Detection and alert of automobile braking event

• US 10,127,816 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blanding Hovenweep LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Blanding Hovenweep LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US15/414,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 340901, 340903, 340479, 340933, 340936, 340937, 34042632
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and system alert a driver of a driven vehicle about an unsafe traffic condition. The method detects, by one or more of a radar detector, a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) detector, or a camera, a braking event of a nearby vehicle. The method stores, in a storage device, the braking event of the nearby vehicle. The method communicates a signal indicative of the braking event of the nearby vehicle to a brake system of the driven vehicle. The method also alerts the driver, by one or more of a user display alert or an audible alert, of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a brake system configured to slow or to stop the vehicle when the brake system is activated;

one or more of a radar detector, a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) detector, or a camera configured to detect a braking event of a nearby vehicle;

a storage device coupled to the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera, and configured to store the braking event of the nearby vehicle;

a digital data bus coupled to the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera, and configured to communicate the braking event of the nearby vehicle to the brake system; and

one or more of a user display alert or an audible alert configured to alert a driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the radar detector is configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the LIDAR detector is configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the camera is configured to detect an illumination of a brake light of the nearby vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the camera is configured to detect an illumination of a center brake light that is not normally illuminated, and the camera is configured to infer the braking event of the nearby vehicle based on the illumination.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera is configured to detect deceleration of the nearby vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the radar detector is configured to detect the deceleration of the nearby vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the LIDAR detector is configured to detect the deceleration of the nearby vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor is configured to detect the deceleration of the nearby vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera is integrated into electronics of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the digital data bus is a vetronics data bus, and the vetronics data bus is configured to communicate the braking event of the nearby vehicle to the brake system of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a display device, wherein the display device is configured to display the user display alert in the form of visual graphic information, and the display device is configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle using the visual graphic information displayed on the display device.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a display device, wherein the display device is configured to display the user display alert in the form of visual alphanumeric information, and the display device is configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle using the visual alphanumeric information displayed on the display device.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more indicator lights, wherein the one or more indicator lights are configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the one or more indicator lights include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the audible alert is configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an audio transducer, wherein the audio transducer is configured to generate a spoken-voice alert and to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle by the spoken-voice alert.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera is tamper proof.

20. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a processor, wherein:

the one or more of the radar detector, the LIDAR detector, or the camera is configured to analyze traffic control indicia;

the processor is configured to process the braking event and the traffic control indicia; and

the processor is configured to determine a priority of events stored in the storage device dependent on the traffic control indicia.

21. The vehicle of claim 20, wherein the traffic control indicia includes at least one of a speed limit, a caution, or a traffic light.

22. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the brake system is an antilock brake system.

23. A vehicle comprising:

a brake system configured to slow or to stop the vehicle when the brake system is activated;

means for detecting a braking event of a nearby vehicle;

means for storing data indicative of the braking event of the nearby vehicle;

means for communicating a signal indicative of the braking event of the nearby vehicle to the brake system; and

means for alerting a driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for detecting a braking event comprises a radar detector configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

25. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for detecting a braking event comprises a LIDAR detector configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

26. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for detecting a braking event comprises a camera configured to detect the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the camera is configured to detect an illumination of a brake light of the nearby vehicle.

28. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the camera is configured to detect an illumination of a center brake light that is not normally illuminated, and the camera is configured to infer the braking event of the nearby vehicle based on the illumination.

29. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for detecting a braking event comprises a means for detecting deceleration of the nearby vehicle.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the means for detecting deceleration of the nearby vehicle comprises a radar system.

31. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the means for detecting deceleration of the nearby vehicle comprises a LIDAR system.

32. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the means for detecting deceleration of the nearby vehicle comprises an optical sensor.

33. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means are integrated into electronics of the vehicle.

34. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein a vetronics data bus is configured to communicate the braking event of the nearby vehicle to the brake system of the vehicle.

35. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the alerting the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle comprises a display device configured to display an alert in the form of visual graphic information, and the display device is configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle using the visual graphic information displayed on the display device.

36. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for alerting the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle comprises a display device configured to display an alert in the form of visual alphanumeric information, and the display device is configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle using the visual alphanumeric information displayed on the display device.

37. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for alerting the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle comprises a one or more indicator lights, wherein the one or more indicator lights are configured to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

38. The vehicle of claim 37, wherein the one or more indicator lights include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

39. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for alerting the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle comprises a means for generating an audible alert to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle.

40. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for alerting the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle comprises an audio transducer configured to generate a spoken-voice alert and to alert the driver of the braking event of the nearby vehicle by the spoken-voice alert.

41. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the means for detecting a braking event of the nearby vehicle is tamper proof.

42. The vehicle of claim 23, further comprising:

means for analyzing traffic control indicia; and

means for determining a priority of braking events dependent on the traffic control indicia.

43. The vehicle of claim 42, wherein the traffic control indicia includes at least one of a speed limit, a caution, or a traffic light.

44. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the brake system is an antilock brake system.