Method for obtaining information about objects outside of a vehicle

• US 7,899,616 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/059,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

Method and system for obtaining information about traffic-related devices providing variable information includes providing a vehicle with a map database including the location of the devices, determining the location of the vehicle, as the location of the vehicle is determined to be approaching the location of each device, as known in the database, obtaining an image of the device, and analyzing the image to determine the status of the device. The vehicle may be controlled based on the status of the device, which is optionally displayed to the driver or other occupant of the vehicle. For example, when the device is a stoplight, the method can detect if the driver of the vehicle is slowing the vehicle when the stoplight is red, and if not, automatically cause the vehicle the slow down or stop.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring operation of vehicles, comprising:

obtaining a database including data about roadways that a vehicle can travel on, the data including locations of edges of the roadways;

installing the database onboard the vehicle;

identifying a roadway on which the vehicle is approaching;

displaying a map of the roadway that a vehicle is approaching showing a shape of the roadway, edges of the roadway, and travel lanes on the roadway;

determining a defined corridor of travel for the vehicle on the roadway that the vehicle is approaching;

determining a location of the vehicle with location determining equipment located onboard the vehicle;

displaying an indication of the location of the vehicle in association with the map of the roadway that the vehicle is approaching;

obtaining traffic control information concerning the vehicle'"'"'s impending use of the roadway that the vehicle is approaching;

determining a travel condition of the vehicle in consideration of the defined corridor of travel for the vehicle;

determining that the traveling condition of the vehicle is unsafe for the roadway that the vehicle is approaching in consideration of the obtained traffic control information; and

activating an alarm to notify an operator of the vehicle that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe for the roadway that the vehicle is approaching.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a speedometer that indicates a speed of the vehicle, the vehicle'"'"'s speed creating the unsafe traveling condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining that the vehicle'"'"'s speed, as is being indicated on a speedometer, is too fast to safely enter the roadway that the vehicle is approaching.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining that the vehicle has deviated from the defined corridor for the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining the position of another vehicle, determining a defined corridor in which the another vehicle is travelling, and determining that the another vehicle has deviated from the defined corridor of travel for the another vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining that the vehicle has not complied or will likely not be able to comply with traffic control information pertaining to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining the position of another vehicle, determining traffic control information pertaining to the another vehicle, and determining that the another vehicle has not complied or will likely not be able to comply with the traffic control information pertaining to the another vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the vehicle'"'"'s traveling condition is unsafe comprises determining the position of an obstacle and determining that the obstacle is in or approaching the defined corridor of travel for the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the obstacle comprises another vehicle traveling in the defined corridor for the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the obstacle comprises another vehicle traveling in another defined corridor of travel intersecting with the defined corridor of travel for the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an evasive maneuver in response to the unsafe traveling condition; and

communicating the evasive maneuver to an operator of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically controlling the vehicle without intervention by the operator of the vehicle to implement the evasive maneuver.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an evasive maneuver in response to the unsafe traveling condition;

communicating the evasive maneuver to an operator of the vehicle; and

communicating the evasive maneuver to an operator of another vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting or transmitting a warning of the unsafe traveling condition to other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting or transmitting a warning of the unsafe traveling condition to an infrastructure station in the vicinity of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm is indicated on a display in the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm is indicated on a heads-up display in the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm is audible.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an airplane and the roadway comprises an airport runway.