SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING SAFETY RELATED TO MOVABLE/ MOVING OBJECTS

• US 20180075747A1
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nodal, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nodal, Inc.
• Inventors: PAHWA, Riju
• Application Number:
  US15/499,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075747A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/60 using satellite communication
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/13 Bicycles; Tricycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• 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 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 : 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 1/164 : Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 : Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for collecting, analyzing, and/or communicating information related to movable/moving objects are described. In some embodiments, a mobile computing device is configured to be carried by, attached to, and/or embedded within a moveable object. The device may include at least one communication interface, at least one output device, a satellite navigation system receiver, an accelerometer, at least one memory, and at least one processor for detecting the location, orientation, and/or motion of the moveable object. The information is compared to that of at least one other object and a likelihood of collision is predicted. If the predicted likelihood of collision is above a predetermined threshold, the mobile computing device outputs at least one of an audio indication, visual indication, and haptic indication to an operator of the moveable object.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device to be at least one of carried by and attached to a bicycle, the mobile computing device comprising:

at least one communication interface to facilitate communication via at least one network;

at least one output device to facilitate control of the bicycle through at least one of audio, visual, and haptic indications;

a satellite navigation system receiver to facilitate detection of a location of the bicycle;

an accelerometer to facilitate detection of an orientation and a motion of the bicycle;

at least one memory storing processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface, the at least one output device, the satellite navigation system, the accelerometer, and the at least one memory, wherein upon execution by the at least one processor of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor;

detects, via the satellite navigation system receiver, the location of the bicycle;

detects, via the accelerometer, the orientation and the motion associated with the bicycle;

sends the location, the orientation, and the motion to a network server device over the at least one network, via the at least one communication interface, such that the network server device compares the location, the orientation, and the motion to information associated with at least one other traffic object to predict a likelihood of collision between the bicycle and the at least one other traffic object;

if the predicted likelihood of collision is above a predetermined threshold, receives a notification from the network server device over the at least one network, via the at least one communication interface; and

outputs at least one of an audio indication, visual indication, and haptic indication to a cyclist operating the bicycle, via the at least one output device.

2. A first network computing device to be at least one of carried by, attached to, and embedded within a first movable object, the first network computing device comprising:

at least one communication interface to facilitate communication via at least one network;

at least one output device to facilitate control of the first movable object;

at least one sensor to facilitate detecting of at least one of a location, an orientation, and a motion associated with the first movable object;

at least one memory storing processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one sensor, and the at least one communication interface, wherein upon execution by the at least one processor of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor;

detects, via the at least one sensor, at least one of a first location, a first orientation, and a first motion associated with the first movable object;

sends to a second network computing device over the at least one network, via the at least one communication interface, at least one of the first location, the first orientation, and the first motion associated with the first movable object such that the second network computing device compares at least one of the first detected location, the first detected orientation, and the first detected motion to at least one of a second location, a second orientation, and a second motion associated with a second movable object to determine a likelihood of collision between the first movable object and the second movable object;

if the likelihood of collision is above a predetermined threshold, receives over the at least one network, via the at least one communication interface, an alert from the second network computing device; and

outputs the alert, via the at least one output device, to an operator of the first movable object.

3. (canceled)

4. A method of using a first network computing device to avoid a traffic accident, the first network computing device being at least one of carried by, attached to, and embedded within a first movable object, the method comprising:

detecting, via at least one sensor in the first network computing device, at least one of a first location, a first orientation, and a first motion associated with the first movable object;

receiving from a second network computing device over at least one network, via at least one communication interface in the first network computing device, at least one of a second location, a second orientation, and a second motion associated with a second movable object;

comparing, via at least one processor in the first network computing device, at least one of the first detected location, the first detected orientation, and the first detected motion to at least one of the second location, the second orientation, and the second motion to determine a likelihood of collision between the first movable object and the second movable object; and

if the likelihood of collision is above a predetermined threshold,

sending an alert over the at least one network, via the at least one communication interface, to the second network computing device; and

outputting the alert, via at least one output device in the first network computing device, to an operator of the first movable object.

5. The first network computing device or method of claim 4, wherein the second network computing device is at least one of carried by, attached to, and embedded within the second movable object.

6. The first network computing device or method of claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of:

a satellite navigation system receiver;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope; and

a digital compass.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)