Method and apparatus for detecting hazards and transmitting alerts

• US 9,898,931 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Nickolaou, James N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/275,652
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 701119, 701300-302
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a vehicle hazard are provided. The method includes: detecting a second vehicle based on information received from at least one sensor of a first vehicle; determining whether the second vehicle presents a hazard based on the information received from the at least one sensor of the first vehicle; and transmitting a notification alerting of the second vehicle if it is determined that the second vehicle presents a hazard.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a hazardous vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a second vehicle based on information received from at least one sensor of a first vehicle;

determining whether the second vehicle presents a hazard based on a weighted average determined from a dynamic weighted time scale of the information received from the at least one sensor of the first vehicle, the information including information corresponding to a lane position of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a speed and a braking of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a vigilance of a second vehicle, and information corresponding to a performance of a driver of a second vehicle; and

transmitting a notification alerting of the second vehicle if it is determined that the second vehicle presents a hazard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to lane position of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among weaving of a second vehicle, weaving across lines by a second vehicle, straddling a line by a second vehicle, swerving by a second vehicle, a wide radius turn by a second vehicle, drifting by a second vehicle and near collisions by a second vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the speed and the braking of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among stopping positions of a second vehicle, acceleration and deceleration of a second vehicle, speed variance of a second vehicle, a difference between a speed of a second vehicle and a posted speed limit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the vigilance of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a response time of a second vehicle to a traffic control device, a status of lights of a second vehicle at a time of a day, signaling by a second vehicle, and a direction of travel relative to a posted direction of travel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to the performance of the driver of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a distance between a second vehicle and a third vehicle, illegal turns by a second vehicle, and a path of a second vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the notification alerting of the second vehicle comprises:

outputting a notification notifying of the hazard of the second vehicle to a device;

receiving an input from the device indicating whether to contact authorities; and

transmitting a notification notifying of the hazard of the second vehicle to the authorities if the input requests that the authorities be contacted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the notification alerting of the second vehicle comprises transmitting a notification alerting of the hazard of the second vehicle to appropriate authorities.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to lane position of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among weaving of a second vehicle, weaving across lines by a second vehicle, straddling a line by a second vehicle, swerving by a second vehicle, a wide radius turn by a second vehicle, drifting by a second vehicle and near collisions by a second vehicle,

wherein the information corresponding to the speed and the braking of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among stopping positions of a second vehicle, acceleration and deceleration of a second vehicle, speed variance of a second vehicle, a difference between a speed of a second vehicle and a posted speed limit,

wherein the information corresponding to the vigilance of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a response time of a second vehicle to a traffic control device, a status of lights of a second vehicle at a time of a day, signaling by a second vehicle, and a direction of travel relative to a posted direction of travel, and

wherein the information corresponding to the performance of the driver of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a distance between a second vehicle and a third vehicle, illegal turns by a second vehicle, and a path of a second vehicle.

9. An apparatus for detecting a hazardous vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to;

detect a second vehicle based on information received from at least one sensor of a first vehicle;

determine whether the second vehicle presents a hazard based on a weighted average determined from a dynamic weighted time scale of the information received from the at least one sensor of the first vehicle, the information including information corresponding to a lane position of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a speed and a braking of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a vigilance of a second vehicle, and information corresponding to a performance of a driver of a second vehicle; and

transmit a notification alerting of the second vehicle if it is determined that the second vehicle presents a hazard.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the information corresponding to lane position of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among weaving of a second vehicle, weaving across lines by a second vehicle, straddling a line by a second vehicle, swerving by a second vehicle, a wide radius turn by a second vehicle, drifting by a second vehicle and near collisions by a second vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information corresponding to the speed and the braking of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among stopping positions of a second vehicle, acceleration and deceleration of a second vehicle, speed variance of a second vehicle, a difference between a speed of a second vehicle and a posted speed limit.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information corresponding to the vigilance of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a response time of a second vehicle to a traffic control device, a status of lights of a second vehicle at a time of a day, signaling by a second vehicle, and a direction of travel relative to a posted direction of travel.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information corresponding to the performance of the driver of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a distance between a second vehicle and a third vehicle, illegal turns by a second vehicle, and a path of a second vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to transmit the notification alerting of the second vehicle by:

outputting a notification notifying of the hazard of the second vehicle to a device;

receiving an input from the device indicating whether to contact authorities; and

transmitting a notification notifying of the hazard of the second vehicle to the authorities if the input requests that the authorities be contacted.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to transmit the notification alerting of the second vehicle by transmitting a notification alerting of the hazard of the second vehicle to authorities.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising the at least one sensor,

wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one from among at least one camera, a radar, a LIDAR, and a laser sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information corresponding to lane position of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among weaving of a second vehicle, weaving across lines by a second vehicle, straddling a line by a second vehicle, swerving by a second vehicle, a wide radius turn by a second vehicle, drifting by a second vehicle and near collisions by a second vehicle,

wherein the information corresponding to the speed and the braking of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among stopping positions of a second vehicle, acceleration and deceleration of a second vehicle, speed variance of a second vehicle, a difference between a speed of a second vehicle and a posted speed limit,

wherein the information corresponding to the vigilance of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a response time of a second vehicle to a traffic control device, a status of lights of a second vehicle at a time of a day, signaling by a second vehicle, and a direction of travel relative to a posted direction of travel, and

wherein the information corresponding to the performance of the driver of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a distance between a second vehicle and a third vehicle, illegal turns by a second vehicle, and a path of a second vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the information corresponding to lane position of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among weaving of a second vehicle, weaving across lines by a second vehicle, straddling a line by a second vehicle, swerving by a second vehicle, a wide radius turn by a second vehicle, drifting by a second vehicle and near collisions by a second vehicle,

wherein the information corresponding to the speed and the braking of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among stopping positions of a second vehicle, acceleration and deceleration of a second vehicle, speed variance of a second vehicle, a difference between a speed of a second vehicle and a posted speed limit,

wherein the information corresponding to the vigilance of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a response time of a second vehicle to a traffic control device, a status of lights of a second vehicle at a time of a day, signaling by a second vehicle, and a direction of travel relative to a posted direction of travel, and

wherein the information corresponding to the performance of the driver of the second vehicle includes information on at least one from among a distance between a second vehicle and a third vehicle, illegal turns by a second vehicle, and a path of a second vehicle.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for detecting a hazardous vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a second vehicle based on information received from at least one sensor of a first vehicle;

detecting identification information of the second vehicle;

determining whether the second vehicle presents a hazard based on a weighted average determined from a dynamic weighted time scale of the information received from the at least one sensor of the first vehicle, the information including information corresponding to a lane position of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a speed and a braking of a second vehicle, information corresponding to a vigilance of a second vehicle, and information corresponding to a performance of a driver of a second vehicle; and

transmitting a notification alerting of the second vehicle if it is determined that the second vehicle presents a hazard, the notification including identification information of the second vehicle.