Methods and apparatus for communicating using headlights of a vehicle
AssigneeNuro, Inc.
InventorsAmey M. Phatak, John David West, Kyungmin Kim, David Doellstedt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one aspect, headlights of a vehicle are used to communicate information that may be understood by a user or other person in the vicinity of the vehicle. A method includes operating a vehicle and determining a status of the vehicle. The vehicle has a park gear arranged to be engaged to cause the vehicle to be in a parked state, and the vehicle includes a first optical assembly that has a first optical arrangement and a first optical controller. The method also includes causing the first optical arrangement to visually communicate a first indication, the first indication being arranged to indicate the status of the vehicle.
Claims16
An apparatus comprising:
- a chassis;
- a propulsion system coupled to the chassis, the propulsion system configured to propel the apparatus, the propulsion system including a drive gear and a park gear;
- a sensor system coupled to the chassis, the sensor system configured to obtain data associated with the apparatus;
- a processing arrangement carried on the chassis, the processing arrangement configured to process the data;
- and
- a light system coupled to the chassis, the light system including at least a first optical assembly and at least a first optical controller, wherein the light system is arranged to obtain at least one command from the processing arrangement and to execute the command using the first optical assembly to cause the first optical assembly to communicate a first indication by varying an intensity of light emitted by the first optical assembly, the first indication being arranged to indicate a current status of the apparatus when the park gear is engaged, the current status being at least one selected from a group including awaiting an input and awaiting a charge.
A method comprising:
- operating a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a park gear arranged to be engaged to cause the vehicle to be in a parked state, and wherein the vehicle includes a first optical assembly that has a first optical arrangement and a first optical controller, the first optical arrangement including headlights, wherein the first optical arrangement further includes at least a daytime running light and a turn signal;
- determining a status of the vehicle by a command from a processing arrangement of the vehicle processing data from a sensor of the vehicle, the status being at least one selected from a group including awaiting an input and awaiting a charge;
- and varying an intensity of light emitted from the first optical arrangement to provide a first indication, the first indication being arranged to indicate the status of the vehicle, wherein varying the intensity of the light emitted by the first optical arrangement to provide the first indication includes activating the daytime running light or the turn signal when the park gear is engaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.