Vehicular notifications
View Patent ↗Systems and methods here utilize various light projecting technologies to inform other drivers of nearby vehicles of information which may allow for safer driving. In some embodiments, the projecting technologies may be used to project laser light onto a driving surface when a vehicle indicates a lane change, to show their intended physical location on the driving surface. In some embodiments, a parked vehicle may indicate a door is about to be opened, by projecting a warning and physical space where the door may swing open, onto the driving surface for other drivers to see. In some embodiments, sensors such as cameras, infra-red and/or radar to locate nearby vehicles, predict their position, and indicate where the vehicle will physically be located in a turn, lane change, or passing situation.
1. A system comprising:
a computer in communication with a sensor mounted on a first vehicle, the sensor configured to send information to the computer regarding sensed environmental obstacles;
a projector in communication with the computer, the projector mounted on the first vehicle and configured to project a light image onto a driving surface adjacent to the first vehicle, wherein the projected light image is the same dimensions as the first vehicle, and wherein the light image is based on a computer analysis of the sensed environmental obstacles.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the projected light image changes based on the sensed environmental obstacles.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein an internal warning in the first vehicle indicates the sensed environmental obstacles.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the change to the projected light image is to change the color of the light.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensed environmental obstacles include one or more moving vehicles and the computer determines a sensed speed of the one or more moving vehicles.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the light projector projects the light image in a direction based on the sensed environmental obstacles.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the sensed environmental obstacles are both a pedestrian and a particular moving vehicle and the projected light image is directed in front of the particular moving vehicle.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the light image is an indication of the space the first vehicle being driven.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor senses a movement of a door handle and the light image is an indication that the door with the door handle is opening.
10. A computerized method comprising:
by a computer with a processor and a memory in communication with a plurality of sensors and a plurality of projectors mounted on a first vehicle,
receiving sensor data from the plurality of sensors;
sending data to at least one of the plurality of projectors causing the projector to project a light image onto a driving surface adjacent to the first vehicle, wherein the projected light image is the same dimensions as the first vehicle.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the projector is a laser light projector and the sensor is a LIDAR system.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the light image is an indication that the first vehicle being driven is going to turn or change lanes.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the projected light image is projected when the vehicle hazard lights are selected.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the projected light image is projected behind the vehicle when the vehicle is put into reverse gear.