Automatic cargo compartment lighting reactivation system
View Patent ↗A light activation system is provided for automatically illuminating a compartment in an automobile. The system comprises a light adapted to illuminate the compartment, a lighting circuit that activates and deactivates the light, and a distance sensor, electrically coupled to the lighting circuit, and adapted to cause the light to be activated when a person is within a predetermined distance from the compartment. A method is also provided for automatically illuminating a compartment in an automobile having a light that is adapted to illuminate the compartment, and a lighting circuit that activates and deactivates the light. The method comprises the step of activating the light when a person is within a predetermined distance from the compartment using a distance sensor that is electrically coupled to the lighting circuit.
1. A light activation system for automatically illuminating a compartment in an automobile, the system comprising:
a light adapted to illuminate the compartment;
a lighting circuit that activates and deactivates the light;
a switch, electrically coupled to the lighting circuit, and adapted to cause the light to be activated when the compartment is opened;
a first timer, electrically coupled to the switch and to the lighting circuit, and adapted to cause the light to be deactivated after the switch activates the light for a set time; and
a distance sensor, electrically coupled to the lighting circuit, and adapted to cause the light to be reactivated when a person is within a predetermined distance from the compartment.
2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second timer, electrically coupled to the distance sensor and to the lighting circuit, and adapted to light to be deactivated after the distance sensor reactivates the light for a set time.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is further adapted to cause the light to be deactivated, after reactivating the light, when a person moves beyond the predetermined distance.
4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a counter, electrically coupled to the distance sensor, and adapted to deactivate the sensor after the distance sensor has reactivated the light a set number of times within a set time period.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is also adapted to function when the automobile is moving, and to activate an alerting system when the automobile is moving within a set distance from another object.
6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the distance sensor is configured as an ultrasonic device.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is deactivated when the compartment is closed.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is further adapted to activate the light independent of light activation by the switch or light deactivation by the first timer.
9. A light activation system for automatically illuminating a compartment in an automobile, the system comprising:
a light adapted to illuminate the compartment;
a lighting circuit that activates and deactivates the light; and
a distance sensor, electrically coupled to the lighting circuit, and adapted to cause the light to be activated when a person is within a predetermined distance from the compartment.
10. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a timer, electrically coupled to the distance sensor and to the lighting circuit, and adapted to light to be deactivated after the distance sensor activates the light for a set time.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the distance sensor is further adapted to cause the light to be deactivated, after reactivating the light, when a person moves beyond the predetermined distance.
12. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a counter, electrically coupled to the distance sensor, and adapted to deactivate the sensor after the distance sensor has activated the light a set number of times within a set time period.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the distance sensor is also adapted to function when the automobile is moving, and to activate an alerting system when the automobile is moving within a set distance from another object.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the distance sensor is configured as an ultrasonic device.
15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the distance sensor is deactivated when the compartment is closed.
16. A method for automatically illuminating a compartment in an automobile having a light that is adapted to illuminate the compartment, and a lighting circuit that activates and deactivates the light, the method comprising the step of:
activating the light when a person is within a predetermined distance from the compartment using a distance sensor that is electrically coupled to the lighting circuit.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
deactivating the light using a timer electrically coupled to the distance sensor and to the lighting circuit after the distance sensor activates the light for a set time.
18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
deactivating the light using the distance sensor when a person moves beyond the predetermined distance.
19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
counting the number of light activations by the distance sensor within a set period of time using a counter electrically coupled to the distance sensor; and
deactivating the sensor after the distance sensor has activated the light a set number of times within the set time period.
20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the distance sensor is also adapted to function when the automobile is moving, and to activate an alerting system when the automobile is moving within a set distance from another object.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the distance sensor is configured as an ultrasonic device.
22. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
deactivating the distance sensor when the compartment is closed.