Technologies for assisting vehicles with changing road conditions

• US 10,099,697 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tatourian, Igor, Wouhaybi, Rita H., Li, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaud, Gertrude Arthur
• Application Number:
  US15/413,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20170129491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 701 93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/169 Remaining operating distance or charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 : from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• 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 1/0145 : for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 : identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• 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 1/09675 : 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Technologies for assisting vehicles with changing road conditions includes vehicle assistance data based on crowd-sourced road data received from a plurality of vehicles and/or infrastructure sensors. The crowd-sourced road data may be associated with a particular section of roadway and may be used to various characteristics of the roadway such as grade, surface, hazardous conditions, and so forth. The vehicle assistance data may be provided to an in-vehicle computing device to assist or facilitate traversal of the roadway.

Claims

1. One or more machine readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause an in-vehicle computing system of a first vehicle to:

transmit vehicle profile information indicative of at least one characteristic of the first vehicle to a vehicle assistance server while the first vehicle is located on a first road segment;

receive vehicle assistance data from the vehicle assistance server, wherein the vehicle assistance data is generated based on the vehicle profile information and crowd-sourced road data associated with the first road segment;

determine at least one vehicle control command based on the received vehicle assistance data; and

adjust a vehicle parameter of the first vehicle based on the vehicle control command.

2. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, further cause the in-vehicle computing system to generate, in response to receipt of the vehicle assistance data, a notification for a driver of the first vehicle that includes information related to the vehicle assistance data.

3. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 1, wherein to transmit vehicle profile information comprises to:

sense vehicle operational data indicative of an operation of the first vehicle while the first vehicle traverses the first road segment; and

transmit the vehicle operational data and vehicle identification data indicative of at least one permanent characteristic of the first vehicle.

4. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 1, wherein to:

receive vehicle assistance data comprises to receive cruise control data, and

adjust the vehicle parameter comprises to adjust a throttle of an engine of the first vehicle based on the cruise control data.

5. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 1, wherein to receive vehicle assistance data comprises to:

receive, from the vehicle assistance server, refueling prediction data that estimates a distance the first vehicle can travel before a refueling is required, and

wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, further cause the in-vehicle computing system to adjust a refueling estimate for the first vehicle based on the refueling prediction data.

6. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 1, wherein to receive vehicle assistance data comprises to receive, from the vehicle assistance server, road condition data indicative of one or more road conditions of the first road segment, and

wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, further cause the in-vehicle computing system to generate a notification to inform a driver of the first vehicle about the one or more road conditions.

7. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 6, wherein to receive road condition data comprises to receive, from the vehicle assistance server, road grade data indicative of a vertical change in elevation along the first road segment.

8. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting, by an in-vehicle computing system of a first vehicle, vehicle profile information indicative of at least one characteristic of the first vehicle to a vehicle assistance server while the first vehicle is located on a first road segment;

receiving, by the in-vehicle computing system, vehicle assistance data from the vehicle assistance server, wherein the vehicle assistance data is generated based on the vehicle profile information and crowd-sourced road data associated with the first road segment;

determining, by the in-vehicle computing system, at least one vehicle control command based on the received vehicle assistance data; and

adjusting, by the in-vehicle computing system, a vehicle parameter of the first vehicle based on the vehicle control command.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating, by the in-vehicle computing system and in response to receiving the vehicle assistance data, a notification for a driver of the first vehicle that includes information related to the vehicle assistance data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting vehicle profile information comprises:

sensing, by the in-vehicle computing system, vehicle operational data indicative of an operation of the first vehicle while the first vehicle traverses the first road segment; and

transmitting, by the in-vehicle computing system, the vehicle operational data and vehicle identification data indicative of at least one permanent characteristic of the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

receiving vehicle assistance data comprises receiving, by the in-vehicle computing system, cruise control data, and

adjusting the vehicle parameter comprises adjusting, by the in-vehicle computing system, a throttle of an engine of the first vehicle based on the cruise control data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving vehicle assistance data comprises:

receiving, by the in-vehicle computing system and from the vehicle assistance server, refueling prediction data that estimates a distance the first vehicle can travel before a refueling is required, and

further comprising adjusting, by the in-vehicle computing system, a refueling estimate for the first vehicle based on the refueling prediction data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving vehicle assistance data comprises receiving, by the in-vehicle computing system and from the vehicle assistance server, road condition data indicative of one or more road conditions of the first road segment, and

further comprising generating, by the in-vehicle computing system, a notification to inform a driver of the first vehicle about the one or more road conditions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving road condition data comprises receiving, by the in-vehicle computing system and from the vehicle assistance server, road grade data indicative of a vertical change in elevation along the first road segment.

15. An in-vehicle computing system for assisting a driver of a first vehicle, the in-vehicle computing system comprising:

a vehicle profile module to (i) sense vehicle operational data indicative of an operation of the first vehicle while the first vehicle traverses a first road segment, (ii) acquire vehicle identification data indicative of at least one permanent characteristic of the first vehicle, and (ii) transmit the vehicle operational data and the vehicle identification data to a vehicle assistance server while the first vehicle is located on the first road segment;

a vehicle output module to (i) receive vehicle assistance data from the vehicle assistance server, wherein the vehicle assistance data is generated based on the vehicle profile information and crowd-sourced road data associated with the first road segment, (ii) determine at least one vehicle control command based on the received vehicle assistance data, and (iii) adjust a vehicle parameter of the first vehicle based on the vehicle control command.

16. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 15, further comprising a notification module to generate, in response to receiving the vehicle assistance data, a notification for a driver of the first vehicle that includes information related to the vehicle assistance data.

17. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle output module is to:

receive cruise control data, and

adjust the vehicle parameter comprises adjusting, by the in-vehicle computing system, a throttle of an engine of the first vehicle based on the cruise control data.

18. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle output module is to:

receive refueling prediction data that estimates a distance the first vehicle can travel before a refueling is required, and

adjust a throttle of an engine of the first vehicle based on the cruise control data.

19. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle output module is to:

receive road condition data, from the vehicle assistance server, indicative of one or more road conditions of the first road segment; and

generate a notification to inform a driver of the first vehicle about the one or more road conditions.

20. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle output module is to receive road grade data indicative of a vertical change in elevation along the first road segment from the vehicle assistance server.