Advanced warning system

• US 9,984,573 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mays, Wesley M., Schaller, David Allen, Glasmann, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US14/935,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 701117, 701119
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates 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 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to one or more systems, methods, and/or devices for an advanced warning system that alerts drivers of potential upcoming traffic conditions (e.g., accidents or traffic slowdowns) based on active monitoring of vehicle parameters (e.g., speed, braking, air bag deployment, etc.) associated with other vehicles traveling ahead in the same direction. Thus, in some aspects, the advanced warning system may receive, at a network device (e.g., network management center (NMC)), one or more parameters from a first mobile computing platform (MCP) associated with a first vehicle and determine, at the network device, whether a traffic condition has developed on a stretch of highway based on the one or more parameters.

Claims

1. A method of providing an advanced warning to a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, at a network device, one or more parameters from a first mobile computing platform (MCP) associated with a first vehicle;

determining, at the network device, a traffic condition based on the one or more parameters;

assigning, to the traffic condition, a confidence factor identifying a level of confidence that the network device has that the traffic condition is a hazardous condition;

identifying a second MCP associated with a second vehicle within a proximity threshold to the first vehicle; and

transmitting a warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor, wherein the warning notification includes information regarding the traffic condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the traffic condition based on the one or more parameters comprises:

identifying a location of the traffic condition; and

estimating a severity level of the traffic condition based on the one or more parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP comprises:

determining whether the severity level of the traffic condition satisfies a severity threshold; and

transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP if the severity level of the traffic condition exceeds the severity threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a number of MCPs reporting at least one abnormal operating condition within the proximity of the first vehicle;

determining whether the number of MCPs reporting at least one abnormal operating condition satisfies a threshold; and

increasing the confidence factor based on the determining that the number of MCPs reporting at least one abnormal operating condition satisfies the threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining weather conditions at a location of the first vehicle; and

increasing the confidence factor based on the weather conditions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information regarding the traffic condition from an alternative source, wherein the alternative source comprises at least one of a government vehicle, a traffic report, a traffic camera, automated highway status report or news report; and

adjusting the confidence factor for the traffic condition based on the information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the one or more parameters from a plurality of MCPs within the proximity threshold of the first vehicle, wherein the one or more parameters report at least one abnormal operating condition; and

determining a severity level based on a number of the plurality of MCPs reporting the at least one abnormal operating condition.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring, at the network device, driving activity of the second vehicle;

determining whether the second vehicle has responded to the warning notification based on the driving activity; and

transmitting an urgent notification to the second MCP in response to determining that the second vehicle has not responded to the warning notification.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, from the network device, a control signal to the second MCP, wherein the control signal overrides at least one driving capability of the second vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the one or more parameters further comprises receiving one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

speed, deceleration, braking, air bag deployment, 4-way flashers, revolutions per minute (RPM), windshield wiper, fog lights, steering input, location, direction of travel, wind speed, engine oil pressure, coolant level, pull-down seat deployment, seat belt pre-tensioner deployment forward vision system input, depressed driver emergency button, tire-pressure monitoring system, automatic traction control, and a biometric parameter of a driver.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the warning notification including the information regarding the traffic condition comprises transmitting at least one of a location of the traffic condition, a severity of the traffic condition, the confidence factor of the traffic condition, an estimated delay associated with the traffic condition, or an alternative route.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the traffic condition comprises determining an accident or a roadway impediment on a highway.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP comprises transmitting the warning notification from the first MCP to the second MCP in a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor further comprises:

determining whether the confidence factor satisfices a confidence threshold; and

transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP if the confidence factor exceeds the confidence threshold.

14. An apparatus for providing an advanced warning to a vehicle, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to;

receive, at a network device, one or more parameters from a first mobile computing platform (MCP) associated with a first vehicle;

determine, at the network device, a traffic condition base on the one or more parameters;

assign, to the traffic condition, a confidence factor identifying a level of confidence that the network device has that the traffic condition is a hazardous condition;

identify a second MCP associated with a second vehicle and

transmit a warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor, wherein the warning notification includes information regarding the traffic condition.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

identify a location of the traffic condition; and

estimate a severity level of the traffic condition based on the one or more parameters.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine whether the severity level of the traffic condition satisfies a severity threshold; and

transmit the warning notification to the second MCP if the severity level of the traffic condition exceeds the severity threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more parameters are selected from a group consisting of:

speed, deceleration, braking, air bag deployment, 4-way flashers, revolutions per minute (RPM), windshield wiper, fog lights, steering input, location, direction of travel, wind speed, engine oil pressure, coolant level, pull-down seat deployment, seat belt pre-tensioner deployment forward vision system input, depressed driver emergency button, tire-pressure monitoring system, automatic traction control, and a biometric parameter of a driver.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmit the warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor further comprises:

determine whether the confidence factor satisfices a confidence threshold; and

transmit the warning notification to the second MCP if the confidence factor exceeds the confidence threshold.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium for providing an advanced warning to a vehicle, wherein the computer readable medium comprises code for:

receiving, at a network device, one or more parameters from a first mobile computing platform (MCP) associated with a first vehicle;

determining, at the network device, a traffic condition based on the one or more parameters;

assigning, to the traffic condition, a confidence factor identifying a level of confidence that the network device has that the traffic condition is a hazardous condition;

identifying a second MCP associated with a second vehicle within a proximity threshold to the first vehicle; and

transmitting a warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor, wherein the warning notification includes information regarding the traffic condition.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP based on the confidence factor further comprises:

determining whether the confidence factor satisfices a confidence threshold; and

transmitting the warning notification to the second MCP if the confidence factor exceeds the confidence threshold.