Vehicle Projection Pattern Illumination for Silent Pedestrian Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for notifying pedestrians of a vehicle's approach either disrupt quiet environments with warning sounds or require attention to visual displays, failing to effectively convey the vehicle's behavior without noise or attention.
Innovation Solution
A presentation device that estimates a vehicle's behavior and illuminates a projection pattern on the ground around it, using pattern illuminating units controlled by a processing circuit to convey the vehicle's behavior without generating noise, allowing pedestrians to recognize the vehicle's behavior without paying attention to it.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a warning sound or pseudo traveling sound is output to notify pedestrians of vehicle approach, then the pedestrian can grasp the vehicle behavior, but noise is generated that disturbs other people
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the acoustic notification system (speakers emitting warning sounds) with an optical projection system that displays vehicle behavior information as visual patterns on the ground. The projection unit projects light patterns representing vehicle state (e.g., moving lights indicating motion direction, stationary lights indicating stop) directly onto the ground surface, allowing pedestrians to perceive vehicle behavior without auditory noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the ground surface as an intermediary medium to convey vehicle behavior information. Instead of directly emitting sound waves or requiring direct visual contact with the vehicle, the system projects visual patterns onto the ground between the vehicle and pedestrian, using the ground as a carrier for information transmission.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a visual display is used to show vehicle behavior, then no noise is generated, but the pedestrian must pay attention to the vehicle to grasp its behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the information display from the vertical dimension (vehicle-mounted screens or lights at vehicle height) to the horizontal dimension (projections on the ground surface). This dimensional shift places the information in the pedestrian's natural field of view while walking, eliminating the need to deliberately look up at or focus on the vehicle itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection system automatically adapts to the pedestrian's position and movement. As the pedestrian moves relative to the vehicle, the projection unit dynamically adjusts the projection position and pattern to maintain visibility, making the information delivery automatic and无需 requiring active attention from the pedestrian.
3Loss of information
If conventional notification methods are used, then vehicle behavior can be communicated, but the solution does not work for pedestrians who are not paying attention to the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The system projects information onto the ground in advance of the pedestrian's potential path. By pre-projecting vehicle behavior patterns on the ground where pedestrians are likely to walk, the information is already available when pedestrians arrive in that area, eliminating the need for them to actively seek out or focus on the vehicle.
Data Source
AI summary
There are included a vehicle behavior estimating unit (10) that estimates behavior of a vehicle (1); pattern illuminating units (4a to 4d) that illuminate a projection pattern onto ground around the vehicle (1); and an illumination control unit (11). The illumination control unit (11) controls the pattern illuminating units (4a to 4d) to illuminate a projection pattern, on the basis of the behavior of the vehicle (1) estimated by the vehicle behavior estimating unit (10).