System and method for traffic condition communications

• US 9,842,497 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howarter, Jamie C., Bradford, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US13/661,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20130049989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 340905, 340902, 340988, 340990, 701117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with traffic detectors. A location of a vehicle is determined. A search is performed continuously for any of a number of traffic detectors in a wireless environment. A communication session is established with one of the number of traffic detectors in response to entering a range of one of the number of traffic detectors. A message associated with the one of the number of traffic detectors is communicated to the vehicle while the vehicle is within the range of one or more traffic detectors.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with traffic detectors, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of driver profiles on a second wireless device, said driver profiles each including a driver parameter and a driver age, wherein each one of said driver profiles is specific to one of a plurality of possible drivers of a second vehicle;

selecting an active driver profile from the plurality of driver profiles based upon the identity of a current driver of the second vehicle;

determining, with a location determining transceiver of a first wireless device associated with a first vehicle, a location of the first vehicle and a traffic condition, in response to sensing the traffic condition;

communicating, with a wireless transceiver of the first wireless device directly with the second wireless device associated with the second vehicle the traffic condition and the location of the first vehicle;

calculating with the second wireless device a safety boundary for the second vehicle, wherein the safety boundary is calculated from the location of the first vehicle, the traffic condition, and the age of the current driver, as included in the active driver profile which is selected based upon the identity of the current driver of the second vehicle;

determining with traffic logic associated with the second wireless device that the second vehicle has crossed the calculated safety boundary;

communicating an alert, comprising a severity of the traffic condition and a suggested action, from the second wireless device to a vehicle system of the second vehicle upon determining that the second vehicle has crossed the calculated safety boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilize wireless triangulation or global positioning satellites to determine the location of the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic condition is one of a plurality of traffic conditions the wireless device is operable to sense or communicate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic condition is sensed in response to a condition of the first vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the traffic condition is an accident involving the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic condition is a warning played, displayed, or presented to the second vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the second vehicle comprises transmitting a message for reception by the second vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a code in the message indicates a type of traffic condition.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

associating safety parameters with the message utilizing a database.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

associating safety parameters with the message based on a selection by an administrator.

11. A wireless device system for broadcasting traffic conditions comprising:

a first wireless device comprising a location determining transceiver operable to determine a location and to determine a traffic condition of a first vehicle associated with the first wireless device;

a second wireless device comprising a memory for storage of a plurality of driver profiles, said driver profiles each including a driver parameter and a driver age, wherein each one of said driver profiles is specific to one of a plurality of possible drivers of a second vehicle, wherein the second wireless device further comprises an input for selecting an active driver profile based upon the identity of a current driver of the second vehicle;

a wireless transceiver associated with the first wireless device operable to communicate wirelessly and directly as a traffic detector with the second wireless device associated with the second vehicle, to indicate the traffic condition and the location of the first vehicle; and

traffic logic associated with the second wireless device operable to calculate a safety boundary for the second vehicle, wherein the safety boundary is calculated from the location of the first vehicle, the traffic condition, and the age of the current driver, as included in the active driver profile selected for the current driver of the second vehicle; and

a vehicle system associated with the second vehicle, wherein the traffic logic is operable to determine that the second vehicle has crossed the calculated safety boundary and the traffic logic is further operable to communicate an alert from the second wireless device to a vehicle system associated with the second vehicle, wherein the alert comprises a severity of the traffic condition and a suggested action.

12. The wireless device system of claim 11, wherein the location determining transceiver is operable to utilize wireless triangulation or global positioning satellites to determine the location of the first vehicle.

13. The wireless device system of claim 11, wherein the traffic condition is one of a plurality of traffic conditions the first wireless device is operable to sense or communicate.

14. The wireless device system of claim 11, wherein the traffic condition is sensed in response to a condition of the first vehicle.

15. The wireless device system of claim 14, wherein the condition is an accident involving the first vehicle.

16. The wireless device system of claim 11, wherein the traffic condition is a warning played, displayed, or presented to the second vehicle.

17. The wireless device system of claim 11, wherein communicating with the second vehicle comprises transmitting a message for reception by the second vehicle.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein a code in the message indicates a type of traffic condition.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein safety parameters are associated with the message, based on a database.

20. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein safety parameters are associated with the message based on a selection by an administrator.