Vehicle interior lighting systems using electroluminescent panels

A vehicle interior switch assembly comprising:

• a light-transmissive touch switch;
• a light source disposed directly behind said touch switch;
• and
• an electronic circuit connected to said touch switch and said light source;
• wherein said light source comprises an electroluminescent panel and said circuit is operable upon activation of said touch switch to energize said electroluminescent panel to thereby provide illumination through said touch switch;
• wherein said light source comprises a vehicle dome light and said touch switch comprises a dome light switch and wherein said vehicle interior switch assembly further comprises first and second map lights and first and second map light switches, wherein said map lights each comprise an electroluminescent panel and said map light switches each comprise a light-transmissive touch switch located directly in front of its corresponding map light, wherein said circuit is operable to energize said electroluminescent panels in response to activation of their corresponding touch switch independently of the other electroluminescent panels.

A vehicle interior illumination system, comprising:

• a light source;
• a switch assembly having at least one light-transmissive touch switch, and an electroluminescent panel which, when energized, provides backlightiug to said touch switch;
• and
• an electronic circuit connected to said light source, touch switch, and electroluminescent panel, wherein said electronic circuit is capable of controlling the energization of said electroluminescent panel to affect the back lighting to said touch switch in response to the status of said light source.