METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING ALERTS TO A CONNECTED VEHICLE DRIVER AND/OR A PASSENGER VIA CONDITION DETECTION AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20170240110A1
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lopez-Hinojosa, Brennan T., Lopez, Kermit D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,328,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Methods and systems for alerting a vehicle driver and/or a passenger via wireless communications. One or more conditions with respect to a vehicle are monitored. A change in the condition can be detected and a signal automatically and wirelessly transmitted to a computing device, wherein the signal is indicative of the change in condition(s). The driver and/or the passenger can he then alerted to the change in condition(s) in response to transmitting the signal to the computing device (e.g., a tablet computing device, smartphone, smartwatch, other wearable device, in-vehicle system, etc.) associated with the driver and/or the vehicle passenger.

Claims

1. A method or alerting a vehicle passenger via wireless communications, said method comprising:

monitoring at least one condition external to a vehicle while said vehicle is in operation and a passenger in said vehicle is located in a passenger seat of said vehicle and said vehicle is temporarily stopped;

detecting a change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle during said monitoring of said at least one condition while said vehicle is stopped;

transmitting a signal wirelessly to a computing device, said signal is indicative of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle; and

alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device, further comprises:

providing an audible alert via a speaker associated with said computing device, said audible alert indicative of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device, further comprises:

establishing a wireless connection between said computing device and a radio system of said vehicle;

providing an audible alert from said computing device indicative of said change said at least one condition external to said vehicle, wherein said audible alert is broadcast via said radio system, after said establishing said wireless connection between said computing device and said radio system of said vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one condition comprises at least one condition of a traffic light and said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle comprises a change in said at least one condition of said traffic light.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one condition comprises a movement of a pedestrian external to said vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said computing device comprises at least one of a smartphone and a tablet computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one condition external to said vehicle comprises a stop light condition and said change in said at least one condition comprises a change from one stop light color to another stop light color.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition after transmission of said signal to said computing device, further comprises:

establishing a wireless connection between said computing device and a radio system of said vehicle;

providing an audible alert from said computing device indicative of said change in said at least one condition via said radio system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring a condition external to a vehicle while said vehicle is in operation and a passenger of said vehicle is located in a passenger seat of said vehicle, further comprises:

monitoring said at least one condition with a camera that communicates with said computing device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

tracking and recording in a memory of a computing system data indicative of a number of times said passenger is alerted to said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle while said vehicle is stopped.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

periodically retrieving said data from said memory; and

transmitting said data wirelessly from said computing system to a central repository for further storage and analysis.

12. An autonomous vehicle that provides alerts to a passenger of said vehicle via wireless communications, said autonomous vehicle comprising:

a passenger compartment with a passenger seat;

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium capable of communicating with said at least one processor, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said at least one processor and configured for;

monitoring at least one condition external to said vehicle while said vehicle is in operation and a passenger in said vehicle is located in said passenger seat of said vehicle and said vehicle is temporarily stopped;

detecting a change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle during said monitoring of said at least one condition while said vehicle is stopped;

transmitting a signal wirelessly to a computing device, said signal is indicative of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle; and

alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device.

13. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said instructions for alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device, further comprises:

instructions configured for providing an audible alert via a speaker associated with said computing device, said audible alert indicative of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle.

14. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said instructions for alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device, further comprises instructions configured for:

establishing a wireless connection between said computing device and a radio system of said vehicle;

providing an audible alert from said computing device indicative of said change its said at least one condition external to said vehicle, wherein said audible alert is broadcast via said radio system, after said establishing said wireless connection between said computing device and said radio system of said vehicle.

15. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said at least one condition comprises at least one condition of a traffic light and said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle comprises a change in said at least one condition of said traffic light.

16. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said at least one condition comprises a movement of a pedestrian external to said vehicle.

17. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said computing device comprises at least one of a smartphone and a tablet computing device.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein said at least one condition external to said vehicle comprises a stop light condition and said change in said at least one condition comprises a change from one stop light color to another stop light color.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 12 wherein monitoring a condition external to a vehicle while said vehicle is in operation and a passenger of said vehicle is located in a passenger seat of said vehicle, further comprises:

monitoring said at least one condition with a camera that communicates with said computing device.

20. A system for alerting a passenger of a vehicle via wireless communications, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium capable of communicating with said at least one processor, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said at least one processor and configured for;

monitoring at least one condition external to said vehicle while said vehicle in operation and a passenger in said vehicle is located in said passenger seat of said vehicle and said vehicle is temporarily stopped;

detecting a change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle during said monitoring of said at least one condition while said vehicle is temporarily stopped;

transmitting a signal wirelessly to a computing device, said signal is indicative of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle; and

alerting said passenger of said change in said at least one condition external to said vehicle after transmission of said signal to said computing device.