IP Library Granted Patent US 9,884,585
Granted Patent B1
US 9,884,585 · App. 15/269,398 · Granted Feb 6, 2018

Exterior vehicle alerting system

Inventor: Matt Lubbers (Manhattan Beach, CA)
Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
B60Q1/525
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,884,585
App. No.
15/269,398
Granted
Feb 6, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

An exterior alerting system for a vehicle. The system may include a sensor, a controller, and an alerting device. The sensors maybe configured to detect an object exterior to the vehicle. Additionally, the controller may be configured to receive a position of the object from the sensor, calculate a danger zone based on a trajectory of the vehicle and the position of the object, and generate at least one exterior alerting signal when the vehicle cannot avoid the danger zone.

Claims (49)

1. An exterior alerting system for a vehicle, comprising at least:

a sensor configured to detect an object exterior to the vehicle;

a controller configured to:

receive a position of the object from the sensor;

calculate a danger zone based on a trajectory of the vehicle and the position of the object, wherein the danger zone is determined as an area within a threshold distance from the position of the object;

calculate a potential vehicle trajectory different from the trajectory of the vehicle, the potential vehicle trajectory including a potential vehicle velocity vector;

calculate a potential danger zone different from the danger zone based on a trajectory of the object;

in the event that the potential vehicle trajectory intersects with the potential danger zone:

calculate a potential object velocity vector, wherein the potential object velocity vector is opposite the potential vehicle velocity vector,

generate at least one exterior alerting signal indicating an instruction to the object to move in the direction of the potential object velocity vector, and

modify the trajectory of the vehicle to be the potential vehicle trajectory; and

an alerting device configured to provide an alert to the object based on the exterior alerting signal.

2. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a radar, a LIDAR, a camera, and an ultrasonic transducer.

3. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the alerting device includes at least one of a horn, a light, an exterior display, an alarm, and a speaker.

4. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the object is a pedestrian; and broadcast an emergency message to devices connected to a digital network.

5. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the object is a second vehicle; and communicate with a control system of the second vehicle.

6. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine if the vehicle can avoid the calculated danger zone based on a distance between the vehicle and the object, a vehicle velocity, and an object velocity.

7. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the alert is repeated at a greater intensity as distance between the vehicle and the object decreases.

8. The exterior alerting system of claim 1 , wherein the alert is repeated at a higher frequency as distance between the vehicle and the object decreases.

9. A method for generating exterior alerting signals from a vehicle, comprising steps of:

receiving a position of an object exterior to the vehicle from a sensor;

calculating a danger zone based on a trajectory of the vehicle and the position of the object wherein the danger zone is determined as an area within a threshold distance from the position of the object;

calculating a potential vehicle trajectory different from the trajectory of the vehicle, the potential vehicle trajectory including a potential vehicle velocity vector;

calculating a potential danger zone different from the danger zone based on a trajectory of the object;

in the event that the potential vehicle trajectory intersects with the potential danger zone:

calculating a potential object velocity vector, wherein the potential object velocity vector is opposite the potential vehicle velocity vector,

generating at least one exterior alerting signal when the vehicle cannot avoid the danger zone, and

modifying the trajectory of the vehicle to be the potential vehicle trajectory; and

providing an alert to the object based on the exterior alerting signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining that the object is a pedestrian; and

broadcasting an emergency message to devices connected to a digital network.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining that the object is a second vehicle; and

communicating with a control system of the second vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining if the vehicle can avoid the calculated danger zone based on a distance between the vehicle and the object, a vehicle velocity, and an object velocity.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

repeating the alert at a greater intensity or a higher frequency as distance between the vehicle and the object decreases.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for generating exterior alerting signals from a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a position of an object exterior to the vehicle from a sensor;

calculating a danger zone based on a trajectory of the vehicle and the position of the object wherein the danger zone is determined as an area within a threshold distance from the position of the object;

calculating a potential vehicle trajectory different from the trajectory of the vehicle, the potential vehicle trajectory including a potential vehicle velocity vector;

calculating a potential danger zone different from the danger zone based on a trajectory of the object

in the event that the potential vehicle trajectory intersects with the potential danger zone:

calculating a potential object velocity vector, wherein the potential object velocity vector is opposite the potential vehicle velocity vector,

generating at least one exterior alerting signal when the vehicle cannot avoid the danger zone, and

modifying the trajectory of the vehicle to be the potential vehicle trajectory; and

providing an alert to the object based on the exterior alerting signal.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2024
From: FARADAY&FUTURE, INC.
To: SENYUN INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 069048/0676 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
To: FF SIMPLICY VENTURES LLC
Reel/Frame 061176/0756 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 050234/0069 Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FF EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC
Reel/Frame 060314/0263 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 057019/0140 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2020
From: ROYOD LLC
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 054076/0157 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 5, 2020
From: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: ROYOD LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 052102/0452 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2019
From: CITY OF SKY LIMITED; EAGLE PROP HOLDCO LLC; FARADAY FUTURE LLC; FE EQUIPMENT LLC; FF HONG KONG HOLDING LIMITED; FF INC.; FF MANUFACTURING LLC; ROBIN PROP HOLDCO LLC; SMART KING LTD.; SMART TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LTD.; FARADAY SPE, LLC; FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
To: BIRCH LAKE FUND MANAGEMENT, LP
Reel/Frame 050234/0069 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2019
From: SEASON SMART LIMITED
To: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
Reel/Frame 048069/0704 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2017
From: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
To: SEASON SMART LIMITED
Reel/Frame 044969/0023 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2016
From: LUBBERS, MATT
To: FARADAY&FUTURE INC.
Reel/Frame 039782/0716 →