Driver notification system, device, and associated method

• US 8,436,746 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cemper, Kirk E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US12/917,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for alerting a driver that a potential hazard is in the vicinity of the driver'"'"'s vehicle. In general, activation signals transmitted from a vehicle are received at a potential hazard, and hazard signals are, in response, transmitted from the potential hazard to the vehicle. The hazard signals provide an indication of the potential hazard to the driver so that he may be aware of the potential hazard and react accordingly. The indication may be provided to the driver visually, such as on a display of the vehicle, and/or audibly, such as in the form of an audible alert issued by a speaker. The hazard signals may also include one or more characteristics of the potential hazard to provide more information about the potential hazard to the driver, such as the type of potential hazard and/or the degree of danger associated with the potential hazard.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit activation signals to a device associated with at least one potential hazard in proximity to the transmitter,

a receiver configured to receive hazard signals generated by the device associated with the at least one potential hazard in response to the activation signals, wherein the hazard signals have a variance in strength based at least in part on a strength of the transmitted activation signals, and wherein the hazard signals are modulated and include at least one characteristic associated with the at least one potential hazard;

an annunciator configured to indicate the at least one potential hazard based on the received hazard signals and further configured to provide information relating to the at least one characteristic; and

a processor in communication with the transmitter, the receiver, and the annunciator and configured to interpret the received hazard signals and to determine whether the hazard signals are increasing or decreasing in strength and to instruct the annunciator to provide an indication of the strength.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the activation signals continuously.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the activation signals in random bursts.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein time between the random bursts of the activation signals is governed by a random number generator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive hazard signals generated by the device associated with the at least one potential hazard selected from the group consisting of a pedestrian, a road construction crew, a crosswalk, a student driver vehicle, and an emergency vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive hazard signals that include the at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a type of the at least one potential hazard and a degree of danger associated with the at least one potential hazard.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the annunciator comprises a display configured to provide a visual representation of each indication.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the annunciator comprises a projector configured to project each indication on a windshield of a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct the annunciator to provide the indication of each potential hazard for a predetermined amount of time after the respective hazard signals are no longer received by the receiver.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the annunciator comprises at least one speaker in communication with the processor, wherein the at least one speaker is configured to issue an audible alert, and wherein the processor is configured to instruct the at least one speaker to issue the alert based on the hazard signals received by the receiver.

11. A device comprising:

a receiver at a location of a potential hazard configured to receive activation signals;

a transmitter at the location of the potential hazard configured to transmit hazard signals in response to the activation signals, wherein the hazard signals have a variance in strength based at least in part on a strength of the activation signals, and wherein the hazard signals are modulated and include at least one characteristic of the potential hazard; and

a processor in communication with the receiver and the transmitter and configured to include the at least one characteristic of the potential hazard in the hazard signals.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the hazard signals in random bursts.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein time between the random bursts of the hazard signals is governed by a random number generator.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the receiver and the transmitter is located at the potential hazard selected from the group consisting of a pedestrian, a road construction crew, a crosswalk, a student driver vehicle, and an emergency vehicle.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a mobile terminal.

16. A method comprising:

transmitting, via a transmitter, activation signals from a vehicle to a potential hazard in proximity to the vehicle;

receiving, via a receiver, hazard signals generated by a device associated with the potential hazard in response to the activation signals, wherein the hazard signals have a variance in strength based at least in part on a strength of the activation signals, and wherein the hazard signals are modulated and include at least one characteristic associated with the at least one potential hazard; and

providing, via an annunciator, an indication of the potential hazard to a driver of the vehicle and information relating to the at least one characteristic.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the activation signals are transmitted in random bursts.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein time between the random bursts of the activation signals is governed by a random number generator.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining at least one characteristic of the potential hazard.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the at least one characteristic comprises determining at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of a type of the potential hazard and a degree of danger associated with the potential hazard.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the indication comprises providing an indication of the at least one characteristic determined.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein providing, the indication comprises providing the indication for a predetermined amount of time after the hazard signals are no longer received.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the indication comprises providing a visual representation of the indication on a display of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the indication comprises including a visual representation of the indication with an image generated by a navigation system of the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the indication comprises projecting the indication on a windshield of the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the indication comprises issuing an audible alert in response to receiving the hazard signals.

27. A method comprising:

receiving, via a receiver, activation signals at a location of a potential hazard;

transmitting, via a transmitter, hazard signals in response to the activation signals at the location of the potential hazard, wherein the hazard signals have a variance strength based at least in part on a strength of the activation signals, and wherein the hazard signals are modulated and include at least one characteristic of the potential hazard; and

processing, via a processor, the hazard signals to include the at least one characteristic of the potential hazard.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the hazard signals are transmitted in random bursts.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein time between random bursts of the hazard signals is governed by a random number generator.