Technical Field

The invention relates to a control unit with a single LCD display and push and rotary switch, which controls the entire controlling functions of main internal lighting and RGB ambient lighting systems used especially in automotive industry.

Prior Art

In the state of the art, internal lighting and/or ambient RGB colour selection and/or light intensities are adjusted by means of the keys on the instrument panel of a vehicle. Said keys operate bidirectionally, up and down. Three bidirectional key switches are used to have options such as selecting white light and RGB light in the vehicle, adjusting the ambient RGB colour selection in a forward-backward direction, and adjusting the light intensity in a forward-backward direction. Therefore, said operations are carried out with six switches. There are writings on the keys of the operations. While driving, a vehicle user's ability to see and apply which key to press in which direction is a distracting process. Therefore, said distraction may cause possible accidents. Furthermore, the writings on said keys in vehicles for international travels are usually in English or contain only one language. Understanding and applying said language distracts the user of the vehicle. Also, the keys positioned side by side on the dashboard of the vehicle occupy a substantial place.

There is a need for the development of new systems to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages in the state of the art.

Brief Description of the Invention

An object of the invention is to achieve a control unit with a single LCD display and push and rotary switch, which controls the entire controlling functions of main internal lighting and RGB ambient lighting systems used especially in automotive industry. l Another object of the invention is to enable a driver of a vehicle to switch between the graphics and/or symbols by turning the control button with an LCD display to the right- left and to select the desired functions easily upon an inward pressing movement.

On the other hand, the selections and settings made on the LCD display which has a simple and easy interface appear as graphics and symbols. In this way, the concept of writing in the previous art is eliminated.

The invention allows a driver of a vehicle both to drive the vehicle and easily adjust the colour and intensity of the lighting lights without any distraction.

On the other hand, graphic and symbol designs of the LCD display may be designed with a unique software depending on the features and colours desired by the vehicle manufacturers.

Description of Fiqures

Fig. 1 is a perspective representative view of the control unit of the invention in a disassembled state.

Fig. 2 is a detailed representative side view of the head part of the control unit of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective representative top view of the control unit of the invention in an assembled state.

Fig. 4 is a representative top view of the control unit of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a representative side view of the control unit of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a representative view of the symbols and graphics on the LCD display in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Description of the References in the Figures

In order to provide a better understanding of the invention, the numerals in the figures are provided below:

100. Control Unit

1. LCD display

2. Control button

3. Optical rotary coder

4. Push switch 5. Vehicle panel

6. Box

7. Fastening member

8. CAN-BUS communication module

9. Supply module

10. CAN-BUS connector

11. Supply connector

12. Lower cover

13. Cable

Detailed Description of the Invention

The control unit (100) of the invention comprises at least one LCD display (1), at least one control button (2), at least one optical rotary coder (3), at least one push switch (4), at least one vehicle panel (5), at least one box (6), at least one fastening member (7) fastening the control button (2) to said box (6), at least one CAN-BUS communication module (8), at least one supply module (9), at least one CAN-BUS connector (10), at least one supply connector (11), at least one lower cover (12) and at least one cable (13).

The vehicle’s driver may switch between the graphics and/or symbols via the LCD display (1) by turning the control button (2) to the right-left by the optical rotary coder (3) which converts an angular movement into a digital signal. Said graphics and/or symbols appear on the LCD display (1) depending on the predetermined functions. The push switch (4) is triggered upon pressing the control button (2), so that the functions may be selected on the LCD display (1). Said functions are controlling functions, such as, but not limited to, selection of white lights between warm white lights and cool white lights, adjustment of the light intensity, selection of 12 different RGB colours, adjustment of the RGB light intensity, turning on-off the lights. Said functions may be set by the control button (2). Furthermore, graphics and/or symbols for every function desired may be adapted to the software of the LCD display (1). In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a view of the symbols and graphics on the LCD display (1) is shown in Fig.6.

On the other hand, the LED drivers controlling the LED strips used for the warm white and cool white, internal main lighting and RGB ambient lighting in a vehicle communicate with the CAN-BUS communication module (8). The necessary coding’s as to what operations will be performed depending on the function selected by the control button (2) are transmitted to the LED driver via the CAN-BUS line connected to the CAN-BUS connector (10) by the CAN-BUS communication module (8).

The supply module (9) is used to energize the electronic circuits inside the control unit (100). The energy input required for said supply module (9) is provided by the supply connector (11). Industrial Applicability of the Invention

The invention is a control unit (100) with a single LCD display (1) and push and rotary switch, which controls the entire controlling functions of main internal lighting and RGB ambient lighting systems used especially in automotive industry and is industrially applicable.

The invention is not limited to the foregoing exemplary embodiments, and one person skilled in the art may easily reveal the different embodiments of the invention. These should be considered within the scope of protection of the invention claimed in the claims.