Visual communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11222556-B2
Application number	US-201816219276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2018
Priority date	Dec 13, 2018
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

This technology relates to a display mounted messaging system. The display mounted messaging system may include a light emitting diode (LED) display attached to a housing of a sensor. The housing of the sensor may rotate. The display mounted messaging system may also include an LED controller which is configured to selectively activate and deactivate at least one LED in the LED display, to provide a message in the direction of an intended recipient.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display mounted messaging system, the system comprising:
a computing device including one or more processors configured to determine a probability of a vehicle interacting with a subject and to cause an LED controller to provide a message, based, at least in part, upon the determined probability, in a direction of the subject;
a light emitting diode (LED) display attached to a housing of a sensor, wherein the housing of the sensor rotates; and
the LED controller, wherein the LED controller is configured to selectively activate and deactivate at least one LED in the LED display, to provide the message.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED in the LED display is part of a LED strip comprising a plurality of LEDs.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising the sensor and one or more strips of LEDs mounted to one or more supports attached to the housing of the sensor.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of LEDs of the LED strip are integrated into a housing of the sensor.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more lenses, wherein the one or more lenses are configured to redirect light emitted by the at least one of the plurality of LEDs.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more lenses are configured to move relative to the LED strip.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a motor configured to move the one or more lenses.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the LED strip is configured to move relative to the one or more lenses.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a motor configured to move the LED strip.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more lenses are configured to redirect the light to one or more heights based on a height of the subject.

11. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more lenses are configured to redirect the light toward the subject.

12. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more lenses are integrated into the sensor housing.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the housing of the sensor and the LED display simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the LED display and the housing of the sensor rotate at a same rate.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more lenses, wherein the one or more lenses are configured to redirect light emitted by the at least one LED.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is mounted on the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the probability further based on a location of the subject.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the probability further based on a possible trajectory of the subject.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the probability further based on a type of the subject, wherein the type of the subject includes pedestrian, bicyclist, or one or more types of vehicles.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more types of vehicles include at least a car, a truck, a motorcycle, and a bus.

22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether the probability satisfies a threshold, and wherein causing the LED controller to provide the message is further based on the determination of whether the probability satisfies the threshold.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Shepard Ralph Hamilton
• Droz Pierre-Yves
• Verghese Simon

Classifications

• G09F9/33

  being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes · CPC title

• B60Q1/543

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

• B60Q1/5037

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

• G09F2027/001

  Comprising a presence or proximity detector · CPC title

• G09F27/004

  Displays including an emergency or alarm message · CPC title