Autonomous vehicle service lights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10308168-B2
Application number	US-201715493224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle includes a vehicle body and an illuminated stripe assembly mounted to the vehicle body. The illuminated stripe assembly is adapted to emit a plurality of stripe patterns that are visually distinctive from one another for indicating different operating states of the autonomous vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle roof;
an illuminated stripe assembly mounted at a perimeter of the vehicle roof and adapted to emit a plurality of stripe patterns around an entirety of the perimeter, and the plurality of stripe patterns are visually distinctive from one another for indicating different operating states of the autonomous vehicle; and
a control system adapted to control the illuminated stripe assembly for selectively indicating the different operating states.

2. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein a first stripe pattern of the plurality of stripe patterns indicates that the autonomous vehicle is moving and a second stripe pattern of the plurality of stripe patterns indicates that the autonomous vehicle is turning.

3. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stripe patterns are visually distinctive in terms of at least color and brightness.

4. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stripe patterns are visually distinctive in terms of at least pulse rate.

5. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of stripe patterns emits pulsing lights, and a pulse rate of the pulsing lights is tied to a speed of the autonomous vehicle.

6. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of stripe patterns emits flashing lights.

7. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of stripe patterns indicates that wheels of the autonomous vehicle are slipping.

8. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of stripe patterns indicates that a path of the autonomous vehicle has been blocked.

9. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of stripe patterns indicates that the autonomous vehicle is under the control of a service control operator but no movement has yet been requested.

10. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the illuminated stripe assembly includes a front section, a rear section, a first side section, and a second side section.

11. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 10 , wherein each of the front section, the rear section, the first side section, and the second side section includes a housing, at least one light source, and at least one optic device.

12. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 11 , wherein the at least one light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

13. The autonomous vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein a front section of the illuminated stripe assembly is mounted to a first cross member of the vehicle roof, a rear section of the illuminated stripe assembly is mounted to a second cross member of the vehicle roof, a first side section of the illuminated stripe assembly is mounted to a first side rail of the vehicle roof, and a second side section of the illuminated stripe assembly is mounted to a second side rail of the vehicle roof.

14. A method, comprising:
producing a first stripe pattern on an illuminated stripe assembly of an autonomous vehicle to indicate a first operating state of the autonomous vehicle; and
producing a second stripe pattern on the illuminated stripe assembly to indicate a second vehicle state that is different from the first vehicle state,
wherein the illuminated stripe assembly is configured to emit light of varying color, brightness, pulsing action, and flashing action,
wherein the illuminated stripe assembly is mounted about an entire perimeter of a roof of the autonomous vehicle.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , comprising:
producing a third stripe pattern on the illuminated stripe assembly to indicate a third vehicle state that is different from the first vehicle state and the second vehicle state.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , comprising:
producing a fourth stripe pattern on the illuminated stripe assembly to indicate a fourth vehicle state that is different from the first vehicle state, the second vehicle state, and the third vehicle state.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , comprising:
producing a fifth stripe pattern on the illuminated stripe assembly to indicate a fifth vehicle state that is different from the first vehicle state, the second vehicle state, the third vehicle state, and the fourth vehicle state.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein producing the first stripe pattern includes indicating that the autonomous vehicle is moving, and wherein producing the second stripe pattern indicates that the autonomous vehicle is turning.

19. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein producing the first stripe pattern includes:
emitting light having a first color that pulses from 50% to 100% brightness across a width of a first section of the illuminated stripe assembly; and
emitting light having a second color that pulses from 50% to 100% brightness across a width of a second section of the illuminated stripe assembly.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein producing the first stripe pattern includes:
emitting light having a third color that pulses with a brightness that increases in a direction of movement of the autonomous vehicle from a third section of the illuminated stripe assembly.

21. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
a roof; and
an illuminated stripe assembly mounted to the roof and configured to emit a plurality of striping patterns that are visually distinctive in terms of color, brightness, pulsing action, and flashing action for indicating different operating states of the autonomous vehicle,
wherein the illuminated stripe assembly includes a plurality of housings that together extend about an entire perimeter of the roof.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Buttolo Pietro
• Huebner Annette Lynn

Classifications

• B60Q1/38

  using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps · CPC title

• B60Q1/2696 Primary

  Mounting of devices using LEDs · CPC title

• B60Q1/54

  for indicating speed {outside of the vehicle} · CPC title

• B60Q1/34 Primary

  for indicating change of drive direction (B60Q1/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title