TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a display in vehicle. Particularly, this disclosure relates to an integrated display on pillar area of a vehicle and additional functionalities therein and more particularly the disclosed invention relates to an advanced integrated display device on the pillar of a vehicle with full or partial transparency of the display.

BACKGROUND Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. In automotive, display is one of the means via which a user can have an improved experience of using a vehicle. A head-up display, for instance, is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. Besides, for certain application, it is desirable to have display of data being preferred in other parts of the vehicle as such as the pillar or the area adjacent to the pillar. In this disclosure a pillar in general refers to all kinds of pillars in a vehicle (A-D) until unless specified.

It is known to one skilled in the art that glazing refers to any and all the glass or similar material within a structure or the installation of any piece of glass or the similar material within a sash or frame. The glass windows of an automobile are referred to as glazing. For laminated glazing, two or more layers of glass or a similar material, are fused together with an interlayer in the middle. The fusion is completed with pressure and heat and it prevents the sheets of glass or the similar material from breaking. While some pieces of glass or the similar material might end up breaking into larger pieces, those pieces will stay together with the help of the interlayer, making it shatterproof. Windshield or windscreen, backlite, sidelite, quaterlite, sunroof etc., are regarded as some instances of glazing in a vehicle.

It is known to one skilled in the art that pillars are vertical or substantially vertically support of a vehicle’s greenhouse (also known as glasshouse or the window area). FIG. la depicts A-pillar, B- pillar and C-pillar in a car. The figure depicts the exterior view of the various pillars of a sedan type car. The pillars are respectively termed as A, B and C moving from front to rear, in profile view of a vehicle. For larger cars like for example station wagon there is a D -pillar as well. FIG. lb depicts the interior view of A-pillar. Pillars are often made of plastic -based material (automotive plastic) and so are the area adjacent to these pillars.

Reference is made to US20170139506A1 that discloses a pillar assembly for a vehicle can include a substrate, a transparent layer, and a transparent flexible film layer sealed between the substrate and the transparent layer. The film layer can have disposed thereon or attached thereto an opaque material defining apertures corresponding to displayable elements, a capacitive-sensing layer, a plurality of light emitting devices disposed proximate to the apertures, and wiring connected to the plurality of light emitting devices and the capacitive-sensing layer, the wiring being configured to connect to control circuitry. However, it does not provide a solution for a case where multiple display entities such as a soft display or strong illumination is required. Furthermore, for such solutions, there is a requirement of a mechanical assembly to ensure that the pillar assembly is tamper-proof.

Another reference is made to US20190005755A1 disclosing a vehicle window assembly that comprises a sensing device disposed behind a glass window panel and at an area or region of the glass window panel where a non-light-transmitting layer or ceramic frit layer is established. The therein disclosed solution further includes a plurality of windows or apertures established through the non-light-transmitting layer such that light emitted by an illumination source of the sensing device passes through the formed alphanumeric windows or apertures or characters and/or icons and does not pass through the non-light-transmitting layer. The sensing device includes a plurality of individual sensors that sense touch or proximity of a person’s finger at a respective one or more of the windows or apertures or alphanumeric characters and/or icons. The sensing device is integrated in the window assembly so as to be part of the window assembly when shipped to a vehicle assembly plant, whereby electrical connection to the sensing device is made via a wire harness of the vehicle when the window assembly is installed at the vehicle body. This solution is directed at fixing window panel or window part with LED backlight and sensor unit. However, in such solution having a fixed unit, it will be difficult to repair, re-install or change any of the parts. The said window assembly is stuck to the glass panel which will in turn affect the transparency of the glass and the coating life if there is any coating on the glass of the window. Additionally, with such solution, movement of the glass will pose to be a challenge.

Again, a further reference is made to US20100219935A1 that discloses a keyless entry system having a handle housing and a grip cover defining a door handle grip, a keyless entry pad defining a plurality of keys, each identified with a corresponding symbol, a plurality of sensors in proximity to the keys for detecting an object in the vicinity of the keys, an illumination source to selectively backlight the sensors and symbols, and a light-controlling membrane extending over the keyless entry pad. Upon entering a keyless entry code into the keyless entry pad in a predetermined sequence enables a latch to be selectively disposed in either a locked condition or an unlocked condition. In ambient light, the light-controlling membrane renders the symbol invisible. When the illumination source backlights the sensor and the symbol, the light-controlling membrane renders the symbol visible. This disclosure is directed at a specific solution in door handle or pillar part with only LED backlight and a sensor unit. It does not include any short range communication units or any other type of lighting or display element. Although the keyless entry system is effectively concealed with respect to aesthetics, there is no suggestion in the solution that renders the system tamperproof.

In view of the prior art solutions disclosed hitherto, there exists a requirement of an improved solution integrated on the pillar unit of a vehicle having a fully or partially transparent display in pillar unit or pillar area for a seamless display rendering when in use. It is further desirable for such a solution to offer varied display facilities, and for the solution on the pillar to house one or more additional functional elements offering an enhanced user experience.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide an improved solution overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system on the pillar part of a vehicle having integrated display unit and additionally functionalities.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a display in the pillar unit of a vehicle with full/ partial transparency.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide display integrated plurality of sensors.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an add-on device on the pillar part of a vehicle having integrated display unit and additionally functionalities.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical assembly of a pillar part system in a vehicle having integrated display unit and additionally functionalities.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the following aspects of the invention. The following disclosure presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This presents some concept of the invention in a simplified form to a more detailed description of the invention presented later. It is a comprehensive summary of the disclosure and it is not an extensive overview of the present invention. The intend of this summary is to provide a fundamental understanding of some of the aspects of the present invention.

In an aspect of the present invention disclosed an add-on device for a pillar area or glazing of a vehicle. The device comprises a display unit configured to display one or more inputs or signals, a functional unit configured for obtaining an input and responding to the received input and a control unit operably configured with the display unit and the functional unit. The control unit is operably coupled to receive one or more inputs from the functional unit and send a corresponding signal to the display unit and wherein the device is configured to adaptively integrate into the pillar unit of the vehicle.

In another aspect of the present invention is disclosed a system on a pillar or glazing of a vehicle. The system comprises a selectively transparent display unit configured to display one or more inputs or signals, and a functional unit for obtaining an input and responding to the received input. The selectively transparent display unit and the functional unit are operably coupled to a controller, wherein said controller is operationally coupled to receive inputs from the functional unit and send corresponding signal to the display unit. The system on the pillar of the vehicle is configured to function independently or in integration with a control unit of the vehicle.

In a further aspect of the present invention is disclosed a mechanical assembly of the system in a vehicle for tamper-proof encapsulation of the system in the pillar unit of the vehicle. The assembly includes the pillar area comprising at least two layers of the same material, the display unit adapted to be embedded between said two layers of the pillar, the controller, converter and the functional unit adapted to be operably disposed in and/or around a door frame of the vehicle. The one or more connections of the display unit, the controller, converter and the functional unit are configured to be disposed via gaps in the door frame.

The significant features of the present invention and the advantages of the same will be apparent to a person skilled in the art from the detailed description that follows in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The following briefly describes the accompanying drawings, illustrating the technical solution of the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, for assisting the understanding of a person skilled in the art to comprehend the invention. It would be apparent that the accompanying drawings in the following description merely show some embodiments of the present invention, and persons skilled in the art can derive other drawings from the accompanying drawings without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. FIGs. la and lb illustrate different pillars of a vehicle as generally known in the art.

FIG. 2a illustrates a block diagram of the add-on device on a pillar unit of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2b illustrates an exploded view of the add-on device on a pillar unit of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3a illustrates a block diagram of the system on a pillar of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3b illustrates a mechanical arrangement of the system on a pillar of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4a illustrates a flow diagram showing the working of an air velocity sensor and an air conditioning system controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4b illustrates a flow diagram showing the working of an air velocity sensor with a remote key lock signal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4c illustrates the working of an air velocity sensor for detecting the movement of another vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGs. 5a-c illustrate various instances of the provision of keyless entry according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is now discussed in more detail referring to the drawings that accompany the present application. It would be appreciated by a skilled person that this description to assist the understanding of the invention but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.

The terms and words used in the following description are not limited to the bibliographical meanings and the same are used to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, the terms/phrases are to be read in the context of the disclosure and not in isolation. Additionally, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

The one or more embodiments of the present invention are directed at an add-on device for a pillar area (100) or glazing of a vehicle. Said add-on device comprises a display unit (101) configured to display based on one or more inputs or signals, a functional unit (102) configured for obtaining an input and responding to the received input, and a control unit (103) operably configured with the display unit (101) and the functional unit (102). Said control unit (103) is operably coupled to receive one or more inputs from the functional unit (102) and send a corresponding signal to the display unit (101). The add-on device is configured to adaptively integrate into the pillar area (100) or glazing of the vehicle. The device is configured to be mounted on the glazing as visual indicators. The device on the pillar area or glazing comprises one or more protective cover made of automotive plastics.

The functional unit (102) includes one or more sub-units selectively comprising at least a sensor, a transponder, and an input unit, wherein a sub-unit is a single modular electronic integrated circuit. The functional unit (102) comprises a gyroscope configured to detect vehicle movement and/or an air velocity sensor configured to detect variation of air flow and both within the vehicle and outside the vehicle. The one sub-unit includes an integrated electronic circuit having at least temperature sensor, relative humidity sensor, ambient light sensor, sound detection sensor and sensor for air quality detection. Alternatively, or additionally, sub-unit includes an integrated circuit having at least a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) module, and/or an ultrasonic sensor, and/or an infrared (IR) detection unit. Said transponder is a short range radio-frequency (RF) communication unit for identification and/or authorization.

The display unit (101) is adapted to be partially transparent or fully transparent. The device comprises one or more single side reflective layers or polarizers or polarizing layer (207) adapted to selectively turn the device into opaque. The display unit (101) is activated for display of one or more inputs or signals in a wired mode or in a wireless mode and it comprises means for both strong illumination and soft illumination. The instances of the display unit comprise electroluminescent display modules, light emitting diode (LED) display modules, organic light emitting diode (OLED) display modules, transparent or micro-LED display modules, florescent lighting modules and a combination thereof. The device includes an adjustment unit (204) having a spacer adapted to facilitate easy integration of the device on the pillar area of the vehicle. A surface of said spacer is adapted to accommodate the display unit (101) for beaming with specific specularity and angularity; wherein the spacer is further adapted to enable light beaming by reflecting the specular light from the display unit (101). Spacer may be flexible or non-flexible and further includes a reflection surface for preventing appearance of localized dark zones and providing uniform illumination.

Reference is made to FIG. 2a that shows a block diagram of an add-on device (100) for pillar unit of a vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention. The add-on pillar unit device (100) comprises a display unit (101) for displaying one or more inputs or signals. The lighting segment of the display unit (101) can be either for the interior part of the vehicle or exterior of the vehicle. The pillar unit device (100) further includes a functional unit (102) for obtaining an input and responding to the received input. The functional unit (102) selectively includes sub-units such one or more sensors, transponders, and/or a touch input unit, however, not limited to these. In an implementation, the device (100) on the pillar unit of the vehicle optionally may include touch panel and the display element may be a backlight behind the touch panel. The display unit and the functional unit are operably coupled with a control unit (103). The control unit (103) is capable of receiving one or more inputs from the functional unit (102) and send a corresponding signal to the display unit (101) for a respective display. The control unit (103) may be a dedicated controller for the add-on pillar device or the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle or both. Input signal from the sub units of the functional unit may be an analog or digital signal from anywhere in the vehicle. For instance, inputs may be received as analog signal from door latch, analog signal from standalone or even comparative temperature sensor data and the like. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the functional unit and/or the control unit of the add-on device may include other electronic units like capacitors, filters and the so on required for ensuring desired functioning. The herein disclosed pillar unit device (100) may be adapted to be an add-on unit, thereby advantageously making the pillar unit device for retrofitting into any of the pillars of the vehicle. In an implementation, structure of the pillar part or pillar area add-on device may be made with front and back panel of the pillar area and back panel of the pillar area may be assembled by clip-on, screw, stick on and encapsulated/ laminated assembly with the front panel of pillar part. In an exemplary embodiment, the back cover part of the add-on device may be attached to the vehicle body by means for attachment such as clip-on, snap fit, screw, or groove fit. These attachment means are provided by means of examples and not by way of limitations.

In the display unit of the device (100) on pillar part or area is adapted to be non-transparent or black for a seamless display rendering only when in ON condition/state. For the purpose, the device includes one or more single side reflective layers adapted to selectively turn the device into opaque. The single side reflective layers may be and not limited to a polarized film that reflects light only in one direction. In an implementation of the present invention, the add-on device on the pillar part or pillar area is adapted to be integrated onto A-pillar interior of the vehicle, advantageously enabling the use of the pillar unit device to house one or more sub-units and have an additional or extended display in the laminated windshield as well. In another embodiment of the present invention, the add-on device of the pillar unit may be integrated into the B -pillar interior and/or exterior. In yet another embodiment of the invention, it may be added on to A-pillar exterior/ interior, B-pillar interior/exterior, C-pillar interior/exterior, D-pillar interior/exterior and a combination thereof. Pillar part or pillar area or pillar unit referred to may include the pillar itself and the area around the pillar as well such as the area proximal to the glazing in the vehicle (both interior and exterior). For instance, A-pillar area in FIG. lb would refer to the A-pillar and the part adjacent to said pillar surrounding the sidelite and windshield as well. In an embodiment of the invention, the display unit (101) includes means for both strong and soft illumination. It may include electroluminescent (EL) display modules, light emitting diode (LED) display modules, organic light emitting diode (OLED) display modules, micro-LED display modules, fluorescent lighting and a combination thereof. Soft illumination may include and not to EL while LED is an instance of the strong illumination. It is preferred to have soft illumination in the display unit, when a display is intended for inside of the vehicle while strong illumination is preferred for display to outside the vehicle. In an implementation of the invention, the display element may be a backlight behind the touch panel.

The display (101) of the pillar device is configured to be operated in a wired or wireless mode with a power supply such as a battery. The wireless mode of communication may be and not limited to by way of a dedicated short-range communications (DSRC). In an implementation, the display unit (101) may be used to intimate the lock or unlock indication for keyless entry into the vehicle from outside via a wireless connection mode. The wired connections may be the one or more controller area network (CAN) cable connections. In an implementation of the invention, all the pillars of the same vehicle can include the disclosed pillar display unit for display for a single use case like advertisements, rolling animations, door lock/unlock display, SOS provisions or emergency lighting alarm and through either wired/ wireless communication. The display unit may be used for displaying number, alphabets, symbols or any customized design depending on application including fuel indication, battery level indication, cabin temperature, lock and unlock feature, greeting feature, proximity alert or driver alert or any passenger alert icon, however not limited to these.

In an implementation, the display unit may include lighting elements having luminance of around 60-2000cd/m ² and offering a longevity of at least 100-500,000 Hours. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the display unit may be configured to include other electronic characteristics as well such as and not limited to a display driver or an interface with plurality of pins. These elements are included as per the application requirements. The display unit may require an input voltage of around 11- 12V DC having a power consumption of 2-30 Watts in an exemplary implementation. The power supply requirements may include the incorporation of transformers such as and not limited to step up, step down transformers, AC to DC converter, noise level reduction units and the like. A-, B- ,C- and D- pillar can be made to use collectively for emergency lighting and/or for alarm or motion animation or any such suitable applications. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that these parameter specifications of the display and the instances are for assisting one skilled in the art to have an understanding about the display unit and are in no way a limitation.

Reference is made to FIG. 2b disclosing the exploded view of the pillar area device (200) as per a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the pillar area add-on device comprises a front cover (210) and a back cover (220) adapted to house and protect the functional units of said device. Pillar part or the pillar area device having the display or the lighting element may be made of plastics. The choice of the plastic material is made considering factors such as strength, transparency or light emissions properties, automotive regulatory standards, ease in process, ease in assembly, performance of the material and the like. According to an implementation of the present invention, the pillar area device may be having layers of PMMA, or ABS or PC as a protective cover for the device. The other material of the cover may be ASA, PMMA, ABS, PET and blends/alloys thereof. As per an implementation of the present invention, the covering layer may include PC or a combination of PC and ABS in 2- component injection molding with Polysiloxane hardcoating or simply as PC and ABS hardcoated. Device with display may be attached to the vehicle body by way of a mechanical assembly including screw, groove fit, clip-on latch, stick-on, lamination and so on. Similar means may be adapted to attach the protective back cover and front cover to each other.

The pillar area device further comprises a control unit (203) comprises at least a converter and a controller. The converter is concerned with the supply of power to the pillar device (200). The power supply requirements include the incorporation of transformers such as step up, step down transformers, AC to DC converter and the like. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the elements concerning the power supply is application specific and it may include one or more of other elements also without departing from the scope of the invention. The controller may be and not limited to a microprocessor or a microcontroller. The controller is capable of deciding the data flow in the pillar device and other control flow related processes such as and not limited to when to switch on the display, when to switch the display off and the like. The controller is further capable of deciding the luminous intensity of the display unit (dimming for example) and also on the frequency of the display (like how many times it would be enabled). In an implementation of the invention, there may be a provision of having an auto-OFF function of the display based on time (like for example switching off after 10s) or based on a range of reading distance for an RFID enabled functional element.

The pillar unit or the pillar area device (200) may include an adjustment unit (204) adapted to facilitate easy integration of the pillar unit device of the vehicle. In some of the vehicles the pillars are curved and the adjustment unit (204) of the pillar device is capable of enabling the add-on device to integrate into the curved structure of pillars such that they appear as a single unit without rendering a granular effect on the pillar with protruding elements and therefore, addresses the aesthetic aspects as well. In an implementation, the adjustment unit (204) includes a spacer or accommodator. In an implementation, the spacer has a 3-D mating curvature that aligns with the glass, front cover, or metal frame surface curvature. The spacer is flexible or non-flexible and is preferably made of an automotive grade material. The material of spacer may be and not limited to Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material (preferably of automotive grade), polycarbonate/ Poly (methyl methacrylate) i.e. PMMA rubber sheet. The spacer is a flexible or rigid component attached to the interior surface of the pillar. It is adapted for adhesion to the curved surface on one side and metal substrate on the other. It has an appropriate 3D shape that accounts for the surface mating on both sides. The spacer includes part depth/height to account for the display beam directionality aspect. The optimal dimensions of the spacer define the location, count, directionality of the light source. The spacer is adapted to act as the structural interface between the elements of the pillar device and/or the metal mount.

The pillar device houses the display unit (201) which may be EL display element or LED display element or lighting elements of other kind. In an implementation of the present invention, for better aesthetics and user-experience of an LED display element, the add-on pillar device may have a diffuser (205) or a diffusing film to uniformly distribute the light from the LEDs. Optionally, there may be more than one diffusion or reflective (205). In an embodiment of the invention, the spacer surface may be modified to accommodate the display element. The extruded surface of the spacer is adapted to contain one or more LEDs mounted and beaming with specific specularity and angularity. There may be included a reflection surface (e.g. and not limited to aluminium foil) on the interiors of the spacer optionally, for ensuring no localized dark zones and the uniformity of illumination. The said LED assembly may optionally include structures on the LED bottom part to alter the directionality of the beam. The interior faces of the spacer may be configured to enable light beaming by reflecting the specular light that emanates from the LED source. Having appropriate LEDs with varying luminosity values as a function of their positioning enables a fading effect of the light beam. In another implementation, the functional unit of the pillar unit device (200), may optionally include touch sensing enabled layer. The touch sensing enabled layer is capable of activating the display unit through a touch sensor unit present in or adjacent to the pillar. The display unit may comprise of both the touch enabled layer and the diffuser as well. The display unit and the connector modules may include one or more layers for being corrosion resistant. The pillar device further comprises a scratch protection layer and a means for sealing the device on to the pillar ensuring water and dust tightness of the pillar part/area device. Said means for sealing the system may be and not limited to rubber sealants.

The functional unit (102) may include one or more sub-units such as and not limited to sensors, preferably low -power sensors. The functional unit may include other sensors such as temperature sensor, fuel indicator sensor, break sensor, Bluetooth module, units for enabling the lock and unlock feature in the vehicle door through the Bluetooth, units for alerting passenger or driver (such as proximity alert), RFID, DSRC sensor, Lidar, Radar, Ultra sound, Optical or IR imaging unit or any other imaging units, electrical and mechanical sensor, and touch sensor. The sub-unit may further include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, maneuver assisting units (units that assists in movement of the vehicle, for example gyroscope) and the like. In an embodiment the functional unit (102) may include ambient light sensors, digital microphone, magnetic sensor, humidity, pressure, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, object temperature and ambient temperature, units for detecting air quality, dust, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensor and IR sensor. Said sub-units of the functional unit, are adapted to be modular and are configured to be included into the add-on pillar unit device. In an implementation, one of the modular sub-unit may be a single integrated circuit having temperature sensor, relative humidity sensor, light sensor (such as ambient light detection sensor or LUX sensor), and sound detecting sensor (like dB sensor to measure the dB value). Another modular sub-unit of the functional unit may be an integrated circuit having a light detection and ranging (LIDAR), ultrasonic sensor and an infrared (IR) detection unit. Further, the sub-unit may include air quality and dust detection sensors. It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that other sensors and sensors with different dimensions may also be included in the sub-units of the functional unit, without diverting from the scope of the invention.

The pillar unit device (200) may further optionally include a single side reflective film (207) adapted to appear as a mask to the black outer region of the pillar. Pillar area may appear black when the lighting segment is switched off. In an implementation of the invention, this is preferably done by addition of polarized film that reflects light only in one direction. The pillar area device may include one or more suitable adhesive layer (206) or sealant for adhering or sealing the layers of pillar unit device together. For instance, an adhesive layer (206) may be included between the touch pad layer and the front cover of the device. In a preferred implementation of the invention, the diffusing films and/or the polarizing with suitable adhesion may be adapted to be placed on to the transparent or semi-transparent areas. It is preferred that the both the diffusing and the polarizing films have a minimum thickness of around 50 microns to 200 microns, with an operating wavelength (i.e. the wavelength in which the presence of the diffusing film and the polarizing film will be apparent) of about 400-700nm. For the polarizing film, the polarizing efficiency of up to 99% is obtainable. For the polarizing film, we may have transmissive type polarizing films with colour choice to be neutral to dark grey. The luminosity and the directionality of the light is governed by the count and thickness of the films, both the polarizing film and the diffusing film. In an implementation of the present invention, it is preferred to have an arrangement of the films in such a way, that the light beam is soft and is not distracting the observer outside the vehicle. Additionally, through such films, colour change of the light beamed out is brought forth. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the pillar display may have additional visual indicator either realized through printing or with additional printed one side adhesive film. The display on the pillar may be extended to an adjacent glazing as well or is mounted on the glazing. In an example, additional visual indicators are applied in the D-zone or C-zone on the interiors of the glazing, or by having transparent portions in the ceramic print region (like the masked ceramic printing) and providing provisions for mating with the light beaming structure or the spacer assembly of the disclosed device. This also acts as the light vent carrying uniform soft light. Reference is made to FIG. 3a that discloses a system (300) on a pillar of a vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention. The system (300) on a pillar area or glazing of a vehicle comprising a selectively transparent display unit (301) configured to display based on one or more inputs or signals. The system may further include a functional unit (302) for obtaining an input and responding to a received input. The selectively transparent display unit (301) and the functional unit (302) are operably coupled to a controller (303), wherein said controller (303) is operationally coupled to receive inputs from the functional unit (302) and send corresponding signal to the display unit (301). The system on the pillar of the vehicle is configured to function independently or in integration with a control unit (305) of the vehicle. The system further comprises a converter (304) operably coupled to manage the power supply to the system. The functional unit (302) includes one or sub-units selectively comprising at least a sensor, a transponder, and an input unit, wherein the sub-unit is a single modular electronic integrated circuit. The material of the display unit (301) is adapted to make the display unit partially transparent or fully transparent. The system on the pillar further comprises a single side reflective layer adapted to selectively turn the device into opaque. The display unit (301) is activated for display of one or more inputs or signals in a wired mode or in a wireless mode. The selectively transparent display unit (301) and the functional unit (302) are operably coupled to a controller (303). Said controller (303) is operationally coupled to receive inputs from the functional unit (302) and send corresponding signal or data to the display unit (301). The system on the pillar of the vehicle is configured to function independently and/or in integration with a control unit of the vehicle. In an embodiment of the present invention, the disclosed system may be part of the pillar in A-pillar exterior/ interior, B-pillar interior/exterior, C-pillar interior/exterior, D-pillar interior/exterior, and/or any glazing of the vehicle and a combination thereof. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the disclosed system on the pillar is not limited to these mentioned pillars but may form as part of any pillar of the vehicle.

The system further includes a powering means (304) or a converter (304). The converter (304) is configured to manage the power supply of the system. The system (300) on the pillar of the vehicle is configured to function independently or in integration with a control unit (305) of the vehicle. In an implementation of the invention, to function independently, the system on the pillar of the vehicle is configured to be power by the car battery itself and the control unit is operationally capable to computing the control signals or the flow of signals or data for the functional unit of the system on pillar. In an alternative implementation of the invention, the system on the pillar is operationally coupled with the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle. Input signal from the functional unit may be an analog or digital signal received from anywhere in the vehicle. Inputs may be obtained as analog signal from door latch, analog signal from standalone or even comparative temperature sensor data and the like. It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that such an arrangement would be affixed onto the backlite, sidelite, quarterlite or windshield or any glass on the vehicle as well. The system or the arrangement in pillar part or glazing further comprises a scratch protection exterior layer on a surface of the pillar and a means for sealing the system on to the pillar ensuring water and dust tightness of the pillar. The system may be on the an exterior or interior pillar. Said means for sealing the system may be and not limited to rubber sealants.

In an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed a mechanical assembly of the system in a vehicle for tamper-proof encapsulation of the system in the pillar area of the vehicle. The assembly includes a pillar device comprising at least two layers of the same material. Said two layers may be a front cover and a back cover of automotive plastics, however not limited to these. The display unit (301) adapted to be embedded between said two layers of the pillar device. The controller (303), converter (304) and the functional unit (302) are adapted to be operably disposed in and/or around a door frame (306) of the vehicle. The one or more connections of the display unit (301), the controller (303), converter (304) and the functional unit (302) are configured to be disposed via gaps (306) in the door frame (306). The system on the pillar area comprises a scratch protection exterior layer on a surface of the pillar adapted to protect the system. The system on the pillar area further comprises a means for sealing the system on to the pillar ensuring water and dust tightness of the pillar. Said system may be on the an exterior or interior pillar.

FIG. 3b illustrates a side view of the mechanical assembly of the system on the pillar of the vehicle. The mechanical assembly of the system includes pillar area comprising at least two layers of the same material and the display unit (301) is adapted to be embedded between said two layers of the pillar. The controller (303) is adapted to be operably disposed behind a door frame of the vehicle in an implementation. In an exemplary embodiment, the pillar display unit (301), the converter (304), and the controller (303) are disposed or assembled in front of the door frame. The various units of the system (300) are coupled together via one or more connections. The one or more connections of the display unit (301) and the controller or control unit (303) are configured to be disposed via gaps (306) in the door frame. The system further comprises a scratch protection exterior layer on a surface of the pillar. In an implementation of the present invention, the means for assembling a front cover to the back cover of the display device includes having mechanical screws and hooks (for instance and not limited). The front cover may be designed with locators for the electronic units’ placement and the cover may be coated with anti-scratch coating to give scratch resistance. The back cover may be attached to the body of the vehicle with means such as and not limited to screws, clip-ons, groove fit, magnetic clip-ons and so on. The whole system may be disposed or assembled in front of the door frame and the add-on device may be attached to the door using attachment means such as clips, screws clip-ons and the like. Alternatively, part of the system may be disposed or assembled in the front of the door frame while part of the system may be disposed at the back of the door frame. It would be appreciated by one skilled in the art that any other suitable mechanical assembly of the system with the vehicle may be applicable as per use.

According to the embodiments of the present invention is provided a protective lighting in pillar unit of the vehicle to avoid tampering and to provide additional thermal management. Display unit connections are enabled through the metal frame of the vehicle to avoid tampering of the system. When the system is operably connected with the ECU of the vehicle, it will receive the command from the sensor unit before being illuminated.

Therefore, the mechanical assembly of the system advantageously renders the units of the system tamperproof. A tamper-proof assembly is of utmost importance considering the application of remote key access. In an implementation, with this assembly of beacon beneath a metal frame of the vehicle, radio signals from the beacon of the neighbour vehicle is prevented from overlapping. Further, during the occurrences of unauthorised access to the vehicle such as the case of illegitimate unlocking the car or attempt to crack the code for remote access, an intervener has to go inside the vehicle to make, to execute this action, thereby the mechanical assembly advantageously renders a better security. Additionally, with the disclosed mechanical assembly, the units of the pillar based system like the display unit or the components of the functional unit such as the radio communication element are advantageously protected from environmental factors like water/ rain / higher temperatures. Further, the mechanical assembly structure can provide additional electrical, atmospheric and mechanical insulation for the display material. The disclosed assembly structure additionally renders the benefit of easy installation, replacement of display unit and the like and also facilitating hassle-free repair service of the one or more units of the assembly. In the disclosed system on pillar unit, the display lighting segment can be either for the interior or exterior of the vehicle.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the pillar unit device may include an air velocity sensor as a functional unit configured to detect variation of air flow both within the vehicle and outside the vehicle. The pillar unit device having the air velocity sensor is operationally coupled to an air- conditioning (AC) system, a power window motor and display unit. Air velocity sensor operably dispersed on the side face on the pillar part is configured to sense the opening of the door based on the air on the moving vehicle. The control unit of the pillar unit device is operably coupled to communicate with the ECU of the vehicle to check whether or not the AC of the vehicle is ON. If the AC is ON, the ECU sends signal to automate closure of windows. The air velocity sensor is configured to have a thin film with a heating element which cools based on the velocity of the air. The air velocity sensor signal can alternatively trigger the display to inmate the passenger/ driver to manually close the window.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the pillar unit device may include an air velocity sensor as a functional unit configured to detect variation of air flow both within the vehicle and outside the vehicle. The pillar unit device having the air velocity sensor is operationally coupled to an air- conditioning (AC) system, a power window motor and display unit. Air velocity sensor operably dispersed on the side face on the pillar part is configured to sense the opening of the door based on the air on the moving vehicle. The control unit of the pillar unit device is operably coupled to communicate with the ECU of the vehicle to check whether or not the AC of the vehicle is ON. If the AC is ON, the ECU sends signal to automate closure of windows. The ECU is operationally connected both the air conditioning system controller and the windows switch control panel. The air velocity sensor is configured to have a thin film with a heating element which cools based on the velocity of the air. The air velocity sensor signal can alternatively trigger the display to inmate the passenger/ driver to manually close the window. Reference is made to FIG.4a of the present invention that depicts a control flow diagram of the functioning of the air velocity sensor in the pillar unit device. Additionally, on detecting unlock from remote key, the air velocity sensor is configured to be triggered to detect if the windows are open. If one or more of the vehicle windows are open, then, the control unit, which is coupled to the air velocity sensor, is configured to send signals the ECU to display messages or signal such as the ‘window is open’ by way of an alert lighting in display unit in the pillar part of vehicle. This display is meant to be for a user inside or outside the vehicle. This has been depicted in FIG.4b.

The air velocity sensor in the pillar system of the vehicle is configured to detect the change in velocity when another vehicle coming close near a blind spot. The system at the pillar unit is capable of using the detected velocity to obtain the speed of the nearby approaching vehicle and intimate the driver for maintaining a safe distance and/or to take further necessary actions. FIG. 4c shows a representation of this scenario.

Reference is made to FIGs. 5a-c that shows the various instances of the provision of keyless entry and some other specific examples according to one or more embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the invention, the function unit includes a pillar unit system that may include a transponder such as a short range radio frequency (RF) communication unit for keyless entry into the vehicle. RF reading system is configured to be connected with the display for keyless entry. The RFID reader on the pillar is capable of reading the corresponding on the identifier such as a tag on the key which is RFID enabled. On detection of the appropriate frequency thereby ensuring that the attempt to keyless entry is via an authorized means, the display unit is configured to aesthetically indicate the successful authorisation for example by means of icons and/or it may also indicate the position where the keyhole is or simply show a for a message. In an implementation of the invention, the RFID reader range up to 10m Frequency for activation: 125 KHz to 960MHz. In an implementation of the present invention, the display unit on the pillar of the vehicle may be configured to have fluorescent lighting projected from pillar to detect touches on a glass surface or a metallic surface near door handle of the vehicle. This is especially advantageous, considering a pandemic wherein transmission of infections can occur through touch of infectious entities. Therefore, the integrated system of the pillar, via the fluorescent lighting projections, intimates a user the to become cautious about the possibilities of the vehicle requiring to be disinfected. In this implementation, the display unit in the integrated system in the pillar encompasses a strip of fluorescent light (for instance, green/blue) projector on all the edges of the pillar. This light projector illuminates the glass surface and metallic surface near the door handle. Upon the incidence of fluorescent light, touch stains or the fingerprints become visible thereby indicating the condition of the vehicle whether or it is disinfected or infected. In this embodiment of the invention, the display unit including florescent lighting may be beneficially embedded in the edges of the Pillar area (any or all of the A-, B-, C- and D- pillars, if required). The user may trigger the lighting to be powered on before entering the vehicle. In another implementation, this display light may flash along the trigger of the unlock button in the vehicle. The fluorescent light may project the contrasting light based on the paint of the vehicle, on the surfaces in its periphery. The stains caused due to touches deposits body fluids on the surface which is detected by the projected light.

It is a common practice that a user upon leaving a vehicle, generally checks the door to ensure that it is locked by pulling the handle. However, the user as such does not get any indication about the status of the whether or not the vehicle is locked or unlocked. Addressing the same, the display unit integrated on the pillar unit disclosed in the present invention may include electroluminescent (EL) or LED lighting embedded on the edges of the pillar. This display unit of the pillar unit of the vehicle is configured to illuminate upon opening or in an unlocked status of the vehicle door. Thus, when the vehicle door is closed there will be no display on a respective pillar of the vehicle. The EL or the LED light is embedded on the side of the pillar which is connected to the door locking system. In this implementation, the integrated pillar unit is configured to receive inputs from the sensors to detect the opening and the closing of the door. These input signals are processed by the control unit and the light on the corresponding pillar for a door which is open or partially closed or unlocked is switched on. This system is visible to the passengers on the interiors and also operates while operating via remote key. Some advantages of the present invention are enlisted in the following:

• The Pillar icon can be made non transparent or black for a seamless display rendering only when in ON condition. This is done by addition of single side reflective layer film that reflects light only in one direction. Incorporation of wireless activation of display is presented in the below invention.

• Using the functionality of the disclosed invention, specific problems are being addressed in real time use case scenario Connected Pillar Icon wired or wireless is explained and the usage of all pillar in the vehicle is also addressed. By this we can make effective use of pillar area and eliminate other additional child parts in the car without compromising the functionality.

• Often the driver/ Passenger is unclear if the window is open and significant amount of energy and fuel is lost due to the loss of attention to the same bringing in also dust clogging the AC.

• The solution is provided herein is adapted to all the pillar of the vehicle and also on the interior and/or the exterior part of the vehicle as per the requirement and the specifics of the application.

Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

List of reference numerals appearing in the accompanying drawings and the corresponding features:

100: add-on device on the pillar area of a vehicle

101, 201, 301: a display unit

102, 202, 302: a functional unit

103, 203: a control unit 204: an adjustment unit 210: Front cover 206: Sealant

207 : single side reflective layer 205: diffusing film 220: back cover 300: a system on a pillar of a vehicle

303 : a controller 304: converter

305 : a control unit of a vehicle 306: gaps