Display for rear lamp of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046242-B2
Application number	US-201716484566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a rear lamp display configured to display images as well as perform the usual functions of a rear lamp assembly. The rear lamp display may include a light source and a digital mirror device. Obstacles detected may trigger display of a static or animated representation of the obstacle in the rear lamp display. Detection of a turn may invoke display of a direction of the turn as well as text indicating a target of the turn. Detection of an intervention of a vehicle system to maintain stability, a warning may be displayed that indicates potentially hazardous road conditions. Where opening of a door is detected, a representation of an open or opening door may be displayed. Where a following vehicle is detected, the speed limit or cruising speed of the vehicle may be displayed. Objects left in the vehicle may trigger display of an alert.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one exterior sensor including at least one of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor and radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor;
a rearward facing lamp display; and
a controller coupled to the lamp display and the one or more sensors and programmed to:
detect an obstacle in one or more outputs of the at least one exterior sensor;
determine one or more obstacle vectors associated with the obstacle, the one or more obstacle vectors comprising one or more items of a classification of the obstacle, a location of the obstacle, and a direction of movement of the obstacle;
cause, based on the one or more obstacle vectors, the lamp display to display a symbol corresponding to the classification;
identify, based on the one or more outputs of the at least one exterior sensor, a posted speed limit for a road on which the vehicle is travelling;
set, based on the posted speed limit, a cruising speed of the vehicle;
determine, based on the one or more outputs of the at least one exterior sensor, that a following vehicle is proximate to the vehicle; and
cause, based on determining that the following vehicle is proximate to the vehicle, the lamp display to display the cruising speed of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a steering actuator, a brake actuator; and an accelerator actuator all coupled to the controller;
wherein the controller is further programmed to activate one or more of the steering actuator, the brake actuator, and the accelerator actuator in response to detecting the obstacle in the one or more outputs effective to avoid collision with the obstacle by the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors indicate a state of a door of the vehicle; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to display a symbol indicating a door opening in the lamp display in response to an output of the one or more sensors indicating opening of the door.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include an interior sensor; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to display a symbol indicating presence of an object in the lamp display if an output of the interior sensor indicates presence of the object within the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors detect at least one of turning of a steering column, a differential in tire speeds on right and left sides of the vehicle, activation of a turn signal, an autonomous decision to make a turn, an upcoming turn in navigation instructions; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an output from the one or more sensors indicating the turn:
determine a target of the turn according to map data; and
display a direction of the turn and the target in the lamp display.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect stability and traction of the vehicle; and
wherein the controller is further programmed to:
if outputs of the one or more sensors indicate at least one of loss of traction and instability of the vehicle, performing an intervention, the intervention including least one of (a) redistributing engine torque among wheels of the vehicle, (b) modulating braking of the vehicle, (c) and decreasing engine torque; and
if outputs of the one or more sensors indicate the at least one of loss of traction and instability of the vehicle, cause the lamp display to display a warning of a hazardous road condition.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lamp display comprises:
a light source; and
a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), the light source emitting a light onto the DMD;

wherein the controller is coupled to the DMD.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the lamp display further comprises a heat sink and an output window; and
wherein the controller is programmed to cause the DMD to direct a first portion of the light onto the heat sink and a second portion of the light onto the output window effective to form an image on the output window.

9. A method comprising:
providing a vehicle having one or more sensors, a rearward facing lamp display, and a controller coupled to the lamp display and the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one exterior sensor including at least one of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor and radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor;
receiving, by the controller, one or more outputs from the one or more sensors;
detecting, by the controller, an obstacle in the one or more outputs;
determining, by the controller, one or more obstacle vectors associated with the obstacle, the one or more obstacle vectors comprising one or more items of a classification of the obstacle, a location of the obstacle, and a direction of movement of the obstacle;
causing, based on the one or more obstacle vectors, the lamp display to display a symbol corresponding to the classification;
identifying, by the controller, based on the one or more outputs of the at least one exterior sensor, a posted speed limit for a road on which the vehicle is travelling;
setting, based on the posted speed limit, a cruising speed of the vehicle;
determining, by the controller, based on the one or more outputs of the at least one exterior sensor, that a following vehicle is proximate to the vehicle; and
in response to determining that the following vehicle is proximate to the vehicle, causing, by the controller, the lamp display to display the cruising speed of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a steering actuator, a brake actuator; and an accelerator actuator all coupled to the controller;
wherein the method further comprises activating, by the controller, one or more of the steering actuator, the brake actuator, and the accelerator actuator in response to detecting the obstacle in the one or more outputs effective to avoid collision with the obstacle by the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors detect a state of a door of the vehicle; and
wherein the method further comprises displaying, by the controller, a symbol indicating a door opening in the lamp display in response to an output of the one or more sensors indicating opening of the door.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors include an interior sensor; and
wherein the method further comprises displaying, by the controller, a symbol indicating presence of an object in the lamp display if an output of the interior sensor indicates the presence of the object within the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors detect at least one of turning of a steering column, a differential in tire speeds on right and left sides of the vehicle, activation of a turn signal, an autonomous decision to make a turn, an upcoming turn in navigation instructions; and
wherein the method further comprises, in response to an output from the one or more sensors indicating the turn:
determining, by the controller, a target of the turn according to map data; and
displaying, by the controller, a direction of the turn and the target in the lamp display.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect stability and traction of the vehicle; and
wherein the method further comprises:
in response to outputs of the one or more sensors indicating at least one of loss of traction and instability of the vehicle, performing, by the controller an interventio

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Zhou Roy
• Miller Robert
• Kaueroff Adrienne

Classifications

• B60Q1/525 Primary

  automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data · CPC title

• B60Q1/545

  for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic · CPC title

• B60Q1/5037

  the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation · CPC title

• B60Q1/50

  for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking · CPC title

• B60Q1/0023

  the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera · CPC title