Method and apparatus for predictive driving demand modeling

• US 10,002,470 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Yang, Hsin-hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US14/265,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20150317847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22, 701 36- 40, 701 80, 701116-119, 701 291, 701 302- 313, 701 321- 325, 701 334- 344
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/00 Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to record vehicle inputs during travel over a predefined distance. The processor is also configured to record environmental variables during travel over the predefined distance. Further, the processor is configured to record vehicle state changes during travel over the predefined distance. The processor is additionally configured to compare the inputs, variables and state changes to predetermined values to determine if a correlation, indicating a predefined condition, exists. Also, the processor is configured to record the predefined condition as occurring over the predefined distance if the correlation indicates the predefined condition.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

record vehicle inputs, environmental variables and vehicle state changes during travel over a predefined distance;

compare the recorded inputs, variables and state changes to predetermined values to determine that a correlation, indicating driving demand above a threshold, exists; and

automatically engage a vehicle safety measure to block a predefined instance of blockable, demand-increasing information from being presented to a driver, responsive to determining the demand above the threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined distance includes a predetermined coordinate set.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inputs include pedal usage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inputs include steering wheel usage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental variables include weather.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental variables include traffic.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental variables include road conditions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state changes include acceleration rates, including deceleration rates.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle state changes include yaw rates.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

recording vehicle inputs, environmental variables, and vehicle state changes during travel over a predefined distance;

comparing, via a computer, the inputs, variables and state changes to predetermined values to determine that a correlation, indicating driving demand above a threshold, exists; and

notifying a driver of a high demand situation responsive to the determinization that demand above the threshold exists.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined distance includes a predetermined coordinate set.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the inputs include pedal usage.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the inputs include steering wheel usage.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the environmental variables include weather.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the environmental variables include traffic.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the environmental variables include road conditions.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle state changes include acceleration rates, including deceleration rates.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle state changes include yaw rates.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions, which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a computer-implemented method comprising:

recording vehicle inputs, environmental variables, and vehicle state changes during travel over a predefined distance;

comparing, via a computer, the inputs, variables and state changes to predetermined values to determine that a correlation, indicating driving demand above a threshold, exists; and

automatically engaging a vehicle safety measure to block a predefined instance of blockable, demand-increasing information from being presented to a driver, responsive to determining the demand above the threshold.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the predefined distance includes a predetermined coordinate set.