Exterior lighting and warning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11858413-B2
Application number	US-202117459584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2021
Priority date	Jul 28, 2015
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A system may have system controls that are used in controlling the system. The system may have sensors that gather information on speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed, information on risks of a collision, and other status information and operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display, information on speed, relative speed, status information, custom light information or other user-selected information, or other information on status and the operating environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising
a body having an interior and an exterior;
a sensor that detects a location of a person outside of the vehicle;
a light-based device that displays information on the exterior of the body; and
control circuitry that adjusts a location of the information on the exterior based on the location of the person outside of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the body has a window and wherein the light-based device is located on the window.

3. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the body has an opaque portion and wherein the light-based device is located on the opaque portion.

4. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the light-based device comprises a display having a two-dimensional array of pixels.

5. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the information indicates whether a given vehicle function is operating autonomously.

6. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the information comprises text.

7. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a camera, a radar-based sensor, a lidar-based sensor, and a proximity sensor.

8. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the information comprises moving content.

9. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the light-based device is indistinguishable from the body when the light-based device is turned off.

10. The vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein the information includes upcoming vehicle navigation information.

11. A passenger vehicle, comprising:
a body having an interior and an exterior;
a light-based device on the exterior of the body; and
control circuitry that uses the light-based device to display information on the exterior of the body indicating that at least one vehicle function is operating autonomously, wherein the body has an opaque portion and wherein the light-based device is located on the opaque portion.

12. The passenger vehicle defined in claim 11 wherein the light-based device comprises a light source and a light modulator that is configured to hide the light source when not in use.

13. The passenger vehicle defined in claim 11 wherein the light-based device comprises a display with a two-dimensional array of pixels.

14. The passenger vehicle defined in claim 11 wherein the vehicle function is selected from the group consisting of: turning, accelerating, and stopping.

15. A passenger vehicle, comprising:
a body having an interior and an exterior;
a light-based device on the exterior of the body; and
control circuitry that uses the light-based device to display information on the exterior of the body indicating that at least one vehicle function is operating autonomously, wherein the body has a window and wherein the light-based device is located on the window.

16. A vehicle, comprising:
a body having an exterior;
a sensor that detects a person approaching the vehicle;
a display having a two-dimensional array of pixels; and
control circuitry that uses the display to display a message for the person on the exterior in response to detecting the person approaching the vehicle, wherein the message indicates whether a vehicle function is operating autonomously.

17. A vehicle, comprising:
a body having an exterior;
a sensor that detects a person approaching the vehicle;
a display having a two-dimensional array of pixels; and
control circuitry that uses the display to display a message for the person on the exterior in response to detecting the person approaching the vehicle, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a camera, a radar-based sensor, and a lidar-based sensor.

18. A vehicle, comprising:
a body having an exterior;
a sensor that detects a person approaching the vehicle;
a display having a two-dimensional array of pixels; and
control circuitry that uses the display to display a message for the person on the exterior in response to detecting the person approaching the vehicle, wherein the sensor tracks a location of the person approaching the vehicle and adjusts a location of the message on the exterior based on the location of the person.

19. The vehicle defined in claim 16 wherein the display blends in with the body when the display is turned off.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mazuir Clarisse
• Zhang Arthur Y
• Golko Albert J
• Varghese Bivin J
• Child Christopher P
• Palmer Collin J
• Potter Daniel E
• Stefanov-Wagner Thaddeus

Classifications

• B60Q1/444 Primary

  with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication (B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0035

  relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q1/268

  on windscreens or windows (B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208) · CPC title

• B60Q1/28

  for indicating front of vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q1/44

  for indicating braking action {or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal} · CPC title