Method and system of directing vehicles traveling over roadway during emergency

• US 8,000,887 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Maue, H. Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/675,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard

Abstract

A method of directing and/or alert vehicles during an emergency or other event. The method may include providing messages and other information to the vehicles through wireless communications. The message may detail the emergency and/or an evacuation strategy for avoiding the emergency. Different vehicles may receive different messages and instructions depending on vehicle location and other parameters.

Claims

1. A method of directing vehicles traveling over roadways during an emergency, the method comprising:

electronically processing signals communicated from the vehicles to determine a location for each vehicle communicating signals;

determining an evacuation route for the vehicles as a function of vehicle location, the evacuation route suitable for routing traffic away from the emergency;

electronically communicating evacuation information representative of the evacuation route to the vehicles for use in evacuating the vehicles, each vehicle receiving the evacuation information outputting an evacuation message to vehicle drivers; and

wherein the evacuation message instructs the vehicle drivers to take action in contradiction to permissible action specified in roadside signage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising customizing the evacuation route for different vehicles depending on vehicle location and roadway availability.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the evacuation route for one or more of the vehicles as a function of changes in the emergency determined after initially communication the evacuation route.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the evacuation route for one or more of the vehicles as a function of movement of the vehicles determined after initially communicating the evacuation route.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the evacuation route for one or more of the vehicles as a function of instructions received from an emergency response entity after initially communication the evacuation route.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating the evacuation route to the vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the instructing the drivers to travel in a wrong direction such that the drivers take action in contradiction to a permissible direction of travel specified in roadside signage.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising locating the vehicles as a function of global positioning system (GPS) data being communicated from the vehicles to a traffic management entity used to generate the evacuation route.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the traffic management entity analyzing traffic flow information and developing the evacuation route as a function thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying the evacuation route on GPS units included on the vehicles to facilitate evacuating the vehicles.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing different instructions evacuation information to different vehicles depending on vehicle location and direction of travel.

12. A method of directing vehicles, the method comprising:

establishing a mesh network between the vehicles and a number of land nodes;

in response to determining an emergency, communicating an emergency alert message to the vehicles over the mesh network;

providing evacuation instructions to the vehicles after communicating the emergency alert message, the evacuation instructions being determined at least in part by an emergency response entity and the emergency alert message being determined automatically as a function of signals received from one or more emergency alert alarms;

each vehicle receiving the emergency alert message generating an emergency indicator to alert vehicle occupants to the emergency;

each vehicle receiving the evacuation instructions and traveling towards the emergency outputting an evacuation message specified in the evacuation instructions to instruct the vehicle occupants of an evacuation route; and

each vehicle receiving the evacuation instructions and traveling away from the emergency ignoring the evacuation instructions.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising including a vehicle location specific evacuation strategy within the emergency alert message to facilitate evacuating vehicle away from the emergency.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising including a description of the emergency within the emergency alert message for alerting vehicle occupants of the emergency.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising including instructions in the evacuation instructions for commanding vehicle drivers to take action in contradiction to permissible action specified in roadside signage.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising each vehicle having a GPS unit operable to determine whether the vehicle is traveling towards or away from the emergency based at least in part of information included within the emergency alert message identifying a location or area of the emergency.