DANGER ZONE WARNING SYSTEM

• US 20160090038A1
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Briggs, Simon A. S., Hook, James K., Hunt, Hamish C., Lincoln, Nicholas K.
• Application Number:
  US14/864,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20160090038A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/00 Safety devices acting in conjunction with the control or operation of a machine; Control arrangements requiring the simultaneous use of two or more parts of the body F16P5/00 takes precedence

Abstract

Providing a danger zone warning. A volume is determined, and the volume is modeled. One or more danger zones within the volume are determined, wherein a danger zone is a sub-volume of the volume which is or will become hazardous for a person to be in. A visual indication is provided on the ground of a danger zone. Also, a directed audio warning is provided to a danger zone. A danger zone may be monitored for entry of a person into the danger zone, and one or both of the visual indication and the directed audio warning may be provided when an entry is detected.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing a danger zone warning, comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a volume, and modeling the volume;

determining one or more danger zones within the volume, wherein a danger zone is a sub-volume of the volume hazardous for a person to be in;

providing a visual indication on the ground of one danger zone; and

providing a directed audio warning to the one danger zone.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, including:

monitoring the one danger zone for entry of a person into the one danger zone and triggering providing at least one of the visual indication and the directed audio warning when the entry is detected.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the monitoring the one danger zone includes:

providing sensors to monitor movement in the one danger zone.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the providing the visual indication comprises providing a continuous visual indication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising monitoring for entry of a person into the one danger zone and triggering providing an additional visual indication warning when the entry is detected.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modeling the volume includes:

predicting a movement of a hazardous object within the volume; and

providing the visual indication and the directed audio warning in at least one of prior to the predicted movement or during the predicted movement.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the predicting the movement of the hazardous object within the volume comprises predicting the movement of a vehicle by determining a vehicle'"'"'s route and progress along the route.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the volume is the volume around a vehicle, and the modeling the volume includes:

modeling the vehicle'"'"'s dimensions; and

determining a driver'"'"'s position and an orientation of side mirrors.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle is an articulated vehicle and the modeling the vehicle'"'"'s dimensions includes modeling an angle of turn of the vehicle.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the determining one or more danger zones within the volume includes:

determining at least one danger zone as at least one sub-volume through which the vehicle is likely to travel; and

determining observable zones of the at least one sub-volume.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein at least one of providing the visual indication or providing the directed audio warning is applied to an observable zone.

12. A computer system for providing a danger zone warning, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising;

identifying a volume, and modeling the volume;

determining one or more danger zones within the volume, wherein a danger zone is a sub-volume of the volume hazardous for a person to be in;

providing a visual indication on the ground of one danger zone; and

providing a directed audio warning to the one danger zone.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the one danger zone for entry of a person into the one danger zone and triggering providing at least one of the visual indication and the directed audio warning when the entry is detected.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the modeling the volume includes:

predicting a movement of a hazardous object within the volume; and

providing the visual indication and the directed audio warning in at least one of prior to the predicted movement or during the predicted movement.

15. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the volume is the volume around a vehicle, and the modeling the volume includes:

modeling the vehicle'"'"'s dimensions; and

determining a driver'"'"'s position and an orientation of side mirrors.

16. A computer program product for providing a danger zone warning, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

identifying, by a processor, a volume, and modeling the volume;

determining one or more danger zones within the volume, wherein a danger zone is a sub-volume of the volume hazardous for a person to be in;

providing a visual indication on the ground of one danger zone; and

providing a directed audio warning to the one danger zone.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the one danger zone for entry of a person into the one danger zone and triggering providing at least one of the visual indication and the directed audio warning when the entry is detected.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the modeling the volume includes:

predicting a movement of a hazardous object within the volume; and

providing the visual indication and the directed audio warning in at least one of prior to the predicted movement or during the predicted movement.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the predicting the movement of the hazardous object within the volume comprises predicting the movement of a vehicle by determining a vehicle'"'"'s route and progress along the route.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the volume is the volume around a vehicle, and the modeling the volume includes:

modeling the vehicle'"'"'s dimensions; and

determining a driver'"'"'s position and an orientation of side mirrors.