Event-based connected vehicle control and response systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230243-B2
Application number	US-201916704505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 2, 2017
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

Event-based connected vehicle control and response systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed. An example method comprises identifying the occurrence of an event, storing first data corresponding to apparatus operation for a first threshold amount of time prior to the event, during the occurrence of the event, and for a second threshold amount of time after the event, determining whether a responsive object is involved in or near the event, in response to determining that the responsive object is involved in or near the event, transmitting the first data to the responsive object, and receiving, from the responsive object, second data, analyzing the first data and the second data to determine a party at-fault for the event, aggregating the first data and second data into an event report, and causing, automatically, a response to be initiated through an entity associated with the party at-fault.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first vehicle comprising a first plurality of sensors configured to collect first data associated with the first vehicle and corresponding environmental conditions;
a second vehicle comprising a second plurality of sensors configured to collect second data associated with the second vehicle and corresponding environment conditions; and
a server comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:
receive, from the first vehicle and the second vehicle respectively, the first data and the second data;
identify, based on at least one of the first data and the second data, an event involving the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and
at a time proximate to the event:
determine, based on analyzing the first data and the second data, which vehicle of the first vehicle or the second vehicle is at-fault in the event;
determine damages and associated costs resulting from the event;
retrieve, from a database, a digital certificate associated with the at-fault vehicle;
determine, based on the digital certificate, a preauthorization by the at-fault vehicle for automatic processing of compensation associated with the damages resulting from the event;
cause the determined at-fault vehicle to transmit, to the not-at-fault vehicle, the digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate is configured to cause, upon receipt by the not-at-fault vehicle, the automatic processing of the compensation associated with the damages resulting from the event; and
based on receipt of the digital certificate by the not-at-fault vehicle, initiate the automatic processing of the compensation for at least a portion of the costs resulting from the event.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises at least one of a near miss or an accident involving at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the server to, after identifying the event:
generate, based on the first data and the second data, an event avoidance maneuver;
transmit, to one or more vehicles approaching the event, the event avoidance maneuver; and
cause the one or more vehicles to perform the event avoidance maneuver.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the server to verify at least a first portion of the first data with at least a second portion of the second data.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the server to:
aggregate the first data and the second data into an event report.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate is further configured to cause, upon receipt by the not-at-fault vehicle, initiation of an insurance claim, automatically, at a time proximate to the event, and under an insurance policy associated with the determined at-fault vehicle, initiation of an insurance claim for the determined damages resulting from the event.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the server to:
retrieve first insurance information associated with the first vehicle and second insurance information associated with the second vehicle,
wherein initiation of the insurance claim comprises transmitting, using at least one of the first insurance information and the second insurance information, the insurance claim to an insurance provider associated with the determined at-fault vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the server to, after identifying the event, display a message notifying of the event via at least one of:
a digital billboard in proximity to the event,
an on-board display of one or more vehicles in proximity to the event, or
a device associated with one or more vehicles in route to a location in proximity to the event.

10. A first computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to:
identify, based on analyzing first data, an event;
determine whether a responsive object is involved in or near the event; and
at a time proximate to the event:
in response to determining that the responsive object is involved in or near the event, receive, from a second computing device associated with the responsive object, second data;
analyze the first data and the second data to determine that the responsive object is an at-fault party involved in the event and to determine damages related to the event;
transmit, to the second computing device, an indication that the responsive object is the at-fault party;
receive, from the second computing device, a digital certificate configured to cause, upon receipt, automatic processing of compensation associated with the damages related to the event; and
in response to receiving the digital certificate, automatically initiate the automatic processing of the compensation for at least a portion of the damages related to the event.

11. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the responsive object is at least one of a vehicle or an infrastructure device.

12. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first computing device to receive, from a first object, the first data, wherein the first object comprises at least one of a vehicle or an infrastructure device.

13. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to analyze the first data and the second data by inputting at least one of the first data and the second data into an autonomous vehicle operation machine learning algorithm to identify the event or to determine the at-fault party.

14. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the event is a first event, and
wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first computing device to:
query an event database for third data corresponding to a second event similar to the first event; and
analyze the first data, the second data, and the third data to determine the at-fault party involved in the event.

15. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the first data and the second data comprise at least one of: driver information, one or more event images, vehicle information, time of event, location of one or more vehicles, speed, sensor data from one or more vehicles involved in the event, location data, one or more environmental conditions, vehicle control status information, vehicle onboard telematics data, driver behavior information, or insurance information.

16. The first computing device of claim 10 , wherein the compensation for the at least a portion of the damages related to the event comprises a credit for repair or replacement of an object damaged as a result of the event.

17. A first computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to:
receive, from a server, a re

Assignees

• Allstate Insurance Co

Inventors

• Kumar Surender
• Marlow Clint J
• Gibson Timothy W
• Slusar Mark V
• Wiklund Chris

Classifications

• G05D1/81

  Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control · CPC title

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04L67/52

  specially adapted for the location of the user terminal · CPC title

• G07C5/085

  using electronic data carriers · CPC title

• G08G1/164

  Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles · CPC title