Vehicle object detection and notification system

• US 9,580,012 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lisseman, Jason, Cech, Len, Smith, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/635,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20160257248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/576, 340/459, 340/468, 340/458, 340/435, 340/433, 180/400, 180/315, 701/41, 701/36, 701/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/332 Light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/186 Displaying Information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/332 Light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Disclosed and described herein is a vehicle object notification system comprising a steering interface that includes a plurality of light-emitting elements, each of the light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface, wherein a first light emitting element is configured to illuminate based on a detection of an object relative to a first portion of a vehicle and a second light emitting element is configured to illuminate based on a detection of an object relative to a second portion of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle object notification system, comprising:

a steering interface comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements, each of the light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface, wherein a first light emitting element is configured to illuminate based on a detection of an object relative to a first portion of a vehicle and a second light emitting element is configured to illuminate based on a detection of an object relative to a second portion of a vehicle,

wherein the second light emitting element is arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface, the second light emitting element configured to illuminate when the object is located at least one of behind the vehicle or underneath the vehicle.

2. The vehicle object notification system of claim 1, wherein the first light emitting element is arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface, the first light emitting element configured to illuminate when the object is located in front of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle object notification system of claim 1, wherein the first light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to the first portion of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle object notification system of claim 3, wherein the second light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to the second portion of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle object notification system, comprising:

a steering interface;

at plurality of light-emitting elements coupled to the steering interface, a first one of the plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface and a second light-emitting element arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface;

a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of light-emitting elements and configured to;

receive information indicative of an object detected proximate the vehicle;

determine a first location of the object relative to a first portion of the vehicle, based on the received information;

provide, to the first light-emitting element arranged in an elongated pattern along the rim portion of the steering interface, a first control signal for illuminating the first light-emitting element according to an illumination pattern, the illumination pattern based on the first location of the object;

determine a second location of the object relative to a second portion of the vehicle, based on the received information; and

provide, to the second light-emitting element arranged in the elongated pattern along the hub portion of the steering interface a second control signal for illuminating the second light-emitting element according to a second illumination pattern, the second illumination pattern based on the second location of the object, wherein the second location comprises at least one of an area behind the vehicle or underneath the vehicle.

6. The vehicle object notification system of claim 5, wherein the first location comprises an area in front of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle object notification system of claim 5, wherein the first light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to the first portion of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle object notification system of claim 5, wherein the second light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to the second portion of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

one or more ground-engaging devices;

a steering interface, coupled to one or more ground-engaging devices and comprising a rim portion and a hub portion, the rim portion configured for grasping by an operator of the vehicle;

a first light-emitting element coupled to the steering interface, the first light-emitting element arranged in an elongated pattern along at least a portion of the rim portion of the steering interface;

a second light-emitting element coupled to the steering interface, the second light-emitting element arranged in an elongated pattern along at least a portion of the hub portion of the steering interface;

a controller communicatively coupled to the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element configured to;

receive information indicative of an object detected proximate the vehicle;

determine the location of the object relative at a portion of the vehicle, based on the received information; and

providing, to at least one of the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element, a control signal for illuminating the at least one of the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element according to an illumination pattern, the illumination pattern based on the location of the object, wherein the control signal is provided to the second light-emitting element when the location of the object is behind or underneath the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein determining the location of the object relative to the portion of the vehicle includes determining the location of the object is in a first location relative to the portion of the vehicle, and wherein providing the control signal to the at least one light-emitting element includes providing the control signal to the first light-emitting element.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first location comprises an area in front of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein determining the location of the object relative to the portion of the vehicle includes determining the location of the object is in a second location relative to the portion of the vehicle, and wherein providing the control signal to the at least one light-emitting element includes providing the control signal to the second light-emitting element.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the second location comprises at least one of an area behind the vehicle or underneath the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to a first portion of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the second light-emitting element includes a plurality of regions, each region configured to selectively illuminate based on a respective location of the object relative to a second portion of the vehicle.