Sensor system for motor vehicle

Abstract

A light bar assembly can comprise an elongated housing mountable to a roof of a motor vehicle and comprising a plurality of light transmissive sections. The light bar assembly can further comprise two or more light sources disposed within the elongated housing, and one or more sensors disposed in an interleaved configuration with the light sources. The light bar assembly can further comprise a controller communicatively coupled to the light bar via a wired interface including data wires and electric power wires. The data wires can be communicatively coupled to the sensors. Each sensor can be configured to output an electrical signal responsive to detecting a physical object within a spatial sector. A projection on a surface sustaining the motor vehicle of each spatial sector can be provided by a circle sector. The combination of all circle sectors can compose a sensing perimeter. In one embodiment, the sensing perimeter can be provided by a full circle with a center disposed within a projection of the motor vehicle onto the surface. Alternatively, the sensing perimeter can have an arbitrary shape configurable via a user interface.

1 . A light bar assembly comprising:
 an elongated housing mountable to a roof of a motor vehicle, said elongated housing comprising a plurality of light transmissive sections;   two or more light sources disposed within said elongated housing;   one or more sensors disposed in an interleaved configuration with said two or more light sources;   a controller communicatively coupled to said light bar via a wired interface, said wired interface comprising one or more data wires and one or more electric power wires;   wherein at least one data wire of said wired interface is communicatively coupled to at least one sensor of said one or more sensors;   wherein each sensor of said one or more sensors is configured to output an electrical signal responsive to detecting a physical object within a spatial sector, a projection on a surface sustaining said motor vehicle of said spatial sector being a circle sector, a combination of all circle sectors composing a sensing perimeter; and   wherein said sensing perimeter is provided by a full circle with a center disposed within a projection of said motor vehicle onto said surface.   
     
     
         2 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of light transmissive sections comprises a first light transmissive section and a second light transmissive section;
 wherein a first light source of said two or more light sources is disposed behind said first light transmissive section; and   wherein a second light source of said two or more light sources is disposed behind said first light transmissive section.   
     
     
         3 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor of said one or more sensors is provided by a microwave radar sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors are provided by four sensors oriented towards front, rear, left, and right directions relative to a direction of travel of said motor vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second wired interface including one or more one electric power wires and one or more data wires;
 wherein said one or more electric power wires of said second wired interface are configured to electrically couple said controller to an electric power supply; and   wherein said one or more data wires of said second wired interface are configured to communicatively couple said controller to a processing unit.   
     
     
         6 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each section of said housing is mechanically coupled to at least two neighboring sections. 
     
     
         7 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each light transmissive section of said plurality of light transmissive sections is configured to transmit light in a pre-determined spectrum region. 
     
     
         8 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of light reflectors installed behind said two or more light sources within said housing, said light reflectors configured to reflect light emitted by said two or more light sources. 
     
     
         9 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each sensor of said one or more sensors is disposed in a sensor housing comprising a multi-pin electromechanical connector. 
     
     
         10 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said light transmissive sections are disposed substantially perpendicularly to said surface sustaining said motor vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The light bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said housing further comprises two horizontal sections disposed substantially parallel to said surface sustaining said motor vehicle; and
 wherein said light transmissive sections are mechanically coupled to said two horizontal sections.   
     
     
         12 . A light bar assembly comprising:
 an elongated housing mountable to a roof of a motor vehicle, said elongated housing comprising a plurality of light transmissive sections;   two or more light sources disposed within said elongated housing;   one or more sensors disposed in an interleaved configuration with said two or more light sources;   a controller communicatively coupled to said light bar via a wired interface, said wired interface comprising one or more data wires and one or more electric power wires;   a user interface in communication with said controller;   wherein at least one data wire of said wired interface is communicatively coupled to at least one sensor of said one or more sensors;   wherein each sensor of said one or more sensors is configured to output an electrical signal responsive to detecting a physical object within a spatial sector, a projection on a surface sustaining said motor vehicle of said spatial sector being a circle sector, a combination of all circle sectors composing a sensing perimeter; and   wherein said sensing perimeter is provided by a configurable arbitrary shape.   
     
     
         13 . A system for detecting physical objects within a configurable perimeter, said system comprising:
 a light bar mountable on a roof of a motor vehicle, said light bar including two or more light sources and one or more sensors disposed within a housing of said light bar;   a controller communicatively coupled to said light bar via a first wired interface, said first wired interface comprising one or more data wires and one or more power wires;   an electric power supply electrically coupled to said controller via at least one wire;   a processing unit communicatively coupled to said controller via a second wired interface, said second wired interface comprising one or more data wires;   a software module executable by said processing unit, said software module configured to detect a physical object moving within said configurable perimeter; and   a notification device communicatively coupled to said processing unit;   wherein at least one data wire of said first wired interface is configured to carry one or more sensor data items received from at least one sensor of said one or more sensors;   wherein at least one data wire of said second wired interface is configured to carry data received from said controller, said data comprising one of: said one or more sensor data items, one or more data items derived from said one or more sensor data items;   wherein said software module is configured, responsive to detecting, based on said data received from said controller, a person approaching said motor vehicle, to transmit a notification via said notification device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each sensor of said one or more sensors is configured to output an electrical signal responsive to detecting a physical object within a spatial sector, a projection on a surface sustaining said motor vehicle of said spatial sector being a circle sector, a combination of all circle sectors composing a sensing perimeter; and
 wherein said sensing perimeter is provided by a full circle with a center disposed within a projection of said motor vehicle onto said surface.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each sensor of said one or more sensors is configured to output an electrical signal responsive to detecting a physical object within a spatial sector, a projection on a surface sustaining said motor vehicle of said spatial sector being a circle sector, a combination of all circle sectors composing a sensing perimeter; and
 wherein said sensing perimeter is provided by a configurable arbitrary shape.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one sensor of said one or more sensors is provided by a microwave radar sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said light sources and said sensors are mounted within said housing in an interleaving order. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more sensors are provided by four sensors oriented towards front, rear, left, and right directions relative to a direction of travel of said motor vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said processing unit is provided by a personal computer installed on said motor vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said notification device is provided by a screen of a personal computer installed on said motor vehicle. 
     
     
         21 - 35 . (canceled)