System and method for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle

• US 10,414,338 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spirited Eagle Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Spirited Eagle Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Hubbell, Jerry K., Lesesky, Alan C., Osborne, Steven Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/521,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20170334355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle. The system incorporates a plurality of object detecting sensors. The sensors are arranged for monitoring at least one critical zone around the vehicle. A plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes are operatively associated with the object detecting sensors. The addressable light-emitting diodes are located on the vehicle for visual display to the driver. When a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, a detection signal is transmitted to a LED controller. Upon receiving the detection signal, the LED controller transmits a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with the given sensor, such that the activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle, comprising:

locating a plurality of object detecting sensors on the vehicle, the sensors being arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located 360 degrees around the vehicle;

operatively pairing a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes with the object detecting sensors;

locating the addressable light-emitting diodes on the vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein locating the addressable light-emitting diodes on the vehicle comprises integrating the addressable light-emitting diodes in a mirror mounted to the vehicle, and arranging the light-emitting diodes in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the mirror, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the mirror represents one of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle;

when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, transmitting a detection signal to a LED controller; and

upon receiving the detection signal, the LED controller transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with the given sensor, such that the activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and

tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the mirror, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the mirror adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and

illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the mirror in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein locating the addressable light-emitting diodes on the vehicle comprises integrating the addressable light-emitting diodes in a LED display box mounted on a trailer pulled by the vehicle, and located for visual display to the driver through a rearwardly directed exterior mirror mounted on the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said addressable light-emitting diodes selectively activate and deactivate when objects enter and leave the critical zone.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object detecting sensors comprise a plurality of radar transceivers adapted to direct radar waves into the critical zone, and to receive reflected radar waves from any objects located in the critical zone.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the radar transceivers comprise short-range radar.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of radar transceivers comprise at least one pair of forward facing and rearward facing short-range radars.

7. A system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception around a transportation vehicle, said system comprising:

a plurality of object detecting sensors adapted for being located on the vehicle and arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located 360 degrees around the vehicle;

a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes operatively associated with said object detecting sensors, and adapted for being located on the vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein the addressable light-emitting diodes are integrated in a mirror mounted to the vehicle, and arranged in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the mirror, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the mirror represents one of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle; and

a LED controller adapted for receiving a detection signal when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, and for transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with said given sensor, such that said activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and

said LED controller tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the mirror, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the mirror adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and

said LED controller illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the mirror in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around the vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said addressable light-emitting diodes are integrated in a LED display box adapted for mounting on a trailer pulled by the vehicle, and said LED display box adapted for being viewed by the driver through a rearwardly directed exterior mirror mounted on the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said addressable light-emitting diodes are adapted to selectively activate and deactivate when objects enter and leave the critical zone.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said object detecting sensors comprise a plurality of radar transceivers adapted for directing radar waves into the critical zone, and for receiving reflected radar waves from any objects located the critical zone.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said radar transceivers comprise at least one pair of forward facing and rearward facing short-range radars.

12. A transportation vehicle comprising a system for enhancing driver situation awareness and environment perception, said transportation vehicle comprising:

a plurality of object detecting sensors adapted for being located on said vehicle and arranged for monitoring a corresponding plurality of critical zones located 360 degrees around said vehicle;

a plurality of addressable light-emitting diodes operatively associated with said object detecting sensors, and adapted for being located on said vehicle for visual display to the driver, wherein the addressable light-emitting diodes are integrated in a mirror mounted to the vehicle, and arranged in separate top, bottom, right, and left lines along respective top, bottom, right, and left marginal edges of the mirror, and wherein each of the addressable light-emitting diodes in the mirror represents one of the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle; and

a LED controller adapted for receiving a detection signal when a given sensor detects an object in the critical zone, and for transmitting a control signal to selectively activate only those addressable light-emitting diodes which are associated with said given sensor, such that said activated light-emitting diodes visually communicate to the driver a location of the detected object in the critical zone; and

said LED controller tracking realtime movement of the detected object throughout the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle by selectively activating and deactivating the addressable light-emitting diodes, wherein movement of the detected object into a first critical zone activates a first addressable light-emitting diode in the mirror, and further movement of the detected object outside of the first critical zone and into an adjacent second critical zone deactivates the first addressable light-emitting diode and activates a second addressable light-emitting diode, the second addressable light-emitting diode being located in the mirror adjacent the first addressable light-emitting diode; and

said LED controller illuminating the light-emitting diodes in the mirror in different colors in order to distinguish different ones of the plurality of critical zones around said vehicle.