Platooning light fence system and method

• US 10,220,768 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Damon, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US15/646,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20190016255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 362485
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/24 for lighting other areas than only the way ahead
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/508 specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/13 characterised by the type of light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/31 Optical layout thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A platooning light fence includes an illumination assembly having one or more light sources located on at least one of a first platooning truck and a second platooning truck, each of the one or more light sources configured to radiate a beam of light that extends substantially continuously between the first and second platooning trucks. A system for deterring passenger vehicles from entering a gap defined between at least a leading platooning truck and a trailing platooning truck includes an illumination assembly having one or more light sources located on at least one of the leading platooning truck and the trailing platooning truck, each of the one or more light sources configured to radiate a beam of light that extends substantially continuously between the leading and trailing platooning trucks, and an activation assembly configured to selectively activate the illumination assembly.

Claims

1. A platooning light fence, comprising an illumination assembly having one or more light sources located on at least one of a first platooning vehicle and a second platooning vehicle, each of the one or more light sources configured to radiate a beam of coherent light that extends substantially horizontally and continuously between the first and second platooning vehicles such that the coherent beam of light originates from the at least one of the first platooning vehicle and the second platooning vehicle and terminates at the other of the first platooning vehicle and the second platooning vehicle to create a fenced off area in a gap defined between the first and second platooning vehicles.

2. The platooning light fence of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more light sources are laser light sources.

3. The platooning light fence of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more light sources radiates a beam of light slightly downwardly from the at least one of the first platooning vehicle and the second platooning vehicle toward the other of the first platooning vehicle and the second platooning vehicle.

4. The platooning light fence of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are located on at least one of a windshield, headlight, grill, bumper, visor, fender, and hood of the second platooning vehicle.

5. The platooning light fence of claim 1, wherein the first platooning vehicle is a truck having a tractor and a trailer, and wherein the one or more light sources are located around a trailing edge of a trailer of the first platooning vehicle.

6. The platooning light fence of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to radiate a beam of light that extends substantially horizontally and continuously around at least a portion of the first and second platooning vehicles.

7. A system for deterring passenger vehicles from entering a gap defined between at least a leading platooning vehicle and a trailing platooning vehicle, comprising:

an illumination assembly having one or more light sources located on at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle, each of the one or more light sources configured to radiate a beam of coherent light that extends substantially horizontally and continuously between the leading and trailing platooning vehicles such that the coherent beam of light originates from the at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle and terminates at the other of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle to create a fenced off area in the gap defined between the leading and trailing platooning vehicles; and

an activation assembly configured to selectively activate the illumination assembly.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more light sources are laser light sources.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more light sources radiates a beam of light slightly downwardly from the at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle toward the other of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more light sources are located on at least one of a windshield, headlight, grill, bumper, visor, fender, and hood of the trailing platooning vehicle.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first platooning vehicle is a truck having a tractor and a trailer, and wherein the one or more light sources are located around a trailing edge of a trailer of the leading platooning vehicle.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to radiate a beam of light that extends substantially horizontally and continuously around at least a portion of the leading and trailing platooning vehicles.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the activation assembly automatically activates the illumination assembly when the leading platooning vehicle is electronically synced with the trailing platooning vehicle.

14. The system of claim 7, further comprising one or more mirrors located on at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle to reflect at least one beam of light back toward the other of the at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle.

15. A method for deterring passenger vehicles from entering a gap defined between at least a leading platooning vehicle and a trailing platooning vehicle, comprising activating an illumination assembly to radiate at least one coherent beam of light substantially horizontally and continuously between the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle such that the at least one coherent beam of light originates from at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle and terminates at the other of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle to create a fenced off area in the gap defined between the leading and trailing platooning vehicles.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the at least one beam of light slightly downwardly from the leading platooning vehicle to the trailing platooning vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising radiating the at least one beam of light slightly downwardly from the trailing platooning vehicle to the leading platooning vehicle.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising radiating the at least one beam of light such that it extends substantially horizontally and continuously around at least a portion of the leading and trailing platooning vehicles.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically activating the illumination assembly when the leading platooning vehicle is electronically synced with the trailing platooning vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising reflecting the at least one beam of light back toward at least one of the leading platooning vehicle and the trailing platooning vehicle.