External Signal Light System Patents (Class 340/468)
  • Patent number: 11780366
    Abstract: A device for use with a vehicle that includes a cabinet having a plurality of sidewalls that can define at least a portion of an interior region of the cabinet. A display screen is coupled to a portion of the cabinet, at least one side of the display screen being positioned to face outwardly away from the interior region and have indicia that is visible from a location remote from both the cabinet and the vehicle. A light source can be positioned within the interior region adjacent to the display screen that is configured to selectively illuminate at least a portion of at least one of the display screen and the indicia. The device can further include a controller that is electrically coupled to the light source and a trigger assembly. The controller can be configured to initiate operation of the light source in response to receipt of a communication from the trigger assembly that is indicative a change in status of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Inventor: Ahmed Kareem
  • Patent number: 11760252
    Abstract: A vehicle configured for guiding an optimal digital key tag position to a digital key user and a method of controlling the vehicle may include a short-range communication module configured to receive a signal from a digital key within a preset distance ranging from the short-range communication module to the digital key; a lamp; and a controller connected to and configured to control the lamp and the short-range communication module based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the received signal. The controller may be configured to determine a reference range based on the RSSI of the received signal in a first mode, to control the lamp to provide information related to a position of the digital key according to the RSSI of the received signal and the reference range in a second mode, and to control the short-range communication module to transmit a signal regarding the position of the digital key to the digital key in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Coprporation
    Inventor: Yongseok Jeong
  • Patent number: 11740695
    Abstract: An eye tracking system for use with a head-mounted display (HMD) unit is described. The eye tracking system includes a support frame mounted to the HMD unit, a light source mounted to the support frame and configured to illuminate an area of a patient eye, a plurality of photosensors mounted to the support frame and configured to receive reflected light from different portions of the illuminated patient eye, a temperature sensor mounted to the support frame and configured to measure a temperature of the photosensors, and a processor. The processor is programmed to execute an algorithm including a processing module that compensates photosensor measurement error due to variable operating temperature in the HMD unit, and an eye-tracking module that determines a gaze position of the patient eye using a mapping between intensities of photosensors and a gaze position estimated during a calibration procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Inseye Inc.
    Inventors: Piotr Krukowski, Michal Meina, Piotr Redmerski
  • Patent number: 11735034
    Abstract: A system for implementing an interaction between a semi-autonomous or autonomous motor vehicle and a vulnerable user of a carriageway used by the motor vehicle and potentially crossed by a vulnerable user at a crossing, pedestrians and cyclists being considered to be vulnerable users. The system includes an environment sensor, a computer which processes the data received from the environment sensor, and a display device which is directed to outside of the vehicle and controlled by the computer. The display device being in the form of a horizontal strip occupying a longitudinal end of the vehicle, including an at least four pixels per cm2 matrix panel configured to provide vulnerable users present in the vehicle's environment with a visual indication as to whether or not they may cross the carriageway road surface, and delivers either an indication prompting them to cross or, conversely, an indication forbidding them from crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Pascal Clochard, Sylvain Cremonese
  • Patent number: 11715378
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method of a vehicle that detects a signal and reacts to the signal. The system comprises one or more sensors; one or more processors; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform detecting a signal from a source; determining an intended action of the vehicle based on the detected signal; sending, to the source, a response signal indicative of the intended action; determining whether the source has sent a response to the response signal; and in response to determining that the source has sent a response to the response signal, taking the intended action based on the response to the response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventor: Piaoyang Cui
  • Patent number: 11588281
    Abstract: A trailer illumination assembly includes a trailer that has a plurality of running lights disposed on the trailer. The trailer includes a power source is positioned in the trailer and a female light plug which can be electrically coupled to a male light plug on a towing vehicle. The female light plug is in communication with the plurality of running light. An adapter plug is pluggable into the female light plug when the female light plug is not electrically coupled to the male light plug on the towing vehicle. Additionally, the adapter plug places the power source on the trailer in electrical communication with the plurality of running lights on the trailer. In this way the running lights on the trailer can be powered by the power source on the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: James Netzel
  • Patent number: 11568772
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a display system for use on the exterior of a vehicle having a display, a vehicle speed sensor, and a processor coupled to the vehicle speed sensor. The processor is configured to implement one of three operational modes of the display system based on the speed and state of the vehicle: a first operational mode, wherein a first content, including identification and/or registration information of the vehicle is rendered on the display at a first power consumption level; a second operational mode, wherein a second content, including a message, identification and/or registration information of the vehicle, is rendered on the display; and a third operational mode, wherein content is rendered on the display at a second power consumption level less than the first power consumption level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Neville Boston, Michael Jordan
  • Patent number: 11560089
    Abstract: A bus, notably an articulated low platform bus with an electric drive or a hybrid drive. The bus includes a vehicle detection module configured for detecting vehicle such as a car, a van or a motorbike, a height obtaining module adapted for obtaining the height of the detected vehicle, and a lighting system with a lighting surface adapted for displaying a luminous picture at least partially or totally above the height of the detected vehicle. The height of the luminous picture is adapted depending on the size of the vehicle for visibility purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ALPHA EC INDUSTRIES 2018 S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Jørgen Hallundbæk
  • Patent number: 11524624
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an illumination system for a motor vehicle for illuminating a carriageway section. The aim is to illuminate the carriageway section in such a way that irritations for other road users are avoided as far as possible. The illumination system includes an information system for providing or detecting a stopping point, an illumination device for projecting a calculated light distribution onto the carriageway section, and a control unit for calculating a light distribution, wherein the calculated light distribution is a one-piece area. The one-piece area begins from a predetermined starting section, which constitutes a proximal lighting section relative to the motor vehicle and does not extend beyond the stopping point. This leads to a shortening of a lane light of the motor vehicle, so that said lane light does not illuminate the lane beyond the stopping point. This is advantageous in particular for crossroads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Said Omerbegovic, Johannes Reim
  • Patent number: 11495027
    Abstract: Upon detection of boarding of a person in a vehicle compartment of a vehicle by a vehicle information detector, a controller controls an aircraft such that the aircraft takes off from the vehicle, a photographing unit photographs a periphery of the vehicle, and a video captured by the photographing unit is transmitted to a communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 11440462
    Abstract: A liftgate lighting system for a vehicle includes a liftgate assembly having a first liftgate panel and a second liftgate panel. Each of the first liftgate panel and the second liftgate panel is operable between an opened position and a closed position. The second liftgate panel has a proximal end and a distal end. A sensor proximate to the proximal end of the second liftgate panel. The sensor defines a sensor field. A lamp assembly is coupled to the second liftgate panel. A controller is communicatively coupled to the lamp assembly. The controller activates the lamp assembly and the lamp assembly directs light to a ground area proximate to the second liftgate panel when the lower liftgate panel is in the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Peter Phung, Clayton Benjamin Ford, David M. Diamond, Aaron Bradley Johnson
  • Patent number: 11391435
    Abstract: Light-emitting devices for motor vehicles are provided, which comprise a reflection hologram. A light-guiding body is provided to direct light from a light source arrangement onto the hologram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Thomae, Roman Kleindienst, Christoph Erler, Petr Vojtisek, Alexandre Gatto
  • Patent number: 11371673
    Abstract: An outer lens for a lighting fixture for a vehicle includes a first region formed of a first material and a second region formed of a second material adjacent to the first region. The first material transmits light in a visible light range. The second material has a first wavelength range with transmittance equal to or less than a first transmittance. A second wavelength range has a transmittance equal to or more than a second light transmittance. A third wavelength range is between the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range. The first wavelength range includes a visible light at an S wavelength or a shorter wavelength. The second wavelength range includes a wavelength range from an M wavelength to an L wavelength. The third wavelength range increases from the S wavelength to the M wavelength. The first wavelength range includes the emission wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Osada, Kenichi Asaka
  • Patent number: 11322022
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for interacting traffic information, a device and a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes: in response to a first vehicle being about to overtake a second vehicle, sending overtake-preceding indicating information to the second vehicle; detecting whether the driver of the second vehicle makes a first response to the overtake-preceding indicating information; and in response to not detecting the first response made by the driver, sending additional indication information to the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Connectivity (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ya Wang, Xuning Wang
  • Patent number: 11232301
    Abstract: To manage a plurality of parking spaces, one or more images are acquired, with each parking space appearing in at least one image. Periodically acquired images of occupancy and identity are used in directing a customer to a parked vehicle. Periodically acquired images of just occupancy are used in controlling respective environmental aspects, such as illumination and ventilation, of the parking spaces. For these purposes, the images are classified automatically as “vacant” or “occupied”, and are displayed along with their classifications so that the classifications can be corrected manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TKH SECURITY LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Cohen, Richard Joffe, Bob Caspe, Aaron Isaksen, Ilan Goodman, Ian Yamey, Michael Klevansky, Andrew Crawford, Konstantyn Prokopenko, Steven Hartman, Aurelien Ramondou, Mark Kudas, Ezequiel Cura
  • Patent number: 11148584
    Abstract: A vehicular lighting apparatus which is relatively small, low cost, superior in mountability to an automobile, and superior in recognizeability of an object illuminated by a head lamp. The apparatus includes: a composite lens element that is a light guide element constructed by molding a translucent resin substantially into a plate-like shape; a planar light-emitting unit that emits light; an optical system that transforms planar light from the light-emitting unit into linear light and that causes the linear transformed light to be incident on a rear side face of the light guide element; and a diffraction lens formed on the rear side face of the light guide element on which the linear transformed light is incident, and condensing the linear transformed light. The light condensed by the lens means is emitted from a front side face of the light guide element onto a road surface in front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Hiroyuki Kajikawa, Hiroyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11125576
    Abstract: A mobile computing device such as a smartphone is used to find a parking garage with available spaces for a motor vehicle. The smartphone has a navigation app which receives a destination and computes an estimated time of arrival to that destination. It then broadcasts a request to parking garages in the vicinity of the destination with the ETA. Parking service systems associated with those garages respond with predicted parking availability. A cognitive system analyzes the responses and provides optimal recommendations based on user preferences such as cost, distance and safety. The user selects one of the recommended garages, and the computing device sends a reservation to the selected garage. The navigation app provides first directions to the destination until the vehicle is proximate thereto, and then switches to directions to the garage. The cognitive system can analyze a history of user selections and updating the user's preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Justin D. Eyster, Avery K. Rowe, Priyanka Sarkar, Christopher E. Whitridge
  • Patent number: 11127296
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for inducing safe driving of a surrounding vehicle are applied to a vehicle parked on a road and may identify an object (surrounding vehicle, pedestrian) based on an image obtained by a camera photographing an approaching object. The apparatus and method blink a lamp of the parked vehicle according to the identified object, thus preventing a traffic accident occurring due to the parked vehicle. The apparatus includes: a plurality of lamps mounted on an external portion of the parked vehicle; a camera provided in the parked vehicle and configured to photograph a surrounding image; and a controller configured to identify an object approaching the parked vehicle in the surrounding image photographed by the camera and blink at least one lamp according to the identified object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ki Jun Sung
  • Patent number: 11118932
    Abstract: A mobile computing device such as a smartphone is used to find a parking garage with available spaces for a motor vehicle. The smartphone has a navigation app which receives a destination and computes an estimated time of arrival to that destination. It then broadcasts a request to parking garages in the vicinity of the destination with the ETA. Parking service systems associated with those garages respond with predicted parking availability. A cognitive system analyzes the responses and provides optimal recommendations based on user preferences such as cost, distance and safety. The user selects one of the recommended garages, and the computing device sends a reservation to the selected garage. The navigation app provides first directions to the destination until the vehicle is proximate thereto, and then switches to directions to the garage. The cognitive system can analyze a history of user selections and updating the user's preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Justin D. Eyster, Avery K. Rowe, Priyanka Sarkar, Christopher E. Whitridge
  • Patent number: 11069244
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for implementing a lane change decision aid system (LCDAS). The LCDAS apparatus includes: a sensing device for sensing whether a target vehicle is in adjacent zones of a subject vehicle, whether the target vehicle is in a rear zone of the subject vehicle, or whether the target vehicle is a large vehicle or a compact vehicle; a processor for determining an activation condition for determining whether an LCDAS function is active/inactive and a warning condition for determining whether a warning of the LCDAS function is issued/un-issued, based on a sensing result of the sensing device; a warning device for issuing the warning to a driver based on a determination result of the processor; and a controller for controlling the sensing device, the processor, and the warning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoon Soo Kim, Seung Wook Park, Min Byeong Lee, In Yong Jung, Jae Sung Cho
  • Patent number: 11052818
    Abstract: The invention provides a large vehicle turning safety warning apparatus, which is mainly through a warning device set on at least one turning warning zone of a car body, and a control signal is generated by a control module to control the starting or closing of the warning device, or to control the warning device to execute a warning mode. In this way, when vehicles or pedestrians approach the car body, the warning device can be known by the warning device, so as to evade the invisible zone of the car body. Thus, the safety of driving is increased to avoid the occurrence of related traffic accidents because the driver of the car body cannot know whether there are pedestrians or related vehicles in the invisible zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Ya-Chi Ching
  • Patent number: 11046240
    Abstract: A direction indicator unit with wipe effect and flashing hazard light function has a right-side flashing light, a left-side flashing light, and a circuit arrangement. The circuit arrangement is configured to detect a first operating signal (B1) indicative of an operation of the right-side flashing light and a second operating signal (B2) indicative of an operation of the left-side flashing light, and to provide a first logical high control signal (SS1) for activating the right-side flashing light when an XOR linkage of the first operating signal (B1) and the second operating signal (B2) results as logical high, and to provide a second logical high control signal (SS2) for activating the left-side flashing light when an XOR linkage of the first operating signal (B1) and the second operating signal (B2) results as logical high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Frank Aust
  • Patent number: 11001197
    Abstract: A lighting system for a vehicle and a corresponding motor vehicle is implemented with personalized or individualizable lighting functions. A part of a lighting device is reserved for implementing main lighting functions in accordance with legal requirements and another part of the lighting device is reserved for generating individualizable lighting functions. The part for individualizable lighting functions can be freely programmed and actuated via a user interface, such as a smartphone, within the scope of the technical power limitations of the individual lighting devices while taking into consideration legal requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Studeny, Nils Pfullmann
  • Patent number: 10994650
    Abstract: A procedure is provided for actuating at least one light module of a light unit of a vehicle, with at least one status recognition device for identifying a vehicle status and/or at least one surroundings recognition device for identifying a vehicle's surroundings, and with a light control system. The light module is automatically actuated by the status recognition device and/or the surroundings recognition device by means of the light control system depending on at least one input signal of the light control system. In order to improve a light distribution adapted to the respective driving situation, the light unit features a light distribution recognition device for identifying a light distribution of a light beam emitted by the light module into the surroundings of the vehicle and that the light module be automatically actuated by means of the light control system depending on at least one input signal of the light control system from the light distribution recognition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Boris Kubitza, Udo Venker, Carsten Wilks
  • Patent number: 10981494
    Abstract: A three dimensional truck or SUV cab marker light apparatus comprising a container having a right circular cylinder structure with a shape determined by the number of walls used during assembly, each wall being formed from a generally flat sheet of a rigid material and a transparent material, the walls being assembled to form a container enclosing an interior region for a light-transmission source and having a lower surface for attachment to a cab roof without drilling holes into the cab roof and without installing wires through the cab roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CAB OVER AMERICA LLC
    Inventor: Vincent L. Badkin
  • Patent number: 10974641
    Abstract: A taillight system including a brake light assembly, a connection assembly, a control assembly and a vehicle assembly. The brake light assembly includes a brake light having a display screen and LEDs. The connection assembly includes a connection plug that permits the brake light to be retrofitted onto existing vehicles. The brake light functions as standard brake lights do. However, the display screen and the LEDs allow for a personalized design selected by a user to be displayed and emitted by the LEDs. The design allows for the user to express their creativity and personality. The user may control the design, color and other features of the design with a remote or with a mobile device. Once the brake light is needed for standard functions of the vehicle the display screen corresponds with emitting those vehicle signals instead of the ornamental design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventors: Greg Poulsen, Shaun Poulsen
  • Patent number: 10942269
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for monitoring a surrounding area (6) of a vehicle-trailer combination (1) formed by a motor vehicle (2) and a trailer (3), with which at least one radar sensor (7) is disposed on a rear area (8) at the trailer (3) for acquiring radar sensor data from the surrounding area (6) behind the trailer (3) and the acquired radar sensor data are transmitted to a controller (10) of the motor vehicle (2). Moreover, the invention concerns a monitoring device (5), a driver assistance system and a vehicle-trailer combination (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Geiger, Gerald Koudijs
  • Patent number: 10899268
    Abstract: A lamp having a built-in sensor includes a lamp housing having a lamp opening on one side thereof in a longitudinal direction of the lamp, a light-transmitting outer glass that covers the lamp opening, a light guide that is disposed on an inside surface of the lamp housing and that emits light, an inner glass located ahead of the light guide inside the lamp housing with respect to the longitudinal direction, and a sensor that is disposed inside the lamp housing and located ahead of the inner glass with respect to the longitudinal direction and that senses a surrounding object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Han Kim
  • Patent number: 10895361
    Abstract: The present invention related to an optical device comprising: a light guide; at least one first light source and at least one second light source; at least one first optical coupler and at least one second optical coupler; and at least one collimator to generate a first collimated light beam and a second collimated light beam. The at least one first optical coupler is configured to receive the first collimated light beam and directs the first collimated light beam along a first optical axis towards a first region of the light exit face to perform a first photometric function. The at least one second optical coupler is configured to receive the second collimated light beam and directs the second collimated light beam along a second optical axis towards a second region of the light exit face to perform a second photometric function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Crespin, Lionel Floc'h
  • Patent number: 10814778
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting driving information of a vehicle may include: a surrounding information sensing unit configured to sense an obstacle positioned within a designated distance around the vehicle or an obstacle approaching within a designated distance; a vehicle information sensing unit configured to sense a status of the ego vehicle; a control unit configured to determine a surrounding situation of the ego vehicle or whether the surrounding situation was recognized, based on the information sensed through the surrounding information sensing unit, determine the status of the ego vehicle based on the information sensed through the vehicle information sensing unit, and output information through an information output unit, the information corresponding to the determined surrounding situation or whether the surrounding situation was recognized and the determined status of the ego vehicle; and the information output unit including a display lamp and speaker installed on the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Jeong Lee, Seung Woo Baek, Ban Suk Choi, Cheon Seop Shin, Jun Hyuk Cha, Moo Kwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10773642
    Abstract: A driver nudge system is operated within a vehicle to indicate a warning to a driver of the vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel, a vehicle sensor monitoring an operating environment of the vehicle, and an electric motor connected to the steering wheel configured to nudge the steering wheel in an opposite direction to a threat diagnosed according to data from the vehicle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventors: Frazier Cunningham, III, Cindita D. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 10718481
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicular illumination device capable of increasing a degree of design freedom in designing a vehicle having enhanced design. An illumination device is provided on a front portion of a vehicle. The illumination device includes a headlight, a light guide, and an outer glass. The light guide has an annular shape in such a way as to surround a periphery of the headlight. The outer glass includes a front surface portion for covering a front surface of the headlight, and a perimeter portion for covering a periphery of the headlight. The light guide is disposed along an imaginary plane inclined with respect to a tubular axis of the perimeter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakaya
  • Patent number: 10688910
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system is provided in a vehicle capable of traveling in an automated driving mode. The vehicle lighting system includes an automated driving system (ADS) lamp configured to emit light toward an outside of the vehicle to visually present information relating to automated driving of the vehicle, and a lighting control unit configured to determine brightness of the ADS lamp according to at least one of a distance between an object outside the vehicle and the vehicle, an attribute of the object, and a road surface condition around the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10686998
    Abstract: A system includes a storage device storing a set of instructions and at least one processor in communication with the storage device. When executing the instructions, the at least one processor is configured to cause the system to obtain a first operation mode of the optical filter and determine a brightness value of visible light of ambient light. The at least one processor may also cause the system to obtain a brightness threshold related to the first operation mode, compare the brightness value of the visible light of the ambient light with the brightness threshold, and determine whether a switching condition is satisfied based on the comparison result. Upon the determination that the switching condition is satisfied, the at least one processor may further cause the system to switch the first operation mode of the optical filter to a second operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG DAHUA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tingniao Wang
  • Patent number: 10679253
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a ride share signage device and method of using the ride share signage device. In certain embodiments, ride share signage device includes: a border display element for displaying initials of ride share companies, an LED dot-matrix display element for displaying one or more advertisements and rider welcome messages in different languages. Signage controller includes a display driver to manage displays, an input module and a processing element. The input module receives information about one or more riders through a ride request and the advertisements. The processing element includes a processor and a non-volatile memory storing computer executable instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventors: David Quan He, Ming Jiang
  • Patent number: 10645778
    Abstract: A method of selecting a color in a multiple color LED lamp with only two external wires leading to the LED lamp. The LED lamp receives power and control signals through a power lead of the lamp. By detecting a power pulse sequence on the power lead in a first pattern, a microcontroller within the lamp controls the lamp to illuminate a first color. By detecting a power pulse sequence on the power lead in a second pattern, the microcontroller controls the lamp to illuminate a second color. The pattern detected indicates the desired color for the lamp to the microcontroller. Other patterns indicate other control instructions for the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Tomar Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott T. Sikora
  • Patent number: 10632903
    Abstract: A system for detecting a surrounding condition relative to a body is provided. The system comprises a light-emitter, a sensor for detecting the surrounding condition, and a controller for changing a state of the light-emitter when the sensor detects a change of a condition at a position forward of the body. This system forcibly changes the state of at least one of a plurality of lighting devices (change from an unlit state to a lighting state or a blinking state, change in the emission color, or change in the luminance) installed inside the moving body, if an object to which attention must be paid during traveling of the moving body is detected in the surroundings of the moving body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Kato
  • Patent number: 10632904
    Abstract: A system for detecting a surrounding condition relative to a body is provided. The system comprises a light-emitter, a sensor for detecting the surrounding condition, and a controller for changing a state of the light-emitter when the sensor detects a change of a condition at a position forward of the body. This system forcibly changes the state of at least one of a plurality of lighting devices (change from an unlit state to a lighting state or a blinking state, change in the emission color, or change in the luminance) installed inside the moving body, if an object to which attention must be paid during traveling of the moving body is detected in the surroundings of the moving body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Kato
  • Patent number: 10556537
    Abstract: A vehicle messaging system for efficiently messaging other vehicle drivers. The vehicle messaging system generally includes a transparent member attached to a surface of a window of a motorized vehicle, a message attached to the transparent member, a light unit attached to the motorized vehicle and a control unit in communication with the light unit and a turn signal controller of the motorized vehicle. The control unit is programmed to automatically activate the light unit after the turn signal controller transitions from having a turn signal activated to having a turn signal deactivated. The light unit illuminates the message when the light unit is activated so that the message is viewable by a person outside of the motorized vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Inventor: Curtis R. John
  • Patent number: 10504365
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present application provide a navigation method, device and system. The method is applied to a server. The method includes: receiving current position feature information sent by a mobile terminal, determining a position of an area matching the current position feature information based on the current position feature information and a database stored in the server, and taking the position as an initial position; determining a position of one empty area of the areas as a target position based on position information corresponding to respective areas and correspondence relationship between identification information of the respective areas and the respective feature information currently stored in the database; and determining a first route from the initial position to the target position and displaying the first route on an electronic map of the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiliang Pu, Jianxin Meng, Jiang Zhu, Linjie Shen, Hai Yu
  • Patent number: 10480747
    Abstract: A rear lamp apparatus of a vehicle is provided. The rear lamp apparatus includes a light source configured to irradiate beams, a hologram lens configured to generate a specific image when the beams irradiated from the light source are incident thereto and a reflector disposed to position the beams of the light source incident thereto and reflect the beams irradiated from the light source to transmit the beams to the hologram lens. A shield is disposed between the light source and the hologram lens to block the beams irradiated from the light source to prevent the beams from being incident to the hologram lens. Accordingly, the rear lamp apparatus resolves distortion when a hologram image is formed and is advantageous in a layout by reducing a reproduction distance when a recording distance of the hologram image is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, SL Corporation
    Inventors: Byoung Suk Ahn, Jik Soo Shin, Jung Wook Lim, Ki Hong Lee, Sung Wook Yoon, Ji Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 10449893
    Abstract: An auxiliary third brake light which is installed on a removable or collapsible truck bed enclosure or frame is disclosed. The auxiliary third brake light is preferably not physically secured by adhesive or mechanical fastener to the truck bed, cab or body or any part of the truck. Rather, the parts of the auxiliary third brake light that are mounted to the truck bed cover and contact the truck bed, cab or body is pressed into contact. In this way, when the truck bed cover is collapsed or removed, the user can have full use of the truck bed. The parts of the auxiliary third brake light that contact the truck bed, cab or body are pulled off therefrom. When the truck bed cover is deployed to the erected position or put back on the truck bed, the parts of the third brake light that contact the truck bed, cab or body are properly repositioned back into position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Inventor: Nicholas J. Singer
  • Patent number: 10352719
    Abstract: A parking space navigation method is provided. The method includes obtaining and displaying a parking space distribution map of a parking lot by using a mobile terminal; querying current existing vacant parking spaces of the parking lot from a server; marking the current existing vacant parking spaces on the parking space distribution map; determining a target vacant parking space from the marked current existing vacant parking spaces; obtaining, from the server, a first position of a terminal node associated with the mobile terminal when the terminal node is placed on a vehicle; and drawing, on the parking space distribution map, a navigation route from the first position to the target vacant parking space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: CHONGQING UNIVERSITY OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jianjun Lei, Yuan He, Mingwei Xiao, Shengwen Luo, Huaming Wang
  • Patent number: 10311770
    Abstract: Provided is a display system for a vehicle. The display system includes a display device installed to be visually recognizable from the outside of a vehicle, and a control device configured to cause the display device to display state information of the vehicle. The control device receives a signal from a sensor that senses a distance from the vehicle to an object around the vehicle, and the control device changes display of the display device based on the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ishizuka, Kazuhisa Inoue, Yosuke Ohashi, Tomoaki Harada, Yasuaki Tsutsumi, Yoshiro Ito, Yoshinori Shibata, Takeshi Iwasaki, Yasutaka Sasaki, Honami Fujii
  • Patent number: 10293740
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight and method for operating the headlight is disclosed, wherein the headlight is operated in a main beam mode or in a partial main beam node. A light distribution of the main beam of the headlight is adapted as a function of a course of a road which is being traveled along by the motor vehicle. In addition, a motor vehicle headlight is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Frank Langkabel, Rouven Haberkorn, Philipp Roeckl, Thomas Feid, Justus Illium, Michael Rabe, Ingolf Schneider, Isabell Woelfelschneider
  • Patent number: 10278267
    Abstract: A lighting system comprises a plurality of lighting devices interconnected with one another in a communication network, preferably a wireless communication network; the lighting devices define respective equivalent nodes of the network and are configured so that any one of said lighting devices of the lighting system selectively acts as a master, if an initial control input is received directly by that lighting device; and as a slave, if the initial control input is received by another lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ARTEMIDE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Carlotta Francesca Isolina Maria De Bevilacqua, Andrea Gallucci
  • Patent number: 10253946
    Abstract: Techniques to reduce light dissipation (e.g., light bleed) for electronic device assemblies. According to one embodiment, the techniques include forming a housing for a device from a plastic material. The housing defines an area of permissible light transmission from an interior portion of the housing through an exterior portion of the housing to provide one or more visual notifications for the device. The techniques further include forming a light dissipation layer from the plastic material proximate the area of permissible light transmission to inhibit light propagation through the housing outside the area of permissible light transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Seth Spiel, Matthew Cho
  • Patent number: 10252603
    Abstract: A rear lift gate can be hingedly coupled to a truck cap body and movable between a lowered closed position and a raised open position. The rear lift gate can include a lower margin having a convex shape generally corresponding to an outward or rearward convex upper margin of the tailgate. The rear lift gate can further include a seal strip mounted to an interior side of the lower margin of the rear lift gate. The convex lower margin of the rear lift gate can overlay the convex upper margin of the exterior side of the tailgate with the seal strip of the interior side of the lower margin of the rear lift gate sealing against the exterior side of the convex upper margin of the tailgate when the rear lift gate is in the lowered closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: A.R.E. Accessories, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew N. Rohr
  • Patent number: 10252665
    Abstract: A method for operating illumination of a motorized transportation vehicle wherein a light appearance is produced, which extends over at least a large portion of a width of the motorized transportation vehicle. The light appearance becomes visible at least for a transportation vehicle driver when the motorized transportation vehicle is switched on and is subsequently changed to display a driving readiness of the motorized transportation vehicle. In this way, a very pronounced, brand-individualizing visualization of the driving readiness becomes possible, which is easily perceived by the transportation vehicle driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Sandra Sturmat
  • Patent number: 10240747
    Abstract: A first lamp assembly has a first side surface with a first light passage and a hollow interior with a first light dispersing member disposed therein. The first light dispersing member is positioned to receive light emitted through the first light passage and emit light received via the first light passage. The second lamp assembly has a hollow interior with a first lighting device disposed therein, and a second side surface with a second light passage. The first lighting device is positioned to emit light through the second light passage, such that when the second light passage and the first light passage are adjacent to one another with the first and second light passages being aligned, and with the first lighting device operating, the first lighting device emits light through the second light passage into the second light passage illuminating the first light dispersing member within the first lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle Happy