Method and system for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10304332-B2
Application number	US-201715636835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A method performed by a database managing system for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events is provided. The system derives a position of a first vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings and determines by comparing the vehicle position to positions of reported traffic-affecting events comprised in the database, that the first vehicle is approaching at least a first traffic-affecting event. The system prompts the first vehicle to attempt to detect the first traffic-affecting event, which prompting comprises providing to the first vehicle an expected position of the first traffic-affecting event. The system receives a response from the first vehicle, which response indicates whether or not the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle. The response further indicates—if the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable—whether or not the first traffic-affecting event was at least partly detected by the first vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a database managing system for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events, the database being associated with a system supporting communication with one or more vehicles, the method comprising:
deriving a position of a first vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings;
determining by comparing the vehicle position to positions of reported traffic-affecting events comprised in the database, that the first vehicle is approaching at least a first traffic-affecting event;
prompting the first vehicle to attempt to detect the first traffic-affecting event, the prompting comprising providing to the first vehicle an expected position of the first traffic-affecting event;
receiving a response from the first vehicle, the response indicating:
whether the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle; and
if the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable, whether the first traffic-affecting event was at least partly detected by the first vehicle; and

updating, in the database, information associated with the first traffic-affecting event, depending on the response.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the updating further comprises evaluating deleting the reported first traffic-affecting event from the database when the response indicates:
that the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle, and
that the first traffic-affecting event was not detected by the first vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the response further indicates a position—detected by the first vehicle—of the first traffic-affecting event, wherein the updating further comprises modifying or confirming in the database a currently stored position of the first traffic-affecting event, based on the position indicated by the response.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the updating further comprises updating in the database, based on the position indicated by the response, one or more outer boundaries of a fictive zone comprising the first traffic-affecting event, in which fictive zone partial or fully autonomous driving is at least partly restricted.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the first traffic-affecting event is situated on or near a road, and comprises:
an accident;
a slow-moving vehicle;
a stationary vehicle;
a vulnerable road user;
an end of a queue of vehicles;
a bad weather condition;
debris; or
a pothole.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first traffic-affecting event is situated on or near a road, and comprises:
an accident;
a slow-moving vehicle;
a stationary vehicle;
a vulnerable road user;
an end of a queue of vehicles;
a bad weather condition;
debris; or
a pothole.

7. A database managing system for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events, the database being associated with a system supporting communication with one or more vehicles, the database managing system comprising:
a position deriving unit configured to derive a position of a first vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings;
an event approach determining unit configured to determine, by comparing the vehicle position to positions of reported traffic-affecting events comprised in the database, that the first vehicle is approaching at least a first traffic-affecting event;
a verification prompting unit configured to prompt the first vehicle to attempt to detect the first traffic-affecting event, the prompt comprising providing to the first vehicle an expected position of the first traffic-affecting event;
a response receiving unit configured to receive a response from the first vehicle, the response indicating:
whether the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle; and
if the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable, whether the first traffic-affecting event was at least partly detected by the first vehicle; and

a database updating unit configured to update, in the database, information associated with the first traffic-affecting event, depending on the response.

8. The database managing system according to claim 7 wherein the database updating unit further is configured to evaluate deleting the reported first traffic-affecting event from the database when the response indicates:
that the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the first vehicle, and
that the first traffic-affecting event was not detected by the first vehicle.

9. The database managing system according to claim 7 wherein the response further indicates a position—detected by the first vehicle—of the first traffic-affecting event, wherein the database updating unit further is configured to modify or confirm in the database a currently stored position of the first traffic-affecting event, based on the position indicated by the response.

10. The database managing system according to claim 9 wherein the database updating unit further is configured to update in the database, based on the position indicated by the response, one or more outer boundaries of a fictive zone comprising the first traffic-affecting event, in which fictive zone partial or fully autonomous driving is at least partly restricted.

11. The database managing system according to claim 10 wherein the first traffic-affecting event is situated on or near a road, and comprises:
an accident;
a slow-moving vehicle;
a stationary vehicle;
a vulnerable road user;
an end of a queue of vehicles;
a bad weather condition;
debris; or
a pothole.

12. The database managing system according to claim 7 wherein the first traffic-affecting event is situated on or near a road, and comprises:
an accident;
a slow-moving vehicle;
a stationary vehicle;
a vulnerable road user;
an end of a queue of vehicles;
a bad weather condition;
debris; or
a pothole.

13. The database managing system according to claim 7 wherein the database managing system is at least partly comprised in one or more servers or automotive clouds.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer program including computer program code means configured to cause a computer or a processor to execute steps of the method according to claim 1 , stored on a computer-readable medium.

15. A method, performed by a traffic-affecting event verifying system on-board a vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings, for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events, the database being associated with a system supporting communication with one or more vehicles, the method comprising:
determining a position of the vehicle;
providing the vehicle position;
receiving a request to attempt to detect at least a first traffic-affecting event, which the vehicle is approaching, the request comprising an expected position of the first traffic-affecting event;
observing the expected position; and
providing a response, the response indicating:
whether the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable by the vehicle; and
if the expected position was at least partly unobstructedly observable, whether the first traffic-affecting event was at least partly detected by the vehicle.

16. A traffic-affecting event verifying system, for use on-board a vehicle supporting detection of vehicle surroundings, for maintaining a database comprising reported traffic-affecting events, the database being associated with a system supporting c

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Harda Peter
• Sorstedt Joakim Lin

Classifications

• G08G1/096844

  where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data · CPC title

• G08G1/096758

  where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information · CPC title

• G08G1/096775 Primary

  where the origin of the information is a central station · CPC title

• G08G1/0129

  for creating historical data or processing based on historical data · CPC title

• G08G1/04

  using optical or ultrasonic detectors · CPC title