Proactive driver warning

• US 9,947,149 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Inventors: Bonhomme, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/145,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20160275730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 340436, 340905, 3406866, 3405681, 3405721, 340540, 3405722-5729
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• 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 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A system for warning a driver comprises an input interface and a warning determiner. The input interface is to receive a set of warnings, wherein a warning of the set of warnings is associated with a road segment and a set of conditions. The warning determiner is to determine that a current location matches the road segment associated with the warning and, in the event that it is determined to warn a driver based at least in part on the warning and the set of current conditions, to indicate to warn the driver.

Claims

1. A method of generating a set of warnings regarding a vehicle, comprising:

receiving event data, wherein the event data is recorded by a vehicle event recorder;

determining a common hazard based on the event data meeting a threshold, including;

identifying a driving event based on the received event data,

determining a type of the driving event,

determining that a number of driving events of a type meets a second threshold, and

determining the common hazard responsive to the determination that the number of driving events of a type meet the second threshold, the type of driving event including a hard driving event, the hard driving event being characterized by a change in stability of the vehicle;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determining at least one condition based at least in part on determining whether more than a threshold fraction of hazardous events comprise common conditions;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determining at least one road segment associated with the hazard;

generating a warning regarding the hazard;

adding the warning to the set of warnings based on an association between (i) at least one of;

the at least one condition and the at least one road segment and (ii) the set of warnings; and

outputting the set of warnings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the change in stability of the vehicle includes an abruptness of the change in stability of the vehicle being above a third threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a management event, the management event being characterized by a level of control of the vehicle by a driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a management event, the management event being characterized by a level of traction of the vehicle meeting a fourth threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a rough road event, the rough road event being characterized by a magnitude of a bump experienced by the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a rough road event, the rough road event being characterized by a number of bumps experienced by the vehicle, the bump being identified by a degree of translation and/or rotation meeting a fifth threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes an impact event, the impact event being characterized by a magnitude of contact with a feature of a road meeting a sixth threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes an impact event, the impact event being characterized by a contact by the vehicle with a defect in a road.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a tire event, the tire event being characterized by a pressure in at least one tire of the vehicle meeting a seventh threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

the type of driving event includes a tire event, the tire event being characterized by a flat tire.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the hazard:

includes identifying a driving event based on the received event data; and

is based on a number of driving events meeting an eighth threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the hazard:

includes identifying a driving event based on the received event data; and

is based on a number of driving events meeting a ninth threshold for a road segment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the hazard:

includes identifying a driving event based on the received event data and determining a type of the driving event; and

is based on a distribution of driving event types meeting a profile.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the hazard:

includes identifying a driving event based on the received event data and determining a type of the driving event; and

is based on a number of events of a correlated set of event types meeting a threshold for the set of event types.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the hazard includes determining that the hazard is a pothole based on a number of impact events meeting a tenth threshold and a number of flat tire events meeting an eleventh threshold.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the event data to an event storage, wherein the event storage stores event data from a plurality of vehicles.

17. A system for generating a set of warnings regarding a vehicle, comprising:

a processor to;

receive event data, wherein the event data is recorded by a vehicle event recorder;

determine a common hazard based on the event data meeting a threshold, including;

identify a driving event based on the received event data,

determine a type of the driving event,

determine that a number of driving events of a type meets a second threshold, and

determine the common hazard responsive to the determination that the number of driving events of a type meet the second threshold, the type of driving event including a hard driving event, the hard driving event being characterized by a change in stability of the vehicle;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determine at least one condition based at least in part on determining whether more than a threshold fraction of hazardous events comprise common conditions;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determine at least one road segment associated with the hazard;

generate a warning regarding the hazard;

add the warning to the set of warnings based on an association between (i) at least one of;

the at least one condition and the at least one road segment and (ii) the set of warnings; and

output the set of warnings; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions, wherein the event data is stored to the memory.

18. A computer program product for generating a set of warnings regarding a vehicle, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving event data, wherein the event data is recorded by a vehicle event recorder;

determining a common hazard based on the event data meeting a threshold, including;

identifying a driving event based on the received event data,

determining a type of the driving event,

determining that a number of driving events of a type meets a second threshold, and

determining the common hazard responsive to the determination that the number of driving events of a type meet the second threshold, the type of driving event including a hard driving event, the hard driving event being characterized by a change in stability of the vehicle;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determining at least one condition based at least in part on determining whether more than a threshold fraction of hazardous events comprise common conditions;

responsive to the determination of the hazard, determining at least one road segment associated with the hazard;

generating a warning regarding the hazard;

adding the warning to the set of warnings based on an association between (i) at least one of;

the at least one condition and the at least one road segment and (ii) the set of warnings; and

outputting the set of warnings.