Abstract:
Improved vehicle emergency lighting control may be implemented in a vehicle computer. Data may be collected related to a pursuit of a second vehicle. The collected data can be used to determine at least one of an action of the first vehicle and an action of the second vehicle. An emergency light in the first vehicle can be controlled based on the at least one determined action.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/969,126 filed Mar. 22, 2014 entitled “Emergency Vehicle Maneuver Notification”; Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/969,122 filed Mar. 22, 2014 entitled “Tracking a Suspect From a Vehicle”; Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/969,123 filed Mar. 22, 2014 entitled “Approach Warning for a Police Vehicle”; and Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/969,124 filed Mar. 22, 2014 entitled “Approach Warning for a Police Vehicle”, each of which provisional applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In events such as police pursuit and emergency response situations when emergency lighting is activated in an emergency vehicle such as a police car, ambulance, fire truck, etc., roof and rear window mounted light-bars or the like project emergency vehicle lighting directed rearward. Where multiple emergency vehicles are travelling, e g., one behind the other, in an emergency situation, drivers of following vehicles supporting the pursuit or emergency response often experience bright lighting from a lead vehicle and/or other vehicles in front of the following vehicle, such bright lighting generally being experienced at a time when aggressive and/or difficult driving maneuvers are required. The effect of bright flashing lights in a lead vehicle or vehicles can cause a delay and or failure in driving response(s) of a driver exposed to such lighting. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle equipped suspect tracking. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example of a first emergency vehicle, followed by a second emergency vehicle, in pursuit of a suspect vehicle. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is another block diagram of an example of a first emergency vehicle, followed by a second emergency vehicle, in pursuit of a suspect vehicle. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is yet another block diagram of an example of a first emergency vehicle, followed by a second emergency vehicle, in pursuit of a suspect vehicle. 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of an exemplary process for emergency vehicle lighting control. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     System Overview 
       [0008]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a first emergency vehicle  101 , followed by a second emergency vehicle  125 , in pursuit of a suspect vehicle  120 . As described herein, and with reference now to  FIG. 1 , the first, lead, emergency vehicle  101  includes an emergency lighting controller  105  configured to control emergency lights  115  in the vehicle  101 , e.g., to command specific light and/or sound patterns and/or low frequency sounds providing an indication to one or more following vehicles  125  of behavior of a lead vehicle  101  in responding to a pursuit, of a response to a call for support and/or any other need for aggressive driving maneuvers to other nearby vehicles. For example, a pursuit switch  103  in the vehicle  101  may be activated, whereupon lighting  115  directed to the rear of the lead vehicle  101  may be reduced and/or a pattern of flashing controlled so as to reduce interference with reactions of following drivers and/or to better signal actions of the lead vehicle  101  to following drivers of vehicles  125 . In general, disclosed herein are systems and methods for integrating law enforcement/emergency vehicle equipment such as the emergency lighting controller  105  and a pursuit switch  103  with standard vehicle elements such as modules  102  and the radar sensor input  104 . 
         [0009]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  101  CAN (controller area network) bus  110  or the like, and/or discrete, i.e., digital, data communications  111  provide information to an emergency lighting controller  105  that may include a communication module  106  and a light bar controller  107 . Modules that may provide data to the CAN bus  110  and/or via digital communications  111  include a pursuit switch  103 , a radar sensor input  104 , and/or other vehicle  101  modules  102 . Vehicle  101  sensor  104  output, CAN bus  110  messages, and/or any vehicle outputs  111  indicating status of items such as, but not limited to, vehicle  101  speed, brake status, steering angle, etc., will be used directly by the emergency lighting controller  105  and/or through a “gateway” type interface provided by the communication module  106  between the vehicle  101  systems and the controller  105 , including the light bar controller  107 . Accordingly, vehicle  101  equipment such as the light bar  115  may be controlled based upon operating conditions defined by vehicle  101  CAN bus  110  communications and/or digital messages  111 , thereby to improve notification to nearby vehicles  125  of impending or occurring emergency vehicle maneuvers. 
         [0010]    In general, the emergency lighting controller  105  may temporarily disable and/or alter emergency flashing lights, or patterns of the same, in selected directions, and may provide notification, e.g., to following vehicle(s), of certain maneuvers intended and/or taken by a leading vehicle  101  during aggressive driving conditions, e.g., during a pursuit. Further, the lighting controller  105  may provide additional indication(s) of vehicle  101  driving maneuvers during non-aggressive driving conditions such as, but not limited to, using a rear portion of the emergency lighting  115  on rear facing light(s) to duplicate and/or be redundant of the function of vehicle  101  brake lights, and/or using the “traffic advisor” or similar type function that could duplicate and/or be redundant of the function of vehicle  101  turn indicators. As seen in the Figures, the lights  115  can be illuminated according to one or more colors to provide warning and/or messages to a vehicle  101  surroundings. 
         [0011]    In addition, vehicle  101  radar system(s)  104  could sense a direction and/or change thereof of the vehicle  120  being pursued and could provide a message/signal to the emergency lighting controller  105  to temporarily disable the rear facing flashing emergency lighting  115  of the vehicle  101 , and/or initiate a light pattern indicating direction of the turn for subsequent vehicles  125  in the pursuit. After the turn maneuver, this turn indication feature could be disabled and original emergency lighting flash patterns could resume. As mentioned above, audible and/or low frequency indications of lead vehicle  101  behavior could also be provided. 
         [0012]    As stated above, a vehicle  101  includes an emergency lighting controller  105 , e.g., that might be included in or communicatively coupled to a computing device in the vehicle  101 . The vehicle  101  is generally a land-based vehicle having three or more wheels, e.g., a passenger car, light truck, heavy duty truck such as a fire truck, etc. A computer such as may include the lighting controller  105  generally includes a processor and a memory, the memory including one or more forms of computer-readable media, and storing instructions executable by the processor for performing various operations, including as disclosed herein. Further, such computer may include and/or be communicatively coupled to more than one computing device, e.g., controllers or the like included in the vehicle  101  for monitoring and/or controlling various vehicle components, e.g., an engine control unit, transmission control unit, etc. The computer  105  is generally configured for communications on a controller area network (CAN) bus  110  or the like. The computer  105  may also have a connection to an onboard diagnostics connector (OBD-II), and or other digital communications mechanisms  111 . 
         [0013]    Via the CAN bus  110 , OBD-II, and/or other wired or wireless mechanisms, the computer  105  may transmit messages, e.g., by controlling a color, flash pattern, etc., of one or more lights in the emergency lights  115 , to various devices in a vehicle and/or receive messages from the various devices, e.g., controllers, actuators, sensors, etc., including, without limitation, modules  102 , the pursuit switch  103 , and/or radar sensor input  104 . Alternatively or additionally, in cases where a computer actually comprises multiple devices, including the emergency lighting controller  105 , the CAN bus or the like may be used for communications between such devices. In addition, a vehicle computer may be configured for communicating with other devices via various wired and/or wireless networking technologies, e.g., cellular, Bluetooth, a universal serial bus (USB), wired and/or wireless packet networks, etc. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example in which a message on the vehicle  101  CAN bus  110  or signal  111  indicating vehicle braking is applied, and/or applied at a predetermined specific brake pressure level, could be read by the gateway communications module  106  and provided to the vehicle  101  light bar controller  107  and/or or read directly by the controller  107  to command the rear facing light(s) in the light bar  115  to duplicate the function of the vehicle  101  brake lights, e.g., at an output/power level equal to emergency response or reduced power/brightness level. Audible and/or low frequency indications can also be provided, as stated above. 
         [0015]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a front facing radar  104  or other mechanism, e.g., a front facing camera or lidar sensor, may be used to detect a deceleration of a vehicle  120  being pursued, e.g., the vehicle  101  may detect a deceleration rate equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold of the vehicle  120  being pursued, and may provide a signal  111  or CAN bus  110  message read by the gateway/interface module  106  and made available to the light-bar controller  107  and/or read directly by the light-bar controller  107 , which may then command rear facing lights of the light-bar  115 , rear window mounted lighting, or any other rear-facing emergency lights, e.g., with respect to a light pattern and/or brightness and/or other output that provides an indication of vehicle  101  braking in addition to vehicle  101  brake lights to improve an ability of pursuing/following drivers of vehicles  125  to respond to maneuvers of the vehicle  101 , e.g., during aggressive driving maneuvers. A light pattern could be displayed without the lead vehicle  101  brakes being applied. Audible and/or low frequency indications can also be included, as stated above. 
         [0016]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , a front facing radar  104  or other mechanism, e.g., a front facing camera or lidar sensor that may be included in modules  102  may be used to detect a lateral movement of a vehicle  120  being pursued, e.g., may detect a direction of a turn (left or right) of a vehicle  120  in front and accordingly the emergency lighting controller  105  may command the rear facing lights of the light-bar  115 , rear window mounted lighting, and/or “traffic advisor” type of bar, to illuminate a flash pattern indicating the direction of the turn to following vehicles to improve an ability of following vehicles  125  to respond, e.g., during aggressive driving maneuvers. 
         [0017]    Modules  102  in a vehicle  101  may receive data from a variety of devices, e.g., sensors such as one or more ultrasonic sensors, cameras, lidar sensors, radar sensors, infrared sensors, etc. Further, the foregoing examples are not intended to be limiting; other data could also be provided to a vehicle computer, including the emergency lighting controller  105  and/or other vehicle  101  controllers, from modules  102  such as steering, brake, transmission, engine, etc., controllers, e.g., to provide data via the CAN bus  110  relating to vehicle  101  speed, acceleration, etc. Further, sensors or the like, global positioning system (GPS) equipment, etc., could be included in a vehicle  101  and configured to provide data directly to vehicle  101  computing devices, e.g., via a wired or wireless connection. 
         [0018]    Vehicle  101  computing devices include a memory that generally stores data collected as described above. Such data may include a variety of data collected in a vehicle  101 . Examples may include measurements relating to a position, velocity, and size (e.g., length, width, height, radar cross section) of target(s) such as a vehicle  125  in or near a detection zone  200 . Data  115  may additionally include data calculated therefrom in a computer such as the controller  105  and/or other vehicle  101  computer. 
         [0019]    The vehicle  101  generally includes a human machine interface. In general, the HMI is equipped to accept inputs for, and/or provide outputs from, one or more vehicle  101  computers, e.g., the controller  105 . For example, the vehicle  101  may include one or more of a display configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) or the like, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, one or more audio output devices, etc. 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of an exemplary process  500  for emergency vehicle  101  lighting control. The process  500  begins in a block  505 , in which a pursuit switch  103  in a vehicle  101  is selected. As noted above, selection of the pursuit switch  103  may indicate that the vehicle  101  is in pursuit of a vehicle  120 . Generally, selection of the pursuit switch  103  initiates operations of the emergency lighting controller  105  such as described above. Further, additional input may be required to initiate such operations of the emergency lighting controller  105 , e.g., input from a vehicle  101  driver or occupant that following emergency vehicles  125  are present, detection of following emergency vehicles  105  via vehicle-two-vehicle communications, sensor data as described above, or some other mechanism. 
         [0021]    Next, in a block  510 , the controller  105  collects data concerning vehicle  101  and/or vehicle  120  operations, e.g., as described above, a vehicle  120  could be detected accelerating, decelerating, turning, etc., as could a vehicle  101 . 
         [0022]    Next, in a block  515 , the emergency lighting controller  105  provides control of vehicle  101  lights, e.g., in a light-bar  115 , rear window lights, and/or other lights provided for emergency operation, based on data collected as described above with respect to the block  510 . Further, audible output may be additionally or alternatively provided as described above. 
         [0023]    The process  500  ends following the block  515 , e.g., based on input received via the switch  103  or some other mechanism, when a vehicle  101  is stopped or powered off, etc. 
       CONCLUSION 
       [0024]    In addition or as an alternative to exemplary operations described above, Appendix A attached hereto may further describe such operations and/or relevant subject matter. 
         [0025]    The term “police” as used herein may refer to various public and/or private law enforcement and/or security operations, in addition to referring to a formal police department. 
         [0026]    Computing devices such as those discussed herein, e.g., the controller  105 , generally each include instructions executable by one or more computing devices such as those identified above, and for carrying out blocks or steps of processes described above. For example, process blocks discussed above may be embodied as computer-executable instructions. 
         [0027]    Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media. A file in a computing device is generally a collection of data stored on a computer readable medium, such as a storage medium, a random access memory, etc. 
         [0028]    A computer-readable medium includes any medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions), which may be read by a computer. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read. 
         [0029]    In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate the same elements. Further, some or all of these elements could be changed. With regard to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments, and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claimed invention. 
         [0030]    Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims. 
         [0031]    All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary in made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.