US 11,758,634 B2
Vehicle interior light active focus
Brendan F. Diamond, Grosse Pointe, MI (US); Keith Weston, Canton, MI (US); Michael A. McNees, Flat Rock, MI (US); and Anthony J. Maraldo, Southgate, MI (US)
Assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/239,828.
Prior Publication US 2022/0346207 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H05B 47/115 (2020.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); B60Q 3/80 (2017.01); G01J 1/42 (2006.01); H05B 47/11 (2020.01); H05B 47/16 (2020.01); B60Q 3/76 (2017.01)
CPC H05B 47/115 (2020.01) [B60Q 3/76 (2017.02); B60Q 3/80 (2017.02); G01J 1/4204 (2013.01); G06F 3/013 (2013.01); H05B 47/11 (2020.01); H05B 47/16 (2020.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A passenger vehicle comprising:
a passenger cabin configured to receive a plurality of occupants;
a plurality of light sources mounted in the passenger cabin, wherein each light source is configured to illuminate a respective illumination zone in the passenger cabin, wherein each zone has a midpoint, and wherein each light source is configured to illuminate at a plurality of brightness levels up to a full brightness;
a gaze tracker monitoring an occupant of the passenger cabin to detect a gaze point at which the occupant is looking; and
a controller responsive to an illumination request from the occupant to actuate at least two of the light sources to illuminate the passenger cabin at the gaze point, wherein the controller uses the gaze point to select a respective brightness level for each light source based on a proximity of the gaze point to a respective midpoints of the illumination zones, wherein at least a first one of the actuated light sources with a midpoint closer to the gaze point provides a higher brightness level than a second one of the actuated light sources with a midpoint farther from the gaze point, and wherein the respective brightness levels are each proportional to a respective degree of proximity between the respective midpoints and the gaze point.