Method and apparatus for determining traffic conditions

• US 8,977,479 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yang, Hsin-Hsiang, Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Tseng, Fling, Strumolo, Gary Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US13/794,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination

Abstract

A system includes a vehicle processor configured to detect one or more brake presses. The processor is also configured to detect one or more accelerator presses. Further, the processor is configured to add values related to the brake presses and accelerator presses to aggregate an index value based on detected brake and acceleration presses. The processor is additionally configured to enact a safety and convenience related measure based on the index value passing at least a first predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle processor configured to;

detect a brake press;

detect an accelerator press;

add values related to the brake press and accelerator press to aggregate an index value based on detected brake and acceleration presses, including adding a first value based on a first brake or acceleration press, when the index value is zero; and

enact a safety or convenience related measure based on the index value passing a first predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to add a first value based on successive brake or acceleration presses, wherein multiple brake presses or acceleration presses occur in succession.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to add a second value based on a brake press following an acceleration press or an acceleration press following a brake press.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

implement a timer;

increment the timer until a time limit is reached; and

upon reaching the time limit;

exponentially decay the index value.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to reset the timer if an acceleration or brake pedal is pressed before the time limit is reached.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to interrupt the exponential decay, and increase the index value, if an acceleration or brake pedal is pressed before the index value reaches zero.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting a brake press;

detecting an accelerator press;

adding values related to the brake press and accelerator press to aggregate an index value based on detected brake and acceleration presses;

enacting a safety or convenience related measure based on the index value passing a first predetermined threshold;

implementing a timer, incremented until a time limit is reached; and

exponentially decaying the index value at the time limit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adding further comprises adding a first value based on a first brake or acceleration press, when the index value is zero.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adding further comprises adding a first value based on successive brake or acceleration presses, wherein multiple brake presses or acceleration presses occur in succession.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the adding further comprises adding a second value based on a brake press following an acceleration press or an acceleration press following a brake press.

11. The method of claim 7, further including resetting the timer if an acceleration or brake pedal is pressed before the time limit is reached.

12. The method of claim 7, further including interrupting the exponential decay, and increasing the index value, if an acceleration or brake pedal is pressed before the index value reaches zero.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting a brake press;

detecting an accelerator press;

adding values related to the brake press and accelerator press to aggregate an index value based on detected brake and acceleration presses;

enacting a safety or convenience related measure based on the index value passing at least a first predetermined threshold;

implementing a timer, incremented until a time limit is reached; and

exponentially decaying the index value at the time limit.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the adding further comprises adding a first value based on a first brake or acceleration press, when the index value is zero.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the adding further comprises adding a first value based on successive brake or acceleration presses, wherein multiple brake presses or acceleration presses occur in succession.

16. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein the adding further comprises adding a second value based on a brake press following an acceleration press or an acceleration press following a brake press.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, further including resetting the timer if an acceleration or brake pedal is pressed before the time limit is reached.