Urgent vehicle warning indicator using vehicle illumination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744903-B2
Application number	US-201414469106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

Exemplary methods, vehicles, and systems are disclosed. An exemplary method may include establishing at least one visible signal configured to provide a signal during a normal state of a vehicle, detecting an alarm state of the vehicle, and initiating a visible nuisance via the at least one visible signal in response to at least the detected alarm state. An exemplary vehicle may include at least one lighting device configured to provide a signal during a normal state of a vehicle, and a processor configured to detect an alarm state of the vehicle and initiate a visible nuisance via the at least one visible signal in response to at least the detected alarm state.

First claim

What is claimed, is:

1. A method, comprising:
operating a plurality of visible lighting devices, disposed on an exterior of a vehicle, in a first operating state;
activating an alarm state in response to a vehicle operator exiting the vehicle while a vehicle powertrain is in a mode allowing vehicle motion; and
changing operation of the visible lighting devices to a second operating state that is different than the first operating state for signaling an alarm notification in response to the alarm state.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising flashing the visible lighting devices in a sequential pattern while the visible lighting devices are in the second operating state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating in the second operating state includes providing a perceptible difference in at least one of a brightness, a color, and a pattern of the visible lighting devices compared with operation during the first operating state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visible lighting devices include at least one of a light emitting diode (LED), an exterior vehicle light, and an interior vehicle light.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visible lighting devices are located on the vehicle such that the visible lighting devices are visible from an exterior of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle powertrain is in an enabled mode that is associated with a run condition of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising setting respectively, activating and deactivating the alarm state in response to corresponding commands transmitted from a device remote from the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a level of urgency associated with the alarm state, wherein a number of visible lighting devices illuminated increases as the level of urgency increases.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the visible lighting devices are operated while the visible lighting devices are in the second operating state in a sequential pattern in which light appears to rotate around the vehicle.

10. A method, comprising:
operating a plurality of visible lighting devices to output a notification selected from a plurality of vehicle notifications during operation of a vehicle;
activating an alarm state in response to a closure of the vehicle being open while a vehicle powertrain is in a mode allowing vehicle motion; and
outputting an alarm notification by operating the visible lighting devices to illuminate in a sequential pattern that creates light movement across the lighting devices in response to the alarm state, including outputting the alarm notification such that it is visible from an exterior of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle powertrain is in an enabled mode that is associated with a run condition of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of lighting devices disposed on an exterior of the vehicle; and
a processor programmed to operate the lighting devices in a first state and, in response to receiving inputs indicative of a closure of the vehicle being open while a vehicle powertrain is in a mode allowing vehicle motion, operate the lighting devices in a second state that is different than the first state for signaling an alarm notification.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to flash the lighting devices in a sequential pattern in response to operating the lighting devices in the second state.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the lighting devices include at least one of a light emitting diode (LED), an exterior vehicle light, and an interior vehicle light.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Malone Mark D
• Mansur William N
• Be Tuan A
• Van Wiemeersch John R

Classifications

• B60Q9/008 Primary

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• F21V23/003 Primary

  the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array · CPC title

• B60Q3/78

  for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges · CPC title