Platooning traffic annunciator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10922980-B2
Application number	US-201816220929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

An annunciator system annunciates a mode of a platoon operation being performed between first and second platooning vehicles travelling cooperatively in accordance with a selected mode of the platoon operation. First and second visual indicators generate first and second visual signals having different colors based on visual indicator command signals generated by an annunciator control unit that operates to generate the first and second visual indicator command signals based on a determined mode of the platoon operation being performed between the associated first and second platooning vehicles. The visual annunciator system may be installed on the rear of platooning capable commercial vehicles in an unambiguous location so that it is not confused with other vehicle lamps, and is of a low intensity that does not shine directly at following traffic. The annunciator system generates two different visual colors that may be illuminated and/or flashed to encode the platoon operating mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An annunciator system displaying an encoded annunciation of an operational mode of a platoon operation being performed between associated first and second platooning vehicles travelling cooperatively as a platoon in accordance with the operational mode of the platoon operation, the system comprising:
an annunciator control unit configured to be disposed in the associated first vehicle, the annunciator control unit comprising:
a processor;
a non-transient memory device operatively coupled with the processor; and
logic stored in the non-transient memory device, the logic being executable by the processor to determine the operational mode of the platoon operation being performed between the associated first and second platooning vehicles, and to generate first and second indicator command signals, each of the first and second indicator command signals having respective conditions that in combination encode an annunciation of the determined operational mode of the platoon operation;

a first indicator coupled with the annunciator control unit, the first indicator being responsive to the first indicator command signal received from the annunciator control unit to generate a first light signal in accordance with the condition of the first indicator command signal, the first light signal having a first color; and
a second indicator coupled with the annunciator control unit, the second indicator being responsive to the second indicator command signal received from the annunciator control unit to generate a second light signal in accordance with the condition of the second indicator command signal, the second light signal having a second color different than the first color,
wherein an encoded annunciation of the determined operational mode of the platoon operation is provided by the first and second indicators generating the first and second light signals in accordance with the conditions of the first and second indicator command signals.

2. The annunciator system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the annunciator control unit operates to generate the first and second indicator command signals having ON conditions simultaneously during a first time period based on a determined first operational mode of the platoon operation being performed between the associated first and second platooning vehicles;
the first indicator is responsive to the ON condition of the first indicator command signal to generate the first light signal having the first color during the first time period; and
the second indicator is responsive to the ON condition of the second indicator command signal to generate the second light signal having the second color during the first time period,
wherein the first and second indicators generating the first and second light signals having the first and second colors responsive to the ON conditions of the first and second indicator command signals during the first time period provides an encoded annunciation of the determined first operational mode of the platoon operation.

3. The annunciator system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on a determined second operational mode of the platoon operation, the first indicator command signal having the ON condition during a second time period after the first time period;
the first indicator is responsive to the ON condition of the first indicator command signal to generate the first light signal having the first color during the second time period;
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on the determined second operational mode of the platoon operation, the second indicator command signal having a PULSE condition during the second time period; and
the second indicator is responsive to the PULSE condition of the second indicator command signal to periodically generate the second light signal having the second color during the second time period,
wherein the first indicator generating the first light signal having the first color responsive to the ON condition of the first indicator command signal during the second time period, and the second indicator periodically generating the second light signal having the second color responsive to the PULSE condition of the second indicator command signal during the second time period, provides an encoded annunciation of the determined second operational mode of the platoon operation during the second time period.

4. The annunciator system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on a determined third operational mode of the platoon operation, the first and second indicator command signals having PULSE conditions during a second time period after the first time period;
the first indicator is responsive to the PULSE condition of the first indicator command signal to periodically generate the first light signal having the first color during the second time period; and
the second indicator is responsive to the PULSE condition of the second indicator command signal to periodically generate the second light signal having the second color during the second time period,
wherein the first indicator periodically generating the first light signal having the first color responsive to the PULSE condition of the first indicator command signal during the second time period, and the second indicator periodically generating the second light signal having the second color responsive to the PULSE condition of the second indicator command signal during the second time period, provides an encoded annunciation of the determined third operational mode of the platoon operation during the second time period.

5. The annunciator system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on the determined first operational mode of the platoon operation, the first indicator command signal having the ON condition during a second time period after the first time period;
the first indicator is responsive to the ON condition of the first indicator command signal to generate the first light signal having the first color during the second time period;
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on the first determined mode of the platoon operation, the second indicator command signal having the ON condition during the second time period; and
the second indicator is responsive to the ON condition of the second indicator command signal to generate the second light signal having the second color during the second time period,
wherein the first indicator generating the first light signal having the first color responsive to the ON condition of the first indicator command signal during the second time period, and the second indicator generating the second light signal having the second color responsive to the ON condition of the second indicator command signal during the second time period, provides an encoded annunciation of the determined first operational mode of the platoon operation during the second time period.

6. The annunciator system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on a determined fourth operational mode of the platoon operation, the first indicator command signal having a PULSE condition during a second time period after the first time period;
the first indicator is responsive to the PULSE condition of the first indicator command signal to periodically generate the first light signal having the first color during the second time period;
the annunciator control unit operates to generate, based on the determined fourth operational mode of the platoon operation, the second indicator command signal having the ON condition during the second time period; and
the second indi

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Grolle Kenneth A

Classifications

• B60Q1/508

  specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys · CPC title

• B60Q1/543

  for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0035 Primary

  relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G08G1/22 Primary

  Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/52

  for indicating emergencies · CPC title