DE102018208742A1 - Method for illuminating a seat in a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is proposed for illuminating a seat in a vehicle, comprising the steps of: a. Detecting a seat occupancy status, b. Determine, based on the recorded occupancy status, whether a user occupying the seat is at risk of glaring due to an interior light c. If a risk of glare exists for the user, set a parameter indicating the glare risk for the seat in a control unit of the interior light, and d. Automatically setting a maximum luminous intensity of the interior light according to the set parameter. Furthermore, a motor vehicle is proposed, which is set up to detect whether there is a rear-facing child seat on one or more seats, with a control unit that controls at least one interior light in such a way. that a dazzling effect for a child located on the rear-facing child seat is avoided by the interior light when it has been detected that such a rear-facing child seat is present

Description

The invention relates to a method for illuminating a seat in a vehicle and a motor vehicle.

In the interior of vehicles, especially motor vehicles, a plurality of lights are arranged as a rule, take over the different lighting functions. As a rule, each seat is assigned at least one light that acts as a reading light. Such a reading light is normally designed so that the area in which a user holds a book or other object to be viewed, is well lit. This illuminated area usually corresponds to the lap of the seated user.

The usual arrangement and luminosity of a reading light can be detrimental if the seat in question is not used by an adult, but by a baby or toddler. Babies or toddlers usually do not sit directly on the seat, but on an additional child seat or lie in a baby seat, which is arranged on the actual seat. For safety reasons, these child seats or infant carriers are often designed in such a way that the orientation of the baby or child occupying the seat is rotated by 180 ° with respect to the standard orientation about the vertical. In other words, the primary viewing direction of the child or the baby is then in the direction of the rear of the vehicle, ie opposite to the direction of travel. As a result, it can often happen that the face of the baby or child is located exactly in the area illuminated by the reading light. The luminosity of the reading light is then often so high that the child or the baby is dazzled. In addition, especially with baby bowls that a lying in there baby almost always looks exactly upwards, so that the risk of glare by the reading light is increased again, since the reading lights are usually integrated into the headliner of the vehicle.

From the DE 10 2010 011 306 A1 It is known that in certain situations, such as during a night drive or when a baby or child sleeps within the motor vehicle to create a stimulus-reduced environment. For this purpose, audio sources as well as optical emission sources are simultaneously regulated down so that neither loud noises nor bright lights can scare the sleeping child. In principle, several noise sources and light sources are adjusted simultaneously in their emission characteristics.

The DE 10 2013 021 928 A1 describes a method for situation-dependent control of a comfort device, which may for example also be a reading light. Here, a camera is provided, which monitors a passenger to see if he has closed his eyes. If a closing of the eyes detected, it is assumed that the passenger wants to sleep or rest, and it is at least one of the associated seat associated light in their luminosity limited.

The known from the prior art methods make it possible either to avoid the dazzle of a sleeping adult person, or to make global arrangements for the entire vehicle to avoid disturbance of any persons present in the vehicle. However, since babies and toddlers often also sleep during the day or the evening before is a way to individually at any time of day to avoid interference only the sleeping baby or toddler, but without negatively affecting the other passengers, desirable. At the same time it is advantageous if an adult user can use the reading light without restrictions. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for illuminating a seat in a vehicle and a motor vehicle, is avoided in the individually for each seat that possibly using the seat baby or toddler is dazzled by a lamp in the interior of the vehicle ,

1. a. Erfassen eines Belegungszustands des Sitzplatzes,
2. b. Ermitteln anhand des erfassten Belegungszustands, ob für einen den Sitzplatz belegenden Benutzer ein Blendrisiko durch eine Innenraumleuchte besteht,
3. c. Falls ein Blendrisiko für den Benutzer besteht, Setzen eines das Blendrisiko für den Sitzplatz anzeigenden Parameters in einer Steuereinheit der Innenraumleuchte, und
4. d. Automatisches Einstellen einer maximalen Leuchtstärke der Innenraumleuchte entsprechend dem gesetzten Parameter,

sowie durch ein Kraftfahrzeug, das eingerichtet ist, um zu erkennen, ob sich auf einem Sitzplatz oder auf mehreren Sitzplätzen ein rückwärts gewandter Kindersitz befindet, mit einer Steuereinheit, die zumindest eine Innenraumleuchte derart steuert, dass eine Blendwirkung für ein sich auf dem rückwärts gewandten Kindersitz befindendes Kind durch die Innenraumleuchte vermieden wird, wenn erkannt wurde, dass ein solcher rückwärts gewandter Kindersitz vorhanden ist.The object is achieved by a method with the steps

1. a. Detecting a occupancy state of the seat,
2. b. Determine, based on the recorded occupancy status, whether there is a risk of glare from an interior light for a user occupying the seat
3. c. If a risk of glare exists for the user, set a parameter indicating the risk of glare for the seat in a control unit of the interior light, and
4. d. Automatically set a maximum brightness of the interior light according to the set parameter,

and by a motor vehicle configured to detect whether a rear-facing child seat is on a seat or in multiple seats, with a control unit that controls at least one interior light such that a dazzling effect on a rear-facing child seat child is avoided by the interior light when detected was that such a rear-facing child seat is present.

By the method according to the invention it is possible to respond individually to whether a baby or toddler in the vehicle mitfährt and possibly dazzled. In particular, the method can be carried out for each individual seat and thus the lighting situation for each individual seat can be controlled individually.

The occupancy status of the seat may, for example, assume the values "empty", "occupied by an adult" or "occupied by a child seat". The first two values do not indicate any need to make changes, whereas the last value "occupied with a child seat" is interpreted as meaning that there is a risk of glare, so that the corresponding parameter is set.

Due to the set parameter, measures can then be taken which lead to a reduction of the glare risk. These measures can be carried out automatically by a control unit. The relevant reading light or the lights to be influenced in general are therefore preferably electronically controlled lights. The measures to minimize the risk of glare may include reducing the brightness of one or more lights. If a luminaire to be influenced provides a manual dimming function, a maximum luminous intensity can be set when the parameter is set, which limits the luminous intensity range available for the dimming function.

Depending on the embodiment, it is also possible to turn off the light or the lights completely or disable. In one embodiment of the invention can be provided that instead of the reading light then a further light with diffuse radiation characteristics is turned on.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that an orientation of occupant occupying the seat is used as a criterion for whether a risk of glare, with an orientation of the user with the face against a direction of travel is assumed that there is a risk of glare. It is so effectively differentiated between the situations in which the user's face is located within the area illuminated by the reading light, and situations where the user's face is located outside this area and thus no glare occurs. In order to determine the orientation of the seat occupying the user, it can be determined whether a baby seat or a child seat, the backrest has in the direction of travel, so a so-called Reboarder, located on the seat.

In order to achieve a particularly comfortable situation for both the driver and the passengers it can be provided that the detection of the occupancy state, the determination of the glare risk and the setting of the parameter are carried out automatically. There are then no action steps on the part of the driver or another person necessary to detect a possible risk of glare and eliminate.

For this purpose, a weight force acting on the seat can be used to determine the occupancy state of the seat. Child seats and infant carriers typically have a weight of a few kilograms. At the same time child seats or baby bowls are only necessary for the transport of relatively small children. From this, parameter ranges can be determined for the entire weight acting on the seat, which indicates the presence of a child seat or an infant carrier. In other words, when the seat is loaded with a weight of, for example, more than 40 kg, it can be safely excluded that the seat is used by a rear-facing child. Accordingly, there is no risk of glare. Thus, for example, a sensor integrated in the seat can be interrogated and assuming a load of the seat with a weight of, for example, between 5 kg and 35 kg, that a corresponding child seat or a child seat is present with a child therein and thus there is a risk of glaring.

It is also possible that the parameter indicating the risk of glare is automatically set when a seat belonging to the airbag is deactivated. A function for deactivating at least the passenger airbag is now standard. An airbag is usually switched off precisely when a rear-facing child seat is mounted on the associated seat. This serves to protect the child or baby sitting there in front of the airbag. The shutdown of the airbag can therefore be considered a reliable indicator of the presence of such a child seat or such a baby seat. There is then no additional sensor necessary to assess the occupancy status of the seat in question.

In a further development of the invention, it is possible that a code belonging to a child seat arranged on the seat is read to detect the occupancy state. This may be, for example, an NFC tag or other radio signal. Also, the Code be optically read, for example in the form of a barcode or the like. For this purpose, an optical scanner, for example a laser scanner or an infrared scanner, may be integrated in the vehicle.

It is also possible that the parameter indicating the risk of glare is set by means of a switch arranged in the vicinity of the seat. The switch can then be activated, for example, during assembly of the child seat or infant carrier. The switch can be connected to the control device for the lights.

In a special embodiment of the invention it is provided that the setting of the parameter is performed manually by a user, and that the user is provided for this purpose a correspondingly marked option in a user interface. There are then no further sensors or evaluation logic necessary to determine the occupancy state of the seat and to set according to the glare risk indicating parameter or disable. It is thus achieved a particularly simple structure, which is at the same time almost completely protected against malfunction.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the set parameter is stored until deletion by the user. This can be advantageous if a child seat or a baby seat is often removed from the vehicle, the appropriate child or baby but still has its "regular place" in the vehicle so that the once selected setting for this seat is permanently maintained.

It is also possible, for example, that the parameter can be set and deactivated again both by means of the previously mentioned switch and via a user interface which can be operated from the front seats. Furthermore, various operating modes may be provided, for example, a purely manual setting of the switch, an automatic determination of the occupancy state with the possibility of manually overwriting the resulting parameter, etc ..

• 1: eine schematische Ansicht einer Sitzanordnung in einem Fahrzeug, für die das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren angewendet werden kann.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing and the description below. It shows:

• 1 a schematic view of a seat assembly in a vehicle, to which the method according to the invention can be applied.

1 shows a backseat 2 a vehicle, which is a seat 4 and a backrest 6 having. On the inside of the vehicle roof 8th is a lamp 10 appropriate. This is oriented in such a way that the light emanating from it 12 the area where one in the back seat 2 adult adult user holding an object he would like to consider. So it is illuminated an area that is a certain distance to the backrest 6 and at a height of about 20 cm to 40 cm above the seat 4 runs.

On the seat 4 is a child seat 14 arranged. This is oriented so that the child seat 14 sitting child turns backwards, so his face is aligned against the direction of travel. The child's head and thus the child's face or eyes are typically in the area 16 which, in turn, is relatively accurate to the range described above, that of the luminaire 10 is lit, matches. That's the child seat 14 thus, the child who is using it often gets lost by the lamp 8th dazzled when operating in a conventional standard mode designed to illuminate an object to be viewed.

By operating according to the invention a schematically illustrated control 18 with which the light 10 is connected and the a dimming or disabling the light 10 Provides, if detected or detected, that a rear-facing child seat 14 on the back seat 2 is arranged, it can be prevented that the child is blinded. The control 18 can be connected to a central computer unit of the vehicle so that it can be controlled, for example, via a user interface to be operated by a driver. The above-mentioned switches and / or sensors can then also be connected to the control unit or to the central computer unit.

Analogous to the back seat 2 Of course, the procedure can be applied to any other seat in the vehicle.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

back seat

4

seat

6

backrest

8th

vehicle roof

10

lamp

12

light

14

Child seat

16

head area

18

control

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102010011306 A1 [0004]
• DE 102013021928 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

A method for illuminating a seat in a vehicle, characterized by the steps of: a. Detecting a seat occupancy status, b. Determine, based on the recorded occupancy status, whether a user occupying the seat is at risk of glaring due to an interior light c. If there is a risk of glare for the user, set a parameter indicating the risk of glare for the seat in a control unit of the interior light, and d. Automatically set a maximum brightness of the interior light according to the set parameter. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that is used as a criterion for whether a risk of glare, an orientation of occupying the seat user, which is assumed in an orientation of the user with the face against a direction of travel that there is a risk of glare. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detection of the occupancy state, the determination of the glare risk and the setting of the parameter is performed automatically. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for determining the occupancy state of the seat a force acting on the seat weight force is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parameter indicating the risk of glare is automatically set when a seat belonging to the airbag is deactivated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for detecting the occupation state, a code belonging to a child seat arranged on the seat is read out. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parameter indicating the risk of glare is set by means of a switch arranged in the vicinity of the seat. Method according to Claim 1 . 2 or 7 , characterized in that the setting of the parameter is performed manually by a user, and that the user for this purpose an appropriately marked option is provided in a user interface. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the set parameter is stored until a deletion by the user. Motor vehicle, which is set up to detect whether there is a rear-facing child seat on one or more seats, with a control unit that controls at least one interior light such that a dazzling effect for a child located on the rear-facing child seat through the interior light avoided if it has been recognized that such a rear facing child seat is present.

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