US6615137B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for transferring information between vehicles
Assignee: Autobrilliance LLC
•
Filing: 2001-06-26
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Granted: 2003-09-02
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Expires: 2021-06-26
Abstract
Abstract Sensor data is generated for areas around a vehicle. Any objects detected in the sensor data are identified and a kinematic state for the object determined. The kinematic states for the detected objects are compared with the kinematic state of the vehicle. If it is likely that a collision will occur between the detected objects and the local vehicle, a warning is automatically generated to notify the vehicle operator of the impending collision. The sensor data and kinematic state of the vehicle can be transmitted to other vehicles so that the other vehicles are also notified of possible collision conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Pierce Lutter
- 👤 Dan Alan Preston
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:50
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/16; G08G1/164; G08G1/09; G08G1/0962; G08G1/0965; G08G1/161; G08G1/162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
An inter-vehicle communication system, comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; and a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles, the processor providing kinematic state data for both the local vehicle and for objects detected in the sensor data for transmission to other vehicles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
An inter-vehicle communication system, comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; and a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles, the processor providing kinematic state data for both the local vehicle and for objects detected in the sensor data for transmission to other vehicles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 1 wherein the processor detects different objects in the sensor data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 2 wherein the processor generates a warning signal according to how close the detected objects are from the local vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 3 wherein the processor identifies kinematic states for objects detected in the sensor data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 4 including a GPS receiver that receives location data for the local vehicle, the processor using the location data to determine a kinematic state for the local vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 5 wherein the processor compares the kinematic state of the local vehicle with the kinematic states of the detected objects and generates a collision warning signal according to the comparison.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 1 wherein the kinematic state data includes both a direction and speed of both the local vehicle and any objects identified in the sensor data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver receives sensor information from a first vehicle and then relays that sensor information to a second vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 1 wherein the processor broadcasts an emergency notification signal to the other vehicles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 1 including multiple sensors for sensing objects both on the sides and in front of the local vehicle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
An inter-vehicle communication system according to claim 10 including infrared sensors for generating sensor information around a local perimeter of the local vehicle and a radar sensor for generating sensor data outside of the local perimeter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
92 words
An inter-vehicle communication system comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles; and wherein the processor detects different objects in the sensor data and generates a steering queue showing what direction the local vehicle should travel to avoid the detected objects.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
92 words
An inter-vehicle communication system comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles; and wherein the processor detects different objects in the sensor data and generates a steering queue showing what direction the local vehicle should travel to avoid the detected objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
An inter-vehicle communication system comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; and a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles wherein the processor provides an emergency notification signal to be broadcast to be broadcast to the other vehicles and the emergency notification signal includes an airbag deployment indication.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
An inter-vehicle communication system comprising: a local sensor in a local vehicle for gathering sensor data around the local vehicle; a transmitter in the local vehicle for transmitting the gathered sensor data; a receiver in the local vehicle for receiving sensor data from other vehicles; and a processor for displaying the sensor data gathered from both the local sensor and from the other vehicles wherein the processor provides an emergency notification signal to be broadcast to be broadcast to the other vehicles and the emergency notification signal includes an airbag deployment indication.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying and object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warping indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and transmitting the kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data to other vehicles.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying and object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warping indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and transmitting the kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data to other vehicles.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 14 including generating sensor data in front, in back and on sides of the vehicle and identifying any objects that may be approaching the local vehicle from the front, back, or the sides.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 14 including displaying identified objects that come within a preselected perimeter of the local vehicle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 16 including identifying a distance to impact between the identified objects and the local vehicle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 16 including identifying where the identified objects are located in relationship to the local vehicle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 14 including receiving the kinematic state of another vehicle and displaying the kinematic state of the local vehicle in relation to the other vehicle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 14 including automatically transmitting a warning signal to other vehicles when an emergency condition occurs.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 20 the emergency condition comprises activation of a collision air bag.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 14 including: receiving road condition data and an identifier identifying where the road condition is located; and displaying the location of the road condition on an electronic map.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 22 including transmitting the road condition data from the location where the road condition is located.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 23 including locating road condition transmitters along sides of the road that identify a geographical location and detect icy road conditions and transmitting geographical location and the icy road conditions in the road condition data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 14 including identifying a distance to impact of the local vehicle with the detected object.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; generating sensing data in an area around a first vehicle; detecting an object in the sensing data; determining kinematic state for the detected object; determining kinematic state for the first vehicle; transmitting the kinematic state for the first vehicle and the object to an intermediary vehicle; determining kinematic state for the intermediary vehicle; transmitting the kinematic state for the object, the first vehicle and the intermediary vehicle from the intermediary vehicle to the local vehicle; and displaying the kinematic state for the object, the first vehicle and the intermediary vehicle in relation to the kinematic state of the local vehicle.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; generating sensing data in an area around a first vehicle; detecting an object in the sensing data; determining kinematic state for the detected object; determining kinematic state for the first vehicle; transmitting the kinematic state for the first vehicle and the object to an intermediary vehicle; determining kinematic state for the intermediary vehicle; transmitting the kinematic state for the object, the first vehicle and the intermediary vehicle from the intermediary vehicle to the local vehicle; and displaying the kinematic state for the object, the first vehicle and the intermediary vehicle in relation to the kinematic state of the local vehicle.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and receiving an emergency signal from a first vehicle that includes a kinematic state of the first vehicle and a danger indication signal and displaying the kinematic state and danger indication signal in the local vehicle.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and receiving an emergency signal from a first vehicle that includes a kinematic state of the first vehicle and a danger indication signal and displaying the kinematic state and danger indication signal in the local vehicle.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 27 including automatically slowing down or stopping the local vehicle according to the emergency signal.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and generating a steering queue that provides a direction for the local vehicle to move to avoid the identified object.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for detecting objects, comprising: generating sensor data for areas around a local vehicle; identifying an object in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the object identified in the sensor data; determining a kinematic state for the local vehicle; comparing the kinematic state of the object with the kinematic state of the local vehicle; generating a warning indication when the comparison indicates a possible collision condition exists between the identified object and the local vehicle; and generating a steering queue that provides a direction for the local vehicle to move to avoid the identified object.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-09-01 | 2007-03-03 | 2007-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-09-01 | 2011-03-03 | 2011-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-09-01 | 2015-03-03 | 2015-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |