Roadside signage control from vehicle operating data

• US 7,831,379 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Maue, H. Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/675,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 340/928
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

Method and system to alert drivers to driving related information thought controlling information displayed on one or more roadside displays. The displayed information may related to traffic flow, road conditions, emergencies, and any other type of information. Optionally, the displayed information may be determined at least in part of data collected from onboard the vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of controlling roadside signage to reflect road conditions for vehicles traveling on roadways, the method comprising:

monitoring vehicle system data used in the operation of at least one vehicle system onboard one or more of the vehicles to facilitate driving related operations;

determining road conditions from the vehicle system data; and

continuously controlling the signage to reflect road conditions, including adapting the signage to reflect changes in the road conditions as a function of changes in the vehicle system data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the signage determining the road conditions from vehicle system data collected after the vehicles have driven past the signage.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing vehicle-to-vehicle communications to communicate the vehicle system data to the signage for use by the signage in determining the road conditions.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the road condition related information from traction control system data.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising controlling the signage to reflect road surface moisture levels as a function of the traction control system data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the road condition related information from stability control system data.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising controlling the signage to reflect road surface irregularities as a function of the stability control system data.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the road condition related information from anti-lock braking system data.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising controlling the signage to reflect road surface moisture levels as a function of the traction control system data.

10. A method of controlling a roadside display having capabilities to controllably communicate information to vehicles traveling over a roadway, the method comprising:

controlling road related information shown on the display as a function of data received from one or more vehicles, the data corresponding with information collected from one or more vehicle systems onboard the vehicles.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying upcoming road related information for an upcoming portion of the roadway as a function of data received from vehicles after the vehicles travel past the display, the data collected from vehicles at the corresponding upcoming location.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the data is carried backwardly to the display through vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the data is carried backwardly to the display through sign-to-sign communications.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising utilizing the data to display traffic flow road related information.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising utilizing the data to display road condition road related information.

16. A system for displaying information on a roadside sign, the system comprising:

one or more elements onboard multiple vehicles traveling over a roadway, the elements including data representative of vehicle operating conditions; and

a processing element configured to control information displayed on the sign to reflect roadway conditions associated with vehicle operating conditions, wherein the processing element determines the information shown on the sign at least based in part on the data from the elements onboard the vehicles.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing element is located on the sign.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the vehicles wireless transmit the data to the processing element after passing the sign to facilitate displaying information associated with vehicle operating conditions at an upcoming location relative to vehicles traveling in a common direction.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the vehicles wireless transmit the data to the processing element prior to reaching the sign to facilitate displaying information associated with vehicle operating conditions at an upcoming location relative to vehicles traveling in an opposite direction.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicles are configured to transmit the data through vehicle-to-vehicle communications.