# US 11,110,856 B2 · Vehicle lamp system for indicating autonomous driving and charge level of battery

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- Number: US 11,110,856 B2
- Document ID: US11110856B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/968,564
- Filed: 2019-02-08
- Published: 2020-12-10
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-16
- Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Atsushi Sugimoto; Toru Takahashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110856B2

## CPC

- F21S 43/245: emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
- F21S 43/246: {having two or more output branches}
- B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries
- B60Q 1/0011: {with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices}
- B60Q 1/2611: {Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle}
- B60Q 1/2615: {mounted on the vehicle body, e.g. with magnets}
- B60Q 1/5035: {electronic displays}
- B60Q 1/508: {specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys}
- B60Q 1/543: {for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045)}
- F21S 43/237: rod-shaped
- F21S 43/249: with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide
- F21S 43/2492: {having two or more input branches}
- B60Q 2400/20: Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
- F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED]
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Problem: To clearly indicate an autonomous driving state and a charge level of a battery of a vehicle with a single lamp. Solution: A vehicle headlamp (3) includes a communication lamp (7) for indicating an autonomous driving state of a vehicle while the vehicle is driving, and a lamp ECU (32) for performing control to cause the communication lamp (7) to indicate a charge level of a battery (31) while the vehicle is stationary. The lamp (7) includes an elongated light guide body that continuously extends along a straight line or a curve and a plurality of light emitting devices (22) arranged at an interval in a longitudinal direction of the light guide body. The lamp ECU (32) controls the output of light from each of the light emitting devices (22) to change an illuminated range of the light guide body according to the charge level of the battery (31).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle lamp system comprising:
a lamp for indicating an autonomous driving state of a vehicle while the vehicle is driving, and
a control unit for performing control to cause the lamp to indicate a charge level of a battery while the vehicle is stationary,
wherein the lamp includes an elongated light guide body that continuously extends along a straight line or a curve and a plurality of light emitting devices arranged at an interval in a longitudinal direction of the light guide body,
wherein the light guide body includes a trunk portion for indicating the autonomous driving state and the charge level to an outside of the vehicle, and a plurality of branch portions branching out from the trunk portion toward respective light emitting devices, and
wherein the control unit controls the output of light from each of the light emitting devices to change an illuminated range of the light guide body according to the charge level of the battery.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1:
wherein the trunk portion includes one end for indicating a minimum charge level of the battery and another end for indicating a full charge level of the battery, and the plurality of branch portions are provided obliquely with respect to the trunk portion so as to extend from the respective light emitting devices toward the one end of the trunk portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1, wherein the lamp indicates the autonomous driving state and the charge level in different luminescent colors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1, wherein the lamp indicates the autonomous driving state and the charge level in different patterns of emission.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1, wherein the lamp is disposed at a front of a vehicle body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1, wherein the lamp is disposed in the proximity of a charging inlet on the vehicle body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle lamp system of claim 1 wherein the lamp is disposed on a roof portion of the vehicle body.