EXTERNAL INDICATORS AND NOTIFICATIONS FOR VEHICLES WITH AUTONOMOUS CAPABILITIES
First Claim
1. A method for notifying a user outside of a vehicle as to whether the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a processor of the vehicle, notification information including whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and a description of or details about the vehicle;
activating, using the processor of the vehicle, an external indicator of the vehicle when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode;
transmitting the notification information from a transmitter coupled to the processor to a receiver of a remote device, the remote device being a cell phone, a smartphone or a tablet device; and
displaying, using a display screen of the remote device, the notification information including whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and the description of or the details about the vehicle, the description of or the details about the vehicle including a make, a model, a year, a color, a type of vehicle, a license plate number or a photo of the vehicle such that the user is able to identify and locate the vehicle based on the description of or the details about the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for notifying a third party or a third party device (e.g., a mobile phone or a second vehicle) as to whether a first vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode. The method includes receiving, at a first electronic control unit, notification information including whether the first vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and a description of or details about the first vehicle and transmitting from a transmitter of the first vehicle to a receiver of the third party device, the notification information. The method also includes displaying, using a display screen of the third party device, the notification information including whether the first vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and the description of or the details about the first vehicle.
31 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for notifying a user outside of a vehicle as to whether the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a processor of the vehicle, notification information including whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and a description of or details about the vehicle; activating, using the processor of the vehicle, an external indicator of the vehicle when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode; transmitting the notification information from a transmitter coupled to the processor to a receiver of a remote device, the remote device being a cell phone, a smartphone or a tablet device; and displaying, using a display screen of the remote device, the notification information including whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and the description of or the details about the vehicle, the description of or the details about the vehicle including a make, a model, a year, a color, a type of vehicle, a license plate number or a photo of the vehicle such that the user is able to identify and locate the vehicle based on the description of or the details about the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 21)
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9. (canceled)
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11. A method for notifying a second vehicle as to whether a first vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode or a semi-autonomous mode, the method comprising:
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receiving, at an electronic control unit of the first vehicle, notification information including whether the first vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and a description of or details about the first vehicle; transmitting the notification information from a transmitter of the first vehicle to a receiver of the second vehicle; and displaying, using a display screen of a mobile computing device in the second vehicle, the notification information including whether the first vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or the semi-autonomous mode and the description of or the details about the first vehicle, the description of or the details about the first vehicle including a make, a model, a year, a color, a type of vehicle, a license plate number or a photo of the first vehicle, such that a user in the second vehicle is able to identify and locate the first vehicle based on the description of or the details about the first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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19. (canceled)
Specification