Systems and methods for synchronizing the presentation of vehicle exterior lights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12406572-B2
Application number	US-202318526111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2023
Priority date	Dec 1, 2023
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to synchronizing the presentation of vehicle exterior lights to reduce the sensory overload of a pedestrian. In one embodiment, a method includes assessing a sensory environment of a pedestrian. The method also includes determining that the pedestrian is in a sensory-overloaded state based on a characteristic of the sensory environment and sensor data indicative of a pedestrian state of mind. The method also includes synchronizing a presentation of a first vehicle exterior light and a presentation of a second vehicle exterior light based on a determination that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory memory storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
assess a sensory environment of a pedestrian;
collect sensor data indicative of a pedestrian state of mind;
determine that the pedestrian is in a sensory-overloaded state based on a characteristic of the sensory environment and the sensor data indicative of the pedestrian state of mind; and
synchronize a presentation of a first vehicle exterior light and a presentation of a second vehicle exterior light based on a determination that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to synchronize the presentation of the first vehicle exterior light and the presentation of the second vehicle exterior light comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose an augmented reality (AR) overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights viewed through an AR display device worn by the pedestrian.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose the AR overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights that are synchronized with respect to at least one of:
a flashing rate;
a flashing timing;
a color;
a shape;
a position; or
a light movement.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose the AR overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to conceal the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose the AR overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights comprises machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
superimpose a digital image of a vehicle over the vehicle viewed through the AR display device, wherein the digital image conceals the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights of the vehicle; and
superimpose the AR overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over the digital image.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to synchronize the presentation of the first vehicle exterior light and the presentation of the second vehicle exterior light comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to transmit a signal to a first vehicle to alter emission characteristics of the first vehicle exterior light to be synchronous with emission characteristics of the second vehicle exterior light.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to synchronize the presentation of the first vehicle exterior light and the presentation of the second vehicle exterior light comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine flashing characteristics of the first vehicle exterior light and the second vehicle exterior light based on an environment of the pedestrian.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to assess the sensory environment of the pedestrian comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine flashing characteristics of multiple asynchronous vehicle exterior lights.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state comprises a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to assess at least one of biometric data for the pedestrian or images of the pedestrian to determine that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state comprises a machine-learning instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to compare the sensor data to baseline sensor data; and
the baseline sensor data comprises at least one of:
historical sensor data for the pedestrian; or
historical sensor data for a different pedestrian.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions further comprise a machine-readable instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to produce a notification of a sensory-overloaded pedestrian to at least one of:
a human vehicle operator;
an autonomous vehicle system; or
an infrastructure element.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
assess a sensory environment of a pedestrian;
collect sensor data indicative of a pedestrian state of mind;
determine that the pedestrian is in a sensory-overloaded state based on a characteristic of the sensory environment and the sensor data indicative of the pedestrian state of mind; and
synchronize a presentation of a first vehicle exterior light and a presentation of a second vehicle exterior light based on a determination that the pedestrian is in the sensory-overloaded state.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to synchronize the presentation of the first vehicle exterior light with the second vehicle exterior light comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor causes the processor to superimpose an augmented reality (AR) overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights viewed through an AR display device worn by the pedestrian.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to superimpose the AR overlay of computer-generated synchronized vehicle exterior lights over the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to conceal the asynchronous real-world vehicle exterior lights.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instruction that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to synchronize the presentation of the first vehicle exterior light with the second vehicle exterior light comprises an instruction that, when executed by the processor causes the processor to transmi

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Austin Benjamin Piya
• Gupta Rohit
• Garrett William Patrick

Classifications

• G08G1/162

  event-triggered · CPC title

• B60Q1/38

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

• B60Q1/143

  combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers · CPC title

• B60Q2300/45

  Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title