Vehicle warning system and method

• US 20030043059A1
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Thomas Stephen Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,650,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/989
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A vehicle warning system and method. A detector is onboard a first vehicle and automatically detects a travel condition problem encountered by the first vehicle at a first location. A vehicle position locator automatically determines the first location of the first vehicle. A communicator automatically transmits the determined first location and the detected travel condition problem to a second location. In one example, the vehicle is an automotive vehicle, and the second location is a communications center which transmits the determined first location and the detected travel condition problem (such as an icy roadway or a traffic jam) to only those other vehicles headed toward the first location.

Claims

1. A vehicle warning system comprising:

a) a detector which is onboard a first vehicle and which automatically detects a travel condition problem encountered by the first vehicle at a first location;

b) a vehicle position locator which automatically determines the first location of the first vehicle; and

c) a communicator which automatically transmits the determined first location and the detected travel condition problem to a second location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector includes at least one vehicle sensor and a computer, wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is onboard the first vehicle and senses a vehicle operating parameter at the first location, and wherein the computer is onboard the first vehicle and detects the travel condition problem based at least in part on the sensed vehicle operating parameter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first vehicle is a first automotive vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the second location is a second automotive vehicle in the vicinity of the determined first location.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second location is selected from the group consisting of a communication center remote from the first automotive vehicle, a programmable highway sign, a highway road crew, a radio station, and a television station.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle operating parameter includes wheel speed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the travel condition problem is a low traction roadway.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the travel condition problem is an icy roadway.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the travel condition problem is a traffic jam.

10. A method for warning a second vehicle of a travel condition problem encountered by a first vehicle at a first location comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a vehicle operating parameter sensed by a vehicle sensor onboard the first vehicle;

b) identifying the travel condition problem based at least in part on the received vehicle operating parameter;

c) determining the first location of the first vehicle;

d) determining the travel path of the second vehicle; and

e) communicating the determined first location and the identified travel condition problem to the second vehicle only when the determined travel path of the second vehicle is headed toward the determined first location.

11. A vehicle warning system comprising:

a) a detector which is onboard a first automotive vehicle and which automatically detects a loss of traction event encountered by the first vehicle at a first location;

b) a vehicle position locator which automatically determines the first location of the first vehicle; and

c) a communicator which is onboard the first automotive vehicle and which transmits the determined first location and the detected low traction event to a communications center remote from the first automotive vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detector includes at least one vehicle sensor and a computer, wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is onboard the first vehicle and senses a vehicle operating parameter at the first location, and wherein the computer is onboard the first vehicle and detects the low traction event based at least in part on the sensed vehicle operating parameter.

13. The system of claim 12, also including a temperature sensor, and wherein the computer determines the low traction event is an icy roadway.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the communications center transmits the determined first location and the detected low traction event to other locations only when a predetermined number of separate vehicles transmit a low traction event and substantially the same determined first location to the communications center.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communications center determines which other automotive vehicles are headed toward the determined first location and transmits the determined first location and the detected low traction event only to those other automotive vehicles which are determined to be headed toward the first location.

16. A vehicle warning system comprising:

a) a detector which is onboard a first automotive vehicle and which automatically detects a traffic jam event encountered by the first vehicle at a first location;

b) a vehicle position locator which automatically determines the first location of the first vehicle; and

c) a communicator which is onboard the first automotive vehicle and which transmits the determined first location and the detected traffic jam to a communications center remote from the first automotive vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the detector includes at least one vehicle sensor and a computer, wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is onboard the first vehicle and senses a vehicle operating parameter at the first location, and wherein the computer is onboard the first vehicle and detects the traffic jam event based at least in part on the sensed vehicle operating parameter.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the determined first location is along a limited access highway.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the communications center transmits the determined first location and the detected traffic jam event to other locations only when a predetermined number of separate vehicles transmit a traffic jam event and substantially the same determined first location to the communications center.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the communications center determines which other automotive vehicles are headed along the limited access highway and toward the determined first location and transmits the determined first location and the detected traffic jam event only to those other automotive vehicles which are determined to be headed along the limited access highway and toward the first location.