle windows, artificial ambient lighting in the interior of a vehicle, or other ambient light in system  10 ).  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system in which light is distributed using a thin light guide structure such as light guide layer  62 . Light guide layer  62  may be a light guide layer formed from a molded plastic light guide plate or a flexible sheet of polymer (sometimes referred to as a light guide film). A light source formed from one or more light-emitting diodes such as light-emitting diode  44  may emit light  46 ′ into an edge of light guide layer  62 . A light extraction region may be formed in light guide layer  62  by providing the lower surface of light guide layer  62  and/or other portions of light guide layer  62  with protrusions such as ridges or bumps, recesses such as grooves or pits, or other light extraction features that help scatter light  46 ′ out of light guide layer  62  to serve as illumination  46 . If desired, a reflective layer of white plastic or other reflector structure may be placed under light guide plate  62 , as illustrated by reflector  64 . Reflector  64  may help reflect light that has scattered out of light guide layer  62  towards reflector  64  (i.e., in the downward direction in the orientation of  FIG. 4 ) back through light guide layer  62  (i.e., upward in the orientation of  FIG. 6 ). 
     Lighting systems in device  10  such as illustrative lighting system  42  of  FIG. 6  may include covering structures such as layer  66 . Layer  66  may be a covering layer that includes one more layers of material (e.g., leather, wood, natural-fiber fabric such as wool or cotton fabric, or other natural materials, plastic, glass, ceramic, metal, synthetic fiber fabric, fabric formed from multiple materials, fiber composite materials such as carbon fiber composites, etc.). If desired, layer  66  may have openings such as openings  68 . Openings  68  may be microperforations (e.g., openings with diameters of 50 microns or less, 200 microns or less, 1-300 microns, or other small openings that are invisible to the naked eye during normal use), may be slots, may have shapes such as circular shapes, rectangular shapes, triangular shapes, and/or other shapes, or may have other suitable configurations. As shown in  FIG. 6 , openings  68  may allow light  46  from light guide layer  62  to pass (e.g., so that light  46  may be viewed by a user of system  42 ). Openings  68  may form an array of openings, may be patterned to form text, may have the shape of an icon or other symbol, may form an outline for a symbol, or may have any other suitable shape. In configurations in which openings  68  are relatively small, the appearance of surface  70  in the absence of illumination may primarily be dictated by the appearance of outer surface  70  of layer  66  (e.g., leather, fabric, plastic, metal, etc.) and internal light source structures such as light-emitting diode  44  and light guide layer  62  may be hidden from view. When it is desired to change the appearance of surface  70 , lighting system  42  may be used to produce illumination  46 . 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , lighting system  42  has a display such as display (display layer)  80  that is supported by an inner support structure such as support structure  72 . Support structure  72  may be metal (which may distribute and dissipate heat from light-emitting diodes in layer  80 ), plastic, or other suitable material and may be associated with an interior structure in system  10  (e.g., dashboard  20 , doors  16 , etc.). Display  80  may be attached to layer  72  using adhesive layer  78 . Layer  78  may be, for example, a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. Display  80  may be covered with a protective coating such as clear outer coating layer  88 . Layer  88  may be, for example, a clear polymer layer. 
     Display  80  may have a light-emitting layer such as display layer  84 . Layer  84  may have an array of pixels  84 P (e.g., light-emitting diodes, backlit pixels in an electronic ink display or liquid crystal display, etc.). Encapsulation layer  86  may include moisture barrier structures to help prevent moisture from damaging pixels  84 P. Substrate layer  82  in display  80  may be formed from a layer of flexible plastic or other substrate material. In general, any suitable display technology may be used in forming display  80 . For example, display  80  may be an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display that is backlit using a backlight unit having an array of light-emitting diodes arranged along the edge of a light guide layer such as layer  62  of  FIG. 6 , an electrophoretic display (sometimes referred to as electronic ink), an electrowetting display, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) display, an electrokinetic display, an electrofluidic display or other suitable type of display. Although illustrative lighting system  42  of  FIG. 7  has a display layer (layer  84 ) that has an array of pixels  84 P (e.g., a two-dimensional array of pixels for displaying images), layer  84  may, if desired, have light-emitting areas that are relatively large (e.g., a single stand-alone light emitting area of 1-100 cm×1-100 cm, less than 500×500 cm, more than 1 mm×1 mm, etc. or a group of two or more of these relatively larger light-emitting structures that are not sufficiently abundant and finely pitched to display images but that can serve as ambient lighting or part of a status indicator, etc.). The use of a light emitting layer in system  42  that includes a display layer such as layer  84  with pixels  84 P is merely illustrative. If desired, lighting systems such as system  42  of  FIG. 7  may be covered with covering structures such as illustrative layer  66  of  FIG. 6 . 
     Illustrative lighting system  42  of  FIG. 8  includes a sensor such as sensor  90 . Sensor  90  may be a force sensor, a proximity sensor, a touch sensor, or other suitable sensor. Sensor  90  may be, as an example, a capacitive touch sensor formed from transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes (e.g., indium tin oxide electrodes, electrodes of thin transparent metal, etc.) on a transparent polymer substrate or a fabric capacitive touch sensor formed from overlapping perpendicular conductive strands of material (e.g., warp strands that serve as drive lines and weft strands that serve as sense lines in a capacitive touch sensor electrode array). Sensor  90  may be interposed between display layer  84  and covering layer  66 . Display layer  92  may include light-emitting diodes or other components that emit light. As an example, display layer  92  may include an array of pixels  92 P (e.g., pixels containing respective organic light-emitting diodes or crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies). Layer  66  may be formed from a fabric layer, leather layer, plastic layer, metal layer, wood layer, or other suitable covering material. If desired, sensor  90  may be a capacitive touch sensor that is formed from conductive strands of material that serve as electrodes in a layer of fabric (i.e., sensor  90  may be formed from the fabric of layer  66 ). 
     Openings  68  in layer  66  may each be aligned with a respective one of pixels  92 P or may be sufficiently large to overlap multiple pixels  92 P. Display layer  92  may, if desired, include larger light-emitting areas (e.g., larger area organic light-emitting diodes) such as light-emitting diode  92 L that do not serve as pixels in a pixel array that displays images. Light-emitting areas such as these may also be aligned with openings  68 . For example, one or more of openings  68  may overlap each larger-area diode  92 L. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of an interior surface in system  10  (e.g., the surface of dashboard  20 , door panels  18 , headrests  30 , seats  22 , or any other suitable surface of system  10 ) in an illustrative configuration in which the interior surface is covered with fabric  94 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , lighting system  42  of  FIG. 9  may have light-emitting diodes  44  that emit light through openings  100  in fabric  94 . Fabric  94  may be knit, braided, woven, or may otherwise be formed from intertwined strands of material. The strands of material may include metal strands (e.g., wire), polymer strands, strands of natural material, strands of coated material (conductive or insulating), colored materials, and other suitable materials. As an example, fabric  94  may be woven fabric having warp fibers  96  and weft fibers  98 . Light-emitting diodes  44  may each be aligned with one or more openings in fabric  94  such as openings  100  and may be used to display images, to provide ambient lighting, to provide illumination for a status indicator, to provide lighting that creates a desired pattern on fabric  96 , etc. If desired, some of warp strands  96  may be insulating and some of warp strands  96  may be conductive and serve as capacitive touch sensor electrodes. Some of weft strands  98  may be insulating and some of weft strands  98  may be conductive and serve as capacitive touch sensor electrodes. In this type of configuration, capacitive touch sensor  90  ( FIG. 8 ) may be formed using a grid of conductive strands formed from the conductive warp and weft strands. Touch sensor circuitry in control circuitry  36  may be coupled to the touch sensor electrodes and may be used to gather touch input from a user&#39;s fingers (e.g., gesture input, etc.). 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative lighting system that has light-emitting diodes  44  that emit light  46  through openings  100  in fabric  94 . Fabric  94  in  FIG. 10  may be, for example, woven fabric of the type shown in  FIG. 9 . Lenses  102  may be formed from plastic layer  104  on layer  106 . Layer  104  may be, for example, a layer of clear molded plastic that forms lens structures such as lenses  102  for helping to guide light  46  through openings  100  in fabric  94 . Layer  106  may be a display layer (i.e., diodes  44  may be sufficiently dense to display images) or layer  106  may contain fewer light-emitting diodes  4 . Light-emitting diodes  44  may be controlled independently or may be controlled in tandem. If desired, patterns of light-emitting diodes  44  may be illuminated to provide non-image illumination (e.g., ambient lighting, decorative patterns, etc.). Light-emitting diodes  44  may be formed from an array of organic light-emitting diodes on a substrate or light-emitting diodes  44  may be crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies that are mounted on a flexible printed circuit or other substrate. In configurations in which it is not necessary to display images, regions of a pixel array or an entire array of light-emitting diodes  44  may be controlled in tandem (e.g., to turn all of the light-emitting diodes  44  on or off together, etc.), thereby obviating the need for complex display driver circuitry. In configurations where it is desired to control each pixel  44  individually, complex patterns of illumination may be generated. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , lighting system  42  may include force sensitive components such as force sensor  116 . Force sensor  116  may include a flexible printed circuit layer, a fabric layer, or other layer that contains metal traces  118  or other conductive paths and structures for forming an array of force sensors (e.g., strain gauge sensors). Force sensor  116  may also be based on a capacitive force sensor configuration, a piezoelectric force sensor configuration, etc. Display layer  110  may have an array of organic light-emitting diodes pixels  112  or pixels formed from individual light-emitting diode dies. Covering layer  114  may be formed from fabric, plastic, leather, metal, fiber-composite material (e.g., carbon fiber), wood, or other material. Openings (see, e.g., openings  68  of  FIG. 8 ) may be formed in layer  114  (e.g., in alignment with light-emitting diode pixels  112 ). When a user&#39;s finger  108  or other external object applies localized force to the layers of system  42 , these layers may flex inwardly as shown in indented area  116  of  FIG. 11 . The strain gauge structures formed from traces  118  or other force sensor structures in region  116  can detect the applied force from finger  108  and can register a user finger press input (force input) in region  120 . The finger press may serve as a button press or other input (e.g., a gesture input in situations in which fiber  108  is swiped along the surface of layer  114 ). 
     As an example, system  42  of  FIG. 11  may be included in seats  22 . When a user desires to move a seat, the user may press finger  108  against the seat in the desired direction of seat movement. When control circuitry  36  detects the finger input, the control circuitry can direct a seat positioning motor in the seat to adjust the position of the back of the seat or other portion of seat. In this way, a user can move seats back and forth within system  10  to facilitate entry and exit through doors  16 , to ensure that the user&#39;s position within system  10  is comfortable, or to otherwise move seats  22  or other movable portions of system  10 . 
     The appearance of the exposed surface materials in the interior of system  10  such as illustrative layer  66  of  FIG. 8  may be adjusted by controlling the patterns of light emitted by light-emitting diodes  44  under these materials.  FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17  show illustrative patterns of light (illumination) that may be generated using light-emitting diodes  44  in lighting system  62 . During operations in which light-emitting diodes  44  are off, layer  66  may have an unilluminated (natural) appearance of the type shown in  FIG. 12 . In this configuration, unilluminated region  120  covers layer  66  so that the normal texture and appearance of layer  66  is present and visible to the user. For example, if layer  66  is formed from a smooth plastic layer, layer  66  will appear smooth and solid. If layer  66  is formed from a coarsely woven fabric, layer  66  may have a distinctive fabric texture. Leather, metal, and other materials may likewise be characterized by corresponding distinctive appearances. 
     When a user desires to change the interior appearance of system  10  (e.g., to provide ambient lighting, to provide informative content such as an instructive symbol or text, and/or to provide a different appearance to layer  66  for aesthetic reasons), the user can supply input via input devices  38 . Control circuitry  36  can adjust lighting system  42  (e.g., light-emitting diodes  44 ) autonomously or in response to user input. Control circuitry  36  may, for example, determine which light-emitting diodes  44  are illuminated and how strongly each light-emitting diode  44  or group of light-emitting diodes  44  is illuminated by generating control signals. The control signals may be generated in response to the user input, in response to other data gathered with input devices  38 , and/or internal status information maintained by circuitry  36 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 12 , unilluminated region  120  covers layer  66 , so layer  66  has its normal unilluminated appearance (i.e., no backlighting from system  42  is present). In the example of  FIG. 13 , light-emitting diodes  44  have been turned on in a decorative pattern that creates an illuminated grid pattern (grid  122 ) and an array of unilluminated blocks (regions  120 ). 
       FIG. 14  shows how illuminated regions  122  may have the shapes of stripes interspersed with elongated strip-shaped unilluminated regions  120 . The decorative patterns of  FIGS. 13 and 14  are presented as examples. In general, system  42  may be used to create any desired illuminated pattern on layer  66 . 
       FIG. 15  shows how illuminated light-emitting diodes  44  may create illuminated text  122  on layer  66  that is surrounded by unilluminated area  120 . Alphanumeric symbols and other symbols may be used to form speedometers and other gauges, may be used to provide a user with instructions, media playback information, etc. 
     If desired, the content that is displayed by light-emitting diodes  44  may be moving content (e.g., moving images such as video or graphic patterns with movement). This is shown by moving illuminated region  122 - 1 , which is moving to position  122 - 2  in direction  124  in the example of  FIG. 16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , illuminated content produced by light-emitting diodes  44  in lighting system  42  may have the shape of a turn indicator, an illuminated icon for providing a user with instructions, or other informative information. 
     In configurations in which a touch sensor such as touch sensor  90  of  FIG. 8  underlies layer  66 , a user&#39;s finger may be used to select and drag illuminated objects. This is illustrated in  FIG. 18 . In the example of  FIG. 18 , illumination is originally displayed in region  122 ′ and is not displayed in region  120 . Region  122 ′ may be, for example, a speedometer gauge or a decorative pattern of static or moving light on a door panel or seat (e.g., a solid region, a stripped region, a flashing region, etc.). By touching region  122 ′ with the user&#39;s finger and moving the finger across the surface of layer  66  in direction  126 , control circuitry  36  may be directed to move the illuminated content of  122 ′ to the position shown by illuminated region  122 , thereby customizing the placement of illumination in the interior of system  10 . Other types of commands may also be used to reorganize the location of illuminated regions  122  on surfaces such as the surface of layer  66  and to select the type of information displayed in these regions. As an example, a user may supply keyboard input, input from a paired wireless device, voice command input, force sensor input, or other input to control circuitry  36  using input devices  38 . The user input may specify what type of content is to be displayed in each illuminated region  120  (e.g., a vehicle gauge such as speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, etc.), a temperature gauge, humidity gauge, or other environmental sensor output, a navigation screen or other driving directions, information on media being played to the user via a media playback system in system  10 , a uniform pattern of illumination that serves as ambient lighting, patterned lighting to create a desired texture on a door panel, dashboard surface, seating surface (e.g., plaid, patterns of the type shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , etc.), or other desired illumination. In addition to customizing the interior of system  10  by specifying the type of illuminated content to be presented, the user may supply user input (via touch, voice, keyboard, wireless command, etc.), to position the selected content where desired on any of the exposed surfaces with lighting systems  42  in the interior of system  10 . Arrangements such as these may also be used to select and position custom content on the exterior of system  10 . 
     If desired, user input may direct system  42  to change the appearance of most or all of the exposed surfaces of particular components in system  10  by virtue of adjusting the color, intensity, and/or pattern of illuminated light-emitting diodes  44 . As an example, the entire fabric interior surface of system  10  or large areas of the interior of system  10  can be altered in color and texture. Appearance changes such as these may be made according to a predetermined schedule, based on ambient lighting conditions, vehicle speed, or other criteria, and/or based on user input. 
     In the example of  FIG. 19 , system  10  has a trunk with a luggage compartment or other cavity (compartment  130 ). A user may desire to load luggage or other items such as illustrative item  132  into compartment  130 . System  10  may be provided with sensors that gather information on the location of items such as item  132  during loading. For example, system  10  may have a camera such as camera  26  that determines the size, shape, orientation, and movement of item  132  in real time. In response, control circuitry  36  may compute a desired location at which to place item  132  (e.g., to maximize luggage packing density, to equalize loads, etc.). After computing a desired target location for item  132 , control circuitry  36  may use a lighting system under the floor of compartment  130  (e.g., under the fabric or carpet lining compartment  130 ) to display helpful instructions to the user (e.g., instructions in the form of arrows  134  and target luggage location  136 ). The illuminated instructions may provide a user with visual assistance to simplify the process of loading compartment  130 . 
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an illustrative wireless charging system for system  10 . In the example of  FIG. 20 , a user has a cellular telephone, tablet computer or other portable device such as device  138 . Device  138  has wireless charging circuitry that allows device  138  to receive transmitted wireless power (e.g., transmitted electromagnetic fields) from wireless charger  140 . Wireless charger  140  may include inductive charging coils and/or other wireless charging circuitry under the surface of layer  66 . When wireless charger  140  detects the presence of device  138  (e.g., using proximity sensor circuitry, by communicating with device  138  using near field communications circuitry, by making impedance measurements with wireless charger  140 , etc.), lighting system  42  under layer  66  may illuminate instructions such as target electronic device location  142 . When the user sees that area  142  is illuminated, the user can conclude that wireless charging is available and that device  138  should be placed in target location  142  for optimum charging. As with all illuminated regions produced by light-emitting diodes  44  in system  10 , region  142  in the example of  FIG. 20  may be patterned with a decorative pattern, may be solid, may include text, may include icons, may include moving content, etc. (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 ). 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 21 , seat  22  may have levers, buttons, or other control devices such as control device  144 . Lighting systems  42  may use light-emitting diodes  44  to create arrow symbols  146  or other information that may help a user locate and properly use control device  144 . Lighting systems  42  may also display user-selected decorative patterns or other decorative patterns on the surfaces of seat  22 , as described in connection with  FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 . If desired, piping or other trim (e.g., trim  148  of  FIG. 21 ) may be provided with light from a lighting system. For example, an elongated light guide such as light guide  50  of lighting system  42  of  FIG. 4  may be embedded within cylindrical piping such as piping  23  of  FIG. 4  (e.g., perforated leather, plastic, fabric, etc.) that serves a trim for seat  22  or a strip of the surface layer of seat  22  may be illuminated using a strip of underlying light-emitting diodes  44  or other lighting system structures to provide illuminated trim features. Seat  22  may have a seat back such as seat back  22 B. Front surface  22 F and/or rear surface  22 R of seat back  22 B may be provided with a lighting system such as lighting system  42  of  FIG. 11  that has an embedded force sensor (force sensor  116 ) or that has an embedded touch sensor (see, e.g., touch sensor  90  of  FIG. 8 ), embedded pressure (force) sensor such as sensor  31  of  FIG. 1  (e.g., a piezoelectric sensor, switch, or other sensor that responds to applied pressure from a user&#39;s fingers, etc.), or other embedded sensor that can detect user input. Seat  22  may also include motor system (motor)  150  for adjusting the position of seat  22 , the position of seatback  22 B, and other attributes of seat  22 . When user desires to adjust an attribute of seat  22 , the user may press on an appropriate surface of seat  22  to activate the sensor in that portion of seat  22 . In response, control circuitry  36  will use motor system  150  to reconfigure seat  22 . As an example, a user may press on front surface  22 F of seatback  22 B. In response, control circuitry  36  will move seatback  22 B in rearward direction  152 . As another example, a user may press on rear surface  22 R of seatback  22 B. In response to detecting sensor input from a sensor associated with rear surface  22 R, control circuitry  36  may direct motor  150  to move seatback  22 B in forward direction  154 . The portion of seat  22  that is pressed by the user&#39;s finger or other portions of seat  22  may be illuminated (e.g., with a symbol, etc.) to provide visual feedback during seat repositioning operations. 
     System  10  may have reconfigurable storage areas such as adjustable storage compartment  156  of  FIG. 22 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 22 , storage compartment  156  is formed from an area of support structure  168  that contains an opening such as opening  170 . Covering layer  66  (e.g., fabric, leather, plastic, etc.) may be flexible and may overlap support structure  168  and opening  170 . Motor  158  may be controlled by control circuitry  36  and may be used to raise and lower layer  66  in opening  170 . Lighting system  42  may be located below the portion of layer  66  in opening  170 . Sensor  90  may be interposed between an array of light-emitting diodes or other light-emitting structures in a lighting layer such as display layer  92  and overlapping portions of cover layer  66 . 
     When it is desired to configure compartment  156  to receive items (cellular telephone, keys, etc.) from a user for storage, motor  158  may move the portion of layer  66  within opening  170  and lighting system  42  in downward direction  162  to position  164 . When it is desired to create a smooth recess-free surface for layer  66 , motor  158  may be directed to move lighting system  42  and layer  66  in opening  170  in direction  160  to position  166 . Lighting system  42  may include one or more light-emitting diodes  44  or other light sources for creating illumination that passes through openings in layer  66  (e.g., illumination for creating images, illumination for creating ambient lighting, illumination for creating aesthetically appealing trim patterns and other decorative patterns, illumination for creating instructive icons and other content for a user, etc.). Compartments such as adjustable compartment  156  of  FIG. 22  may be located between arm rests, in a console area adjacent to dashboard  20 , or elsewhere in system  10 . 
     If desired, system  10  may have a system that detects cups and other objects using sensors and that provides visual feedback and other functions in response. Consider, as an example, magnetic cup attachment system  172  of  FIG. 23 . As shown in  FIG. 172 , a user may desire to place a cup such as cup  174  on the surface of cover layer  66 . Lighting system  42  and electromagnets may be placed in area  182  under cover layer  66 . Proximity sensor  176  may detect when cup  174  is in the vicinity of area  182  (e.g., within 10 cm of area  182  or other suitable threshold distance). Proximity sensor  176  may use capacitance measurements, magnetic measurements, or other suitable proximity sensor measurements. As an example, sensor  176  may emit infrared light  178  and may measure reflected infrared light  180 . When the amount of reflected infrared light  180  is sufficiently high, control circuitry  36  may conclude that cup  174  is within range of area  182  and can activate visual feedback by illuminating area  184  with the lighting system. Control circuitry  36  may also activate the electromagnet of region  182  to electromagnetically attract cup  174  to region  182 . Cup  174  may include a layer of iron, a magnetic layer, or other magnetically attracted structures to help hold cup  174  in place when the electromagnet of area  182  has been activated. If desired, a permanent magnet may be used in area  182  in place of an electromagnet. 
     A flow chart of illustrative steps involved in operating system  10  are shown in the flow chart of  FIG. 24 . 
     At step  186 , control circuitry  36  may process data in system  10  to determine which actions to take with respect to lighting systems  42 , motors, and other output devices  40 . The data that is processed may include sensor data and data from other input devices  38 . Control circuitry  36  may gather sensor data from environmental sensors, may gather data from wireless sources (e.g., road beacons, wireless devices), may gather user input such as voice commands, touch gestures, force input, button input, etc., may gather information on the current time and date and other status information from clock circuitry and other circuitry in control circuitry  36 , and may gather other data for processing. Data processing operations may be performed periodically (e.g., according to a schedule), may be performed continuously (e.g., using code that runs as a continuous background process on control circuitry  36 ), may be performed in response to receipt of user input, etc. 
     Based on the data processing operations of step  186 , control circuitry  36  may adjust lighting systems  42 , may adjust motors, may adjust other output devices  40 , or may take other suitable actions (step  188 ). Control circuitry  36  may, for example, generate visible content such as moving images, ambient lighting, informative content such as arrow icons, text instructions, warnings (e.g., window trim that is illuminated to indicate when windows are closing), and other illuminated information, and/or may generate decorative patterns of light that are aesthetically appealing (e.g., appealing textures, colors, trim patterns, etc.). 
     Control circuitry  36  may also send messages to users, may generate audible alerts and other audible output, and/or may produce other output in response to the data processed during the operations of step  186 . Examples of actions that may be taken by control circuitry  36  at step  188  include moving a portion of seat  22  or all of seat  22 , adjusting a compartment, providing illuminated instructions for loading a storage area, supplying a user who desires to place a cup on a cup holder area with illuminated information, supplying illuminated information for a user of a wireless charging area so that a user may accurately orient an electronic device in the wireless charging area, supplying illumination on door panels  18 , seats  22 , dashboard  20 , seatbelt  32 , and/or other interior surfaces of system  10  (e.g., illumination for ambient lighting, vehicle gauges and other informative displays, illumination for adjusting trim patterns, textures, and other decorative illumination related to system aesthetics), supplying illumination to inform a user of driving conditions, presenting illumination to inform a user about objects outside of system  10  (e.g., nearby vehicles, road obstructions, parking obstacles, pedestrians, etc.), information on currently playing media (radio station identification information, song title and artist, track number, volume, etc.), presenting illuminated warnings, and/or other types of illumination to inform and entertain a user. 
     Illuminated regions may be placed in custom locations by a user (e.g., by allowing a user to drag and drop illuminated areas using touch sensors in lighting system  42 , using other user input, etc.). As an example, a user may use a touch sensor to drag a media playback information region from one part of a dashboard surface to another part of the dashboard surface. The dashboard surface may be covered with an aesthetically appealing surface (leather, plastic, fabric, metal, wood, etc.) and need not have the appearance of a traditional display, because lighting system  42  may present images and other light-based output through a covering layer on the dashboard. As another example, a user may select which portions of a seat are to be illuminated to serve as trim (i.e., the user may customize trim areas of the seat). The user may also make adjustments to a lighting system in a seat to change the appearance of a fabric, leather, or other covering on the seat (e.g., to change the pattern on the seat between selectable decorative patterns such as plaid, striped, dotted, solid, etc.). Changes such as these may be made in response to user input and/or may be made autonomously and may be made to areas on door panels, headrests, headliner, carpet in footwells, and other interior surfaces of system  10 . The foregoing examples are merely illustrative. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20191031
Publication Date: 20210824
Grant Date: 20210824
Priority Date: 20160629
Inventors: MAZUIR, Clarisse
ZHANG, Arthur Y.
LAST, MATTHEW E.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "B60Q3/54", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/292", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/233", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/217", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/60", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/60", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q2500/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V33/0016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V23/0485", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/745", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/233", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/80", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A47C7/725", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/82", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21V33/006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/58", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "F21Y2115/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 68391964