Method and apparatus for conveying vehicle driving information

• US 9,547,987 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Earth Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Earth Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Sloop, Christopher Dale, Marshall, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US14/181,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• 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

Abstract

Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for conveying vehicle driving information. A server computing device generates a hazard index for a plurality of road segments in a predefined coverage area. The server computing device determines a current hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments based on (i) weather conditions data associated with the road segments, (ii) road conditions data associated with the road segments, and (iii) physical attributes of the road segments. The server computing device determines a predicted hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments and assigns the present hazard value and predicted hazard value to the corresponding road segment. The server computing device receives location data associated with a remote device and transmits hazard information associated with one or more of the plurality of road segments based on the location data and the hazard index.

Claims

1. A computerized method for conveying vehicle driving information, the method comprising:

generating, by a server computing device, a hazard index for a plurality of road segments in a predefined coverage area, wherein the hazard index indicates a level of driving safety, the generating comprising;

determining a current hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments based on (i) weather conditions data associated with the road segments, (ii) road conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data comprising a temperature of the road surface, accumulation of precipitation on the road surface, and accumulation of organic or inorganic substances on the road surface, and (iii) physical attributes of the road segments, the physical attributes comprising slope, surface angle, composition of surface materials, solar orientation, and topography;

wherein each of the weather conditions data, road conditions data, and physical attributes used to determine the current hazard value are assigned different weighted coefficients based on a comparison of the respective data to predetermined thresholds;

determining a predicted hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value is based on the weather conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data associated with the road segments, and the physical attributes of the road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value represents a level of driving safety for the road segment at a future point in time; and

assigning the present hazard value and the predicted hazard value to the corresponding road segment;

receiving, by the server computing device, location data associated with a remote device; and

transmitting, to the remote device, hazard information associated with one or more of the plurality of road segments based on the location data and the hazard index.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a hazard index includes assigning a system-defined identifier to each of the one or more road segments to allow the server computing device to execute data transactions associated with an individual road segment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, by the server computing device, a hazard zone based on the hazard index, wherein the hazard zone comprises a geographical area in proximity to a weather event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hazard information is transmitted to the remote device when the received location data is associated with a road segment within the hazard zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographical area includes locations at a predetermined distance from the location of the weather event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hazard index is updated at regular intervals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the hazard index is updated every minute.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the hazard information includes one or more hazard values, one or more alert messages, one or more graphical representations of the road segments, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more graphical representations include a road map.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the road map includes one or more road segments colored to indicate the assigned hazard value.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more graphical representations include a grid.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the grid includes one or more sections colored to indicate the assigned current hazard value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the grid includes one or more sections colored to indicate the assigned future hazard value.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more graphical representations includes a text table.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the text table includes driving directions colored to indicate the assigned current hazard value.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the text table includes driving directions colored to indicate the assigned future hazard value.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather conditions data includes a time value associated with a weather event.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the road segments represent segments of major highways and secondary highways.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the hazard index in a storage device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the server computing device, one or more travel routes based upon the hazard index; and

transmitting, to the remote device, the one or more travel routes.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising ranking, by the server computing device, the one or more travel routes according to the present hazard values and the future hazard values assigned to the road segments that comprise the travel route.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the server computing device transmits one or more travel routes that are assigned future hazard values falling below a predetermined threshold.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

updating, by the server computing device, the one or more travel routes based upon changes occurring over time to the present hazard values and the future hazard values; and

transmitting, by the server computing device, the updated travel routes to the remote device.

24. A system for conveying vehicle driving information, the system comprising a server computing device configured to:

generate a hazard index for a plurality of road segments in a predefined coverage area, wherein the hazard index indicates a level of driving safety, the generating comprising;

determining a current hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments based on (i) weather conditions data associated with the road segments, (ii) road conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data comprising a temperature of the road surface, accumulation of precipitation on the road surface, and accumulation of organic or inorganic substances on the road surface, and (iii) physical attributes of the road segments, the physical attributes comprising slope, surface angle, composition of surface materials, solar orientation, and topography;

wherein each of the weather conditions data, road conditions data, and physical attributes used to determine the current hazard value are assigned different weighted coefficients based on a comparison of the respective data to predetermined thresholds;

determining a predicted hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value is based on the weather conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data associated with the road segments, and the physical attributes of the road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value represents a level of driving safety for the road segment at a future point in time; and

assigning the present hazard value and the predicted hazard value to the corresponding road segment;

receive location data associated with a remote device; and

transmit, to the remote device, hazard information associated with one or more of the plurality of road segments based on the location data and the hazard index.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the step of generating a hazard index includes assigning a system-defined identifier to each of the one or more road segments to allow the server computing device to execute data transactions associated with an individual road segment.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the server computing device is further configured to generate a hazard zone based on the hazard index and wherein the hazard zone comprises a geographical area in proximity to a weather event.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the hazard information is transmitted to the remote device when the received location data is associated with a road segment within the hazard zone.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the geographical area includes locations at a predetermined distance from the location of the weather event.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the hazard index is updated at regular intervals.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the hazard index is updated every minute.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the hazard information includes one or more hazard values, one or more alert messages, one or more graphical representations of the road segments, or any combination thereof.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the one or more graphical representations include a road map.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the road map includes one or more road segments colored to indicate the assigned hazard value.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the one or more graphical representations include a grid.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the grid includes one or more sections colored to indicate the assigned current hazard value.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the grid includes one or more sections colored to indicate the assigned future hazard value.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the one or more graphical representations includes a text table.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the text table includes driving directions colored to indicate the assigned current hazard value.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the text table includes driving directions colored to indicate the assigned future hazard value.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein the weather conditions data includes a time value associated with a weather event.

41. The system of claim 24, wherein the road segments represent segments of major highways and secondary highways.

42. The system of claim 24, wherein the server computing device is further configured to store the hazard index in a storage device.

43. The system of claim 24, wherein the server computing device is further configured to:

determine one or more travel routes based upon the hazard index; and

transmit, to the remote device, the one or more travel routes.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the server computing device is further configured to rank the one or more travel routes according to the present hazard values and the future hazard values assigned to the road segments that comprise the travel route.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the server computing device transmits one or more travel routes that are assigned future hazard values falling below a predetermined threshold.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the server computing device is further configured to:

update the one or more travel routes based upon changes occurring over time to the present hazard values and the future hazard values; and

transmit the updated travel routes to the remote device.

47. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for conveying vehicle driving information, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a server computing device to:

generate a hazard index for a plurality of road segments in a predefined coverage area, wherein the hazard index indicates a level of driving safety, the generating comprising;

determining a current hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments based on (i) weather conditions data associated with the road segments, (ii) road conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data comprising a temperature of the road surface, accumulation of precipitation on the road surface, and accumulation of organic or inorganic substances on the road surface, and (iii) physical attributes of the road segments, the physical attributes comprising slope, surface angle, composition of surface materials, solar orientation, and topography;

wherein each of the weather conditions data, road conditions data, and physical attributes used to determine the current hazard value are assigned different weighted coefficients based on a comparison of the respective data to predetermined thresholds;

determining a predicted hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value is based on the weather conditions data associated with the road segments, the road conditions data associated with the road segments, and the physical attributes of the road segments, wherein the predicted hazard value represents a level of driving safety for the road segment at a future point in time; and

assigning the present hazard value and the predicted hazard value to the corresponding road segment;

receive location data associated with a remote device; and

transmit, to the remote device, hazard information associated with one or more of the plurality of road segments based on the location data and the hazard index.