System and method for generation of a preventive alert

• US 9,969,329 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shenoy, Nagesh B. T., Chintalapoodi, Pramod, Tanaka, Sho
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/855,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20170072851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340471-473, 340933, 340935-937, 340901, 340905, 701300, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

Various aspects of a system and method for generation of a preventive alert are disclosed herein. The system comprises one or more circuits in a vehicle configured to retrieve sensor data associated with the vehicle and/or obstacle information generated by one or more sensors of the vehicle, along a path of the vehicle. The system further comprises one or more circuits configured to communicate to a server, a set of data based on the retrieved sensor data and/or the retrieved obstacle information. The generation of an alert to one or more vehicles is controlled by the server, based on the communicated set of data.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

one or more circuits in a first vehicle, said one or more circuits configured to;

retrieve at least one of first data associated with said first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said first vehicle,

wherein said first data is generated based on a first output signal from at least one sensor of said first vehicle, wherein said obstacle information is generated based on a second output signal from said at least one sensor of said first vehicle, and

wherein said first data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said first vehicle; and

communicate to a server, a set of second data based on at least one of said retrieved first data or said retrieved obstacle information, wherein said set of second data is received from a first set of vehicles including said first vehicle,

wherein generation of an alert to at least one second vehicle is controlled by said server based on said set of second data and based on a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles, wherein the number of vehicles is higher than a first threshold value, and

wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path of travel.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein a first format of said communicated set of second data is based on a second format of minimum set of data (MSD).

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said retrieved obstacle information is generated based on an imaging device associated with said first vehicle, and wherein said alert corresponds to a preventive indication to avoid occurrence of an accident that involves said at least one second vehicle.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said alert is received by said at least one second vehicle from said server based on said set of second data communicated by said first vehicle to said server.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits of said first vehicle are further configured to generate said set of second data that indicates presence of an obstacle along said path of travel of said first vehicle, based on an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) equipment installed on said first vehicle.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said first data comprises at least one of a direction of travel of said first vehicle, lane information of said first vehicle, a vehicle type of said first vehicle, a vehicle identification number of said first vehicle, a vehicle propulsion storage type of said first vehicle, a geospatial position of said first vehicle, a previous location of said first vehicle, a number of passengers of said first vehicle, a status of hazard indicator of said first vehicle, a status of turn signal indicator of said first vehicle, a status of lane change indicator of said first vehicle, a steering angle of said first vehicle, a yaw rate of said first vehicle, a speed of said first vehicle, a rate of change of speed of said first vehicle, a status of deployment of airbags in said first vehicle, brightness level information of the environment outside said first vehicle along said path, at least one of a static image or a video image captured by an imaging system on said first vehicle, or one of a type or characteristics of said at least one sensor configured to generate at least one of said first data of said first vehicle or said obstacle information along said path.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said communicated set of second data indicates that at least one of a speed of said first vehicle is below a threshold speed, a hazard indicator of said first vehicle is switched ON for a time period longer than a threshold time period, or a turn signal indicator of said first vehicle is switched ON, wherein said turn signal indicator indicates lane change information of said first vehicle.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said retrieved obstacle information comprises information related to at least one of a presence of an obstacle detected along said path or danger level information of said detected obstacle for a collision with said first vehicle, wherein said detected obstacle comprises at least one of a stationary obstacle, an animal, a tree, a landslide, or a stationary vehicle present on said path.

9. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said communicated set of second data indicates at least one of an imminent threat of collision to said first vehicle along said path or a potential threat of collision to said first vehicle along said path.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said communicated set of second data indicates at least one of a level of a risk of a collision or an accident that involves said first vehicle, or a geographical location of said first vehicle along said path.

11. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said set of second data comprises a confidence level of a presence of an obstacle along said path.

12. The information processing system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to determine said confidence level of said presence of said obstacle based on at least one of characteristics of each of said at least one sensor or said first data.

13. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits of said first vehicle are further configured to generate at least one of said first data or said obstacle information based on at least one of an imaging device, a radio wave-based object detection device, a laser-based object detection device, or a wireless communication device.

14. A system, comprising:

one or more circuits in a server, said one or more circuits configured to;

receive a set of data from at least one first vehicle,

wherein said received set of data comprises at least one of sensor data of said at least one first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said at least one first vehicle, and

wherein said sensor data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said at least one first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said at least one first vehicle; and

control generation of an alert to at least one second vehicle based on said set of data received from a first set of vehicles including said at least one first vehicle, wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path, and wherein said at least one first vehicle moves in a first direction along said path of travel, and

a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles that is higher than a first threshold value.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to receive said set of data that indicates presence of an obstacle along said path of travel of said at least one first vehicle, wherein said at least one first vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS).

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said first threshold value is determined based on at least one of said first location, a traffic condition associated with a portion of said path, a manual input provided by a user, or a confidence level associated with said received set of data.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said received set of data indicates that at least one of a speed of said at least one first vehicle is below a threshold speed, a hazard indicator of said at least one first vehicle is switched ON for a time period longer than a threshold time period, or a turn signal indicator of said at least one first vehicle is switched ON, wherein said turn signal indicator indicates lane change information of said at least one first vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to:

control said generation of said alert to said at least one second vehicle based on said set of data received from a second set of vehicles different from said first set of vehicles,

wherein said second set of vehicles is located at a second location along said path, and

wherein said at least one first vehicle move in a second direction along said path; and

control said generation of said alert based on a number of vehicles in said second set that is higher than a second threshold value.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said second threshold value is determined based on at least one of said second location, a traffic condition associated with a portion of said path, a manual input provided by a user, or a confidence level associated with said received set of data.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said obstacle information comprises information related to at least one of a presence of an obstacle detected along said path or information of a danger level represented by said detected obstacle for a collision with said at least one first vehicle,

wherein said detected obstacle comprises at least one of a stationary obstacle, an animal, a tree, a landslide, or a stationary vehicle present on said path.

21. A method, comprising:

detecting, by at least one sensor in a first vehicle, at least one of first data associated with said first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said first vehicle,

wherein said first data is based on an output signal from said at least one sensor of said first vehicle, and

wherein said first data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said first vehicle; and

communicating to a server, a set of second data based on at least one of said detected first data or said detected obstacle information, wherein said set of second data is received from a first set of vehicles including said first vehicle,

wherein generation of an alert to at least one second vehicle is controlled by said server based on said set of second data and based on a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles, wherein said number of vehicles is higher than a first threshold value, and

wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path of travel.

22. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a server, a set of data from at least one first vehicle,

wherein said received set of data comprises at least one of sensor data of said at least one first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said at least one first vehicle, and

wherein said sensor data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said at least one first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said at least one first vehicle; and

controlling generation of an alert to at least one second vehicle based on

said set of data received from a first set of vehicles including said at least one first vehicle, wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path, and wherein said at least one first vehicle moves in a first direction along said path, and

a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles that is higher than a first threshold value.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, instructions executable by a computer, thereby causing said computer to execute operations, said operations comprising:

receiving, at a server, a set of data from at least one first vehicle,

wherein said received set of data comprises at least one of sensor data of said at least one first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said at least one first vehicle, and

wherein said sensor data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said at least one first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said at least one first vehicle; and

controlling generation of an alert to at least one second vehicle based on

said set of data received from a first set of vehicles including said at least one first vehicle, wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path, wherein said at least one first vehicle moves in a first direction along said path, and

a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles that is higher than a first threshold value.

24. A first vehicle, comprising:

a battery;

a sensing system configured to generate at least one of first data associated with said first vehicle or obstacle information, wherein said obstacle information is information of obstacles along a path of travel of said first vehicle,

wherein said first data corresponds to a change in at least one of motion of said first vehicle or vehicle operating parameters of said first vehicle;

an imaging system configured to capture at least one image along said path of travel of said first vehicle;

an input/output (I/O) system configured to;

render an alert, wherein said alert is generated by a server communicatively coupled to said first vehicle; and

be powered by said battery; and

one or more circuits in a central processing unit (CPU), said one or more circuits configured to;

communicate to said server, a set of second data based on at least one of said first data or said obstacle information, wherein said set of second data is received from a first set of vehicles including said first vehicle,

wherein generation of said alert to at least one second vehicle is controlled by said server based on said set of second data and based on a number of vehicles in said first set of vehicles, wherein said number of vehicles is higher than a first threshold value, and wherein said first set of vehicles is located at a first location along said path of travel.