# US 10,766,411 B1 · Collision avoidance activation lights

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- Number: US 10,766,411 B1
- Document ID: US10766411B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/436,434
- Filed: 2019-06-10
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-10
- Assignees: Caterpillar Inc.
- Applicants: Caterpillar Inc.
- Inventors: James McKnight; David Bumpus
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766411B1

## CPC

- B60Q 1/44: for indicating braking action {or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal}
- B60Q 1/46: for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights {or hazard lights}
- B60Q 1/543: {for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045)}
- B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters}
- B60Q 2800/20: Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

## Abstract

An electronic control unit (ECU) is disclosed. The ECU may receive a command associated with a vehicle. The ECU may actuate one or more lights on the vehicle in a first mode based on receiving the command. The ECU may transmit, while actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, the command to a vehicle controller associated with the vehicle. The ECU may actuate the one or more lights in a second mode based on receiving an acknowledgement of the command from the vehicle controller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving, at an electronic control unit (ECU), a command associated with a vehicle;
actuating, by the ECU, one or more lights on the vehicle in a first mode based on receiving the command;
transmitting, by the ECU and while actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, the command to a vehicle controller associated with the vehicle; and
actuating, by the ECU, the one or more lights in a second mode based on receiving an acknowledgement of the command from the vehicle controller.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises:
an emergency stop command;
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the first mode comprises:
illuminating a light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence; and
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the second mode comprises:
illuminating the light in a solid mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises:
a slowdown command;
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the first mode comprises:
illuminating a light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence; and
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the second mode comprises:
illuminating the light in a solid mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises:
a motion inhibit command;
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the first mode comprises:
illuminating a light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence; and
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the second mode comprises:
illuminating the light in a solid mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises:
a controlled stop command;
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the first mode comprises:
illuminating a first light and a second light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence; and
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the second mode comprises:
illuminating the first light and the second light in a solid mode,
wherein the first light and the second light are different colored lights.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises:
an override command;
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the first mode comprises:
illuminating a first light, a second light, and a third light, of the one or more lights, in a solid mode; and
wherein actuating the one or more lights in the second mode comprises:
turning off the first light, the second light, and the third light,
wherein the first light, the second light, and the third light are different colored lights.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more lights are located on one or more sides of the vehicle.

### Claim 8

A system, comprising:
one or more lights on a vehicle; and
an electronic control unit (ECU), associated with the vehicle, to:
actuate the one or more lights on the vehicle in a first mode based on at least one of:
receiving a command associated with the vehicle, or
detecting an error associated with the vehicle;
transmit, to a vehicle controller associated with the vehicle and while actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, at least one of:
the command associated with the vehicle, or
an indication of the error associated with the vehicle; and
actuate the one or more lights in a second mode based on receiving, from the vehicle controller, an acknowledgement of at least one of:
the command associated with the vehicle, or
the indication of the error associated with the vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the error associated with the vehicle comprises at least one of:
a system startup error associated with a collision avoidance system (CAS) of the vehicle,
a failed handshake between a CAS controller and the ECU, or
an improper command use by the CAS controller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights on the vehicle in the first mode, is to:
illuminate a first light, a second light, and a third light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence based on detecting the error associated with the vehicle; and
wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, is to:
turn off the first light, the second light, and the third light,
wherein the first light, the second light, and the third light are different colored lights.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights on the vehicle in the first mode, is to:
illuminate a light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence based on receiving the command associated with the vehicle,
wherein the command comprises:
an emergency stop command received from a collision avoidance system (CAS) controller of the vehicle; and
wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, is to:
illuminate the light in a solid mode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights on the vehicle in the first mode, is to:
illuminate a light, of the one or more lights, in a flashing sequence based on receiving the command associated with the vehicle,
wherein the command comprises:
a slowdown command received from a collision avoidance system (CAS) controller of the vehicle; and
wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, is to:
illuminate the light in a solid mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights on the vehicle in the first mode, is to:
illuminate a first light, a second light, and a third light, of the one or more lights, in a solid mode based on receiving the command associated with the vehicle,
wherein the command comprises:
an override command received from an override switch of the vehicle; and
wherein the ECU, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, is to:
turn off the first light, the second light, and the third light,
wherein the first light, the second light, and the third light are different colored lights.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the ECU is further to:
receive, from the vehicle controller, the acknowledgement of the override command after expiration of a time period from a time at which the ECU transmitted the override command to the vehicle controller.

### Claim 15

An electronic control unit (ECU), comprising:
one or more memories; and
one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, to:
receive, from a collision avoidance system (CAS) controller, a command associated with a CAS of a vehicle;
actuate, based on receiving the command, one or more lights on the vehicle in a first mode;
transmit, while actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, the command to a vehicle controller associated with the vehicle; and
actuate, based on receiving an acknowledgement of the command from the vehicle controller, the one or more lights in a second mode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The ECU of claim 15, wherein the command comprises:
an emergency stop command;
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, are to:
illuminate a red light, of the one or more lights, in a first flashing sequence; and
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, are to:
illuminate the red light in a second flashing sequence.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The ECU of claim 15, wherein the command comprises:
a slowdown command;
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, are to:
illuminate a light, of the one or more lights, in a first flashing sequence; and
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, are to:
illuminate the light in a second flashing sequence.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The ECU of claim 15, wherein the command comprises:
a motion inhibit command;
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, are to:
illuminate a light, of the one or more lights, in a first flashing sequence; and
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, are to:
illuminate the light in a second flashing sequence.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The ECU of claim 15, wherein the command comprises:
a controlled stop command;
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, are to:
illuminate a first light and a second light, of the one or more lights, in a first flashing sequence; and
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, are to:
illuminate the first light and the second light in a second flashing sequence,
wherein the first light and the second light are different colored lights.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The ECU of claim 15, wherein the command comprises:
an override command;
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the first mode, are to:
illuminate a first light, a second light, and a third light, of the one or more lights, in a first flashing sequence; and
wherein the one or more processors, when actuating the one or more lights in the second mode, are to:
illuminate the first light, the second light, and the third light in a second flashing sequence,
wherein the first light, the second light, and the third light are different colored lights.