Hazard countermeasure system and method for vehicles

• US 20050021224A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Justin Gray
• Original Assignee: Justin Gray
• Inventors: Gray, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A control system that activates countermeasures to hazards indicated by a database and by information systems external to the vehicle by activating a plurality of vehicle systems. The control system analyzes location and time information regarding multiple situations that may coincide with the path of the vehicle and controls vehicle systems to provide countermeasures to hazards when probability of encountering those hazards meets a sufficient threshold.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle to provide countermeasures to hazards comprising:

a vehicle position determining system;

a geographic database of potential hazards;

an external data network;

vehicle systems that are manually or automatically controlled;

manually or automatically operable switches that activate the vehicle systems; and

a hazard countermeasure controller comprising a computer and controller program that acquires input from the vehicle position determining system, the geographic database of potential hazards, the external data network and the at least one of the manually or automatically operable switches and communicates with the vehicle systems that are controlled by the control system, the geographic database of potential hazards and the external data network; and

wherein

the hazard countermeasure controller uses the acquired inputs to make a determination of automatically controlling at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems to provide countermeasures for hazards and to return those systems to their original states once the vehicle has overcome a hazard.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the automatic control of at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems is performed by the hazard countermeasure controller implementing a probability function upon the acquired inputs, which activates the at least one vehicle system when a resulting probability exceeds a threshold indicating the applicability of a hazard countermeasure to overcome a hazard.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the acquired inputs are scaled to affect the result of the probability function.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the switches is a manual window switch.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the computer and controller program uses at least one of a neural network, fuzzy logic, a decision tree, an evolutionary algorithm, and a Bayesian network.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the switches is associated with a local-sensor-initiated hazard countermeasure system.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the switches is a sunroof switch.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the switches is a hazard light switch.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the switches is a mobile telephone system activated by calling 911 or other emergency number.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the switches is a panic switch.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is a window or sunroof control system.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is a door lock system.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is a navigation system.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is a multimedia system.

15. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is a windshield wiper system.

16. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the vehicle systems is an external light system.

17. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external data network is one of a TDMA, CDMA and GSM network.

18. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external data network uses one of 802.11a/b, 802.11x, 802.11g and DSRC as a wireless protocol.

19. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external data network uses a wireless data connection to a telecommunications satellite.

20. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external data network is one of a mesh network, a peer-to-peer network, and a client-server network to communicate with a vehicle-mounted communication device and a stationary device.

21. A system according to claim 1 wherein the position determining system comprises one of GPS, triangulation, directional antennae, assisted GPS, image recognition, and combinations thereof for detecting the vehicle'"'"'s position.

22. A system in accordance with claim 1 comprising a velocity determining system;

and wherein the countermeasure controller acquires an input from the velocity determining system and uses the input from the velocity determining system to determine the automatic control of the at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems.

23. In a control system for a vehicle for providing countermeasures to hazards including a vehicle position determining system, a geographic database of potential hazards, an external data network, vehicle systems that are manually or automatically controlled, manually or automatically operable switches that activate the vehicle systems, and a hazard countermeasure controller comprising a computer and controller program, a method comprising:

acquiring inputs from the vehicle position determining system, the geographic database of potential hazards, the external data network and the at least one of the manually or automatically operable switches; and

communicating with the vehicle systems that are controlled by the control system, the geographic database of potential hazards and the external data network; and

the hazard countermeasure controller uses the acquired inputs to make a determination of automatically controlling at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems to provide countermeasures for hazards and to return those systems to their original states once the vehicle has overcome a hazard.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the automatic control of at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems is performed by the hazard countermeasure controller implementing a probability function upon the acquired inputs, which activates the at least one vehicle system when a resulting probability exceeds a threshold indicating the applicability of a hazard countermeasure to overcome a hazard.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the acquired inputs are scaled to affect the result of the probability function.

26. A method according to claim 23 wherein the system comprises

a velocity determining system;

and wherein

the countermeasures controller acquires an input from the velocity determining system and uses the input from the velocity determining system to determine the automatic control of the at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems.