Collision prediction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017101093-A1
Application number	US-201514881398-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Information identifying one or more conditions associated with a vehicle is collected. This information may include first data associated with the vehicle, second data associated with a driver of the vehicle, and third data associated with an environment around the vehicle. The information may be collected from a vehicle sensor, a telematics unit, a user device associated with the driver or a passenger, or a remote server. A likelihood of a collision involving the vehicle, a likelihood of avoiding the collision, and a risk associated with the collision may be determined based on the collected data. An appropriate response may be selected based on the likelihood of the collision, the likelihood of avoiding the collision, and the risk associated with the collision.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
collecting, by a processor, information identifying one or more conditions associated with a vehicle, wherein the information includes first data associated with the vehicle, second data associated with a driver of the vehicle, and third data associated with an environment associated with the vehicle; determining, by the processor and based on the collected information, a likelihood of a collision involving the vehicle; determining, by the processor and based on the collected information, a likelihood of avoiding the collision; determining, by the processor and based on the collected information, a risk associated with the collision; selecting, by the processor, an action to perform based on at least one of the likelihood of the collision, the likelihood of avoiding the collision, and the risk associated with the collision; and causing, by the processor, the action to be performed.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the information includes:
acquiring at least a portion of the first data from a telematics unit associated with the vehicle.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the information includes:
acquiring at least a portion of the second data from a user device associated with at least one of the driver or a passenger in the vehicle.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the information includes
acquiring the third data from at least one of:
an optical proximity sensor,
sonic proximity sensor,
a rangefinder, a 3D-scanner,
a microphone,
a video camera,
a speed sensor,
a steering wheel orientation sensor,
a break or accelerator application sensor,
a humidity sensor,
an accelerometer,
a gyroscope,
a geographic location sensor,
a turn signal sensors, or
a trailer attachment sensor.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the likelihood of the collision includes:
identifying one or more events associated with other collisions or near-collisions; and determining the likelihood of the collision based on frequencies that the one or more conditions occur in the identified one or more events.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the likelihood of the collision further includes:
identifying a plurality of conditions associated with the one or more events; generating a binary classification tree (BCT) based on the identified conditions, wherein the BCT includes nodes associated with the plurality of conditions and decisions associated with each of the nodes; and determining the likelihood of the collision based on the BCT.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the likelihood of avoiding the collision includes:
identifying one or more events associated with other collisions or near-collisions; identifying a modification to the one or more conditions to form a modified set of conditions; and determining the likelihood of avoiding the collision based on frequencies that the modified set of conditions occur in the identified one or more events.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the action includes:
determining a response score based on a weighted sum of the likelihood of the collision, the likelihood of avoiding the collision, and the risk associated with the collision; selecting the action from a plurality of actions based on the response score.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of actions includes:
storing at least a portion of the collected data when the response score is less than a first threshold; presenting a warning to the driver when the response score is greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold; assuming partial control of the vehicle when the response score is greater than the second threshold and less than a third threshold that is greater than the first threshold and the second threshold; and assuming total control of the vehicle when the response score is greater than the third threshold.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the action includes preparing the vehicle for the collision, wherein preparing the vehicle for the collision includes modifying an operation of the vehicle to reduce the risk associated with the collision.

11 . A device comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute one or more of the instructions to
collect information identifying one or more conditions associated with a vehicle, wherein the information includes first data associated with the vehicle, second data associated with a driver of the vehicle, and third data associated with an environment associated with the vehicle;
determine, based on the collected information, a likelihood of a collision involving the vehicle;
determine, based on the collected information, a likelihood of avoiding the collision;
determine, based on the collected information, a risk associated with the collision;
select an action to perform based on at least one of the likelihood of the collision, the likelihood of avoiding the collision, and the risk associated with the collision.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor, when collecting the information, is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
acquire at least a portion of the first data from a telematics unit associated with the vehicle.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor, when collecting the information, is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
acquire at least a portion of the second data from a user device associated with at least one of the driver or a passenger in the vehicle.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor, when collecting the information, is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
acquire at least a portion of the third data from a data server that is remote from the vehicle, wherein the third data relates to conditions regarding a route being traversed by the vehicle.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor, when determining the likelihood of the collision, is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
identify one or more events associated with other collisions or near-collisions; and determine the likelihood of the collision based on frequencies that the one or more conditions occur in the one or more events.

16 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor, when determining the likelihood of avoiding the collision, is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
identify one or more events associated with other collisions or near-collisions; identify a modification to the one or more conditions to form a modified set of conditions; and determine the likelihood of avoiding the collision based on occurrences of the modified set of conditions in the identified one or more events.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium to store instruction, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
collect information identifying one or more conditions associated with a vehicle, wherein the information includes first data associated with the vehicle, second data associated with a driver of the vehicle, and third data associated with an environment associated with the vehicle;
determine, based on the collected information, a likelihood of a collision involving the vehicle;
determine, based on the collected information, a likelihood of avoiding the collision;
det

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Barfield Jr James Ronald
• Welch Stephen Christopher

Classifications

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• G08G1/164

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

• G08G1/096725 Primary

  where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control · CPC title

• B60W2556/55

  using telemetry · CPC title

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title