Lighting device for a vehicle

• US 9,902,311 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Sweeney, Matthew, Pilarski, Thomas, Ross, William Payne, Liu, Chenggang
• Primary Examiner(s): Timory, Kabir A
• Application Number:
  US15/143,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2615 mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/40 Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287

Abstract

A control system of a self-driving vehicle (SDV) can process sensor data from a sensor system of the SDV to autonomously control acceleration, steering, and braking systems of the SDV along a current route. Based on the current route, the control system can dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV. Based on the set of immediate actions, the control system can generate a set of intention outputs on a lighting strip of the SDV, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions.

Claims

1. A self-driving vehicle (SDV) comprising:

a sensor system comprising one or more sensors generating sensor data corresponding to a surrounding area of the SDV;

acceleration, steering, and braking systems;

a lighting strip viewable from the surrounding area of the SDV;

a control system comprising one or more processors executing an instruction set that causes the control system to;

process the sensor data to autonomously control the acceleration, steering, and braking systems along a current route;

based on the current route, dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV;

initiate a preemptive signaling mode to generate a set of intention outputs on the lighting strip based on the set of immediate actions, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions;

execute the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking, and steering systems; and

while executing the set of immediate actions, initiate a reactive signaling mode to generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs replacing the set of intention outputs.

2. The SDV of claim 1, wherein the set of immediate actions comprises at least one of a turning action, a lane changing action, a deceleration action, or an acceleration action.

3. The SDV of claim 2, wherein execution of the instruction set causes the control system to generate the set of intention outputs by (i) determining a directional rate of change for each respective one of the set of immediate actions, (ii) correlate a respective segment of the lighting strip to the respective immediate action, and (iii) generate a respective intention output on the respective segment of the lighting strip for the respective immediate action based on the directional rate of change.

4. The SDV of claim 3, wherein the set of immediate actions comprises two or more of the turning action, the lane changing action, the deceleration action, or the acceleration action, and wherein the set of intention outputs comprises a corresponding plurality of respective intention outputs that correspond to the two or more immediate actions.

5. The SDV of claim 4, wherein execution of the instruction set causes the control system to generate the corresponding plurality of respective lighting outputs simultaneously on the lighting strip.

6. The SDV of claim 3, wherein the respective intention output for the respective immediate action comprises at least one of a predetermined color set or a predetermined pattern.

7. The SDV of claim 1, wherein the sensor system is included within a housing mounted on a roof of the SDV, and wherein the lighting strip circumscribes an exterior of the housing.

8. The SDV of claim 7, wherein the lighting strip comprises a plurality of multi-colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. The SDV of claim 8, wherein the plurality of multi-colored LEDs comprises more than 500 multi-colored LEDs.

10. The SDV of claim 1, wherein the lighting strip circumscribes a mid-level of the SDV, the mid-level comprising at least door panels and quarter panels of the SDV.

11. The SDV of claim 10, wherein the mid-level further comprises a front bumper and a rear bumper of the SDV.

12. The SDV of claim 1, wherein execution of the instruction set further causes the control system to:

dynamically scan the surrounding area of the SDV for external entities; and

in response to detecting an external entity in the surrounding area, generate an acknowledgement output on a segment of the lighting strip that is directionally correlated with the detected external entity.

13. The SDV of claim 12, wherein execution of the instruction set causes the control system to generate the acknowledgement output to dynamically scroll along the lighting strip to remain directionally correlated with the detected external entity as the SDV and the external entity move relationally.

14. The SDV of claim 13, wherein the detected external entity corresponds to one of a pedestrian, another vehicle, or a bicyclist.

15. The SDV of claim 12, wherein the acknowledgement output for detected external entities comprises a unique color not utilized by the control system for sets of immediate actions.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a control system for a self-driving vehicle (SDV), cause the control system to:

process sensor data from a sensor system of the SDV to autonomously control acceleration, steering, and braking systems of the SDV along a current route;

based on the current route, dynamically determine a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV;

initiate a preemptive signaling mode to generate a set of intention outputs on a lighting strip of the SDV based on the set of immediate actions, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions;

execute the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking, and steering systems; and

while executing the set of immediate actions, initiate a reactive signaling mode to generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs replacing the set of intention outputs.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of immediate actions comprises at least one of a turning action, a lane changing action, a deceleration action, or an acceleration action.

18. A computer-implemented method of signaling intent for a self-driving vehicle (SDV), the method being performed by one or more processors of a control system of the SDV and comprising:

processing sensor data from a sensor system of the SDV to autonomously control acceleration, steering, and braking systems of the SDV along a current route;

based on the current route, dynamically determining a set of immediate actions to be performed by the SDV;

initiating a preemptive signaling mode to generate a set of intention outputs on a lighting strip of the SDV based on the set of immediate actions, the set of intention outputs indicating the set of immediate actions prior to the SDV executing the set of immediate actions;

executing the set of immediate actions using the acceleration, braking, and steering systems; and

while executing the set of immediate actions, initiating a reactive signaling mode to generate a corresponding set of reactive outputs to indicate the set of immediate actions being executed, the corresponding set of reactive outputs replacing the set of intention outputs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the set of immediate actions comprises at least one of a turning action, a lane changing action, a deceleration action, or an acceleration action.