Vehicle control systems

• US 10,809,730 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• 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): Weber, Tamara L
• Application Number:
  US15/991,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 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 operation data and ancillary data. Based on the received vehicle operation data and the received ancillary data, a multi-dimension risk score module may calculate risk scores associated with the received vehicle operation 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 operation data and the received ancillary data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a remote computing device having at least one processor and via a communication interface, data indicating initiation of a close call detection alert in a vehicle, the remote computing device being remote from the vehicle;

receiving, by the at least one processor of the remote computing device and via the communication interface, vehicle data collected from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;

receiving, by the at least one processor of the remote computing device and via the communication interface, environmental data associated with surroundings of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the data indicating initiation of the close call detection alert in the vehicle, transmitting, by the at least one processor of the remote computing device, to a vehicle control computer of the vehicle, and via the communication interface, one or more instructions to instruct the vehicle control computer to perform a close call detection action associated with operation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor and via the communication interface, a risk score associated with a current operation of the vehicle,

wherein the data indicating the initiation of the close call detection alert comprises data indicating that the vehicle control computer caused at least one of lights of the vehicle to be flashed, an audible sound to be played in an interior of the vehicle, a suggestion of an alternate route for the vehicle to be provided, and a notification of upcoming traffic to be displayed on a dashboard and/or heads-up display unit of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one processor and based on at least one of the received vehicle data, the received environmental data, and the received risk score, the close call detection action to instruct the vehicle control computer to perform.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor and via the communication interface, a current autonomous level of the vehicle;

determining, by the at least one processor and based on the received risk score, a different autonomous level from the current autonomous level, the different autonomous level having a lower risk score than the received risk score; and

determining, by the at least one processor, the close call detection action to be an action to change the vehicle from the current autonomous level to the different autonomous level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data comprises at least one of performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal conditions data for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle, and

wherein the environmental data comprises at least one of performance and operation data for one or more additional vehicles different from the vehicle, internal conditions data for the one or more additional vehicles, 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.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the close call detection action comprises at least one of activating brakes of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to change lanes, disabling acceleration for the vehicle, turning on vehicle headlights, reducing a speed of the vehicle, turning on emergency lights of the vehicle, and changing an autonomous level of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating the initiation of the close call detection alert is received during operation of the vehicle.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

communication interface; and

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

receive, via the communication interface, data indicating initiation of a close call detection alert in a vehicle, wherein the apparatus is remote from the vehicle;

receive, via the communication interface, vehicle data collected from one or more sensors associated with the vehicle;

receive, via the communication interface, environmental data associated with surroundings of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the data indicating initiation of the close call detection alert in the vehicle, transmit, to a vehicle control computer of the vehicle and via the communication interface, one or more instructions to instruct the vehicle control computer to perform a close call detection action associated with operation of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:

receive, via the communication interface, a risk score associated with a current operation of the vehicle,

wherein the data indicating the initiation of the close call detection alert comprises data indicating that the vehicle control computer caused at least one of lights of the vehicle to be flashed, an audible sound to be played in an interior of the vehicle, a suggestion of an alternate route for the vehicle to be provided, and a notification of upcoming traffic to be displayed on a dashboard and/or heads-up display unit of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:

determine, based on the received vehicle data and the received environmental data, one or more close call detection actions to instruct the vehicle control computer to perform.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:

receive, via the communication interface, a current autonomous level of the vehicle;

determine, based on the received risk score, a different autonomous level from the current autonomous level, the different autonomous level having a lower risk score than the received risk score; and

determine the close call detection action to be an action to change the vehicle from the current autonomous level to the different autonomous level.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the vehicle data comprises at least one of performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal conditions data for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle, and

wherein the environmental data comprises at least one of performance and operation data for one or more additional vehicles different from the vehicle, internal conditions data for the one or more additional vehicles, 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.

13. The apparatus of the claim 8, wherein the close call detection action comprises at least one of activating brakes of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to change lanes, disabling acceleration for the vehicle, turning on vehicle headlights, reducing a speed of the vehicle, turning on emergency lights of the vehicle, and changing an autonomous level of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data indicating the initiation of the close call detection alert is received during operation of the vehicle.

15. A close call detection system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to collect data associated with a vehicle;

a vehicle computing device associated with the vehicle; and

a remote computing device external from the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle computing device is configured to, during a current operation of the vehicle;

receive, from the one or more sensors, the data associated with the vehicle;

receive data associated with surroundings of the vehicle;

analyze the data associated with the vehicle and the data associated with the surroundings of the vehicle to determine a risk score for the current operation of the vehicle; and

perform, based on the risk score, a close call detection alert in the vehicle;

transmit, to the remote computing device, data indicating performance of the close call detection alert; and

receive, from the remote computing device, instructions to perform a close call detection action, and

wherein the remote computing device is configured to;

receive, from the vehicle computing device, the data indicating the performance of the close call detection alert; and

transmit, to the vehicle computing device, one or more instructions instructing the vehicle computing device to perform a close call detection action in the vehicle.

16. The close call detection system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle computing device is further configured to receive historical data, wherein the historical data comprises historical data associated with operations data of the vehicle, historical data associated with insurance claims data and accident reports data, and historical data associated with surroundings of a vehicle corresponding to the insurance claims data and the accident reports data, and

wherein the risk score for the current operation of the vehicle is further determined based on the historical data.

17. The close call detection system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle computing device is further configured to:

determine a current autonomous level of the vehicle; and

receive historical data, wherein the historical data comprises historical data associated with the current autonomous level,

wherein the risk score for the current operation of the vehicle is further determined based on the historical data.

18. The close call detection system of claim 17, wherein the remote computing device is further configured to:

receive, from the vehicle computing device, the risk score;

determine, based on the risk score, a different autonomous level, wherein the different autonomous level has a lower risk score than the current autonomous level; and

transmit, to the vehicle computing device, an instruction to perform a close call detection action to change the vehicle from the current autonomous level to the different autonomous level.

19. The close call detection system of claim 15, wherein the data associated with the vehicle comprises at least one of vehicle performance and operation data for the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions data for the vehicle, and route data for the vehicle, and

wherein the data associated with the surroundings of the vehicle comprises at least one of performance and operation data for one or more additional vehicles different from the vehicle, internal vehicle conditions data for the one or more additional vehicles, 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.