VEHICLE COMMUNICATION GRILLE

• US 20180334088A1
• Filed: 05/16/2017
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2017
• 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., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Buttolo, Pietro, Surman, James J., Huebner, Annette Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 10,753,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2661 mounted on parts having other functions on wheels B60Q1/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/442 visible on the front side of the vehicle, e.g. for pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/506 specific to silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• 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 2900/40 Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/52 Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles cooling aspects B60K11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/525 Radiator grilles
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/195 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system includes an illuminated grille assembly. The illuminated grille assembly includes a plurality of grille bars each having at least one light source. A control system is configured to control the illuminated grille assembly to emit combinations of lighting effects from the plurality of grille bars for indicating a plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system, comprising:

an illuminated grille assembly including a plurality of grille bars each having at least one light source; and

a control system configured to control the illuminated grille assembly to emit combinations of lighting effects from the plurality of grille bars for indicating a plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors are visually distinctive in terms of at least color and brightness.

3. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors are visually distinctive in terms of a total amount of the plurality of grille bars that are illuminated.

4. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of grille bars include housing, the at least one light source, and at least one optic device.

5. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 4, wherein the housing includes a metallic film secured to a plastic part and a plastic backing secured to the plastic part.

6. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 4, comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) housed within the housing.

7. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

8. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 7, wherein the LED is a multi-colored LED.

9. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to turn a first portion of the light sources ON and turn a second portion of the light sources OFF to create a symbol within the illuminated grille assembly.

10. The vehicle lighting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

11. A method, comprising:

producing a first lighting effect on an illuminated grille assembly to indicate a first operating behavior of a vehicle; and

producing a second lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate a second operating behavior of the vehicle that is different from the first operating behavior.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the first lighting effect indicates that the vehicle is stopped and in park and the second lighting effect indicates that the vehicle is about to move forward.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate that the vehicle is about to stop or delay its start.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate a traveling speed of the vehicle.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate that the vehicle is turning.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate that the vehicle is out of service.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein producing the another lighting effect includes:

controlling one or more light sources of the illuminated grilled assembly to display a symbol on the illuminated grille assembly.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate that the vehicle requires service.

19. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate an emergency situation.

20. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising:

producing another lighting effect on the illuminated grille assembly to indicate that the vehicle is in reverse.