LIDAR display systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904375-B1
Application number	US-201715484073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2017
Priority date	Apr 10, 2017
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying imagery on a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system are provided. In one example embodiment, a method includes determining, by the one or more computing devices, a rotational frequency of a LIDAR device located on a vehicle. The method includes illuminating, by the one or more computing devices, one or more of a plurality of light emitting elements coupled to the LIDAR device based at least in part on the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and the one or more images for display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising;
receiving, by one or more computing devices, one or more images for display;
determining, by the one or more computing devices, a rotational frequency of a LIDAR device located on a vehicle; and
illuminating based at least in part on the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and the one or more images for display, by the one or more computing devices, one or more of a plurality of light emitting elements positioned on a rotatable portion of the LIDAR device, wherein the one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements rotate at the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and illuminate to display imagery associated with the one or more images for display.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting, by the one or more computing devices, the one or more images for display, wherein the one or more images for display are associated with a user of a transport service associated with the vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on predefined preferences of the user accessible by the one or more computing devices.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on a request for the transport service by the user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on a state of the vehicle in response to the request for the transport service, the state of the vehicle comprising at least one of i) the vehicle traveling to a pickup location of the user, ii) the vehicle approaching the pickup location of the user, iii) the vehicle being positioned within a predetermined distance of the pickup location of the user, or iv) the vehicle being positioned within the predetermined distance of the pickup location of the user and being stationary for a predetermined amount of time.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more computing devices, the one or more images for display based at least in part on a surrounding environment of the vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more images for display comprise advertising, news, artwork, or combinations thereof.

8. A computing system for displaying imagery, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more tangible, non-transitory, computer readable media that collectively store instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving one or more images for display;
determining a rotational frequency of a LIDAR device located on a vehicle; and
illuminating, based at least in part on the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and the one or more images for display, one or more of a plurality of light emitting elements positioned on a rotatable portion of the LIDAR device, wherein the one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements rotate at the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and illuminate to display imagery associated with the one or more images for display.

9. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise selecting the one or more images for display, wherein the one or more images for display are associated with a user of a transport service associated with the vehicle.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on predefined preferences of the user accessible by the one or more computing devices.

11. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on a request for the transport service by the user.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more images for display are selected based at least in part on a state of the vehicle in response to the request for the transport service, the state of the vehicle comprising at least one of i) the vehicle traveling to a pickup location of the user, ii) the vehicle approaching the pickup location of the user, iii) the vehicle being positioned within a predetermined distance of the pickup location of the user, or iv) the vehicle being positioned within the predetermined distance of the pickup location of the user and being stationary for a predetermined amount of time.

13. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the one or more images for display based at least in part on a surrounding environment of the vehicle.

14. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more images for display comprise advertising, news, artwork, or combinations thereof.

15. A display apparatus, comprising:
one or more support elements positioned on a rotational portion of a LIDAR device capable of rotational movement; a plurality of light emitting elements positioned on the one or more support elements and
one or more controllers in communication with the plurality of light emitting elements and configured to cause one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements to illuminate for display based at least in part on a rotational frequency of the LIDAR device, wherein the one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements rotate at the rotational frequency of the LIDAR device and illuminate to display imagery associated with one or more images for display.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more controllers are configured to communicate with one or more computing devices to receive the one or more images for display from the one or more computing devices.

17. The display apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the one or more controllers are configured to cause one or more of they plurality of light emitting elements to illuminate for display based at least in part on the one or more images for display.

18. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of light emitting elements comprise light emitting diodes.

19. The display apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the one or more controllers comprise one or more drivers.

20. The display apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more support, elements are configured to be coupled to a housing of the LIDAR device such that the one or more light emitting elements are visible.

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Donnelly Richard Brian
• Rice David Patrick
• Haban Philipp
• Watson Jr Thomas Jeffery

Classifications

• G06Q30/0261

  based on user location · CPC title

• G09G3/005

  forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• B60Q1/2611

  Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle · CPC title

• G05D1/00

  Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) · CPC title