Multi-sensor fusion

• US 7,283,904 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Benjamin, Mitchell A., Hinnant, Harris O., Shigeno, Thomas T., Olmstead, David N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISKOPF, MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/981,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/301, 340/425.5, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for establishing a mobile network in which each mobile unit, such as a car, becomes a node able to receive and transmit a wide variety of information, including for example, traffic conditions, vehicle mechanical/electrical status, interactive game playing information, streaming audio and video, email, and voice mail. In one aspect, multi-sensor fusion technology is used to determine the best value of a monitored variable, for example, the real time locations of each mobile unit, that may be communicated to others via the network. In addition, a new method of traffic control using real time traffic positioning and density data is disclosed. Further, methods and systems for enhancing driver safety are disclosed. In another aspect, the system may use a unique secure dynamic link allocation system to improve the information transfer from one node (mobile unit) to another and to other networks, such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information between mobile units, the system comprising:

a plurality of mobile units, each mobile unit comprising—

multiple onboard sensors;

onboard means for processing inputs from the onboard sensors, using data fusion;

each onboard sensor communicating with the onboard processing means; and

means for wireless receiving and means for wireless transmitting of information;

wherein the processing means is in communication with the wireless receiving means and the wireless transmitting means to send information; and

the onboard processing means comprising means for selecting a path for communicating information, the path including at least communicating information from one of the mobile units to another mobile unit.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

using multi-sensor fusion information to establish in real time a unique location of each of at least some of the plurality of mobile units.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least some mobile units receive input information about the real time location of other mobile units in proximity, and wherin the means for selecting a communication path for each of the at least some mobile units uses the received input information to select the information communication path.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises diagnostic information about a mobile unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises information about an environment surrounding a mobile unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the mobile units each further comprise onboard means for playing an interactive electronic game, the game playing means communicating game information to the onboard means for receiving and transmitting of each of the respective at least two mobile units such that game information exchanged permits playing of an interactive game between parties in the at least two mobile units.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for playing an interactive game, said means generating game information, the game information communicated to a plurality of participating mobile units substantially simultaneously, said communication permitting participation in an interactive game by at least one party in each of the plurality of mobile units.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving and the means for transmitting of a first mobile unit each respectively receive and transmit information from at least one other mobile unit of a series of mobile units, at least one of the series of units in wireless communication with the Internet.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises any one or more of electronic mail, images, streaming video, and streaming audio.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises information about status of a mobile unit and communication with the internet comprises communication with a call center.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises commercial transaction information, the information communicated to a party to the transaction via the Internet.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising communicating location data for at least some of the mobile units to a call center, the call center having means to analyze location data to produce traffic information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the call center further comprises means to communicate to at least some of the mobile units the traffic information about an environment in the vicinity of the at least some mobile units.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the call center further comprises means to divert movement of mobile units based on traffic information.

15. The system of claim 2, further comprising utilizing information about mobile unit proximity to each other to provide collision avoidance information to mobile units within a closer than predetermined distance from each other.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the collision avoidance information is timely provided to an occupant of a mobile unit at risk of collision.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile units comprise automatic collision avoidance controllers receiving collision avoidance information in real time, and a controller of at least one mobile unit at risk initiates evasive action based on the avoidance information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a mobile unit at risk communicates risk related information with other mobile units at risk via onboard means for receiving and transmitting of the units.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the risk related information comprises information analyzed by fusion techniques to confirm risk assessment and identify malfunctioning sensors.

20. A system for traffic control, the system comprising:

a plurality of mobile units, each mobile unit equipped with multiple onboard sensors for detecting traffic environment conditions surrounding the mobile unit each mobile unit equipped with an onboard processor receiving inputs from the sensors, the processor in communication with means for wireless receiving and for means for wireless transmitting of detected information, the processor comprising means for selecting a path for communicating information processed by data fusion between at least one of the mobile units and a traffic communications center, the path comprising using wireless receiving means and wireless transmitting means of at least one other mobile unit.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

using multi-sensor fused data to establish in real time a unique location of each of at least some of the plurality of mobile units, in closest proximity to a mobile unit that is communicating or about to communicate information.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising mobile units receiving input information about the real time location of other mobile units in proximity.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising communicating location data for at least some of the mobile units from the mobile units through a communications path comprising receiving and transmitting means of other mobile units to a center, the center having means to receive, store and analyze location data to develop traffic condition information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the center further comprises means to communicate traffic condition information about an environment surrounding at least some mobile units to the at least some of the mobile units.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the call center further comprises means to communicate traffic condition information and divert movement of mobile units based on traffic condition information about an environment surrounding said mobile units.

26. The system of 22, further comprising data fusion of real time location information of mobile units in proximity to each other to obtain a better estimate of real time location of each of said units in proximity.

27. A communication system for mobile units comprising:

a plurality of mobile units;

at least one mobile unit containing multiple onboard sensors and an onboard processor;

the processor in communication with the sensors and operable to process inputs from the sensors using data fusion;

the processor also in communication with a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter;

the processor operable to select a communications pathway based upon predetermined criteria; and

the selected pathway including at least one other mobile unit.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprising the processor calculating unique location data for the mobile unit and transmitting the location data via the pathway to a traffic communications center.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising the traffic communications center receiving unique location data from multiple mobile units, the traffic communications center using the data to determine traffic conditions, and the traffic communications center transmitting to at least one mobile unit the traffic conditions proximate that mobile unit.