Vehicle load indicator

• US 9,933,294 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2017
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Huebner, Annette Lynn, Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/404,520
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/005 Ballast tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/00 Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• 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: B60Y 2400/305 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/306 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/32 Indicating the weight by optical projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/36 Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4266 for measuring solar light

Abstract

A system for a vehicle comprises a load sensor configured to sense a load on the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a load indicator where the load indicator is disposed proximate the vehicle such that the load indicator generates an output in response to the load sensed by the load sensor.

Claims

1. A load indicator system for a vehicle, comprising:

a load indicator disposed outside of the vehicle;

a load sensor for sensing a load in a vehicle bed;

a controller in communication with the load indicator and the load sensor wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a detection of an operator proximate the vehicle; and

activate the load indicator to generate an output in response to the load sensed by the load sensor and the detection of the operator proximate the vehicle.

2. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection of the operator proximate the vehicle comprises a key fob proximate the vehicle.

3. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection of the operator proximate the vehicle comprises a door open condition.

4. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the load sensed by the load sensor includes a payload weight change history and wherein the controller selectively activates the load indicator in response to a detection of a payload increase or decrease in weight by an incremental amount.

5. A load indicator system for a vehicle comprising:

one or more load indicators coupled to the vehicle;

a load sensor under a vehicle bed; and

a controller in communication with the one or more load indicators and the load sensor, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a first vehicle status input indicative of a departure of the operator from the vehicle proximity and a second vehicle status input indicative of a return of the operator to the vehicle proximity; and

activate the one or more load indicators to generate an output in response to a load sensed by the load sensor in combination with the first and second vehicle status inputs indicating the departure and the return of the vehicle operator.

6. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the load sensed by the load sensor includes a payload weight change history and wherein the controller selectively activates the one or more load indicators in response to a detection of a payload increase or decrease by a predetermined weight increment.

7. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first vehicle status input is a detection of a key fob within a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

8. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 7 wherein the predetermined distance from the vehicle is 50 feet.

9. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the second vehicle status input is a detection of a key fob at or beyond a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

10. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 9, wherein the predetermined distance from the vehicle is 50 feet.

11. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first vehicle status input is a detection of a door opening and the second vehicle status input is a detection of a door opening.

12. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more load indicators include a bed light that displays a percentage of allowable weight in the vehicle bed.

13. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more load indicators include a back up light that displays a percentage of allowable weight in the vehicle bed.

14. The load indicator system for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the one or more load indicators are outside of the vehicle.

15. A method for indicating a vehicle load, comprising the steps of:

detecting an operator within a proximity of a vehicle,

detecting a load in a vehicle bed,

comparing the load to a payload weight change history in response to detecting an operator within a proximity of the vehicle, and

activating a load indicator outside of the vehicle to display a load state.

16. The method for indicating a vehicle load of claim 15, wherein detecting an operator within the proximity of the vehicle comprises detecting an operator within a scanning range of the vehicle an initial time, and further comprising the steps of:

detecting an operator within the scanning range of the vehicle a subsequent time,

detecting the load in the vehicle bed,

comparing the load to the payload weight change history in response to detecting the operator within the scanning range of the vehicle the subsequent time, and

activating the load indicator to display the load state.

17. The method for indicating a vehicle load of claim 16, wherein detecting the load in the vehicle bed comprises detecting a less than 100% load in the vehicle bed, and further comprising the steps of:

detecting a light threshold state proximate the vehicle, and

activating vehicle lights to illuminate an area proximate the vehicle in response to detecting a twilight light state proximate the vehicle, detecting a less than 100% load in the vehicle bed, and detecting the operator within the scanning range of the vehicle the initial time.

18. The method for indicating a vehicle load of claim 15, wherein comparing the load to the payload weight change history in response to detecting the operator within the proximity of the vehicle further comprises the step of:

determining whether the payload has increased or decreased by an incremental amount in a predetermined period.

19. The method for indicating a vehicle load of claim 15, wherein activating a load indicator outside of the vehicle to display a load state comprises activating a backup light to display a percentage of allowable load.

20. The method for indicating a vehicle load of claim 15, wherein the payload weight change history identifies an incremental change in a payload weight over time.