System and method for alerting drivers to road conditions

• US 20100207787A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Catten, J. Corey, McClellan, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,188,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• 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 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

System and method for warning drivers of changing road conditions is disclosed. In one embodiment road condition information is obtained for at least a portion of a route. The road condition information is analyzed to identify one or more significant features on the portion of the route. The driver is alerted to the one or more significant features.

Claims

1. A method for warning a driver of changing road conditions, comprising:

obtaining, at a vehicle monitoring device, current road condition information for at least a portion of a route;

identifying one or more features on the portion of the route, wherein the feature comprises a change in a road condition parameter from a first value on a first section of the route to a second value on a second portion of the route; and

alerting the driver to the one or more features.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current road condition information is obtained from a database resident in a vehicle being used by the driver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current road condition information is obtained from a database that is remote from a vehicle being used by the driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the route is calculated by a navigation application resident in a vehicle being used by the driver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the route is calculated by a navigation application that is remote from a vehicle being used by the driver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alerting step further comprises displaying a warning to the driver;

and wherein the warning is selected based upon a current parameter of a vehicle operated by the driver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the current parameter comprises at least one of a current vehicle speed parameter and a current vehicle location parameter.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the current road condition information further comprises speed limit data;

and wherein the warning is based upon the current vehicle speed parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alerting step further comprises displaying a warning to the driver;

and wherein the warning is selected based upon the one or more features.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more features comprise a vehicle speed limitation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more features comprise vehicle route restrictions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more features comprise temporary route restrictions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the alerting comprises a warning displayed within a specified distance of the feature.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the alerting comprises a warning displayed within a specified time before the driver reaches the feature.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the road condition parameter is a speed limit on the route.

16. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of warning a driver of changing road conditions, the method comprising:

retrieving information associated with a road on which a vehicle will be traveling at a future time; and

broadcasting a warning to a driver of the vehicle, wherein the warning is triggered when a current vehicle operating parameter does not comply with a limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling at the future time.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the current vehicle operating parameter is a current vehicle speed;

and wherein the limitation is a posted speed limit for the road.

18. The media of claim 16, wherein the current vehicle operating parameter is a current vehicle speed;

and wherein the limitation is a stop sign on the road on which the vehicle will be traveling.

19. The media of claim 16, wherein the current vehicle operating parameter is a current vehicle speed;

and wherein the limitation is at least one of a road intersection and a railroad intersection on the road on which the vehicle will be traveling.

20. The media of claim 16, wherein retrieving information associated with a road on which a vehicle will be traveling further comprises:

requesting information associated with the road from a device that is remote from the vehicle.

21. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of warning a driver of changing road conditions, the method comprising:

retrieving information associated with a road on which a vehicle will be traveling at a future time; and

broadcasting a warning to a driver of the vehicle, wherein the warning is triggered when a limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is different from a limitation associated with a road on which the vehicle is currently traveling.

22. The media of claim 21, wherein the limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is a first posted speed limit;

and wherein the limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is a second posted speed limit.

23. The media of claim 21, wherein the limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is a first number of available lanes;

and wherein a limitation associated with a road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is a second number of available lanes.

24. The media of claim 21, wherein retrieving information associated with a road on which a vehicle will be traveling further comprises:

requesting information associated with the road from a device that is remote from the vehicle.

25. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of providing road-condition information to vehicles, the method comprising:

storing road-condition information for a plurality of roads in a database;

receiving a request for information associated with a road;

searching the database for information associated with the road; and

sending information associated with road the requester.

26. The media of claim 25, wherein the requester is a vehicle-based application.

27. The media of claim 25, wherein the road-condition information further comprises road-condition information that has been received from a plurality of vehicle-based applications.

28. The media of claim 25, wherein the road-condition information for a plurality of roads is stored in a central database associated with a vehicle monitoring system network.

29. A method for providing feedback to drivers, comprising:

monitoring, at a vehicle monitoring device, selected vehicle parameters while a vehicle is being driven;

detecting one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the selected vehicle parameters to predetermined thresholds, wherein the predetermined thresholds are established based upon road-condition information for a road currently being used by the vehicle; and

providing a first mentoring message to the driver if the threshold is exceeded.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

sending a violation report to a third party when a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

providing a second mentoring message to the driver when a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein monitoring selected vehicle parameters further comprises:

monitoring vehicle parameter data from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the road-condition information comprises road-condition information received from a device that is remote from the vehicle.

34. A central monitoring server for providing road-condition information to vehicles, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a request for information associated with a road;

a database for storing road-condition information for a plurality of roads;

a processor for searching the database for information associated with the road; and

a transmitter for sending information associated with road the requester.

35. A vehicle monitoring unit for providing road-condition information to vehicles, comprising:

a vehicle system interface for obtaining vehicle parameters from one or more vehicle systems; and

a processor for detecting one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the vehicle parameters to predetermined thresholds, wherein the predetermined thresholds are established based upon road-condition information for a road currently being used by the vehicle.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising an output interface for providing a mentoring message to the driver if the threshold is exceeded.