SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALERTING DRIVERS OF APPROACHING EMERGENCY VEHICLES

• US 20160210858A1
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invent F&W, LLC
• Original Assignee: Invent F&W, LLC
• Inventors: Foster, Ginny, Walsh, Mike, McNeely, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,127,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for alerting passenger vehicles of approaching emergency vehicles is implemented by an alert management computing device. The method includes receiving an emergency vehicle alert request message from an emergency vehicle transmitter, receiving passenger vehicle location data from a plurality of passenger vehicle user computing devices located in a plurality of passenger vehicles, wherein the passenger vehicle location data includes a present passenger vehicle location and a present passenger vehicle trajectory, identifying an alert zone for the emergency vehicle based on the present emergency vehicle location and the present emergency vehicle trajectory, identifying a vehicle zone for each of the plurality of passenger vehicles, identifying a subset of the passenger vehicles within the alert zone by comparing each vehicle zone to the alert zone, and transmitting a warning to the subset of passenger vehicles via the passenger vehicle user computing devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for alerting passenger vehicles of approaching emergency vehicles, said method implemented by an alert management computing device including a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor, said method comprising:

receiving an emergency vehicle alert request message from an emergency vehicle transmitter, wherein the emergency vehicle alert request message includes a present emergency vehicle location and a present emergency vehicle trajectory;

receiving passenger vehicle location data from a plurality of passenger vehicle user computing devices located in a plurality of passenger vehicles, wherein the passenger vehicle location data includes a present passenger vehicle location and a present passenger vehicle trajectory;

identifying an alert zone for the emergency vehicle based on the present emergency vehicle location and the present emergency vehicle trajectory;

identifying a vehicle zone for each of the plurality of passenger vehicles based on the present passenger vehicle location and the present passenger vehicle trajectory;

identifying a subset of the passenger vehicles within the alert zone by comparing each vehicle zone to the alert zone; and

transmitting a warning to the subset of passenger vehicles via the passenger vehicle user computing devices, wherein the warning includes an alert zone description describing characteristics of the alert zone.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an alert duration for the alert zone, wherein the alert duration represents a projected period of time that the alert zone is active; and

transmitting the warning to the subset of passenger vehicles wherein the warning includes the alert duration.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the emergency vehicle alert request message from the emergency vehicle transmitter, wherein the emergency vehicle alert request message includes a present emergency vehicle speed and a present emergency vehicle acceleration; and

adjusting the alert zone based on the present emergency vehicle speed and the present emergency vehicle acceleration.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising:

determining that the emergency vehicle is stopped based on the emergency vehicle alert request message; and

.

reducing the alert zone upon determining that the emergency vehicle is stopped.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving map data associated with a region containing the alert zone; and

generating the warning including the map data and the alert zone, wherein the warning relates the alert zone to the map data.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the emergency vehicle is on a highway based on the emergency vehicle alert request message and the map data; and

identifying the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes a portion of the highway in a flow of traffic with the emergency vehicle.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the emergency vehicle is at a traffic intersection based on the emergency vehicle alert request message and the map data; and

identifying the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes roads included within the traffic intersection.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the emergency vehicle is stopped based on the emergency vehicle alert request message;

determining that the emergency vehicle is located near a high traffic area based on the passenger vehicle location data; and

identifying the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes a portion of roadway in a flow of traffic opposed to the emergency vehicle.

9. An alert management computing device for alerting passenger vehicles of approaching emergency vehicles, the alert management computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said processor programmed to;

receive an emergency vehicle alert request message from an emergency vehicle transmitter, wherein the emergency vehicle alert request message includes a present emergency vehicle location and a present emergency vehicle trajectory;

receive passenger vehicle location data from a plurality of passenger vehicle user computing devices located in a plurality of passenger vehicles, wherein the passenger vehicle location data includes a present passenger vehicle location and a present passenger vehicle trajectory;

identify an alert zone for the emergency vehicle based on the present emergency vehicle location and the present emergency vehicle trajectory;

identify a vehicle zone for each of the plurality of passenger vehicles based on the present passenger vehicle location and the present passenger vehicle trajectory;

identify a subset of the passenger vehicles within the alert zone by comparing each vehicle zone to the alert zone; and

transmit a warning to the subset of passenger vehicles via the passenger vehicle user computing devices, wherein the warning includes an alert zone description describing characteristics of the alert zone.

10. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

identify an alert duration for the alert zone, wherein the alert duration represents a projected period of time that the alert zone is active; and

transmit the warning to the subset of passenger vehicles wherein the warning includes the alert duration.

11. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive the emergency vehicle alert request message from the emergency vehicle transmitter, wherein the emergency vehicle alert request message includes a present emergency vehicle speed and a present emergency vehicle acceleration; and

adjust the alert zone based on the present emergency vehicle speed and the present emergency vehicle acceleration.

12. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 11 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine that the emergency vehicle is stopped based on the emergency vehicle alert request message; and

.

reduce the alert zone upon determining that the emergency vehicle is stopped.

13. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

retrieve map data associated with a region containing the alert zone; and

generate the warning including the map data and the alert zone, wherein the warning relates the alert zone to the map data.

14. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine that the emergency vehicle is on a highway based on the emergency vehicle alert request message and the map data; and

identify the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes a portion of the highway in a flow of traffic with the emergency vehicle.

15. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine that the emergency vehicle is at a traffic intersection based on the emergency vehicle alert request message and the map data; and

identify the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes roads included within the traffic intersection.

16. An alert management computing device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine that the emergency vehicle is stopped based on the emergency vehicle alert request message;

determine that the emergency vehicle is located near a high traffic area based on the passenger vehicle location data; and

identify the alert zone for the emergency vehicle wherein the alert zone includes a portion of roadway in a flow of traffic opposed to the emergency vehicle.

17. A passenger vehicle user computing device for receiving alerts regarding approaching emergency vehicles, the passenger vehicle user computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said processor programmed to;

retrieve location service information associated with the passenger vehicle user computing device from a location services routine;

identify a present passenger vehicle location and a present passenger vehicle trajectory based on the location service information;

transmit a set of passenger vehicle location data to an alert management computing device;

receive a warning from the alert management computing device including an alert zone description describing characteristics of an alert zone, wherein the alert zone defines a region projected to contain at least one emergency vehicle; and

generate a user alert upon determining that the present passenger vehicle location is included within the alert zone.

18. A passenger vehicle user computing device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

retrieve a set of routing data associated with the passenger vehicle user computing device, wherein the set of routing data defines a set of projected passenger vehicle locations and a projected passenger vehicle velocity;

compare the set of routing data to the alert zone; and

generate the user alert upon determining that at least one of the projected passenger vehicle locations is included within the alert zone.

19. A passenger vehicle user computing device in accordance with claim 18 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

identify a speed limit associated with each of the set of projected passenger vehicle locations; and

determine the projected passenger vehicle velocity associated with each of the set of projected passenger vehicle locations based on the associated speed limit.

20. A passenger vehicle user computing device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

retrieve map data associated with a region containing the present passenger vehicle location; and

generate the warning including the map data and the present passenger vehicle location, wherein the warning relates the present passenger vehicle location to the map data.

21. A passenger vehicle user computing device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

identify a central point of the alert zone, the central point indicating a present location of an emergency vehicle;

identify a distance between the present passenger vehicle location and the central point of the alert zone; and

generate the user alert relative to the identified distance.

22. A passenger vehicle user computing device in accordance with claim 17 wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a clearing message from the alert management computing device indicating that the alert zone has been revised; and

terminate the user alert upon determining that the clearing message indicates that the present passenger vehicle location is not included within the alert zone.

23-24. -24. (canceled)