Communication system, vehicle for use with same, and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024283895-A1
Application number	US-202318172197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 21, 2023
Priority date	Feb 21, 2023
Publication date	Aug 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A communication system and associated methods are provided. The communication system and associated methods includes a vehicle having an interior for seating a number of individuals, a camera coupled to the interior, and a display screen coupled to the interior. The communication system further includes an apparatus having a camera and a display screen. The camera of the vehicle is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the apparatus. The camera of the apparatus is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the vehicle.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A communication system, comprising:
a vehicle comprising an interior for seating a number of individuals, a camera coupled to the interior, and a display screen coupled to the interior; and an apparatus comprising a camera and a display screen, wherein the camera of the vehicle is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the apparatus, and wherein the camera of the apparatus is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the vehicle.

2 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle, and wherein the apparatus is a second vehicle.

3 . The communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the display screen of the first vehicle is configured to display a life size representation of an interior of the second vehicle provided by the camera of the second vehicle; and wherein the display screen of the second vehicle is configured to display a life size representation of the interior of the first vehicle provided by the camera of the first vehicle.

4 . The communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the first vehicle is a first fully autonomous taxi, and wherein the second vehicle is a second fully autonomous taxi.

5 . The communication system according to claim 2 , wherein the display screen of the first vehicle is a first display screen, wherein the first vehicle further comprises a second display screen, wherein the display screen of the second vehicle is a third display screen, wherein the second vehicle further comprises a fourth display screen, wherein the first and second display screens are coupled to opposing sides of the interior of the first vehicle, and wherein the third and fourth display screens are coupled to opposing sides of an interior of the second vehicle.

6 . The communication system according to claim 5 , wherein the first display screen is configured to display a representation of a first side of the second vehicle, wherein the second display screen is configured to display a representation of a second side of the second vehicle, wherein the third display screen is configured to display a representation of a first side of the first vehicle, wherein the fourth display screen is configured to display a representation of a second side of the first vehicle, wherein the first side of the first vehicle corresponds to the first side of the second vehicle, and wherein the second side of the first vehicle corresponds to the second side of the second vehicle.

7 . The communication system according to claim 5 , wherein the first vehicle further comprises a first audio sensor and second audio sensor each coupled to the interior of the first vehicle and positioned proximate a corresponding one of the first and second display screens, wherein the second vehicle further comprises a third audio sensor and a fourth audio sensor each coupled to the interior of the second vehicle and positioned proximate a corresponding one of the third and fourth display screens, and wherein each of the first and second audio sensors are wirelessly connected to a corresponding one of the third and fourth audio sensors.

8 . The communication system according to claim 1 , wherein the display screen of the vehicle is configured to display a life size representation provided by the camera of the apparatus.

9 . The communication system according to claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile device.

10 . A vehicle for use with a communication system, the system comprising an apparatus comprising a camera and a display screen, the vehicle comprising:
an interior for seating a number of individuals; a camera coupled to the interior and configured to be wirelessly connected to the display screen of the apparatus; and a display screen coupled to the interior and configured to be wirelessly connected to the camera of the apparatus.

11 . The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the display screen of the vehicle is configured to display a life size representation provided by the camera of the apparatus.

12 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the display screen of the vehicle is a first display screen, wherein the vehicle further comprises a second display screen, and wherein the first and second display screens are coupled to opposing sides of the interior of the vehicle.

13 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the camera of the apparatus is a first camera, wherein the apparatus further comprises a second camera, wherein the first display screen is configured to display a life size representation provided by the first camera, and wherein the second display screen is configured to display a life size representation provided by the second camera.

14 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a first audio sensor and second audio sensor each coupled to the interior of the vehicle and positioned proximate a corresponding one of the first and second display screens, and wherein each of the first and second audio sensors are configured to be wirelessly connected to the apparatus.

15 . A method of providing communication between a vehicle and an apparatus, the method comprising:
providing the vehicle with an interior for seating a number of individuals, a camera coupled to the interior, and a display screen coupled to the interior; providing the apparatus with a camera and a display screen; wirelessly connecting the camera of the vehicle to the display screen of the apparatus; and wirelessly connecting the camera of the apparatus to the display screen of the vehicle.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
providing the vehicle as a first vehicle; and providing the apparatus as a second vehicle.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
displaying with the display screen of the first vehicle a life size representation of an interior of the second vehicle provided by the camera of the second vehicle; and displaying with the display screen of the second vehicle a life size representation of the interior of the first vehicle provided by the camera of the first vehicle.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the display screen of the first vehicle is a first display screen, wherein the first vehicle further comprises a second display screen, wherein the display screen of the second vehicle is a third display screen, wherein the second vehicle further comprises a fourth display screen, wherein the first and second display screens are each disposed on an opposing side of the interior of the first vehicle, and wherein the third and fourth display screens are each disposed on an opposing side of an interior of the second vehicle.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
displaying a representation of a first side of the second vehicle with the first display screen; displaying a representation of a second side of the second vehicle with the second display screen; displaying a representation of a first side of the first vehicle with the third display screen; displaying a representation of a second side of the first vehicle with the fourth display screen; orienting the first vehicle and the second vehicle such that the first side of the first vehicle corresponds to the first side of the second vehicle, and the second side of the first vehicle corresponds to the second side of the second vehicle.

20 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
employing an app on an external device to wireles

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kondrad Marcos Silva
• Preuss Kevin Wayne
• Mozurkewich Kevin
• Maloney Patrick
• White Trevor

Classifications

• H04N7/15

  Conference systems · CPC title

• H04N7/14

  Systems for two-way working ({H04N7/12, } H04N7/173 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04W4/46

  for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V] · CPC title

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• H04N7/142 Primary

  Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display · CPC title