# US 12,602,958 B2 · Using lighting zones to communicate pre-trip diagnostics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,602,958 B2 - Document ID: US12602958B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/739,045 - Filed: 2024-06-10 - Published: 2025-12-11 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2024-06-10 - Assignees: TORC Robotics, Inc. - Applicants: Torc Robotics, Inc. - Inventors: Akshay Pai Raikar; Christopher Harrison; Joseph R. Fox-Rabinovitz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12602958B2 ## CPC - G07C 5/0816: {Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction} - G07C 5/0833: {using audio means} - B60K 35/21: using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays - B60Q 1/2611: {Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle} - B60Q 1/507: {specific to autonomous vehicles} - B60Q 5/005: {automatically actuated} - G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)} - G07C 5/0825: {using optical means} - B60K 2360/175: Autonomous driving - B60K 2360/332: Light emitting diodes - B60K 2360/797: at the vehicle exterior - B60Q 1/543: {for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045)} - B60Y 2200/142: Heavy duty trucks - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - 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 - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract An autonomy computing system and method of an autonomous vehicle for indicating vehicle status includes an electronic control unit for operating an indicator on an autonomous vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising a memory storing computer executable instructions and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor, upon execution of the computer executable instructions, configured to: receive data representing a status of the autonomous vehicle, determine an indication sequence associated with the status, and operate at least one indicator on the autonomous vehicle according to the indication sequence. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of indicating a status of an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising: determining the status of the autonomous vehicle; transmitting the status to an electronic control unit; initiating the transmitting in response to detecting at least one abnormality associated with the autonomous vehicle, the at least one abnormality including physical intrusion of the autonomous vehicle; determining, by the electronic control unit, an indication sequence based on the status of the autonomous vehicle; and activating, by the electronic control unit, at least one indicator on the autonomous vehicle according to the indication sequence, an output indication sequence from the at least one indicator being machine-readable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the at least one indicator comprises activating one or more visual indicators on the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein activating the one or more visual indicators comprises activating at least one of: a headlight, a marker light, a taillight, a brake light, a license plate light, an internal cabin light, a dashboard light, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein activating the at least one indicator comprises activating one or more audio devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous vehicle includes the electronic control unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating the transmitting in response to determining a result of a vehicle diagnostic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the status to the electronic control unit over a CAN bus. ### Claim 8 A system for operating indicators on an autonomous vehicle comprising: an autonomy computing system configured to: determine a status of the autonomous vehicle; determine an indication sequence based on the status data and transmit the indication sequence onto a bus; an electronic control unit coupled to the autonomy computing system via the bus and configured to: receive the indication sequence from the autonomy computing system; and operate at least one indicator based on the indication sequence, an output indication sequence from the autonomy computing system being machine-readable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one visual indicator operable based on the indication sequence. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one audio device operable based on the indication sequence. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the status includes data representing at least one abnormality associated with the autonomous vehicle, the at least one abnormality including physical intrusion of the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the status includes data representing a result of a diagnostic test associated with the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a CAN bus coupling the autonomy computing system and the electronic control unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the status includes data representing a response to a request for information associated with the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 15 An electronic control unit for operating an indicator on an autonomous vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising a memory storing computer executable instructions and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor, upon execution of the computer executable instructions, configured to: receive data representing a status of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the data includes data representing at least one abnormality associated with the autonomous vehicle, the at least one abnormality including physical intrusion of the autonomous vehicle; determine an indication sequence associated with the status; and operate at least one indicator on the autonomous vehicle according to the indication sequence. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic control unit of claim 15, further comprising: wherein the processor is configured to operate at least one visual indicator on the autonomous vehicle according to the indication sequence. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electronic control unit of claim 15, further comprising: wherein the processor is configured to operate at least one audio device on the autonomous vehicle according to the indication sequence. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The electronic control unit of claim 15, further comprising: wherein the processor configured to receive a CAN bus message representing the status of the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The electronic control unit of claim 15, further comprising: wherein the processor is configured to receive data representing a result of a diagnostic test associated with the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The electronic control unit of claim 15, wherein an output indication sequence from the at least one indicator is machine-readable.