Enabling improved emergency response via a vehicle flow buffer

• US 9,751,463 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian K. Buchheit, Satesh S. Ramcharitar
• Original Assignee: Brian K. Buchheit
• Inventors: Ramcharitar, Satesh S., Buchheit, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/854,116
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 340905, 340903, 340901, 340988, 3405391, 340531, 340435-436, 340907, 3404256, 340902
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• 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 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A traffic flow congestion incident associated with a segment of roadway that is proximate to a responder vehicle can be established. The congestion can include a set of automobiles on the roadway. The automobiles can include a driver operated vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, and an autonomous vehicle. The responder vehicle can be an emergency response vehicle associated with an emergency service or emergency entity. A notification can be conveyed to a computing device associated with the automobiles responsive to the establishing. The notification can alert the operator of the automobile that the responder vehicle is proximate.

Claims

1. A method for improving traffic flow for a responder vehicle for improved emergency response via a vehicle flow buffer comprising:

communicatively linking, via a network comprising hardware, a remotely located traffic flow server to a computing device of a responder vehicle and to a set of computing devices of a set of motor vehicles, wherein the communicatively linking occurs as the responder vehicle and the set of motor vehicles travel along a roadway, wherein the traffic flow server, the computing device of the responder vehicle, and the set of computing devices each comprises hardware of a processor able to execute computer program instructions for implementing functions;

establishing at the traffic flow server, that the responder vehicle is in route to or from an emergency;

establishing at the traffic flow server, a flow profile for the responder vehicle, said flow profile defining a speed, direction, of the responder vehicle and defining a flow buffer for the responder vehicle, wherein said traffic flow server continuously receives updated information over the network as the responder vehicle and the set of motor vehicles travel along the roadway, which is used to continuously update the flow profile;

determining, at the traffic flow server, a traffic flow congestion incident associated with a segment of the roadway experiencing traffic flow congestion caused by the set of motor vehicles impeding travel of the responder vehicle along the roadway;

conveying a notification from the traffic flow server to each of the set of computing devices responsive to the determining of the traffic flow congestion, wherein each notification alerts a respective one of the motor vehicles that receives the respective notification to temporarily adjust speed, position, orientation, or two or more of speed, position, and orientation of that motor vehicle on the roadway in order to maintain the flow buffer around the responder vehicle and to permit the responder vehicle to travel along the roadway without experiencing congestion that would occur but for the respective motor vehicles making the temporarily adjustments per the respective notifications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective notification indicates the direction and distance of between the responder vehicle and the one of the motor vehicles that receives the respective notification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective notification comprises of a recommendation, wherein the recommendation is a course of action which an operator of the motor vehicle receiving the respective notification is able to perform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the course of action is at least one of a lane change, a speed increase, and a speed decrease.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective notification automatically triggers a course of action to be performed by the automobile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the course of action is at least one of a lane change, a speed increase, and a speed decrease.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, at the traffic flow server, the traffic flow congestion incident to determine at least one impedance, wherein the impedance is associated with at least one of a vehicular accident, an emergency, and a roadway saturation.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining at the traffic flow server a geometry for the flow buffer, wherein a size of the geometry defined by the traffic flow server varies based on roadway conditions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic flow server uses the traffic buffer to trigger the notifications to alert the motor vehicles of the responder vehicle presence, speed, and direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic buffer corresponds to a physical area of unoccupied space in the horizontal plane around the responder vehicle, enabling the responder vehicle to travel substantially unencumbered through the segment of roadway.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting is performed by a paid service.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the notification causes each of the set of motor vehicles adjusting a speed, position, an orientation, or two or more of speed, position, and orientation in response to receiving the respective one of the notifications, wherein the set of motor vehicles are autonomous vehicles or semi-autonomous vehicles.

13. A system for improving traffic flow for a responder vehicle for improved emergency response via a vehicle flow buffer comprising:

a traffic flow server comprising hardware of a processor able to execute computer program instructions for implementing functions to;

communicatively link, via a network comprising hardware, the traffic flow server to a computing device of a responder vehicle and to a set of computing devices of a set of motor vehicles, wherein the communicatively linking occurs as the responder vehicle and the set of motor vehicles travel along a roadway, wherein the computing device of the responder vehicle, and the set of computing devices each comprises hardware of a processor able to execute computer program instructions for implementing functions;

establish at the traffic flow server, that the responder vehicle is in route to or from an emergency;

establish at the traffic flow server, a flow profile for the responder vehicle, said flow profile defining a speed, direction, of the responder vehicle and defining a flow buffer for the responder vehicle, wherein said traffic flow server continuously receives updated information over the network as the responder vehicle and the set of motor vehicles travel along the roadway, which is used to continuously update the flow profile;

determine at the traffic flow server, a traffic flow congestion incident associated with a segment of the roadway-experiencing in traffic flow congestion caused by the set of motor vehicles impeding travel of the responder vehicle along the roadway;

convey a notification from the traffic flow server to each of the set of computing devices responsive to the determining of the traffic flow congestion, wherein each notification alerts a respective one of the motor vehicles that receives the respective notification to temporarily adjust speed, position, orientation, or two or more of speed, position, and orientation of that motor vehicle on the roadway in order to maintain the flow buffer around the responder vehicle and to permit the responder vehicle to travel along the roadway without experiencing congestion that would occur but for the respective motor vehicles making the temporarily adjustments per the respective notifications.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computing device of the responder vehicle is able to wirelessly communicate with traffic flow server via the network in real-time.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the respective notification indicates the direction and distance of between the responder vehicle and the one of the motor vehicles that receives the respective notification.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the respective notification comprises of a recommendation, wherein the recommendation is a course of action which an operator of the motor vehicle receiving the respective notification is able to perform.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the course of action is at least one of a lane change, a speed increase, and a speed decrease.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the respective notification automatically triggers a course of action to be performed by the automobile.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the course of action is at least one of a lane change, a speed increase, and a speed decrease.