# US 10,504,369 B2 · Signal device and collision avoidance system

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- Number: US 10,504,369 B2
- Document ID: US10504369B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/539,119
- Filed: 2014-12-26
- Published: 2017-12-07
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-26
- Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
- Inventors: Yuji Kodama; Koji Nakatani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504369B2

## CPC

- B60Q 1/525: {automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data}
- B60Q 1/381: {with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect}
- B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19)
- 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)
- G08G 1/164: {Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles}
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

A turn signal device comprising: a right-turn signal and a left-turn signal provided in a host vehicle; an operation device for generating operation signals; an acquisition unit that acquires determination signals indicating determination results regarding the risk of a collision between the host vehicle and a following vehicle; a normal situation control unit that, based on the operation signals, outputs normal situation control signals such that light-emitting units for either or both the left-turn signal and the right-turn signal light up sequentially from an inner side to an outer side in the vehicle width direction; and a dangerous situation control unit that outputs dangerous situation control signals such that, when a determination signal indicates a determination result that there is a risk of collision, the light-emitting units for both the left-turn signal and the right-turn signal light up sequentially from the outer side to the inner side.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turn signal device comprising:
a right turn signal, provided on a right side of a rear part of a host vehicle, the right turn signal having a plurality of light-emitting units arranged in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle;
a left turn signal, provided on a left side of the rear part of the host vehicle, the left turn signal having a plurality of light-emitting units arranged in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle;
an operation device, provided in a driver cab of the host vehicle, the operation device being capable of generating an operation signal for causing one or both of the right turn signal and the left turn signal to operate in response to an operation made by a driver;
an acquisition unit that acquires a determination signal indicating a determination result of whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle;
a normal situation control unit that, on the basis of the operation signal, outputs a normal situation control signal such that the plurality of light-emitting units in one or both of the right turn signal and the left turn signal light up sequentially from an inner side to an outer side with respect to the vehicle width direction at constant time intervals, wherein the normal situation control unit outputs the normal situation control signal such that after a first light-emitting unit of the plurality of light-emitting units lights up, a second light-emitting unit of the plurality of light-emitting units lights up while the first light-emitting unit lights up; and
a dangerous situation control unit that, upon the determination signal indicating a determination result that there is a risk of the collision being acquired, outputs a dangerous situation control signal such that the plurality of light-emitting units in both of the right turn signal and the left turn signal light up sequentially from the outer side to the inner side with respect to the vehicle width direction at constant time intervals, wherein the dangerous situation control unit outputs the dangerous situation control signal such that after the first light-emitting unit of plurality of light-emitting units lights up, the second light-emitting unit lights up while the first light-emitting unit lights up.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turn signal device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a switching unit that, upon the determination signal indicating a determination result that there is a risk of the collision being acquired while the normal situation control signal is being outputted, stops the output of the normal situation control signal and outputs the dangerous situation control signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The turn signal device according to claim 2,
wherein upon the determination signal indicating a determination result that there is no risk of the collision being acquired while the dangerous situation control signal is being outputted, the switching unit stops the output of the dangerous situation control signal and outputs the normal situation control signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The turn signal device according to claim 3,
wherein the dangerous situation control unit changes one or both of a time at which the respective pluralities of light-emitting units start lighting up, and a light emission amount of those light-emitting units, on the basis of a level of the risk of the collision.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 4, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 3, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 2, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The turn signal device according to claim 2,
wherein the dangerous situation control unit changes one or both of a time at which the respective pluralities of light-emitting units start lighting up, and a light emission amount of those light-emitting units, on the basis of a level of the risk of the collision.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 8, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The turn signal device according to claim 1,
wherein the dangerous situation control unit changes one or both of a time at which the respective pluralities of light-emitting units start lighting up, and a light emission amount of those light-emitting units, on the basis of a level of the risk of the collision.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 10, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A collision avoidance system comprising:
a detection device, provided in a rear part of a host vehicle, the detection device detecting a following vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in a non-contact manner;
a determination unit that, on the basis of a detection result from the detection device, determines whether or not there is a risk of a collision between the host vehicle and the following vehicle; and
the turn signal device according to claim 1, the turn signal device being controlled on the basis of a determination result from the determination unit.