Event-based connected vehicle control and response systems

• US 10,518,729 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Kumar, Surender, Marlow, Clint J., Gibson, Timothy W., Slusar, Mark V., Wiklund, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US15/667,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20190039545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/228 Command input arrangements located on-board unmanned vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 : for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

Event-based connected vehicle control and response systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed. An example method comprises identifying the occurrence of an event, storing first data corresponding to apparatus operation for a first threshold amount of time prior to the event, during the occurrence of the event, and for a second threshold amount of time after the event, determining whether a responsive object is involved in or near the event, in response to determining that the responsive object is involved in or near the event, transmitting the first data to the responsive object, and receiving, from the responsive object, second data, analyzing the first data and the second data to determine a party at-fault for the event, aggregating the first data and second data into an event report, and causing, automatically, a response to be initiated through an entity associated with the party at-fault.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first vehicle comprising a first plurality of vehicle operation sensors to detect vehicle and environment parameters;

a second vehicle comprising a second plurality of vehicle operation sensors; and

a server comprising;

at least one processor; and

memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to;

identify an occurrence of an event involving the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

store first data acquired by the first plurality of vehicle operation sensors;

during a first threshold amount of time prior to the occurrence of the event, during the occurrence of the event, and during a second threshold amount of time after the occurrence of the event;

store second data acquired by the second plurality of vehicle operation sensors;

during a third threshold amount of time prior to the occurrence of the event, during the occurrence of the event, and during a fourth threshold amount of time after the occurrence of the event;

determine, based on the first data and the second data, which vehicle of the first vehicle or the second vehicle is at-fault;

aggregate the first data and second data into an event report; and

initiate, automatically, one or more responses to the event wherein the one or more responses comprise initiating, automatically and at a time proximate to the event, an insurance claim using at least one of the first data, the second data, and the event report.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to identify, based on third data associated with the first vehicle, an entity associated with the vehicle identified as at-fault.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of a near miss or an accident involving at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

generate, based on the first data and the second data, an event avoidance maneuver;

transmit, to one or more vehicles approaching the event, the event avoidance maneuver; and

causing the one or more vehicles to perform the event avoidance maneuver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to verify at least a first portion of the first data with at least a second portion of the second data.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a third vehicle not involved in the event, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

store third data acquired by a third plurality of vehicle sensors associated with the third vehicle;

identify, based on the first data, the second data, and the third data, which vehicle of the first vehicle or the second vehicle is at-fault; and

aggregate the first data, the second data, and the third data into the event report.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises first insurance information associated with the first vehicle and the second data comprises second insurance information associated with the second vehicle, and

wherein initiating the insurance claim comprises transmitting, using at least one of the first insurance information and the second insurance information, the insurance claim to an insurance provider associated with the vehicle determined to be at-fault.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data each comprise a digital certificate configured to authenticate automatic processing of compensation associated with damages or injuries sustained during an event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein initiating the insurance claim comprises:

acquiring, using at least one of the first data and the second data, a digital certificate associated with the vehicle determined to be at-fault;

processing the digital certificate associated with the vehicle determined to be at-fault; and

initiating, based on the processed digital certificate, compensation to one or more other vehicles involved in the event.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more responses further comprise displaying a message notifying of the event via at least one of:

a digital billboard in proximity to the event,

an on-board display of one or more vehicles in proximity to the event, and

a device associated with one or more vehicles in route to a location in proximity to the event.

12. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to at least;

identify an occurrence of an event;

store first data corresponding to apparatus operation;

during a first threshold amount of time prior to the occurrence of the event, during the occurrence of the event, and during a second threshold amount of time after the occurrence of the event;

determine whether a responsive object is involved in or near the event;

in response to determining that the responsive object is involved in or near the event;

transmit, to the responsive object, the first data; and

receive, from the responsive object, second data;

analyze the first data and the second data to determine an at-fault party involved in the event;

aggregate the first data and second data into an event report; and

cause, automatically and at a time proximate to the event, insurance claim to be initiated through an entity associated with the at-fault party.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the responsive object is at least one of a connected vehicle or a connected infrastructure device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to input the first data and the second data into autonomous vehicle operation machine learning algorithms.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the event is a first event and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:

query an event database for third data corresponding to a second event similar to the first event; and

analyze the first data, the second data, and the third data to determine the at-fault party involved in the event.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first data and the second data comprise at least one of:

driver information, event images, vehicle information, time of event, location of vehicles, speed, sensor data from vehicles involved, location, environmental conditions, vehicle control status information, vehicles onboard telematics data, driver behavior information, and insurance information.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the entity is an insurance provider determined from at least one of the first data and the second data.

18. A method comprising:

identifying an occurrence of an event;

storing first data corresponding to apparatus operation;

during a first threshold amount of time prior to the occurrence of the event, during the occurrence of the event, and during a second threshold amount of time after the occurrence of the event;

determining whether a responsive object is involved in or near the event;

in response to determining that the responsive object is involved in or near the event;

transmitting the first data to the responsive object; and

receiving, from the responsive object, second data;

analyzing the first data and the second data to determine a party at-fault for the event;

aggregating the first data and second data into an event report; and

causing, automatically and at a time proximate to the event, an insurance claim to be initiated through an entity associated with the party at-fault.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising inputting the first data and the second data into autonomous vehicle operation machine learning algorithms.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining, based on the first data and the second data, a cause of the event.