Providing mobile ad hoc cooperative communication systems and related devices for vehicle-to-vehicle communication

• US 10,229,587 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anschutz, Thomas Arnold, El Houmaidi, Mounire
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosme, Natasha W
• Application Number:
  US14/540,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455 25, 455 634, 455436, 455440, 455441, 4554561, 4554566, 455457, 455502, 455509, 370252, 370331, 370332, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/18 based on predicted events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile electronic device includes detecting at least one other mobile electronic device within a predetermined distance of the mobile electronic device, and determining a spatial relationship of the at least one other mobile electronic device relative to the mobile electronic device. An ad hoc wireless connection is established with the at least one other mobile electronic device based on the determined spatial relationship. Data may be transmitted to and/or received from the at least one other mobile electronic device over the ad hoc wireless connection based on the determined spatial relationship. Related systems, devices, and computer program products are also discussed in the context of vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

Claims

1. A first device comprising:

a processor; and

memory communicatively connected with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

establishing an ad hoc wireless connection with a second device;

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, information pertaining to a vehicle associated with the second device, wherein the information comprises data of spatial relationships associated with a vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device;

based on the information, determining a distance, speed, and position between the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device that determines the vehicle associated with the second device is moving at a greater speed than the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device is in a lane adjacent to the vehicle associated with the first; and

based on the determining step, providing instructions to transmit lane change data of the vehicle associated with the first device to the vehicle associated with the second device.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises speed data of a plurality of devices that comprise the first device and the second device, wherein the first device and the second device are mobile phones.

3. The first device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, data from the second device, wherein content of the data is based upon the spatial relationship.

4. The first device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

altering at least one of vehicle speed, direction of travel, or a safety system of a vehicle associated with the first device based on the received information.

5. The first device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, via the ad hoc wireless connection, emergency data for a vehicle associated with the first device to the second device, wherein the transmitting of the emergency data is based on involvement in an accident of the vehicle associated with the first device.

6. The first device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

transmitting to the second device, via the ad hoc wireless connection, at least one of breaking or deceleration data for a vehicle associated with the second device.

7. The first device of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

detecting a third device within the predetermined distance;

determining a second spatial relationship of the third device relative to the first device; and

establishing a second ad hoc wireless connection with the third device rather than with the second device, based on the second spatial relationship.

8. A method comprising:

establishing, by a first device, an ad hoc wireless connection with a second device;

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, information pertaining to a vehicle associated with the second device, wherein the information comprises data of spatial relationships associated with a vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device;

based on the information, determining a distance, speed, and position between the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device that determines the vehicle associated with the second device is moving at a greater speed than the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device is in a lane adjacent to the vehicle associated with the first; and

based on the determining step, transmitting lane change data of the vehicle associated with the first device to the vehicle associated with the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing, via the ad hoc wireless connection, data to the second device, wherein content of the data is based upon the spatial relationship.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, data from the second device, wherein content of the data is based upon the spatial relationship.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

altering at least one of vehicle speed, direction of travel, or a safety system of a vehicle associated with the first device based on the received information.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting, via the ad hoc wireless connection, emergency data for a vehicle associated with the first device to the second device, in which a motion vector indicates that the second device is approaching the first device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting to the second device, via the ad hoc wireless connection, at least one of breaking or deceleration data for a vehicle associated with the second device, in which a motion vector indicates that the second device is traveling behind the first device and in a same direction as the first device.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a third device within the predetermined distance;

determining a second spatial relationship of the third device relative to the first device; and

establishing a second ad hoc wireless connection with the third device rather than with the second device, based on the second spatial relationship.

15. A tangible computer readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

establishing, by a first device, an ad hoc wireless connection with a second device;

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, information pertaining to a vehicle associated with the second device, wherein the information comprises data of spatial relationships associated with a vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device;

based on the information, determining a distance, speed, and position between the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device that determines the vehicle associated with the second device is moving at a greater speed than the vehicle associated with the first device and the vehicle associated with the second device is in a lane adjacent to the vehicle associated with the first; and

based on the determining step, providing instructions to transmit lane change data of the vehicle associated with the first device to the vehicle associated with the second device.

16. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

providing, via the ad hoc wireless connection, data to the second device, wherein content of the data is based upon the spatial relationship.

17. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving, via the ad hoc wireless connection, data from the second device, wherein content of the data is based upon the spatial relationship.

18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

altering at least one of vehicle speed, direction of travel, or a safety system of a vehicle associated with the first device based on the received information.

19. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, via the ad hoc wireless connection, emergency data for a vehicle associated with the first device to the second device, in which a motion vector indicates that the second device is approaching the first device.

20. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

transmitting to the second device, via the ad hoc wireless connection, at least one of breaking or deceleration data for a vehicle associated with the second device, in which a motion vector indicates that the second device is traveling behind the first device and in a same direction as the first device.