Vehicle object detection and notification system

Abstract

Disclosed and described herein is a vehicle object notification system comprising a controller and a steering interface comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements controlled by the controller, each of the light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface, wherein any one or more of the plurality of light-emitting elements are configured to illuminate based on information received from a vehicle including GPS (global positioning system) information, navigation information, foreign object proximity information, vehicle performance information, general warning information, course information, positioning information, and blind spot warning information.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A vehicle notification system, comprising:
 a controller located onboard a vehicle, wherein the controller receives information from the vehicle, said information comprising navigation information or autonomous vehicle driving state information; and   a steering interface for the vehicle, wherein the steering interface comprises one or more light-emitting elements, each of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface, wherein the controller provides a control signal to illuminate any one of the one or more light-emitting elements in an illumination pattern based on the navigation information or the autonomous vehicle driving state information received by the controller.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the illumination pattern of the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the rim portion of the steering interface indicates the autonomous vehicle driving state information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the illumination pattern of the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the rim portion of the steering interface indicates the navigation information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination pattern of the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the hub portion of the steering interface indicates the autonomous vehicle driving state information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination pattern of the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface indicates the navigation information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a first light-emitting element of the one or more light-emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface and a second light-emitting element of the one or more light emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub of the steering interface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first light-emitting element of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the rim portion of the steering interface indicates the autonomous vehicle driving state information for the vehicle and the second light-emitting element of the one or more light emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the hub of the steering interface indicates the navigation information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first light-emitting element of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the rim portion of the steering interface indicates the navigation information for the vehicle and the second light-emitting element of the one or more light emitting elements arranged in the elongated pattern along the hub of the steering interface indicates the autonomous vehicle driving state information for the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more-light-emitting elements in the steering interface includes a single light-emitting element spanning an entire perimeter of the steering interface to provide a 360° illumination system. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the illumination pattern comprises lighting one or more particular sections of the one or more light-emitting elements using varying patterns of lighting, colors, or frequency. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the navigation information includes one or more of a preparation for course change, a navigation course change, and a distance to course change. 
     
     
         22 . A vehicle notification system, comprising:
 a steering interface;   one or more light-emitting elements coupled to the steering interface, each of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface;   a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more light-emitting elements, said controller configured to:   receive information indicative of an autonomous vehicle driving state of the vehicle;   provide, to at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements coupled to the steering interface, a control signal for illuminating the at least one of the one or more light-emitting element according to an illumination pattern, the illumination pattern based on the autonomous vehicle driving state of the vehicle.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein a first light-emitting element of the one or more light-emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface and a second light-emitting element of the one or more light emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub of the steering interface. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more-light-emitting elements in the steering interface includes a single light-emitting element spanning an entire perimeter of the steering interface to provide a 360° illumination system. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the illumination pattern comprises lighting one or more particular sections of the one or more light-emitting elements using varying patterns of lighting, colors, or frequency. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the navigation information includes one or more of a preparation for course change, a navigation course change, and a distance to course change. 
     
     
         29 . A vehicle notification system, comprising:
 a steering interface;   one or more light-emitting elements coupled to the steering interface, each of the one or more light-emitting elements arranged in an elongated pattern along a respective portion of the steering interface;   a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more light-emitting elements, said controller configured to:   receive navigation information of the vehicle;   provide, to at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements coupled to the steering interface, a control signal for illuminating the at least one of the one or more light-emitting element according to an illumination pattern, the illumination pattern based on the navigation information of the vehicle.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein at least one of the one or more light-emitting elements are arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub portion of the steering interface. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a first light-emitting element of the one or more light-emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a rim portion of the steering interface and a second light-emitting element of the one or more light emitting elements is arranged in an elongated pattern along a hub of the steering interface. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more-light-emitting elements in the steering interface includes a single light-emitting element spanning an entire perimeter of the steering interface to provide a 360° illumination system. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the illumination pattern comprises lighting one or more particular sections of the one or more light-emitting elements using varying patterns of lighting, colors, or frequency. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the navigation information includes one or more of a preparation for course change, a navigation course change, and a distance to course change.