SPATIALLY AND/OR DISTANCE DEFINED LIGHT-BASED COMMUNICATIONS IN A VEHICLE/ROADWAY ENVIRONMENT

• US 20150025709A1
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Spaulding, Jeremy, Jessen, Karlin, Anthony, Mervyn
• Granted Patent: US 9,935,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing spatially-defined and/or distance-defined light-based communications within a vehicle/roadway environment. In some embodiments, the techniques can be used to vary the data content of a given transmitted light-based communications signal based on factors such as position, distance, and/or proximity of the transmitting source and the receiver. In some embodiments, the techniques can be used to vary the processing or other handling of a received light-based communications signal based on one or more of such factors. In some instances, the disclosed techniques can be utilized to tailor light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communications for dissemination between and among vehicles and infrastructure in a vehicle/roadway environment. To that end, a node may host a transmitter (e.g., laser, LED, or other solid-state light source) configured to emit such light-based communication signals and/or a receiver (e.g., a photosensor or other light-based data input device) configured to sense such signals.

Claims

1. A method of light-based communication within a vehicle/roadway environment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first node, a first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal; and

processing the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal at the first node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal comprises a vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the V2X communication comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication including at least one of tactical communication data and/or strategic communication data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the V2X communication comprises a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication including at least one of tactical communication data and/or strategic communication data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal includes data pertaining to at least one of a position of the first node relative to a second node, a location of the first node within a network, a strength of the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal, a time-of-flight (TOF) of the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal, and/or a heading of the first node relative to a second node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein after processing the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal at the first node, the method further comprises:

relaying the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal from the first node to a second node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein after processing the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal at the first node, the method further comprises:

transmitting a second spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal from the first node to a second node, wherein the second spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal is inclusive of the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal and additional data received from the first node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a vehicle, and wherein after processing the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal at the first node, the method further comprises:

outputting a control signal to control a vehicle function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein after processing the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal at the first node, the method further comprises:

outputting a notification to at least one of a display hosted by the first node and/or a speaker hosted by the first node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal comprises data pertaining to at least one of:

a position/orientation of a transmitter from which the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal originated;

a position/orientation of a receiver hosted by the first node;

a distance between a transmitter from which the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal originated and a receiver hosted by the first node;

a proximity of a receiver hosted by the first node to a transmitter from which the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal originated; and

/or

a location/global heading of a transmitter from which the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal originated.

11. A light-based communications system comprising:

a receiver configured to sense incoming spatially and/or distance defined light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication signals;

a transmitter configured to emit spatially and/or distance defined light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication signals; and

a processor configured to at least one of;

process incoming spatially and/or distance defined light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication signals sensed by the receiver; and

/or

process outgoing spatially and/or distance defined light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communication signals emitted by the transmitter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receiver comprises a photosensor and the transmitter comprises at least one of a solid-state laser and/or one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a control module configured to output a control signal associated with a vehicle function.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one of a display configured to display a visual notification provided by the processor and/or a speaker configured to emit an aural notification provided by the processor.

15. A vehicle comprising the system of claim 11.

16. A light-based vehicle-to-X (V2X) communications system comprising:

a first node configured to output a spatially and/or distance defined light-based V2X communication; and

a second node configured to receive and process the spatially and/or distance defined light-based V2X communication;

wherein at least one of the first node and/or second node comprises a fixed node on a roadway.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first node and/or second node comprises a traffic signal, a street light, or an electroluminescent sign.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the first node or second node comprises a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the V2X communication comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication including at least one of tactical communication data and/or strategic communication data.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the V2X communication comprises a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication including at least one of tactical communication data and/or strategic communication data.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the V2X communication comprises at least one of tactical communication data and/or strategic communication data and further comprises data pertaining to at least one of a position of the first node relative to the second node, a location of the first node, a strength of the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal, a time-of-flight (TOF) of the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication signal, and/or a heading of the first node relative to the second node.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein output of the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication by the first node is provided by a transmitter hosted by the first node, and wherein receipt of the spatially and/or distance defined light-based communication by the second node is provided by a receiver hosted by the second node.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receiver comprises a photosensor and the transmitter comprises at least one of a solid-state laser and/or one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).