Methods of tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications

• US 9,805,592 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Savari Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Faroog, Katta, Navin Chandra Rao
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US14/883,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20160049079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1652 with ranging devices, e.g. LIDAR or RADAR
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

This presentation provides methods to track pedestrians heading angle using smart phone data. Tracking heading angle especially at or from stationary position is key for pedestrian safety, e.g., for smart cross system and pedestrian collision mitigation system. It provides pedestrian-to-vehicle (P2V) platform. It deploys smart phones or mobile devices, equipped with DSRC (Dedicated short range communication) support, to act as beacons for pedestrians: Phone can alert driver to pedestrian presence in path; Pedestrian Basic Safety Message (BSM) can aid awareness for vehicles; It can be used for bicycles, as well. It also provides pedestrian-to-infrastructure (P2I) platform. Smart phone, through DSRC/cellular, transmits pedestrian presence to crosswalks/signals: It enables advanced crosswalk lighting/warning scheme; It enables bundling of pedestrian presence to vehicles. In this presentation, we provide various examples and variations on these.

Claims

1. A method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, said method comprising:

using one or more global positioning services integrated into a smart phone or other mobile communication device, to determine location heading angle and direction of a pedestrian associated with said smart phone or other mobile communication device;

a pedestrian locator receiving global positioning system location data from a global position sensor for a pedestrian during a first time period;

an angle measurement module receiving data and calculating an angle for heading and a vector for direction of said pedestrian from a global positioning system heading sensor, based on said global positioning system location data for said pedestrian during said first time period;

a central computer communicating with said pedestrian locator and said angle measurement module;

said central computer receiving a first choice candidate for intended intersection segment for said pedestrian to cross from said global position sensor, through said pedestrian locator, based on said angle for heading and said vector for said direction of said pedestrian;

said central computer predicting a second choice candidate for intended intersection segment for said pedestrian to cross, based on said angle for heading and said vector for said direction of said pedestrian;

wherein said first choice candidate for intended intersection segment for said pedestrian to cross is perpendicular to said second choice candidate for intended intersection segment for said pedestrian to cross;

said central computer monitoring speed profile for said pedestrian;

when said central computer detects a drop from consistent range of said speed profile for said pedestrian, said central computer determining that said pedestrian is stopping;

said central computer determining cluster of positions for said pedestrian at rest status;

said central computer monitoring acceleration profile for said pedestrian in 3 different dimensions;

when said central computer detects a large negative drop from consistent range of said acceleration profile for said pedestrian, said central computer determining that said pedestrian is stopping;

said central computer receiving a flag value for rest status;

said central computer receiving a radius value threshold distance;

when said flag value for rest status is not true, and when distance between location of said pedestrian to an edge of an intersection for a street or highway is less than said radius value threshold distance, then said central computer selecting said first choice candidate for intended intersection segment for said pedestrian to cross;

when said flag value for rest status is true, said central computer evaluating behavior of said angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian, before and during a stop event;

a microprocessor integrating yaw rate for said pedestrian, for a second time period, to get an integrated yaw rate;

said central computer receiving said integrated yaw rate from said microprocessor;

said central computer offsetting said angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian by said integrated yaw rate, to get a corrected angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian;

said central computer determining if said pedestrian is stopping, using said corrected angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian;

when said central computer detects that said pedestrian is walking, said central computer evaluating how said corrected angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian correlates with a recent value of said angle for heading for said direction of said pedestrian;

a warning module communicating data which is calculated, accumulated, or determined through said central computer, to a pedestrian safety system, to alert or control an automobile or alert a driver, to prevent or avoid accidents involving said pedestrian.

2. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

monitoring multiple people.

3. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

monitoring multiple cars.

4. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

monitoring multiple intersections.

5. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

warning multiple people.

6. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

warning multiple cars.

7. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

monitoring multiple global positioning values.

8. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

monitoring multiple global positioning devices.

9. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with multiple satellites.

10. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with multiple telephone companies.

11. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with multiple service providers.

12. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

connecting cars with pedestrians.

13. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with cars.

14. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with pedestrians.

15. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with cloud.

16. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with server farms.

17. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

communicating with police.

18. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

alarming police.

19. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

scanning intersections with more than 4 outlets.

20. The method for tracking pedestrian heading angle using smart phones data for pedestrian safety applications, as recited in claim 1, said method comprises:

correcting position data by local devices positioned at intersections.