Abstract:
An exit warning system is provided for a motor vehicle having a sliding door. That exit warning system includes a sliding door status sensor, a projector and a warning signal. The warning signal is projected by the projector onto pavement laterally adjacent a motor vehicle when the sliding door is opened in order to warn oncoming drivers that someone could potentially be leaving the vehicle through the open sliding door.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to an exit warning system for a motor vehicle having a sliding door. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Sliding doors are becoming increasingly popular on motor vehicles. Sliding doors have a number of benefits over doors mounted on hinges. First they provide a large opening that is unobstructed by the door. Second, the sliding door may be fully opened even when there is an obstacle near the vehicle that would limit the opening of a hinged door. 
         [0003]    As sliding doors have become more popular, more and more motor vehicles are being provided with sliding doors on the driver&#39;s side of the vehicle. When a vehicle is parked at night and an individual is getting out of the vehicle through a sliding door on the driver&#39;s side, that individual will be getting out in the path of moving traffic. This document describes a new and effective exit warning system that provides a signal to an approaching driver that warns of the potential of an individual leaving the parked vehicle through a sliding door. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, an exit warning system is provided for a motor vehicle having a sliding door. That exit warning system may be broadly described as comprising a sliding door status sensor, a projector and a warning signal. The warning signal is projected by the projector onto pavement laterally adjacent the motor vehicle when the sliding door is opened. 
         [0005]    In one possible embodiment, the warning signal is an icon. In another possible embodiment, the icon is an animated image. 
         [0006]    More specifically, the exit warning system includes a controller. That controller is configured to activate that projector to project the warning signal upon receiving a signal from the sliding door status sensor indicating that the sliding door is opened. 
         [0007]    In one possible embodiment, the exit warning system further includes an actuator. That actuator is connected to the controller for manually activating and deactivating the projector. 
         [0008]    In yet another possible embodiment, the exit warning system includes a speed sensor. The controller is configured to deactivate the projector upon receiving a signal from the speed sensor indicating that the motor vehicle is exceeding a threshold ground speed. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an additional aspect, a method is provided of alerting a driver of a first vehicle to a potential of an individual exiting an open sliding door of a second vehicle. That method may be broadly described as comprising projecting a warning signal onto pavement beside the second vehicle outside the open sliding door. 
         [0010]    In one possible embodiment, the method further includes the step of using an icon as the warning signal. In another possible embodiment the method further includes using an animated icon as the warning signal. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the method further includes detecting the opening of the sliding door before projecting the warning signal onto the pavement. Further, in some possible embodiments, the method includes confirming the second vehicle is stationary before projecting the warning signal onto the pavement. 
         [0012]    In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the exit warning system. As it should be realized, the exit warning system is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the exit warning system as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0013]    The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the exit warning system and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a motor vehicle incorporating a sliding driver&#39;s side door that is illustrated in the closed position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view similar to  FIG. 1  but illustrating the motor vehicle with the driver&#39;s side sliding door in the open position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 2  and clearly showing the projecting of an illuminated warning signal in the form of an icon upon the surface of the pavement beside the open sliding door and outboard in the path of another, oncoming vehicle (not shown). 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of the exit warning system including the controller. 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the exit warning system, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrating a motor vehicle  10  incorporating a sliding door  12  on the driver&#39;s side of the vehicle.  FIG. 1  illustrates the sliding door  12  in the closed position.  FIG. 2  illustrates the sliding door  12  in the fully open position. 
         [0020]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 3  schematically illustrating the exit warning system  14  for a motor vehicle  10 , such as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , incorporating a sliding door  12 . As illustrated, the warning system  14  includes a sliding door status sensor  16 . The sensor  16  monitors the status of the sliding door  12  as it is moved or displaced between the closed and opened positions illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The sensor  16  may take any appropriate form suitable for its intended purpose including, but not limited to a micro switch, a capacitive sensor, sonar, infrared sensor, or any other device capable of monitoring and determining when the sliding door  12  is closed or opened. 
         [0021]    The exit warning system  14  also includes a projector  18  which may include, for example, a light source  20  and a lens  22 . As will be described in greater detail below, the projector  18  functions to project a warning signal  32  upon the surface of the pavement P beside the open sliding door  12  and outboard in the path of an oncoming vehicle when the sliding door  12  is open. Note such a warning signal  32  in the form of an icon in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0022]    As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the exit warning system  14  also includes a controller  24 . Controller  24  may comprise a dedicated microprocessor or electronic control unit (ECU). Such a controller  24  comprises one or more processors, one or more memories and one or more network interfaces that communicate with each other over a communication bus. 
         [0023]    In one possible embodiment, the controller  24  comprises a body control module or BCM that may also include a human interface, a GPS/geo locator component, a display device such as a multifunction display with touchscreen capability  26  and a speech processor that all communicate with each other over a communication bus. The BCM  24  performs a number of interior body electrically based functions including, for example, interior locking, remote key entry, interior lighting, exterior lighting, windshield wiper control and the like. In some embodiments the BCM  24  may also function to control entertainment functions (e.g. radio, CD player and communications such as telephone and internet communications over a wireless network). In some embodiments the BCM  24  is connected by a communication bus (not shown) to other control modules that provide one or more of these additional functions. 
         [0024]    As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the exit warning system may incorporate an actuator  28  allowing one to manually control or override operation of the exit warning system  14 . Further, in some embodiments, the exit warning system  14  may include a speed sensor  30  that detects the speed of the motor vehicle. 
         [0025]    As should be appreciated, the exit warning system  14  operates to alert a driver of a first vehicle to a potential of an individual exiting an open sliding door  12  of a second motor vehicle  10 . This is done via a method that may be broadly described as comprising the step of projecting a warning signal  32  onto the pavement P beside the vehicle  10  outside the open sliding door  12  (note  FIG. 4 ). In the illustrated embodiment, that warning signal  32  comprises an icon in the form of a silhouette of an individual walking. Of course it should be appreciated that the warning signal  32  may take other forms including something as simple as an illuminated spot on the pavement to words warning that an individual is about to exit the vehicle as well as to images other than the walking figure illustrated in the drawing figure. Further, it should be appreciated that the warning signal or icon may be an animated image. For purposes of this document, “animated” is broadly interpreted to mean and include (1) the simple flashing of the warning on the pavement, (2) a changing image on the pavement or (3) a constant or changing image changing color. As should be appreciated from viewing  FIG. 4 , the warning signal  32  is provided on the pavement P laterally adjacent the motor vehicle  10  in the path of another vehicle coming up the road where it can be easily be seen by the driver of the other vehicle who will slow in response to the signal. 
         [0026]    As should be appreciated the method may also include detecting the opening of the sliding door by means of the sliding door status sensor  16  before projecting the warning signal  32  onto the pavement P with the projector  18 . 
         [0027]    Further the method may include confirming that the motor vehicle  10  is stationary by means of the speed sensor  30  before projecting the warning signal  32  onto the pavement P with the projector  18 . Thus, the controller  24  monitors signals received along the control lines  34  and  36  from the sliding door status sensor  16  and the speed sensor  30 . Upon receiving a control signal from the sliding door status sensor  16  indicating that the sliding door  12  is open and a control signal from the speed sensor  30  indicating that the vehicle is stationary or traveling below a threshold maximum speed, the controller  24  issues a control signal along line  38  to the projector  18  which then projects the warning signal  32  onto the pavement P. As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the projector  18  may be provided in various places on the motor vehicle  10  including, for example, on the roof above the open sliding door at the exterior or interior of the motor vehicle. Of course, substantially any other location that is suitable for the projection of the warning signal in the desired location on the pavement P may also be utilized. The lens  22  can ensure that the image is sharp and focused in its projected form upon the pavement P. 
         [0028]    The controller  24  periodically or continuously monitors the control lines  34 ,  36 . Once the sliding door  12  is closed as detected by the sensor  16 , an appropriate signal is sent by the sensor  16  to the controller  24  indicating door closure. In response, the controller  24  sends a signal along signal line  38  to the projector  18  terminating the projection of the warning signal  32  upon the pavement P. Termination may also take place in response to a signal on signal line  36  from the speed sensor  30  indicating that the vehicle is moving. 
         [0029]    Of course, the actuator  28  may be utilized by the vehicle operator to deactivate the warning system  14  altogether or direct the controller  24  to send a control signal along line  38  to the projector  18  and thereby cause the projection of the warning signal  32  whenever desired. In other words, the actuator  28  may be utilized to manually activate and deactivate the warning signal  32 . 
         [0030]    The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, a warning light  40  could also be provided at the rear of the open sliding door (see  FIG. 4 ). This light  40  could flash when the door is opened to provide a further alert to an approaching vehicle in addition to the projected image  32 . All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.