Road hazard data collection system and method

• US 20040107042A1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seick, Ryan E.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A method of collecting a plurality of hazardous road condition data points (248, 348) includes providing a sensor (108) coupled to a vehicle (102), where the sensor functions to detect a hazardous road condition (110) in real-time. The hazardous road condition is recorded along with a location (250) associated with the hazardous road condition, where the road hazard and the location define a hazardous road condition data point (248, 348). The hazardous road condition data point (248, 348) is wirelessly transmitted to a road hazard database system (106), with the road hazard database system receiving a plurality hazardous road condition data points. The road hazard database system (106) then sorts and maps the plurality of hazardous road condition data points based on their corresponding location.

Claims

1. A method of reporting a hazardous road condition, comprising:

providing a sensor coupled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect the hazardous road condition;

detecting the hazardous road condition in real-time;

recording the hazardous road condition along with a location associated with the hazardous road condition, wherein the hazardous road condition and the location define a hazardous road condition data point;

wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point to a road hazard database system;

upon subsequently approaching a projected location corresponding to the location, accessing the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location; and

presenting an alternate route to bypass the projected location corresponding to the hazardous road condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a tire pressure sensor, a vehicle suspension sensor and a traction control sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point in real-time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a plurality of hazardous road condition data points at the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of hazardous road condition data points are wirelessly transmitted in a single communication session to the road hazard database system.

6. A method of mapping a hazardous road condition, comprising:

providing a sensor coupled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect the hazardous road condition;

detecting the hazardous road condition in real-time;

recording the hazardous road condition along with a location associated with the hazardous road condition, wherein the hazardous road condition and the location define a hazardous road condition data point;

wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point to a road hazard database system;

the road hazard database system receiving a plurality hazardous road condition data points; and

mapping the plurality of hazardous road condition data points based on the location.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

upon subsequently approaching a projected location corresponding to the location, accessing the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location; and

presenting an alternate route to bypass the projected location corresponding to the hazardous road condition.

8. The method claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a tire pressure sensor, a vehicle suspension sensor and a traction control sensor.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point in real-time.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the plurality of hazardous road condition data points at the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of hazardous road condition data points are wirelessly transmitted in a single communication session to the road hazard database system.

12. A road hazard data collection system, comprising:

a sensor coupled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect a hazardous road condition in real-time;

a location application coupled to the vehicle, wherein the location application provides a location corresponding to the hazardous road condition to define a hazardous road condition data point; and

a road hazard database system coupled to wireless receive a plurality of road condition data points, and wherein the road hazard database system maps the plurality of hazardous road condition data points based on the location.

13. The road hazard data collection system of claim 12, further comprising a road hazard avoidance unit coupled to the vehicle, wherein based on a current location of the vehicle the road hazard avoidance unit accesses the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to a projected location, and wherein the road hazard avoidance unit presents an alternate route to bypass the projected location.

14. The road hazard data collection system of claim 13, wherein the road hazard avoidance unit requests the at least one hazardous road condition data point based on the current location.

15. The road hazard data collection system of claim 13, wherein based on the current location the road hazard database system notifies the road hazard avoidance unit of the at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location.

16. The road hazard data collection system of claim 12, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

a sensor coupled to the vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect a hazardous road condition in real-time;

a location application coupled to provide a location corresponding to the hazardous road condition to define a hazardous road condition data point; and

a communication means coupled to wirelessly transmit the hazardous road condition data point to a road hazard database system.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising a road hazard avoidance unit coupled to the vehicle, wherein based on a current location of the vehicle the road hazard avoidance unit accesses the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to a projected location, and wherein the road hazard avoidance unit presents an alternate route to bypass the projected location.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the road hazard avoidance unit requests the at least one hazardous road condition data point based on the current location.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein based on the current location the road hazard database system notifies the road hazard avoidance unit of the at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location.

21. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

22. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the communication means wirelessly transmits the hazardous road condition data point in real-time.

23. A method of compiling a plurality of hazardous road condition data points, comprising:

providing a sensor coupled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect a hazardous road condition;

detecting the hazardous road condition in real-time;

recording the hazardous road condition along with a location associated with the hazardous road condition, wherein the hazardous road condition and the location define a hazardous road condition data point;

wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point to a road hazard database system;

the road hazard database system receiving the plurality hazardous road condition data points; and

sorting the plurality of hazardous road condition data points based on the location.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

upon subsequently approaching a projected location corresponding to the location, accessing the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location; and

presenting an alternate route to bypass the projected location corresponding to the hazardous road condition.

25. The method claim 23, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a tire pressure sensor, a vehicle suspension sensor and a traction control sensor.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point in real-time.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing the plurality of hazardous road condition data points at the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of hazardous road condition data points are wirelessly transmitted in a single communication session to the road hazard database system.

29. A computer-readable medium containing computer instructions for instructing a processor to perform a method of compiling a plurality of hazardous road condition data points, the instructions comprising:

providing a sensor coupled to a vehicle, wherein the sensor functions to detect the hazardous road condition;

detecting the hazardous road condition in real-time;

recording the hazardous road condition along with a location associated with the hazardous road condition, wherein the hazardous road condition and the location define a hazardous road condition data point;

wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point to a road hazard database system;

the road hazard database system receiving the plurality hazardous road condition data points; and

sorting the plurality of hazardous road condition data points based on the location.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising:

upon subsequently approaching a projected location corresponding to the location, accessing the road hazard database system to obtain at least one hazardous road condition data point corresponding to the projected location; and

presenting an alternate route to bypass the projected location corresponding to the hazardous road condition.

31. The computer-readable medium claim 29, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a tire pressure sensor, a vehicle suspension sensor and a traction control sensor.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the hazardous road condition data point comprises a time stamp.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting the hazardous road condition data point in real-time.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising storing the plurality of hazardous road condition data points at the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of hazardous road condition data points are wirelessly transmitted in a single communication session to the road hazard database system.