Flexible led display for adas application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017210285-A1
Application number	US-201715416475-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 26, 2017
Priority date	Jan 26, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle includes an obstacle detector detecting presence of a pedestrian in a forward path of the vehicle and transmitting a first signal indicative of the presence. A processing device is communicatively coupled to the obstacle detector and transmits a second signal in response to receiving the first signal. A display is mounted so as to be visible to the pedestrian and is communicatively coupled to the processing device. The display responds to receiving the second signal by providing a visible indication to the pedestrian that the pedestrian's presence has been detected by the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle, comprising:
an obstacle detector configured to detect presence of a pedestrian in a forward path of the vehicle and transmit a first signal indicative of the presence; a processing device communicatively coupled to the obstacle detector and configured to transmit a second signal in response to receiving the first signal; and a display mounted so as to be visible to the pedestrian and communicatively coupled to the processing device, the display being configured to respond to receiving the second signal by providing a visible indication to the pedestrian that the pedestrian's presence has been detected by the vehicle.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the obstacle detector is radar-based.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a flexible light emitting diode display.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the display is mounted on a front grille of the vehicle.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the obstacle detector detects an outline of the pedestrian, and the display provides an image of the outline of the pedestrian such that the image of the outline is visible to the pedestrian.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the obstacle detector is disposed adjacent to a headlight of the vehicle.

7 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the processing device is configured to transmit a third signal in response to receiving the first signal, the vehicle further comprising an audio sound emitter configured to be activated in response to receiving the third signal from the processing device.

8 . A vehicle, comprising:
an obstacle detector configured to detect presence of a pedestrian in a forward path of the vehicle and transmit a signal indicative of the presence; and a display mounted so as to be visible to the pedestrian and communicatively coupled to the obstacle detector, the display being configured to respond to receiving the signal by providing a visible indication to the pedestrian that the pedestrian's presence has been detected by the vehicle.

9 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the obstacle detector is radar-based.

10 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the display comprises a flexible light emitting diode display.

11 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the display is mounted on a front grille of the vehicle.

12 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the obstacle detector detects an outline of the pedestrian, and the display provides an image of the outline of the pedestrian such that the image of the outline is visible to the pedestrian.

13 . The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the obstacle detector is disposed adjacent to a headlight of the vehicle.

14 . The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising an audio sound emitter configured to be activated in response to receiving a signal from the obstacle detector.

15 . A method of operating a motor vehicle, said method comprising:
detecting a presence of a pedestrian in a forward path of the vehicle; transmitting a first signal indicative of the presence; receiving the first signal at a processing device; transmitting a second signal from the processing device in response to receiving the first signal; and in response to receiving the second signal at a display device, using the display device to provide a visible indication to the pedestrian that the pedestrian's presence has been detected by the vehicle.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the obstacle detector is radar-based, and the display device comprises a flexible light emitting diode display device.

17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising mounting the display device on a front grille of the vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the obstacle detector detects an outline of the pedestrian, and the display device provides an image of the outline of the pedestrian such that the image of the outline is visible to the pedestrian.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the obstacle detector is disposed adjacent to a headlight of the vehicle.

20 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
transmitting a third signal from the processing device in response to receiving the first signal; and
in response to receiving the third signal, emitting an audible sound such that the audible sound may be heard by the pedestrian.

Assignees

• Panasonic Automotive Systems Co America Division Of Panasonic Corp North America

Inventors

• Kobayashi Sachiko
• Lyon David
• Braddock Gary L
• Mital Narayani

Classifications

• B60Q1/50 Primary

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

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/5035 Primary

  electronic displays · CPC title

• B60Q5/005

  automatically actuated · CPC title