Controller profile based control of a cargo vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10330483-B2
Application number	US-201615175091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A method, system, and/or computer program product determines an alternate route for a cargo vehicle based on driving profiles of vehicle controllers and sensor readings from another cargo vehicle. One or more processors receive output from a cargo sensor and a camera, on a first cargo vehicle that is controlled by a first controller. The output from the cargo sensor and the camera describe an amount of movement of first cargo being transported by the first cargo vehicle. The processor(s) evaluate a profile of a second controller of a second cargo vehicle that is transporting second cargo similar in type to the first cargo, and determine an alternate route for the second cargo vehicle based on the profile of the second controller. The processor(s) then transmit instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on the alternate route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, output from a cargo sensor and a camera on a first cargo vehicle, wherein the output from the cargo sensor and the camera describe an amount of movement of first cargo being transported by the first cargo vehicle, and wherein the first cargo vehicle is controlled by a first controller;
determining, by one or more processors, that the first cargo has shifted beyond a predetermined amount in the first cargo vehicle based on the output from the cargo sensors and the pictures from the cargo camera;
receiving, by one or more processors, output from vehicle sensors on the first cargo vehicle, wherein the output from the vehicle sensors describes a movement of the first cargo vehicle;
determining, by one or more processors, that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the first cargo to shift beyond the predetermined amount in the first cargo vehicle;
evaluating, by one or more processors, a profile of a second controller of a second cargo vehicle that is transporting second cargo, wherein the first cargo and the second cargo are of a same type of cargo, wherein the second cargo vehicle is a self-driving vehicle, and wherein the profile of the second controller is based on an inability of an on-board computer on the second vehicle to control operations of the self-driving vehicle along the original planned route without damaging the second cargo in the self-driving vehicle beyond a predetermined limit;
determining, by one or more processors, a first alternate route for the second cargo vehicle based on the determination that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the first cargo to shift beyond the predetermined amount, the first cargo and the second cargo being of the same type of cargo, and the profile of the second controller of the second cargo vehicle, wherein the first alternate route differs from an original planned route for the second cargo vehicle; and
transmitting, by one or more processors, instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on the first alternate route.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second controller is a human operator, and wherein the profile of a second controller is based on a driving history of the human operator.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more processors and based on the profile of the second controller, a likelihood that the second controller will follow the instructions to modify a driving style of the second controller; and
in response to determining that the likelihood that the second controller will modify the driving style of the second controller is less than a predetermined level, transmitting, by one or more processors, instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on a second alternate route.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to the second controller include trade-off analytics accounting for cost risk of damage to the second cargo, cost risk of being late in delivering the second cargo, and additional costs to the second controller for using the first alternate route to deliver the second cargo.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second controller is presented with said costs in association with alternatives to reduce said costs, wherein the alternatives comprise changing driving habits of the second controller and using different routes by the second cargo vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more processors and based on the profile of the second controller, a likelihood that the second controller will follow the instructions to take the second cargo vehicle on the first alternate route;
in response to determining that the likelihood that the second controller will follow the instructions to take the second cargo vehicle on the first alternate route is less than a predetermined level, determining, by one or more processors and based on the profile of the second controller, a likelihood that the second controller will follow instructions to take the second cargo vehicle on a second alternate route; and
in response to determining that the likelihood that the second controller will follow the instructions take the second cargo vehicle on the second alternate route is greater than the predetermined level, transmitting, by one or more processors, instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on the second alternate route.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cargo sensors are from a group consisting of a microphone, a camera, a mechanical vibration sensor, and a chemical sensor.

8. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive output from a cargo sensor and a camera on a first cargo vehicle, wherein the output from the cargo sensor and the camera describe an amount of movement of first cargo being transported by the first cargo vehicle, and wherein the first cargo vehicle is controlled by a first controller;
program instructions to determine that the first cargo has shifted beyond a predetermined amount in the first cargo vehicle based on the output from the cargo sensors and the pictures from the cargo camera;
program instructions to receive output from vehicle sensors on the first cargo vehicle, wherein the output from the vehicle sensors describes a movement of the first cargo vehicle;
program instructions to determine that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the first cargo to shift beyond the predetermined amount in the first cargo vehicle;
program instructions to evaluate a profile of a second controller of a second cargo vehicle that is transporting second cargo, wherein the first cargo and the second cargo are of a same type of cargo, wherein the second cargo vehicle is a self-driving vehicle, wherein the second controller is an on-board computer on the self-driving vehicle, and wherein the instructions to the on-board computer on the second cargo vehicle direct self-driving vehicle vehicular physical control mechanisms to take the self-driving vehicle on the first alternate route;
program instructions to determine a first alternate route for the second cargo vehicle based on the determination that the movement of the first cargo vehicle has caused the first cargo to shift beyond the predetermined amount, the first cargo and the second cargo being of the same type of cargo, and the profile of the second controller of the second cargo vehicle, wherein the first alternate route differs from an original planned route for the second cargo vehicle; and
program instructions to transmit instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on the first alternate route.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the second controller is a human operator, and wherein the profile of a second controller is based on a driving history of the human operator.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to determine, based on the profile of the second controller, a likelihood that the second controller will follow the instructions to modify a driving style of the second controller; and
program instructions to, in response to determining that the likelihood that the second controller will modify the driving style of the second controller is less than a predetermined level, transmit instructions to the second controller to take the second cargo vehicle on a second alt

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Anderson Evelyn R
• Bender Michael
• Boone Michael
• Childress Rhonda L

Classifications

• G01C21/28

  with correlation of data from several navigational instruments · CPC title

• G01C21/3453 Primary

  Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments · CPC title

• G05D1/0297

  by controlling means in a control room · CPC title

• G05D2201/0213

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0214

  in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13) · CPC title