Vehicle control systems

• US 10,019,009 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Chintakindi, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weber, Tamara L
• Application Number:
  US15/183,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/002 Locking of control actuating or transmitting means of steering mechanism B60R25/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/00 Input parameters relating to a particular sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/049 Number of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 : Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 : Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 : Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 : Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 : Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 : Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 : Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0015 : specially adapted for safety
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 : of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0055 : only part of driving tasks shifted to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 : Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 : Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 : Insurance

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for the utilization of vehicle control systems to cause a vehicle to take preventative action responsive to the detection of a near short term adverse driving scenario. A vehicle control system may receive information corresponding to vehicle operator data and ancillary data. Based on the received vehicle operator data and the received ancillary data, a multi-dimension risk score module may calculate risk scores associated with the received vehicle operator data and the received ancillary data. Subsequently, the vehicle control systems may cause the vehicle to perform at least one of a close call detection action and a close call detection alert to lessen the risk associated with the received vehicle operator data and the received ancillary data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a vehicle control computer installed in a vehicle, vehicle property data corresponding to the vehicle;

receiving, by the vehicle control computer, ancillary data associated with surroundings of the vehicle;

receiving, by the vehicle control computer, historical data corresponding to the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

calculating, by the vehicle control computer and based on the historical data, a risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data, wherein the historical data includes at least historical vehicle operations data and historical ancillary data associated with insurance claims data and accident reports data, and wherein the historical ancillary data includes data associated with surroundings of a vehicle corresponding to the insurance claims data and accident reports data; and

performing, based on the calculated risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data, a close call detection alert, wherein the close call detection alert is performed to reduce the risk score for one of the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

responsive to performing the close call detection alert, reporting the close call detection alert by providing data corresponding to the close call detection alert to one or more remote computing devices; and

receiving, from at least one of the one or more remote computing devices, instructions to perform a close call detection action.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the vehicle control computer, a first grade of autonomy for the vehicle;

calculating, based on historical data corresponding to the first grade of autonomy of the vehicle, a risk score for the first grade of autonomy for the vehicle; and

modifying, based on the calculated risk score for the first grade of autonomy for the vehicle, a grade of autonomy of the vehicle from the first grade of autonomy to a second grade of autonomy different than the first grade of autonomy, wherein the second grade of autonomy of the vehicle has a lower risk score than the first grade of autonomy for the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle property data includes at least one of vehicle performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle, and wherein the ancillary data includes at least one of performance and operation data for one or more additional vehicles different from the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions for the one or more additional vehicles, and route data for the one or more additional vehicles, environmental conditions data associated with the surroundings of the vehicle, and traffic data associated with the surroundings of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the close call detection action includes at least one of activating brakes of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to change lanes, disabling a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle, disabling acceleration for the vehicle, turning on vehicle headlights, reducing speed of the vehicle, and turning on emergency lights of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the close call detection alert includes at least one of flashing interior lights of the vehicle, producing an audible sound in the interior of the vehicle, suggesting an alternate route for the vehicle, and providing an indication of upcoming traffic on a dashboard and/or heads-up display unit of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle property data includes a first plurality of variables and wherein the ancillary data includes a second plurality of variables, and wherein calculating the risk score includes calculating a risk score for each of the first plurality of variables of the received vehicle property data and each of the second plurality of variables of the received ancillary data.

7. An apparatus installed in a vehicle comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive, by the apparatus, vehicle property data corresponding to the vehicle;

receive, by the apparatus, ancillary data associated with surroundings of the vehicle;

receive, by the apparatus, historical data corresponding to the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

calculate, by the apparatus and based on the historical data, a risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data, wherein the historical data includes at least historical vehicle operations data and historical ancillary data associated with insurance claims data and accident reports data, and wherein the historical ancillary data includes data associated with surroundings of a vehicle corresponding to the insurance claims data and accident reports data; and

perform, based on the calculated risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data, a close call detection alert, wherein the close call detection alert is performed to reduce the risk score for one of the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

responsive to performing the close call detection alert, report the close call detection alert by providing data corresponding to the close call detection alert to one or more remote computing devices; and

receive, from at least one of the one or more remote computing devices, instructions to perform a close call detection action.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the memory stores further computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine, by the apparatus, a first autonomous grade for the vehicle;

calculate, based on historical data corresponding to the first autonomous grade, a risk score for the first autonomous grade; and

change, based on the calculated risk score for the first autonomous grade, from the first autonomous grade to a second autonomous grade different than the first autonomous grade, wherein the second autonomous grade has a lower risk score than the first autonomous grade.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle property data includes at least one of vehicle performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle, and wherein the ancillary data includes at least one of performance and operation data for one or more additional vehicles, internal vehicle conditions for one or more additional vehicles, and route data for one or more additional vehicles, environmental conditions data associated with surroundings of the vehicle, and traffic data associated with surroundings of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the close call detection action includes at least one of activating brakes of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to change lanes, disabling a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle, disabling acceleration for the vehicle, turning on vehicle headlights, and turning on emergency lights of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the close call detection alert includes at least one of flashing interior lights of the vehicle, producing an audible sound in the interior of the vehicle, suggesting an alternate route for the vehicle, and providing an indication of upcoming traffic on a dashboard and/or heads-up display unit of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle property data includes a first plurality of variables and wherein the ancillary data includes a second plurality of variables, and wherein calculating the risk score includes calculating a risk score for each of the first plurality of variables of the received vehicle property data and each of the second plurality of variables of the received ancillary data.

13. An apparatus installed in a vehicle comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing at least first and second computer readable instructions, wherein the first computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive, by the apparatus, vehicle property data corresponding to a vehicle;

receive, by the apparatus, ancillary data associated with surroundings of the vehicle;

receive, by the apparatus, historical data corresponding to the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

calculate, by the apparatus and based on the historical data, a risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data, wherein the historical data includes at least historical vehicle operations data and historical ancillary data associated with insurance claims data and accident reports data, and wherein the historical ancillary data includes data associated with surroundings of a vehicle corresponding to the insurance claims data and accident reports data;

populate a near short term logical table with the calculated risk score for the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data; and

configure the second computer readable instructions with the near short term logical table, wherein the second computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

perform a close call detection alert, wherein the close call detection alert is performed to reduce the risk score for one of the received vehicle property data and the received ancillary data;

responsive to performing the close call detection alert, reporting the close call detection alert by providing data corresponding to the close call detection alert to one or more remote computing devices; and

receiving, from at least one of the one or more remote computing devices, instructions to perform a close call detection action.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to:

determine, by the apparatus, a first autonomous grade for the vehicle;

calculate, based on historical data corresponding to the first autonomous grade, a risk score for the first autonomous grade;

populate the near short term logical table with the calculated risk score for the first autonomous grade; and

configure the second computer readable instructions with the near short term logical table, wherein the second computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to;

change from the first autonomous grade to a second autonomous grade different than the first autonomous grade, wherein the second autonomous grade has a lower risk score than the first autonomous grade.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the close call detection action includes at least one of activating brakes of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to change lanes, disabling a mobile device of a driver of the vehicle, disabling acceleration for the vehicle, turning on vehicle headlights, and turning on emergency lights of the vehicle, and wherein the close call detection alert includes at least one of flashing interior lights of the vehicle, producing an audible sound in the interior of the vehicle, suggesting an alternate route for the vehicle, and providing an indication of upcoming traffic on a dashboard and/or heads-up display unit of the vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the vehicle property data includes at least one of vehicle performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the vehicle property data includes a first plurality of variables and wherein the ancillary data includes a second plurality of variables, and wherein calculating the risk score includes calculating a risk score for each of the first plurality of variables of the received vehicle property data and each of the second plurality of variables of the received ancillary data.