System of configuring active lighting to indicate directionality of an autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701239-B2
Application number	US-201514756994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods may be configured to implement actively-controlled light emission from a robotic vehicle. A light emitter(s) of the robotic vehicle may be configurable to indicate a direction of travel of the robotic vehicle and/or display information (e.g., a greeting, a notice, a message, a graphic, passenger/customer/client content, vehicle livery, customized livery) using one or more colors of emitted light (e.g., orange for a first direction and purple for a second direction), one or more sequences of emitted light (e.g., a moving image/graphic), or positions of light emitter(s) on the robotic vehicle (e.g., symmetrically positioned light emitters). The robotic vehicle may not have a front or a back (e.g., a trunk/a hood) and may be configured to travel bi-directionally, in a first direction or a second direction (e.g., opposite the first direction), with the direction of travel being indicated by one or more of the light emitters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for visual indication of direction of travel of a bidirectional autonomous vehicle, comprising:
receiving data representing a trajectory of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle in an environment;
causing the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to navigate in a first direction of travel that corresponds to the trajectory, wherein a first end of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle is facing the first direction of travel;
selecting data representing a first directional light pattern, wherein the first directional light pattern is configured to indicate the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle;
selecting a light emitter of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to emit light into the environment;
causing, using the data representing the first directional light pattern, the light emitter to emit the light to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle;
detecting that the bidirectional autonomous vehicle is switching from navigating in the first direction of travel to a second direction of travel, wherein a second end of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle is facing the second direction of travel;
selecting data representing a second directional light pattern, wherein the second directional light pattern is configured to indicate the second direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle; and
causing, using the data representing the second directional light pattern, the light emitter to emit the light to visually convey the second direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle,
wherein the second directional light pattern and the first directional light pattern are substantially symmetric about an axis of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the data representing the first directional light pattern includes at least data representing a light color that indicates the first direction of travel; and
causing the light emitter to emit the light to visually convey the first directional light pattern comprises causing, using the data representing the light color, the light emitter to emit the light in the light color to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the data representing the first directional light pattern includes at least data representing a light sequence that indicates the first direction of travel; and
causing the light emitter to emit the light to visually convey the first directional light pattern comprises causing, using the data representing the light sequence, the light emitter to emit the light in the light sequence to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein selecting the light emitter comprises selecting at least one light emitter that is disposed at the first end of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the light emitter is disposed at a first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, wherein the first side is different than the first end and the second end.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting an additional light emitter of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, the additional light emitter being configured to emit additional light into the environment; and
causing, using the data representing the first directional light pattern, the additional light emitter to emit the additional light to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 ,
wherein the light emitter is disposed at a first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, the first side being different than the first end and the second end; and
the additional light emitter is disposed at a second side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, the second side being different than the first end and the second end.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle and the second side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle are on opposite sides of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, and the at least one light emitter and the at least one additional light emitter are symmetrically disposed relative to the first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle and the second side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the light emitter comprises selecting at least one light emitter that is disposed on a wheel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

10. A bidirectional autonomous vehicle comprising:
one or more light emitters;
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive data representing a trajectory in an environment;
cause the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to navigate in a first direction of travel that corresponds to the trajectory, wherein a first end of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle is facing the first direction of travel;
select a light emitter of the one or more light emitters, the light emitter being configured to emit light into the environment;
cause, using data representing a first directional light pattern, the light emitter to emit the light to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle;
cause the bidirectional autonomous vehicle to navigate in a second direction of travel, wherein a second end of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle is facing the second direction of travel; and
cause, using data representing a second directional light pattern, the light emitter or an additional light emitter of the one or more light emitters to emit the light to visually convey the second direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle,
wherein the second directional light pattern and the first directional light pattern are substantially symmetric about an axis of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

11. The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 10 , the one or more computer-readable media further storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
select an additional light emitter of the one or more light emitters, the additional light emitter being configured to emit additional light into the environment; and
cause the additional light emitter to emit the additional light to visually convey the first direction of travel of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle.

12. The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
the light emitter is disposed at a first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, the first side being different than the first end and the second end; and
the additional light emitter is disposed at a second side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, the second side being different than the first end and the second end.

13. The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle and the second side of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle are on opposite sides of the bidirectional autonomous vehicle, and the light emitter and the additional light emitter are symmetrically disposed relative to the first side and the second side.

14. The bidirectional autonomous vehicle of claim 10 , the one or more computer-readable media further storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive data representing

Assignees

• Zoox Inc

Inventors

• Kentley Timothy David
• Gamara Rachad Youssef

Classifications

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• B60L3/0007 Primary

  Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions · CPC title

• B60W30/08

  Active safety systems} predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision {or attempting to minimise its consequences · CPC title

• B60W30/18

  Propelling the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W30/095

  Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision · CPC title