IP Library Granted Patent US 10,064,259
Granted Patent B2
US 10,064,259 · App. 15/151,543 · Granted Aug 28, 2018

Illuminated vehicle badge

Inventors: Pietro Buttolo (Dearborn Heights, MI); Stuart C. Salter (White Lake, MI); Paul Kenneth Dellock (Northville, MI); James J. Surman (Clinton Township, MI); James Stewart Rankin (Novi, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
H05B37/0281B60Q1/0088B60Q1/2619B60Q3/80F21V3/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,064,259
App. No.
15/151,543
Granted
Aug 28, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle badge is provided herein. The badge includes one or more light sources configured to illuminate in a pseudorandom sequence. Each respective light source illuminates in a first illumination sequence defined by a first set of parameters and a subsequent second illumination sequence defined by a second set of parameters. A controller is operably coupled with the light sources and has a counter therein. The counter determines the subsequent illumination sequence while the first illumination sequence occurs.

Claims (19)

1. A vehicle badge comprising:

a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence between first and second subsequent illumination sequences; and

a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter therein, the counter determining the subsequent illumination sequence while the first illumination sequence occurs based on a parameter defined by a base value that is generated from a sample taken from the counter.

2. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are disposed between a housing and a substrate.

3. The vehicle badge of claim 2 , further comprising:

a decorative layer disposed between an exterior surface of the housing and the plurality of light sources.

4. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein an activation state of the plurality of light sources is each independently controlled by a unique routine.

5. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the base value is compared to a predefined value in a lookup table, wherein an illumination parameter is output to the light source based on the predefined value of the lookup table.

6. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein one or more bits of the counter are masked to limit the number of illumination parameters.

7. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination start time of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

8. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination duration of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

9. The vehicle badge of claim 5 , wherein an illumination color of the plurality of light sources is the illumination parameter.

10. The vehicle badge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are aligned and form a similar geometry with indicia defined within a housing disposed forwardly of the plurality of light sources.

11. A vehicle badge comprising:

a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence in a first illumination sequence and a second, subsequent illumination sequence; and

a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter therein, wherein the counter determines the subsequent illumination sequence and additional sequences are flashed to the controller once said vehicle badge is attached to a vehicle.

12. A vehicle badge comprising:

a plurality of light sources each configured to illuminate in a non-biased statistically distributed pseudorandom sequence in a first illumination sequence and a subsequent second illumination, wherein each non-illuminated light source in the first illumination sequence has a generally equal probability to become illuminated in the second illumination sequence; and

a controller operably coupled with the plurality of light sources and having a counter configured to determine the subsequent illumination sequence.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2016
From: BUTTOLO, PIETRO; SALTER, STUART C.; DELLOCK, PAUL KENNETH; SURMAN, JAMES J.; RANKIN, JAMES STEWART
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 038543/0154 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170332463A1 · Nov 16, 2017
Cited By (4)
US 12,202,345 US 12,205,495 US 12,494,142 US 12,576,779