System and Method for Vehicle Speed Monitoring Using Historical Speed Data

• US 20110301802A1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rupp, Jeffrey Dan, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Spero, Dorian Jack
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A target (not-to-exceed) speed for a vehicle over a road segment ahead of the vehicle is established based on a desired relationship with a speed profile of the segment. The speed profile is generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data over the segment collected by probe vehicles. A driver alert is activated if the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed based on at least one measured vehicle dynamic property. The target speed may be established by identifying a baseline road segment over which the vehicle has previously traveled and which is similar to the approaching road segment, comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with a speed profile of the baseline segment to determine a speed differential, and applying the speed differential to the speed profile of the approaching segment.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring the speed of an automotive vehicle comprising:

identifying an approaching road segment lying ahead of the vehicle;

accessing a speed profile of the approaching segment, the speed profile generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data collected from probe vehicles that have previously traveled over the approaching segment;

establishing a target vehicle speed over the approaching road segment based on a desired relationship with the speed profile, the desired relationship being based upon at least one of a driver condition factor, a driving conditions factor, a vehicle condition factor, and a driver input factor;

assessing whether the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed over the approaching segment based, at least in part, on at least one measured vehicle dynamic property; and

activating at least one vehicle system in response to the above assessment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired relationship is expressed in terms of a statistical deviation from a mean.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the driver condition factor is at least one of driver drowsiness factor and a driver distraction factor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the driving condition factor is at least one of surface condition factor, a visibility factor, and a traffic density factor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired relationship is established for a particular driver of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the desired relationship has a first value if the approaching road segment is of a first type and a second value if the approaching road segment is of a second type, the first and second type being different in at least one of a curvature, an incline, a bank angle, a camber, a surface quality, and a posted speed limit.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of establishing the target speed comprises:

identifying a baseline road segment over which the vehicle has previously traveled;

comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with a second speed profile of the baseline segment to determine a speed differential, the second speed profile generated by calculating a statistical distribution of historical speed data of probe vehicles that have traveled over the baseline segment; and

applying the speed differential to the first speed profile.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the speed differential is expressed in terms of a statistical deviation from a mean value.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the baseline road segment is selected, at least in part, based upon similarity to the approaching road segment in at least one of a curvature, an incline, a bank angle, a camber, a surface quality, and a posted speed limit.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the baseline segment is the same as the approaching segment.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of the steps are performed in relation to a particular driver of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further wherein the step of activating at least one vehicle system comprises activating at least one of an audible driver alert, a visual driver alert, a haptic driver alert, a braking system, and reducing a powertrain system.

13. A method of monitoring the speed of an automotive vehicle comprising:

determining a location of the vehicle relative to an approaching road segment lying ahead of the vehicle;

accessing a first speed profile of the approaching segment, the first speed profile generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data collected from probe vehicles that have previously traveled over the approaching segment;

identifying a baseline road segment over which the vehicle has previously traveled;

accessing a second speed profile of the baseline segment, the second speed profile generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data collected from probe vehicles that have previously traveled over the baseline segment;

comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with the second speed profile to determine a speed differential; and

applying the speed differential to the first speed profile to establish a target vehicle speed over the approaching segment;

assessing whether the vehicle is likely to exceed the desired speed over the approaching segment based, at least in part, on a current vehicle speed; and

notifying the vehicle driver of results of the assessment.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the baseline road segment is selected, at least in part, based upon similarity to the approaching road segment in at least one of a curvature, an incline, a bank angle, a camber, a surface quality, and a posted speed limit.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the baseline segment is the same as the approaching segment.

16. Apparatus for monitoring the speed of an automotive vehicle and advising a driver of the vehicle comprising:

at least one electronic device

establishing a target speed of the vehicle over an approaching road segment lying ahead of the vehicle based at least in part on a desired relationship with a speed profile of the approaching segment, the speed profile having been generated by calculating/analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data collected from probe vehicles that have traveled over the approaching segment; and

assessing a likelihood that the vehicle will exceed the target speed over the approaching segment based, at least in part, on at least one vehicle dynamic property; and

a vehicle system activated by the electronic device to advise the driver that the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the desired relationship is based, at least in part, on at least one of a driver distraction factor, a driver drowsiness factor, a road surface condition factor, and a driver input factor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the electronic system assesses whether the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed by considering at least one of an available deceleration distance and an allowable deceleration rate.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the target speed is determined by:

identifying a baseline road segment over which the host vehicle has previously traveled and which is similar to the approaching road segment in at least one of a curvature, an incline, a bank angle, a camber, a surface quality, and a posted speed limit;

comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with a second speed profile of the baseline segment to determine a speed differential, the second speed profile generated by calculating a statistical distribution of historical speed data of probe vehicles that have traveled over the baseline segment; and

applying the speed differential to the first speed profile.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the baseline road segment is selected based, at least in part, upon similarity to the approaching road segment in at least one of a curvature, an incline, a bank angle, a camber, a surface quality, and a posted speed limit.