IP Library Granted Patent US 11,833,961
Granted Patent B2
US 11,833,961 · App. 17/604,062 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Method for controlling a lighting system so that a light follows movement of a hand

Inventor: Daniel Betz (Rottenburg-Seebronn, DE)
Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
B60Q3/76B60Q3/85G06F3/017H05B45/20H05B47/125H05B47/155
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,833,961
App. No.
17/604,062
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for controlling a lighting system in an interior chamber of a vehicle having controllable light sources that generate at least one reading light with a defined light cone and a light spot is provided. A gesture camera recognizes gestures of a person located in the interior chamber and the lighting system is controlled by the recognized gestures. A light controller is active between a starting point in time and an end point in time. When the light controller is active and in the event of a gripping or pointing gesture of a hand in the region of the light cone or light spot, the light cone or light spot is guided along with the hand carrying out the gesture.

Claims (14)

1. A method for control a lighting system in an interior of a vehicle, the method comprising:

generating, by a controllable light source of the vehicle, at least one reading light with a defined light cone and a light spot;

determining that a light controller activation command is received, wherein the light controller activation command is received from a person located in the interior of the vehicle, and wherein the light controller activation command is a first gesture, a touch of a button, a touch of a touch-sensitive surface, or a command received by a speech controller;

activating, responsive to determining that the light controller command is received, a light controller of the vehicle;

recognizing, by a gesture camera of the vehicle, a second gesture of the person located in the interior of the vehicle, wherein the second gesture is a gripping or pointing gesture of the hand in a region of the light cone or light spot; and

guiding, responsive to recognizing the second gesture, the at least one reading light along with movement of the hand performing the second gesture until the light controller is deactivated,

wherein the light controller is deactivated responsive to receipt of a light controller deactivation command from the person, wherein the light controller deactivation command is a third gesture, another touch of the button, another touch of the touch-sensitive surface, the movement of the hand with the second gesture stopping for a period of time, or another command received by the speech controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting feedback to the user of the activation and deactivation of the light controller.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the feedback is output for an entire duration between the activation and deactivation of the light controller.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the feedback is a visual display.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the visual display is a variation of the light cone or the light spot in terms of brightness, size, color temperature, or color.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the feedback is acoustic or haptic feedback.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controllable light source comprises light-emitting diode (LED) arrays or micro-LED arrays with individually controllable light points.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 29, 2025
From: DAIMLER AG
To: MERCEDES BENZ GROUP AG
Reel/Frame 072886/0467 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2021
From: BETZ, DANIEL
To: DAIMLER AG
Reel/Frame 058339/0096 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 002 794.9 · Apr 16, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220219603A1 · Jul 14, 2022