System and method for alerting drivers to road conditions

• US 8,188,887 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/379,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20100207787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905
• 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 a first feature and a second feature associated with the portion of the route, wherein the first feature comprises a change in a first road condition parameter and a second feature comprises a change in a second road condition parameter, wherein each of the first road condition parameter and second road condition parameter changes from a first respective value on a first respective section of the route to a second respective value on a second respective section of the route;

determining that a vehicle is within a first distance threshold of the first feature, the first distance threshold associated with the first feature;

alerting a driver of the vehicle to the first feature in response to determining that the vehicle is within the first distance threshold;

determining that the vehicle is within a second distance threshold of the second feature, the second distance threshold associated with the second feature; and

alerting the driver of the vehicle to the second feature in response to determining that the vehicle is within the second distance threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current road condition information is obtained from a database residing in the vehicle.

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

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

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

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

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

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 alerting the driver to the first feature comprises displaying a warning to the driver;

and wherein the warning is selected based upon the first feature.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises a vehicle speed limitation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises vehicle route restrictions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first feature comprises temporary route restrictions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the driver to the first feature comprises broadcasting a warning to the driver.

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

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first 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;

determining, using a processor, whether a current vehicle operating parameter complies with a limitation associated with the road;

determining that the vehicle is within a distance threshold of the limitation, the distance threshold associated with the limitation;

broadcasting a warning to a driver of the vehicle in response to determining that the current vehicle operating parameter does not comply with the limitation associated with the road and the vehicle is within the distance threshold.

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 the road on which the 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;

determining, using a processor, whether a first limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is different from a second limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling;

determining that the vehicle is within a distance threshold of the first limitation, the distance threshold associated with the first limitation; and

broadcasting a warning to a driver of the vehicle in response to determining that the first limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is different from the second limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling and the vehicle is within the distance threshold of the first limitation.

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

and wherein the second 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 first limitation associated with the road on which the vehicle will be traveling is a first number of available lanes;

and wherein a second limitation associated with the 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 the road on which the 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, using a processor, the database for information associated with the road; and

sending information associated with the road, the information comprising;

a first feature and a second feature associated with a portion of the road, wherein the first feature comprises a change in a first road condition parameter and a second feature comprises a change in a second road condition parameter, wherein each of the first road condition parameter and the second road condition parameter changes from a first respective value associated with a first respective section of the road to a second respective value associated with a second respective section of the road;

a first distance threshold associated with the first feature; and

a second distance threshold associated with the second feature.

26. The media of claim 25, wherein the request is received from 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;

determining whether at least one vehicle operation violation is based at least in part upon a feature associated with the road, wherein the feature comprises a change in a road condition from a first value associated with a first section of the road to a second value associated with a second section of the road;

determining that the vehicle is within a distance threshold of the feature, the distance threshold associated with the feature;

alerting a driver of the vehicle to the feature in response to determining that the vehicle is within the distance threshold; and

providing a first mentoring message to the driver if one or more predetermined thresholds are exceeded.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

sending a violation report to a third party when at least one 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 at least one 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 operable to receive a request for information associated with a road;

a database operable to store road-condition information for a plurality of roads;

a processor operable to search the database for information associated with the road; and

a transmitter operable to send information associated with the road, the information comprising;

a first feature and a second feature associated with a portion of the road, wherein the first feature comprises a change in a first road condition parameter and a second feature comprises a change in a second road condition parameter, wherein each of the first road condition parameter and the second road condition parameter changes from a first respective value associated with a first respective section of the road to a second respective value associated with a second respective section of the road;

a first distance threshold associated with the first feature; and

a second distance threshold associated with the second feature.

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

a vehicle system interface operable to obtain vehicle parameters from one or more vehicle systems;

a processor operable to;

detect 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 a particular vehicle;

determine whether at least one vehicle operation violation is based at least in part upon a feature on the road, wherein the feature comprises a change in a road condition from a first value associated with a first section of the road to a second value associated with a second section of the road; and

determine that the particular vehicle is within a distance threshold of the feature, the distance threshold associated with the feature; and

an output interface operable to alert a driver of the particular vehicle to the feature in response to determining that the vehicle is within the first distance threshold.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the output interface is further operable to provide a mentoring message to the driver if at least one predetermined threshold is exceeded.