Vehicular lighting using passive and/or active optics
AssigneeZoox, Inc.
InventorsDa Liu, Chang Gi Samuel Hong, Andrew Mark Stieber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reflector unit may behave as a retroreflector to reflect light of a selected color. The reflector unit may comprise a first reflector having a first color, a second reflector having a second color, and a mask that either allows incoming light to reach the first reflector and not the second reflector or allows incoming light to reach the second reflector and not the first reflector. An active light unit may emit light of a particular color in response to receiving light. In this fashion, the active light unit may simulate the operation of a reflector. The reflector unit and the active light unit may operate on a bi-directional vehicle.
Claims17
A bidirectional vehicle having a first side and as second side opposed to the first side, the bidirectional vehicle comprising:
- a first reflector unit disposed on the first side, the first reflector unit comprising:
- a first surface;
- and
- a first mask;
- a second reflector unit disposed on the second side, the second reflector unit comprising:
- a second surface;
- and
- a second mask;
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the bidirectional vehicle to perform operations comprising:
- based at least in part on the bidirectional vehicle operating in a first mode wherein the bidirectional vehicle is traveling in a first direction such that the first side is a front side of the bidirectional vehicle, positioning the first mask to allow light to reach the first surface and the second mask to block light from reaching the second surface;
- and
- based at least in part on the bidirectional vehicle operating in a second mode wherein the bidirectional vehicle is traveling in a second direction such that the second side is the front side of the bidirectional vehicle, positioning the first mask to block light from reaching the first surface and the second mask to allow light to reach the second surface.
A reflector unit for a bidirectional vehicle comprising:
- a first surface;
- a second surface;
- an actuator;
- and
- a mask operable in one of a first state or a second state based, at least in part, on a direction of travel of the bidirectional vehicle, wherein the mask,
- in the first state based on the direction of travel of the bidirectional vehicle being a first direction of travel, allows light to reach the first surface and blocks light from the second surface, and
- in the second state based on the direction of travel of the bidirectional vehicle being a second direction of travel opposite the first direction of travel, blocks light from the first surface and allows light to reach the second surface.
A method comprising:
- operating, based at least in part on a vehicle traveling in a first direction and using an actuator, a mask in a first state, wherein in the first state, the mask allows light to reach a first surface and blocks the light from a second surface;
- and
- operating, based at least in part on the vehicle traveling in a second direction opposite the first direction and the actuator, the mask in a second state, wherein in the second state, the mask allows the light to reach the second surface and blocks the light from the first surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.