Identification of driver abnormalities in a traffic flow

• US 10,762,780 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Speedgauge Incorporated (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Speedgauge Incorporated (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubbard, Jonathan, Kantarjiev, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Rodney A
• Application Number:
  US15/859,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20180233041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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 1/096741 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 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

Driving behavior may be analyzed based on other vehicles in proximity to a tracked or monitored vehicle. GPS data is collected from the monitored vehicle and other vehicles in physical or geographic proximity thereto. A determination is made as to whether the vehicle in the physical or geographical area is exhibiting aberrant behavior. The aberrant behavior may be determined in view of other vehicles in the geographical area. If aberrant behavior is detected, an alert may be generated and transmitted to an administrator.

Claims

1. A system for alerts based on abnormal vehicle behavior, the system comprising:

a network data transceiver that;

receives a location of a first vehicle from a first vehicle wireless data transceiver associated with the first vehicle, the location of the first vehicle generated by a positioning receiver in response to receipt of one or more wireless positioning signals by the positioning receiver, wherein the location of the first vehicle indicates that the first vehicle is traversing a road within an area specified by a vehicle position metric,

receives nearby vehicle information indicative of behavior of a plurality of nearby vehicles other than the first vehicle, wherein the plurality of nearby vehicles are within the area specified by the vehicle position metric while the first vehicle is traversing the road within the area, and

transmits an alert;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein execution of the instructions stored by the processor causes the processor to;

generate the alert, the alert indicating that a metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle falls outside of an acceptable range, wherein the acceptable range is based on a standard deviation of the nearby vehicle information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network data transceiver transmits the alert to the first vehicle wireless data transceiver associated with the first vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network data transceiver transmits the alert to a device that is associated with a fleet manager for a fleet of vehicles that includes the first vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the network data transceiver transmits the alert to a cellular phone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network data transceiver also receives an image of an operator of the first vehicle, the image captured by a camera associated with the first vehicle.

6. A method for alerts based on abnormal vehicle behavior, the method comprising:

receiving a location of a first vehicle from a first vehicle wireless data transceiver associated with the first vehicle, the location of the first vehicle generated by a positioning receiver in response to receipt of one or more wireless positioning signals by the positioning receiver, wherein the location of the first vehicle indicates that the first vehicle is traversing a road within a specified area;

receiving nearby vehicle information indicative of behavior of a plurality of nearby vehicles other than the first vehicle, wherein the plurality of nearby vehicles are within the specified area while the first vehicle is traversing the road within the area;

executing instructions stored in memory via a processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to generate an alert indicating that a metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle falls outside of an acceptable range, wherein the acceptable range is based on a standard deviation of the nearby vehicle information; and

transmitting the alert.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle is an average speed.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle is a top speed.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle is the location of the first vehicle.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle indicates weaving by the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle indicates hard braking by the first vehicle.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle indicates a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the metric characterizing behavior of the first vehicle indicates a lane change behavior.

14. A system for vehicle-based alerts, the system comprising:

a positioning receiver associated with a first vehicle, wherein the positioning receiver identifies one or more locations of the first vehicle based on one or more wireless signals received by the positioning receiver, wherein the one or more locations of the first vehicle indicate that the first vehicle is traversing a road within a specified area, the specified area associated with a vehicle position metric and nearby vehicle information;

a wireless data transceiver that transmits the one or more locations of the first vehicle to a server;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein execution of the instructions stored by the processor causes the processor to;

identify a current speed of the first vehicle based on the one or more locations of the first vehicle,

identify that the current speed of the first vehicle is lower than a posted speed limit,

identify weather in the specified area, and

generate an alert indicating that it is advisable for the first vehicle to drive slower than the current speed based on the vehicle position metric, the nearby vehicle information, and the weather in the specified area; and

an output device that outputs the alert.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the output device includes a display screen, and wherein the output device outputs the alert by displaying the alert via the display screen.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the output device includes an audio output device, and wherein the output device outputs the alert by playing the alert via the audio output device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the output device includes the wireless data transceiver, and wherein the output device outputs the alert by transmitting the alert to a device associated with a fleet manager for a fleet of vehicles that includes the first vehicle.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein generating the alert indicating that it is advisable for the first vehicle to drive slower than the current speed is based on the weather in the specified area is further based on the current speed of the first vehicle falling outside of an acceptable range that is based on the nearby vehicle information indicative of behavior of a plurality of nearby vehicles other than the first vehicle, wherein the plurality of nearby vehicles are within the specified area associated with a vehicle position metric.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the acceptable range is based on one or more standard deviations of the nearby vehicle information.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the positioning receiver includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and wherein the one or more wireless signals received by the positioning receiver are received from a GPS satellite.