In-The-Road, Passable Obstruction Avoidance Arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009276-A1
Application number	US-201414327130-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A driver warning system automatically detects the existence of in-the-road, passable obstructions and provides timely notification to a driver in proximity of such an in-the-road, passable obstruction prior to it being encountered with sufficient warning time for the driver to avoid the in-the-road, passable obstruction. To detect in-the-road, passable obstructions, the warning unit of a driver whose vehicle hits an in-the-road, passable obstruction will automatically generate a signal that is indicative of the existence of the in-the-road, passable obstruction and its location. This signal may be transmitted to a server, which contains a database of located obstructions. The collected information about the detected in-the-road, passable obstructions are provided to various warning units, so that they, knowing the driver location, e.g., based on global positioning system (GPS), can provide the driver with a warning of any upcoming in-the-road, passable obstructions with sufficient lead time for the driver to avoid hitting the obstruction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Apparatus for use in avoiding an in-the-road, passable obstruction, comprising:
a memory storing an indication of the existence of an in-the-road, passable obstruction; a signal generator that supplies as an output a signal indicative of the existence said in-the-road, passable obstruction when said vehicle comes within a proximity of said in-the-road, passable obstruction prior to encountering said in-the-road, passable obstruction.

2 . The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising a receiver for receiving from a server said indication of the existence of said in-the-road, passable obstruction.

3 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal generator generates a signal perceivable by a human being.

4 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal generator further supplies as an output a signal indicating a type characterization of said obstruction.

5 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal generator further supplies as an output an advertisement in conjunction with supplying said signal indicative of the existence said in-the-road, passable obstruction.

6 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said apparatus further comprises a location determiner that supplies a current location of said vehicle to said signal generator.

7 . The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising a human input unit adapted to receive input from a human being indicating that said in-the-road, passable obstruction was not present.

8 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said memory further stores the location of said in-the-road, passable obstruction.

9 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal generator further supplies as an output a suggested action for a driver of said vehicle to take to avoid said in-the-road, passable obstruction.

10 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises memory, coupled to said signal generator, that stores map information for use by said signal generator.

11 . The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal generated by said signal generator is supplied to an automated control device of said vehicle that is capable of adjusting the travel of said vehicle.

12 . A method for removing an entry indicating an obstruction from a data base, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a list of obstructions for each of selected ones of user obstruction warning devices but withholding said obstruction from each list of obstructions prepared for transmission to said selected ones of users obstruction warning devices which would otherwise have said obstruction on their respective list; when no more than a specified number of reports of said obstruction are received from said ones of said selected users within a set period of time, removing said entry for said obstruction from said data base; and to when more than a specified number of reports of said obstruction are received from said ones of said selected users within a set period, leaving said entry for said obstruction in said data base.

13 . The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said specified number is zero.

14 . The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein said set period of time includes a rush hour period for the region in which the obstruction is located.

15 . An in-the-road, passable obstruction server, comprising:
a data base for in-the-road, passable obstructions; and a transmitter for transmitting at least a subset of said in-the-road, passable obstructions toward a user equipment in-the-road, passable obstruction warning system.

16 . The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said in-the-road, passable obstruction server further comprises:
a receiver for receiving an indication of an in-the-road, passable obstruction to be added to said data base.

17 . The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said in-the-road, passable obstruction server further comprises:
a receiver for receiving a representation of signals of at least one type of the set of types consisting of (i) audio signals and (ii) accelerometer signals potentially indicative of an in-the-road, passable obstruction to be added to said data base; and
a processor for determining if said signals indeed indicate an in-the-road, passable obstruction.

18 . The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said in-the-road, passable obstruction server further comprises a receiver for receiving a request to transmit at least said subset, and wherein said transmitter is responsive to said received request to transmit said subset.

19 . The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein said subset is determined based upon one of the group consisting of (i) a current location of said user equipment in-the-road, passable obstruction warning system, (ii) a current location of said user equipment in-the-road, passable obstruction warning system and a prescribed radius, (iii) locations along an anticipated route of travel of said a current location of said user equipment in-the-road, passable obstruction warning system.

20 . Apparatus for use in reporting the existence of in-the-road, passable obstruction, comprising:
a microphone detecting audio signals created by a vehicle in which said apparatus is located and converting said audio signals into an electrical representation; a transmitter for transmitting an indication that in-the-road, passable obstruction was detected as a function of said electrical representation of said audio signals.

21 . The invention as defined in claim 20 further comprising a global position system unit for determining the location of said vehicle, said transmitter further transmitting the location of said detected in-the-road, passable obstruction.

Assignees

• Alcatel Lucent Usa Inc

Inventors

• Moeller Lothar

Classifications

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• G06F16/162

  Delete operations (erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652) · CPC title

• B60W2710/20

  Steering systems · CPC title

• G01C21/3697 Primary

  Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W2050/143

  Alarm means · CPC title