MULTIPURPOSE VEHICLE LIGHTING

• US 20190236938A1
• Filed: 01/26/2018
• Published: 08/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ekladyous, Albert, Hohmann, Lisa, Ramasami, Udayakumar, Adams-Campos, Kelley Maria, Singh, Sarbjit, Mady, Ghassan E.
• Granted Patent: US 11,710,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0041 of several lamps in relation to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• 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 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: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to make a first determination to provide light to operate a vehicle and, based on the first determination, actuate a first set of lights. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to make a second determination to provide a communication, and, based on the second determination, actuate a second set of lights to provide the communication.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to:

make a first determination to provide light that is required to operate a vehicle on a public roadway, and, based on the first determination, actuate a first set of lights of a lamp assembly; and

make a second determination to provide a communication, and, based on the second determination, actuate a second set of lights of the lamp assembly to provide the communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication in response to receiving a message from a computer that is remote from the vehicle, the message indicating the communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate the first set of lights to provide light having a brightness that is between a predetermined upper brightness threshold and a predetermined lower brightness threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication in response to detecting a second vehicle within a threshold distance of the vehicle and having a right of way over the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of lights and the second set of lights include one or more same lights.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate one or more of the lights of the first set of lights to an off-state to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication including at least one of a visual pattern of shapes, a symbol, and an alphanumeric character.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores instructions to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication including indicia to identify the vehicle.

9. A method, comprising:

making a first determination to provide light that is required to operate a vehicle on a public roadway, and, based on the first determination, actuating a first set of lights of a lamp assembly; and

making a second determination to provide a communication, and, based on the second determination, actuating a second set of lights of the lamp assembly to provide the communication.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising actuating the second set of lights to provide the communication in response to detecting a pedestrian within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising actuating the second set of lights to provide the communication based on a location of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising actuating the second set of lights to provide the communication in response to detecting a second vehicle within a threshold distance of the vehicle and having a right of way over the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of lights and the second set of lights include one or more same lights.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising actuating one or more of the lights of the first set of lights to an off-state to actuate the second set of lights to provide the communication.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a type of the communication before actuating the second set of lights to provide the communication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the type of the communication is one of identification and right of way.

17. A system, comprising:

a lamp assembly for a vehicle, the lamp assembly including a plurality of lights; and

a computer having a processor and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor to;

make a first determination to provide light that is required to operate the vehicle on a public roadway and, based on the first determination, actuate a first set of lights of the plurality of lights; and

make a second determination to provide a communication, and, based on the second determination, actuate a second set of lights of the plurality of lights to provide the communication.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of lights are uniformly arranged in a plurality of rows.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the lamp assembly is a headlamp.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the lamp assembly includes a housing, and the plurality of lights are supported by the housing.