System and method to alert vehicle door-opening

• US 9,821,743 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Zhang, Kadin, Zheng, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US15/161,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 340463, 340464, 340468, 340469, 340471, 340472
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2692 retractable lights retractable headlights B60Q1/05
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, a door-opening alert system of a vehicle includes a light-emitting unit to be connected and at least partially external to the vehicle at a light-emitting position, a sensing unit to signal a door-opening event at the vehicle, and a control unit to communicate between the sensing unit and the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit is to emit a light pattern indicative of a dimension of a side door of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A door-opening alert system of a vehicle, comprising:

a light-emitting unit to be connected to the vehicle;

a sensing unit to signal a door-opening event at the vehicle; and

a control unit to communicate between the sensing unit and the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit is to emit a light pattern on a ground adjacent to the vehicle indicative of an actual path over which a side door of the vehicle will open.

2. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, further comprising a connector via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to be connected to a rearview mirror of the vehicle, an actionable arm connected to the connector and extending away from the rearview mirror at a traverse direction of the vehicle at a light-emitting position, and wherein the light-emitting unit is disposed at a distal end of the connector.

3. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, further comprising a connector via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to be connected to a roof-side rim of the vehicle, an actionable arm connected to the connector and extending away from the roof-side rim of the vehicle at a light-emitting position, and wherein the light-emitting unit is disposed at a distal end of the connector.

4. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, further comprising a connector via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to be connected to a lower body of the vehicle, an actionable arm connected to the connector and extending away from the lower body of the vehicle at a light-emitting position, and wherein the light-emitting unit is disposed at a distal end of the connector.

5. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, further comprising a telescopic arm or a retractable arm via which a light-emitting device of the light-emitting unit is to be positioned externally to the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

6. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, further comprising a direction adaptor via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to emit light directed toward a ground surface upon which the vehicle stands.

7. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting unit includes an array of lights to form on the ground surface a light pattern indicative of an outer contour of a side door of the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

8. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting unit includes a lens to form on the ground surface a light pattern indicative of an outer contour of a side door of the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

9. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting unit includes an array of lights to form on the ground surface a light pattern indicative of an opening movement of a side door of the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

10. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein a distance of light-emitting unit includes a light-emitting device and a distance of the light-emitting device from the vehicle is no less than 10 centimeters at a light emitting position.

11. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light pattern is in a partial circle, a circular shape, a rectangular or a trapezoid shape corresponding to a door-opening path.

12. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light pattern includes a manufacturer sign, notifying drawings or warnings.

13. The door-opening alert system of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting unit includes at least one actionable arm extending away from the vehicle at a traverse direction, wherein the light-emitting unit is disposed at a distal end of the actionable arm at the light-emitting position.

14. A method of alerting a door-opening event at a vehicle, comprising:

providing a door-opening alert system to the vehicle, the door-opening alert system including a light-emitting unit to be connected to the vehicle, a sensing unit to signal a door-opening event at the vehicle, and a control unit to communicate between the sensing unit and the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit is to emit a light pattern on a ground immediately adjacent to the vehicle indicative of an actual path over which a side door of the vehicle will open.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the door-opening alert system is provided to include at least one of a telescopic arm and a retractable arm via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to be positioned externally to the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the door-opening alert system is provided to include a direction adaptor via which at least a portion of the light-emitting unit is to emit light directed toward a ground surface upon which the vehicle stands.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the door-opening alert system is provided such that the light-emitting unit includes a lens to form on the ground surface a light pattern indicative of an outer contour of a side door of the vehicle at a light-emitting position.

18. A door-opening alert system of a vehicle, comprising:

a light-emitting unit to be connected to the vehicle including

an arm extending away from the vehicle at a light emitting position, and

a light-emitting device disposed at a distal end of the arm;

a sensing unit to signal a door-opening event at the vehicle; and

a control unit to communicate between the sensing unit and the light-emitting unit such that the light-emitting unit is to emit a light pattern on a ground adjacent to the vehicle indicative of an actual path over which a side door of the vehicle will open.

19. The door-opening alert system of claim 18, wherein the arm includes a plurality of actionable arms, a support beam connected to distal ends of the actionable arms, and a light-emitting device disposed on the support beam, wherein each of the actionable arm is foldable, retractable or telescopic.

20. The door-opening alert system of claim 18, wherein the sensing unit further includes a surrounding brightness sensor, where the control unit compares a surrounding brightness signal to a predetermined value and sends control signals to the light-emitting unit to emit a light in a first color suitable for lighting in a dark surrounding if the dark surrounding is detected and a light in a second color suitable for lighting in a bright surroundings if the bright surrounding is detected.