Method and apparatus for multi-vehicle communication

• US 6,792,351 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eagle Harbor Holdings, L.L.C., AutoBrilliance, LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Medius Inc
• Inventors: Lutter, Robert Pierce
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/143,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/210, 701/213, 701/33, 701/32, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.13, 342/357.17
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A message containing a message identifier is received in a vehicle. The message identifier is compared with information associated with the vehicle. If message identifier and the vehicle information correspond in some manner, the message is reported to a vehicle operator and may be relayed to other vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for processing messages in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a message containing a message identifier;

comparing the message identifier to an vehicle identifier;

processing the message according to the comparison between the message identifier and the vehicle identifier; and

storing the message in memory located in the vehicle and periodically transmitting the stored message from the vehicle to other vehicles.

2. A method according to claim 1 including deleting the message from memory according to when the message was received in the vehicle.

3. A method for processing messages in a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a message containing a message identifier;

comparing the message identifier to an vehicle identifier;

processing the message according to the comparison between the message identifier and the vehicle identifier;

receiving emergency information in the message from an emergency vehicle;

identifying a route for the emergency vehicle from the message identifier;

identifying a route for the vehicle;

displaying the message to a vehicle operator according to a comparison of the emergency vehicle route and the vehicle route; and

relaying the emergency information to other vehicles according to the comparison of the emergency vehicle route and the vehicle route.

4. A method for using an electronic map, comprising:

identifying an original route using the electronic map;

receiving messages identifying events associated with the original route;

identifying a new route according to the identified events; and

receiving the messages from vehicles traveling along the original route.

5. A method according to claim 4 including:

sending out queries for events associated with the original route;

receiving messages identifying events associated with the original route; and

selecting the new route according to the identified events for the original route.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein the events include speed information or collision information from vehicles traveling along the original route.

7. A method according to claim 4 including:

receiving messages from different vehicles traveling over the original route; and

selecting the new route according to the messages from the different vehicles most recently traveling the original route.

8. A method according to claim 4 including;

tracking a traveled route for the vehicle;

recording events associated with the traveled route

receiving a route query from another vehicle containing a proposed route;

comparing the traveled route to the proposed route; and

sending the recorded events to the vehicle sending the route query for segments of the traveled route matching the proposed route.

9. A vehicle communication system, comprising:

a receiver receiving messages containing events detected by other vehicles or portals;

a processor responding to the messages according to a message identifier; and

a memory that stores the received messages, the processor periodically transmitting the stored messages to other vehicles.

10. A vehicle communication system according to claim 9 including deleting the stored messages according to available space in the memory and according to when the messages were received.