SAFE DISTANCE DETERMINATION

• US 20140324329A1
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abuelsaad, Tamer E., Moore, John Elbert Jr., Singi, Rajeshkumar N., Wentworth, Robert Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,454,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A method includes, a first computer determining a stopping distance information for a first vehicle; broadcasting the stopping distance information for the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle; a second computer, in the at least one other vehicle, receiving the stopping distance information for the first vehicle determines a first distance between the at least one other vehicle and the first vehicle; and the second computer determining a proper distance for the at least one other vehicle based on the received stopping distance information of the first vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a first computer determining a stopping distance information for a first vehicle;

broadcasting the stopping distance information for the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle;

a second computer, in the at least one other vehicle, receiving the stopping distance information for the first vehicle determines a first distance between the at least one other vehicle and the first vehicle; and

the second computer determining a proper distance for the at least one other vehicle based on the received stopping distance information of the first vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle is displayed within the at least one other vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle is broadcasted to the first vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first computer determines the stopping distance information by using real time data.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first computer further determines the stopping distance information by using historical data.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first computer determines the stopping distance information by using the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second computer determines the proper distance by calculating a stopping distance information for the at least one other vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second computer issues a warning within the at least one other vehicle if the stopping distance information from the first vehicle is greater than the determined first distance.

9. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

a first module operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, configured to determine a stopping distance information for a first vehicle;

a second module coupled to at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, configured to broadcast the stopping distance information for the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle;

a third module, in the at least one other vehicle, receiving the stopping distance information for the first vehicle, operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, configured to determine a first distance between the at least one other vehicle and the first vehicle, wherein the third module is further configured to determine a proper distance for the at least one other vehicle based on the received stopping distance information of the first vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle is displayed within the at least one other vehicle.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle is broadcasted to the first vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first module determines the stopping distance information by using real time data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first module further determines the stopping distance information by using historical data.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first module determines the stopping distance information by using the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the third module determines the proper distance by calculating a stopping distance information for the at least one other vehicle.

16. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable, tangible storage medium;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage medium, to determine a stopping distance information for a first vehicle;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage medium, to broadcast the stopping distance information for the first vehicle to at least one other vehicle;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage medium, to receive the stopping distance information for the first vehicle and determine a first distance between the at least one other vehicle and the first vehicle; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage medium, to determine a proper distance for the at least one other vehicle based on the received stopping distance information of the first vehicle.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle is broadcasted to the first vehicle.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the program instructions determines the stopping distance information by using real time data.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the program instructions further determines the stopping distance information by using historical data.

20. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the program instructions determines the stopping distance information by using the determined proper distance for the at least one other vehicle.