# US 10,864,853 B2 · Apparatus, vehicle information system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,853 B2 - Document ID: US10864853B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/885,496 - Filed: 2018-01-31 - Published: 2019-08-01 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-31 - Assignees: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH - Applicants: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH - Inventors: Kevin Kruse; Kimberly Peiler; Johnathan Weiser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864853B2 ## CPC - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - B60K 35/21: using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays - B60K 35/235: with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points - B60K 35/25: using haptic output - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 35/50: Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60Q 3/70: characterised by the purpose - B60Q 3/80: Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/213: {Virtual instruments} - B60K 35/29: Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions - B60K 35/656: {the user being a passenger} - B60K 35/85: Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data - B60K 2360/149: Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for - B60K 2360/186: Displaying information according to relevancy - B60K 2360/21: using cameras - B60K 2360/31: Virtual images - G02B 2027/0138: {comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera} - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An apparatus includes an information system with at least one pattern generator having a plurality of light nodes, each light node including at least one light emitting element, such as an LED. The at least one pattern generator is positioned with regard to a user of the apparatus such that it is located in the peripheral view of the user. A controller is operatively coupled to the pattern generator and configured to selectively initiate the generation of a visual light pattern on the pattern generator, the visual light pattern being indicative of information which is to be provided to the user of the apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of pattern generators, each pattern generator having a plurality of light nodes, each light node comprising a light emitting element, the pattern generators being positioned at different locations around an interior of the apparatus and around a user located within the apparatus; a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of pattern generators and configured to selectively initiate generation of a visual light pattern on at least one of the plurality of pattern generators, the visual light pattern being recognizable by the user when seen in peripheral vision and indicative of information that is to be provided to the user; and a sensor system configured to monitor the interior of the apparatus and to detect a gaze direction of the user, wherein the sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors operatively coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to generate the visual light pattern on at least one specific pattern generator from the plurality of pattern generators in response to the detected gaze direction of the user, wherein the at least one specific pattern generator is located only in a peripheral vision of the user, wherein the apparatus is an autonomous vehicle, wherein the controller and the plurality of pattern generators are part of a vehicle information system, wherein the user is an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of pattern generators are positioned within the interior of the vehicle such that at least one of the plurality of pattern generators is viewable in peripheral view by the occupant of the vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the visual pattern by determining a zone to indicate that the vehicle will perform a left turn, perform a right turn, slow down or stop. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to select the visual light pattern from a plurality of light patterns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected or connectable to an information provider to receive data related to the apparatus and the user from the information provider. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to modify the visual light pattern based on the data and to initiate the generation of the modified visual light pattern on the at least one specific pattern generator or on any other of the plurality of pattern generators being in peripheral vision of the user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to obtain a visual light pattern from an external source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to modify the visual light pattern based on data received from an information provider, the data being related to the apparatus or the user, and wherein the controller is configured to initiate the generation of the modified visual light pattern on the at least one specific pattern generator or on any other of the plurality of pattern generators being in peripheral vision of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual light pattern is generated on the at least one specific pattern generator by switching on, for a predetermined period of time, the light emitting elements of at least one set of light nodes of the plurality of light nodes associated with the visual light pattern while keeping switched off the light emitting elements of remaining sets of light nodes of the plurality of light nodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a vehicle and the controller is configured to determine the information based on a vehicle status or a planned motion of the vehicle and to initiate the generation of the visual light pattern based on the determined information on the at least one specific pattern generator or on any other of the plurality of pattern generators being in peripheral vision of the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each light node is configured to emit light in a monochromatic color. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a vehicle and the plurality of pattern generators are positioned at locations within the interior of the vehicle, each location being a location selected from the group consisting of: above a windshield, along an A-pillar of the vehicle, along a B-pillar of the vehicle, along a C-pillar of the vehicle, above or below a window of the vehicle, following a perimeter of a window of the vehicle, embedded in a window of the vehicle, embedded in a door of the vehicle, embedded in a material of the interior of the vehicle, and in a peripheral viewing region of a head-mounted virtual, augmented, or mixed reality system of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a sound generation system configured to provide spatially orientated sounds indicating a position of a generated light pattern. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a haptic feedback generation system configured to provide haptic feedback associated with the generated light pattern. ### Claim 13 A method of providing information to a user of an apparatus, the method comprising: determining a visual light pattern associated with information to be provided to the user, the visual light pattern being determined in dependence on data related to the apparatus or the user; detecting a first gaze direction of the user; determining a first zone of a plurality of zones of a pattern generator having a plurality of light nodes to output the visual light pattern, the first zone being in a peripheral vision of the user based on the first gaze direction; outputting the visual light pattern on the first zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualized by the user in the peripheral vision of the user; detecting that the first gaze direction of the user has changed to a second gaze direction; determining a second zone of a plurality of zones of a pattern generator to output the visual light pattern, the second zone being different than the first zone and in an updated peripheral vision of the user based on the second gaze direction; and outputting the visual light pattern on the second zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualized by the user in the updated peripheral vision of the user, wherein the apparatus is an autonomous vehicle and the user is an occupant of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein determining the first zone and determining the second zone each comprises determining a zone to indicate that the vehicle will perform a left turn, or wherein the apparatus is an autonomous vehicle and the user is an occupant of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein determining the first zone and determining the second zone each comprises determining a zone to indicate that that the vehicle will perform a right turn. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of zones are disposed at different locations within an interior of the vehicle; and wherein the pattern generator is positioned within an interior of the vehicle such that it is viewable in peripheral view by the occupant of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein determining the first zone and determining the second zone each comprises determining a zone to indicate that the vehicle will slow down or stop. ### Claim 16 An autonomous vehicle comprising: a plurality of pattern generators, each pattern generator having a plurality of light nodes, each light node comprising a light emitting element, the pattern generators being positioned at different locations around an interior of the vehicle and around an occupant located within the vehicle; and a vehicle information system that includes a controller and the plurality of pattern generators, the vehicle information system configured to: determine a visual light pattern associated with information to be provided to the occupant, the visual light pattern being determined in dependence on data related to the vehicle or the occupant; detect a first gaze direction of the occupant; determine a first zone of a plurality of zones of the pattern generator to output the visual light pattern, the first zone to indicate that the vehicle will perform a left turn, perform a right turn, slow down or stop; output the visual light pattern on the first zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualizable by the occupant in a peripheral vision of the occupant; detect that the first gaze direction of the occupant has changed to a second gaze direction; determine a second zone of a plurality of zones of a pattern generator to output the visual light pattern, the second zone being different than the first zone and in an updated peripheral vision of the occupant based on the second gaze direction, the second zone to indicate that the vehicle will perform a left turn, perform a right turn, slow down or stop; and output the visual light pattern on the second zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualizable by the occupant in the updated peripheral vision of the occupant. ### Claim 17 A method of providing information to a user of an apparatus, the method comprising: determining a visual light pattern associated with information to be provided to the user, the visual light pattern being determined in dependence on data related to the apparatus or the user; detecting a first gaze direction of the user; determining a first zone of a plurality of zones of a pattern generator having a plurality of light nodes to output the visual light pattern, the first zone being in a peripheral vision of the user based on the first gaze direction; outputting the visual light pattern on the first zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualized by the user in the peripheral vision of the user; detecting that the first gaze direction of the user has changed to a second gaze direction; determining a second zone of a plurality of zones of a pattern generator to output the visual light pattern, the second zone being different than the first zone and in an updated peripheral vision of the user based on the second gaze direction; and outputting the visual light pattern on the second zone of the pattern generator so that the visual light pattern is visualized by the user in the updated peripheral vision of the user, wherein the apparatus is an autonomous vehicle and the user is an occupant of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein determining the first zone and determining the second zone each comprises determining a zone to indicate that the vehicle will slow down or stop. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual light pattern is generated on the at least on specific pattern generator by use of a time sequence of predefined sub-patterns of light, each sub-pattern of light being generated by switching on, for a predetermined period of time, the light emitting elements of a predefined set of light nodes of the plurality of light nodes associated with a particular sub-pattern. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each light node is configured to change a color of the emitted light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The autonomous vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a sound generation system configured to provide spatially orientated sounds indicating a position of a generated light pattern.