U.S. patent application number 15/121170 was filed with the patent office on 2017-02-02 for driver behavior sharing.
The applicant listed for this patent is INRIX INC.. Invention is credited to Mark Schneider, William Schwebel, Christopher L. Scofield.
Application Number | 20170032673 15/121170 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54055737 |
Filed Date | 2017-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170032673 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scofield; Christopher L. ;
et al. |
February 2, 2017 |
DRIVER BEHAVIOR SHARING
Abstract
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for providing
driver alerts. For example, a client device module (e.g., a
smartphone, a vehicle navigation unit, etc.) may collect driving
behavior information (e.g., braking patterns, vehicle speed,
weather conditions, acceleration/deceleration patterns, etc.)
and/or user specified information (e.g., a number of passengers) of
a driver driving a vehicle. The client device module may provide
the driving behavior information and/or the user specified
information to a driver alert provider. The driver alert provider
may maintain a driver profile for the driver based upon the driving
behavior information and/or the user specified information. The
driver alert provider may generate a driver alert (e.g., a driver
risk score of the driver) based upon the driver profile, and may
provide the driver alert to other drivers that are within a
threshold distance of the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Scofield; Christopher L.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Schwebel; William; (Seattle,
WA) ; Schneider; Mark; (Bellevue, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
INRIX INC., |
KIRKLAND |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54055737 |
Appl. No.: |
15/121170 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
March 1, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US15/18215 |
371 Date: |
August 24, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61946962 |
Mar 3, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/29 20190101;
B60W 40/04 20130101; B60W 2040/0809 20130101; B60W 2040/0872
20130101; G06Q 20/102 20130101; G08G 1/07 20130101; G08G 1/096811
20130101; G08G 1/096822 20130101; H04B 7/18504 20130101; H04W 4/40
20180201; A61B 5/0531 20130101; G08G 1/093 20130101; G08G 1/096775
20130101; G01C 21/3682 20130101; G05D 1/0011 20130101; G05D 1/0088
20130101; G08G 1/096741 20130101; H04W 4/48 20180201; B60W 2710/18
20130101; B60W 2720/10 20130101; G01C 21/3469 20130101; G06Q
2240/00 20130101; G07B 15/063 20130101; H04L 67/306 20130101; H04W
4/42 20180201; G06N 20/00 20190101; G07C 5/008 20130101; B60W
2540/22 20130101; G08G 1/0141 20130101; G08G 1/096725 20130101;
G08G 1/096791 20130101; H04W 4/024 20180201; B60W 2552/00 20200201;
B64C 2201/123 20130101; G05D 1/021 20130101; H04L 9/3247 20130101;
A61B 5/02055 20130101; A61B 5/4845 20130101; G08G 1/096838
20130101; G08G 1/0112 20130101; B60W 2554/00 20200201; G07B 15/00
20130101; G08G 1/0965 20130101; B60W 40/08 20130101; G01C 21/3655
20130101; H04L 67/02 20130101; B60W 2710/1044 20130101; H04W 4/029
20180201; H04W 4/50 20180201; B60W 2050/0089 20130101; G08G 1/0962
20130101; A61B 5/024 20130101; G08G 1/012 20130101; G01C 21/3667
20130101; B60W 30/143 20130101; G01C 21/3608 20130101; G08G 1/097
20130101; G01C 21/3415 20130101; G01C 21/3617 20130101; G06Q
30/0283 20130101; B60W 40/09 20130101; G08G 1/0145 20130101; G08G
1/0967 20130101; H04M 15/60 20130101; B60R 16/0236 20130101; B64C
39/024 20130101; G06Q 50/30 20130101; A61B 5/0476 20130101; H04W
12/08 20130101; B60W 2555/20 20200201; G08G 1/065 20130101; H04B
1/3822 20130101; G06Q 40/08 20130101; G08G 1/0129 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08G 1/0965 20060101
G08G001/0965; G07C 5/00 20060101 G07C005/00; G08G 1/01 20060101
G08G001/01 |
Claims
1. A method for providing driving behavior information of a driver,
comprising: identifying a driver of a vehicle; collecting driving
behavior information of the driver; and providing the driving
behavior information to a driver alert provider for distribution to
one or more vehicles within a threshold distance of the
vehicle.
2. The method of claim 1, the driving behavior information
comprising at least one of a braking pattern, a vehicle location, a
vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle deceleration, a
current time, a weather condition, driving condition visibility, or
roadway conditions.
3. The method of claim 1, comprising: receiving driver specified
information from the driver; and providing the driver specified
information to the driver alert provider.
4. The method of claim 3, the driver specified information
comprising at least one of a number of passengers within the
vehicle, proof of insurance, whether the driver is in driver
training, an age of the driver, whether a child or infant is
onboard, a driving skill of the driver, whether the driver is late,
or whether the driver is driving under an emergency situation.
5. The method of claim 1, comprising: providing the driving
behavior information to a second car that is within the threshold
distance of the vehicle.
6. The method of claim 3, comprising: providing the driver
specified information to a second car that is within the threshold
distance of the vehicle.
7. The method of claim 1, comprising: receiving a driver alert from
the driver alert provider, the driver alert indicating a driving
behavior of a second driver of a second vehicle within the
threshold distance of the vehicle; and displaying the driver alert
to the driver.
8. The method of claim 7, the driver alert comprising a driver risk
score for the second driver.
9. A system for providing driver alerts of a driver, comprising: a
driver alert provider configured to: receive driving behavior
information of a driver from a vehicle; maintain a driver profile
for the driver based upon the driving behavior information;
generate a driver alert based upon the driver profile; and provide
the driver alert to a second driver of a second vehicle within a
threshold distance of the vehicle.
10. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
receive driver specified information from the driver; and maintain
the driver profile based upon the driver specified information.
11. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
maintain the driver profile based upon at least one of a name of
the driver, an address of the driver, a license plate number of the
driver, a driver license number of the driver, insurance
information of the driver, or personal identification information
of the driver.
12. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
compute a driver risk score for inclusion within the driver alert
by evaluating the driver profile using a statistical evaluation
technique.
13. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
provide the driver alert to the second driver based upon at least
one of a court ordered instruction, the driver having a threshold
number of driving violations, an insurance agency instruction, or
the vehicle being located within a restricted access portion of a
road.
14. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
send the driver alert to a plurality of vehicles within the
threshold distance of the vehicle.
15. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
assign a first level of access to a first portion of the driver
profile based upon a first privacy sensitivity of the first portion
of the driver profile; and assign a second level of access to a
second portion of the driver profile based upon a second privacy
sensitivity of the second portion of the driver profile.
16. The system of claim 9, the driver alert provider configured to:
receive a request, for driver information, from a traffic safety
authority; responsive to authenticating the request, obtain driver
information associated with one or more vehicles within a proximity
threshold of the traffic safety authority; and provide the driver
information to the traffic safety authority.
17. A system for providing driver alerts, comprising: a client
device module configured to: send a driver alert request to a
driver alert provider, the driver alert request specifying a
location of a client device; receive a driver alert for a driver of
a vehicle within a threshold distance of the location of the client
device; and display the driver alert to a user of the client
device.
18. The system of claim 17, the client device module configured to:
determine that the user is driving a user vehicle; collect driving
behavior information of the user; and provide the driving behavior
information to the driver alert provider for distribution to one or
more vehicles within a threshold distance of the user vehicle.
19. The system of claim 17, the client device module configured to:
display a map populated with a vehicle indicator representing the
vehicle; and label the vehicle indicator with a driver risk score
comprised within the driver alert.
20. The system of claim 17, the driver alert comprising driver
specified information comprising at least one of a number of
passengers within the vehicle, proof of insurance, whether the
driver is in driver training, an age of the driver, whether a child
or infant is onboard, a driving skill of the driver, whether the
driver is late, or whether the driver is driving under an emergency
situation.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/946,962 titled "DETERMINING HOV/HOT LANE TRAVEL
TIMES", filed on Mar. 3, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Drivers are surrounded by vehicles that are driven by other
drivers having varying degrees of driving competence. For example,
a user may drive a route through a neighborhood, along a highway,
and through a downtown area while traveling to work. While driving
along the route, the user may drive alongside drivers having a
variety of driving skills and behaviors, such as a teenager
learning to drive, a college student that may be aggressively
speeding because the college student is late to class, a truck
driver lacking sleep, etc. Because the user may lack information
about the individual driver's skills and behaviors, the user may
assume that all of the drivers are dangerous and thus the user may
default into a defensive driving behavior. It may be advantageous
to provide the user with information regarding driving behavior
history of other drivers within the user's vicinity in order to
improve awareness and/or mitigate accidents.
SUMMARY
[0003] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify
key factors or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0004] Among other things, one or more systems and/or techniques
for providing driving behavior information and/or driver alerts are
provided herein. In an example of providing driving behavior
information, a client device module (e.g., a smartphone, a vehicle
head unit such as a navigation system, a vehicle computing device,
a tablet, a smart device, a wearable device, etc.) may be
configured to identify a driver of a vehicle (e.g., an owner of the
smartphone that is driving the vehicle). The client device module
may be configured to collect driving behavior information of the
driver (e.g., a braking pattern, a vehicle location, a vehicle
speed, vehicle acceleration/deceleration, a weather condition, a
roadway condition, a current time, driving condition visibility,
whether the driver appears to be tired, etc.). In an example, the
client device module may be configured to receive driver specified
information from the driver (e.g., a number of passengers in the
vehicle, whether the driver is in driver training, whether a child
or infant is onboard, etc.). The client device module may be
configured to provide the driving behavior information and/or the
driver specified information to a driver alert provider for
distribution to one or more vehicles within a threshold distance of
the vehicle (e.g., the information may be provided over a wireless
communication connection to the driver alert provider).
[0005] In an example of providing driver alerts, a driver alert
provider (e.g., hosted on a device that may be remote to a client
device module, such as a route navigation server) may be configured
to receive driving behavior information of a driver from a vehicle,
such as from the client device module. The driver alert provider
may be configured to maintain a driver profile for the driver based
upon the driving behavior information and/or other information such
as driver specified information. The driver alert provider may be
configured to generate a driver alert (e.g., a driving behavior of
the driver, a driver risk score for the driver, a notice that the
driver has 3 passengers and an infant onboard, etc.) based upon the
driver profile. The driver alert provider may be configured to
provide the driver alert to a second driver of a second vehicle
that is within a threshold distance of the vehicle (e.g., the
driver alert may be provided over a wireless communication
connection to a device of the second driver). In an example,
vehicle location data, such as global positioning system (GPS) data
of the first vehicle, may be compared to vehicle location data,
such as GPS data, of the second vehicle to determine that the
second vehicle is within the threshold distance.
[0006] A driver may take affirmative action, such as providing
opt-in consent, to allow access to and/or use of driving behavior
information and/or driver specified information, such as for the
purpose of providing driver alerts to other drivers and/or
maintaining a driver profile of the driver (e.g., where the driver
responds to a prompt regarding the collection and/or use of such
information).
[0007] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the
following description and annexed drawings set forth certain
illustrative aspects and implementations. These are indicative of
but a few of the various ways in which one or more aspects may be
employed. Other aspects, advantages, and novel features of the
disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed
description when considered in conjunction with the annexed
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of
providing driving behavior information of a driver.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of
providing driver alerts.
[0010] FIG. 3A is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for providing driving behavior information of a
driver.
[0011] FIG. 3B is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for providing driver alerts.
[0012] FIG. 3C is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for displaying driver alerts.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for providing driver alerts.
[0014] FIG. 5A is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for obtaining driver information.
[0015] FIG. 5B is a component block diagram illustrating an
exemplary system for providing driver information.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an exemplary computer readable
medium wherein processor-executable instructions configured to
embody one or more of the provisions set forth herein may be
comprised.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary computing environment
wherein one or more of the provisions set forth herein may be
implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The claimed subject matter is now described with reference
to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally used
to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description,
for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set
forth to provide an understanding of the claimed subject matter. It
may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
structures and devices are illustrated in block diagram form in
order to facilitate describing the claimed subject matter.
[0019] One or more systems and/or techniques for broadcasting
driver alerts are provided herein. A client device module, such as
a smartphone or vehicle computer, may collect and transmit driving
behavior information, associated with a driver of a vehicle, to a
driver alert provider. For example, the client device module may
access onboard vehicle telemetry and/or sensors (e.g., a brake
sensor, a speed sensor, etc.) to obtain the driving behavior
information that may be sent using a wireless communication module
of the client device module to the driver alert provider (e.g., a
remote server that communicates driver alerts to client devices
over wireless communication connections). The driver alert provider
may maintain a driver profile of the driver, and may generate a
driver alert (e.g., a driver risk score of the driver) based upon
the driver profile. The driver alert provider may provide the
driver alert to drivers of vehicles within a vicinity of the
vehicle. The driver alert may be actively provided to a user in a
non-distracting manner, such as through an audio notification, a
projection onto a window or dashboard of a vehicle (e.g., a
projection component may be integrated into the windshield for
projecting driver alert notifications onto the windshield), etc. In
an example, a driver alert may be used to improve travel route
planning because a travel route creation module may use driver
profiles and/or driver alerts to plan a route for a user that
avoids drivers that pose safety hazards to the user (e.g., drivers
having high risk driver risk scores). In this way, drivers may
become aware of driving behavior history of a driver, which may
improve awareness and mitigate accidents.
[0020] An embodiment of providing driving behavior information of a
driver is illustrated by an exemplary method 100 of FIG. 1. At 102,
the method 100 starts. At 104, a driver of a vehicle may be
identified. For example, driver Dan may be identified as driving
the family minivan (e.g., a smartphone of driver Dan may indicate
that a location of the smartphone is within the family minivan; the
smartphone may establish a communication connection with a
computing device of the family minivan; a key of driver Dan may
provide an indication to a client device module of the family
minivan that driver Dan has entered the family minivan; the client
device module such as a vehicle head unit of the family minivan may
recognize a voice pattern of driver Dan; etc.).
[0021] At 106, driving behavior information of driver Dan may be
collected. In an example, a computing device of the family minivan
may collect driving statistics data as the driving behavior
information (e.g., a braking pattern, a vehicle speed, a vehicle
acceleration, a vehicle deceleration, roadway conditions, etc.). In
another example, the smartphone may identify a current time,
weather conditions, driving condition visibility, and/or other
information as the driving behavior information. In this way,
driving behavior information, indicative of how the driver is
driving (e.g., a safe driving behavior pattern, a risky driving
behavior pattern, a slow driving behavior pattern, an erratic
driving behavior pattern, a tailgating driving behavior pattern,
etc.), may be collected.
[0022] In an example, driver specified information may be received
from the driver Dan (e.g., driver Dan may provide a voice command,
comprising the driver specified information, to the smartphone or
the vehicle head unit). The driver specified information may
comprise a number of passengers within the family minivan (e.g.,
driver Dan may be in a high occupancy vehicle lane requiring at
least 3 passengers), proof of insurance and/or driver license
information (e.g., driver Dan may have provided a snapshot image of
an insurance card and/or driver license), information as to whether
driver Dan is in driver training, an age of driver Dan, information
as to whether a child or infant is onboard the family minivan
(e.g., so that other drivers may be warned to be more cautious), a
driving skill of driver Dan (e.g., driver Dan may input a number of
years driving; driver Dan may specify how skilled the driver feels
the driver is at driving; etc.), information as to whether driver
Dan is late (e.g., driver Dan may want to warn other vehicles that
the driver will be more inclined to maneuver around slower traffic
going below the speed limit), information as to whether driver Dan
is driving under an emergency situation (e.g., driver Dan may be
driving to a hospital), etc.
[0023] At 108, the driving behavior information and/or the driver
specified information may be provided to a driver alert provider
for distribution to one or more vehicles within a threshold
distance of the family minivan. For example, a client device module
(e.g., hosted by the smartphone, hosted by the vehicle head unit or
computing device of the family minivan, etc.) may transmit the
driving behavior information and/or the driver specified
information over a wireless communication connection to a remote
server hosting the driver alert provider. The driver alert provider
may provide driver alerts, indicative of a driving behavior of
driver Dan (e.g., a driver risk score, an description of the family
minivan, a message such as whether driver Dan is driving under the
emergency situation or has an infant onboard, etc.), to other users
within a vicinity of the family minivan of driver Dan (e.g., a
notification sent to head unit or navigation system of another
vehicle; a notification sent to a smartphone of another driver such
as a message provided through a driving app on the smartphone;
etc.). In an example, the client device module of driver Dan within
the family minivan may provide the driving behavior information
and/or the driver specified information to a computing device of
another driver within the vicinity of the family minivan of driver
Dan (e.g., a driving app on the smartphone of driver Dan may send a
message to the driving app on a smartphone of driver Tom that
driver Dan has an infant onboard and is driving to the
hospital).
[0024] In an example, the client device module of driver Dan may
receive a driver alert from the driver alert provider. The drive
alert may indicate a driving behavior of driver Tom that is driving
a sports car within a threshold distance of the family minivan. The
driver alert may indicate that driver Tom tends to driver 2 miles
under the speed limit and poses a relatively low driving hazard
risk to driver Dan. The driver alert, such as a driver risk score
for driver Tom, may be provided to driver Dan, such as through the
driving app on the smartphone or the vehicle head unit of the
family minivan. At 110, the method 100 ends.
[0025] An embodiment of providing driver alerts of a driver is
illustrated by an exemplary method 200 of FIG. 2. At 202, the
method 200 starts. In an example, a driver alert provider may be
hosted by a computer device, such as a route navigation server,
that may establish communication connections with client device
modules of drivers such as smartphones, vehicle head units, and/or
other computing devices of users and/or vehicles. At 204, driving
behavior information of a vehicle may be received from a vehicle of
the driver, such as from a client device module of the driver. The
driving behavior information may comprise a braking pattern, a
vehicle location, a vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle
deceleration, a current time, a weather condition, driving
condition visibility, roadway conditions, and/or a variety of other
information. In an example, driver specified information may be
received from the driver. The driver specified information may
indicate a number of passengers within the vehicle, proof of
insurance, whether the driver is in driver training, an age of the
driver, whether a child or infant is onboard, a driving skill of
the driver, whether the driver is late, whether the driver is
driving under an emergency situation, and/or a variety of other
information.
[0026] At 206, a driver profile may be maintained (e.g., maintained
by the driver alert provider hosted on the route navigation server)
based upon the driving behavior information and/or the driver
specified information. The driver profile may comprise a file, a
table, a database entry, or any other data structure used to store
information regarding the driver and driving behavior of the
driver. In an example, the driver profile may be populated with the
driving behavior information, the driver specified information, a
name of the driver, an address of the driver, a license plate
number of the driver, a driver license number of the driver,
insurance information of the driver, and/or personal identification
information of the driver. In an example, the driver profile may be
maintained with differing levels of access to portions of the
driver profile. For example, a first level of access may be
assigned to a first portion of the driver profile (e.g., an
anonymous ID of the driver, a driver risk score, and/or other
non-sensitive information such as a number of occupants in the
vehicle) based upon a first privacy sensitivity of the first
portion of the driver profile (e.g., information within the first
portion may be provided to drivers within a threshold distance of
the vehicle). A second level of access may be assigned to a second
portion of the driver profile (e.g., driver license information,
insurance information, recent violations, etc.) based upon a second
privacy sensitivity of the second portion of the driver profile
(e.g., information within the second portion may be provided to
drivers, such as traffic safety authorities, that successful
authenticate with the driver alert provider).
[0027] In an example, the driving behavior information may be
evaluated to determine a driving behavior of the driver for
inclusion within the driver profile. For example, a distribution of
a particular aspect (e.g., an average speed above a speed limit, a
frequency of not using a seat belt, a distance to a car that is in
front of the driver, acceleration, deceleration, and/or other
aspects) may be evaluated to determine whether the driver is
riskier (e.g., more aggressive than average drivers). An aspect may
be computed for a context, such as the frequency of acceleration
and deceleration within a fixed time period, such as 15 minutes,
during a congested traffic context. The information, such as the
frequency of acceleration and deceleration, may be aggregated for a
plurality of drivers to determine a distribution. If the driver is
one or more standard deviations above an average of the
distribution, then the driver may be labeled as a risky or
aggressive driver, which may be included as the driving behavior
within the driver profile.
[0028] At 208, a driver alert may be generated based upon the
driver profile. For example, a driver risk score may be computed
for inclusion within the driver alert by evaluating the driver
profile using a statistical evaluation technique (e.g., a number of
standard deviations from an average behavior of drivers). The
statistical evaluation technique may increase or decrease the
driver risk score based upon driver behavior patterns derived from
the driver profile, such as increasing the driver risk score for
rapid deceleration, rapid braking, excessive lane changing, driving
over a speed limit, etc. and/or decreasing the driver risk score
for driving within the speed limit, using turn signals, fully
stopping at stop signs, etc. In an example, the driver alert may
comprise identification information about the vehicle, such as a
license plate number, a type of vehicle, a location of the vehicle
relative to another vehicle to which the driver alert will be
provided, etc.
[0029] At 210, the driver alert may be provided to a second driver
of a second vehicle that is within a threshold distance of the
vehicle. For example, the driver alert may be sent over a wireless
communication connection to a smartphone (e.g., a driving app)
and/or a vehicle head unit (e.g., a navigation unit) for display to
the second driver as a textual (e.g., a message that the vehicle is
driven by a high risk driver), audio (e.g., an audio message that
the vehicle is driven by a high risk driver), and/or visual alert
(e.g., display of a map populated with a vehicle indicator of the
vehicle, which may be colored red to indicate high risk behavior of
the driver). In an example, the driver alert may be provided based
upon a court ordered instruction, the driver having a threshold
number of driving violations, an insurance agency instruction
(e.g., the driver may receive an insurance discount if the driver
provides driver alerts to other users), the vehicle being located
within a restricted access portion of a road (e.g., a number of
occupants within the vehicle may be communicated to other drivers
when the driver is in a high occupancy lane), and/or other
information and instructions associated with the driver profile. In
this way, the driver alert may be sent to one or more vehicles
within the threshold distance of the vehicle.
[0030] In an example, a request, for driver information, may be
received from a traffic safety authority (e.g., a police officer, a
park ranger, etc.). The request may be evaluated to authenticate or
not authenticate the traffic safety authority as being authorized
to access the driver information (e.g., the request may be
decrypted, a signature of the request may be verified, a login
credential of the traffic safety authority may be evaluated, etc.).
Responsive to authenticating the request (e.g., the traffic safety
authority may have authorization to a high level of access to
portions of the driver profile), driver information associated with
one or more vehicles within a proximity threshold of the traffic
safety authority may be obtained (e.g., first driver information of
a first driver may be obtained from a first driver profile of the
first driver; second driver information may be requested from a
second driver; etc.). The driver information may be provided to the
traffic safety authority. At 212, the method 200 ends.
[0031] FIGS. 3A-3C illustrates examples of a system 300, comprising
a driver alert provider 316 and/or one or more client device
modules, for providing driver alerts. FIG. 3A illustrates an
example of a first vehicle 302, a second vehicle 306, and a third
vehicle 310 traveling along a road. A first client device module
304, such as a smartphone of a first driver, may be located within
the first vehicle 302. A second client device module 308, such as a
vehicle navigation unit, may be located within the second vehicle
306.
[0032] The first client device module 304 may be configured to
identify the first driver as driving the first vehicle 302. The
first client device module 304 may collect driving behavior
information 314 of the driver (e.g., a computing device of the
first vehicle 302 may provide driving statistics such as speed,
braking patterns, acceleration/deceleration patterns, turn signal
usage, horn usage, turning patterns, lane changing patterns, etc.
as the driving behavior information 314; the smartphone may provide
driving patterns based upon global positioning system (GPS) data,
weather information, time of day, etc. as the driving behavior
information 314; etc.). For example, the first client device module
304 may determine that the first driver has a jerky braking
pattern, an average of 5 mph speed over speed limits, normal
acceleration, above normal deceleration, is driving in rainy
weather conditions, and/or other information for inclusion within
the driving behavior information 314.
[0033] The first device device module 304 may receive driver
specified information 312 from the first driver (e.g., the user may
provide the driver specified information 312 through a voice
command to the smartphone). For example, the driver specified
information 312 may indicate that the first driver did not provide
proof of insurance, the first driver is a 25 year old male, the
first driver is running late for an appointment, the first driver
has no children onboard, the first vehicle has no other passengers,
etc. The driver alert provider 316 may maintain a driver profile
318 for the first driver based upon the driving behavior
information 314 and/or the driver specified information 312. The
driver alert provider 316 may create and store a driver risk score
322, indicating that the first driver is a high risk driver having
a score of 18 out of 20, within the driver profile 318. The driver
alert provider 316 may assign a first level of access to a first
portion 320 of the driver profile 318 (e.g., the first level of
access may specify that a driver that is registered with the driver
alert provider 316 may obtain access to the first portion 320), a
second level of access to the driver risk score 322 (e.g., the
second level of access may specify that a driver that is within a
threshold distance of the first vehicle may obtain access to the
driver risk score 322), and a third level of access to a third
portion 324 of the driver profile 318 (e.g., the third level of
access may specify that drivers that can successfully authenticate
with the driver alert provider 316 may receive access to the third
portion 324).
[0034] FIG. 3B illustrates an example of the driver alert provider
316 providing a driver alert 332. For example, the driver alert
provider 316 may determine that the second vehicle 306 is within a
threshold distance 330 of the first vehicle 302. The driver alert
provider 316 may send the driver alert 332 over a communication
connection to the second client device module 308 of the second
vehicle 306. FIG. 3C illustrates the second client device module
308 displaying the driver alert 332 through a display 350 of the
vehicle navigation unit. The driver alert 332 may be displayed as a
textual message (e.g., a message describing the first vehicle and
the driver risk score) and a visualization (e.g., an indicator such
as a color or an exclamation point may be used to visually identify
vehicles driven by risky drivers).
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates an example 400 of a first client device
module 404 of a first vehicle 402 providing a driver alert 406 to a
second client device module 410 of a second vehicle 408. In an
example, the first client device module 404 may receive input from
a first driver of the first vehicle 402 that the first driver has
an infant onboard the first vehicle 402 (e.g., the first driver may
speak a voice command regarding the infant; the first driver may
select on infant option through a user interface of the first
client device module 404; etc.). The first client device module 404
may create the driver alert 406 indicating that the infant is
onboard the first vehicle 402. The first client device module 404
may transmit the driver alert 406 to the second client device
module 410 for display to a second driver of the second vehicle
408. In an example, the driver alert 406 may be provided to a
driver alert provider that may in turn provide the driver alert 406
to the second client device module 410.
[0036] FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate examples of a system 500, comprising
a driver alert provider 512, for providing driver information. FIG.
5A illustrates a vehicle 502, comprising a client device module
504, and a traffic safety authority 506 (e.g., a police car)
comprising a traffic safety authority client device module 508. The
driver alert provider 512 may receive a request 510 from the
traffic safety authority client device module 508. The request 510
may request access to driver information of drivers within a
proximity threshold of the traffic safety authority 506. Responsive
to authenticating the request 510, the driver alert provider 512
may send a driver information request 514 to the client device
module 504 based upon the vehicle 502 being within the proximity
threshold of the traffic safety authority 506.
[0037] FIG. 5B illustrates an example of the driver alert provider
512 receiving user specified driver information 530 from the
driver. The driver alert provider 512 may use the user specified
driver information 530 and/or information within a driver profile
532 of the driver to generate driver information 534 (e.g., an age
of the driver, insurance information, driver license information,
license plate information, a number of passengers, braking
patterns, etc.). The driver information 534 may be provided to the
traffic safety authority 506 for display.
[0038] Still another embodiment involves a computer-readable medium
comprising processor-executable instructions configured to
implement one or more of the techniques presented herein. An
example embodiment of a computer-readable medium or a
computer-readable device is illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the
implementation 600 comprises a computer-readable medium 608, such
as a CD-R, DVD-R, flash drive, a platter of a hard disk drive,
etc., on which is encoded computer-readable data 606. This
computer-readable data 606, such as binary data comprising at least
one of a zero or a one, in turn comprises a set of computer
instructions 604 configured to operate according to one or more of
the principles set forth herein. In some embodiments, the set of
computer instructions 604 are configured to perform a method 602,
such as at least some of the exemplary method 100 of FIG. 1 and/or
at least some of the exemplary method 200 of FIG. 2, for example.
In some embodiments, the set of computer instructions 604 are
configured to implement a system, such as at least some of the
exemplary system 300 of FIGS. 3A-3C, at least some of the exemplary
system 400 of FIG. 4, and/or at least some of the exemplary system
500 of FIGS. 5A-5B, for example. Many such computer-readable media
are devised by those of ordinary skill in the art that are
configured to operate in accordance with the techniques presented
herein.
[0039] Although the subject matter has been described in language
specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is
to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing at least some
of the claims.
[0040] As used in this application, the terms "component,"
"module," "system", "interface", and/or the like are generally
intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a
combination of hardware and software, software, or software in
execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to
being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an
executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By
way of illustration, both an application running on a controller
and the controller can be a component. One or more components may
reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component
may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or
more computers.
[0041] Furthermore, the claimed subject matter may be implemented
as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard
programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software,
firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof to control a
computer to implement the disclosed subject matter. The term
"article of manufacture" as used herein is intended to encompass a
computer program accessible from any computer-readable device,
carrier, or media. Of course, many modifications may be made to
this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of
the claimed subject matter.
[0042] FIG. 7 and the following discussion provide a brief, general
description of a suitable computing environment to implement
embodiments of one or more of the provisions set forth herein. The
operating environment of FIG. 7 is only one example of a suitable
operating environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation
as to the scope of use or functionality of the operating
environment. Example computing devices include, but are not limited
to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop
devices, mobile devices (such as mobile phones, Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs), media players, and the like), multiprocessor
systems, consumer electronics, mini computers, mainframe computers,
distributed computing environments that include any of the above
systems or devices, and the like.
[0043] Although not required, embodiments are described in the
general context of "computer readable instructions" being executed
by one or more computing devices. Computer readable instructions
may be distributed via computer readable media (discussed below).
Computer readable instructions may be implemented as program
modules, such as functions, objects, Application Programming
Interfaces (APIs), data structures, and the like, that perform
particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.
Typically, the functionality of the computer readable instructions
may be combined or distributed as desired in various
environments.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a system 700 comprising a
computing device 712 configured to implement one or more
embodiments provided herein. In one configuration, computing device
712 includes at least one processing unit 716 and memory 718.
Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device,
memory 718 may be volatile (such as RAM, for example), non-volatile
(such as ROM, flash memory, etc., for example) or some combination
of the two. This configuration is illustrated in FIG. 7 by dashed
line 714.
[0045] In other embodiments, device 712 may include additional
features and/or functionality. For example, device 712 may also
include additional storage (e.g., removable and/or non-removable)
including, but not limited to, magnetic storage, optical storage,
and the like. Such additional storage is illustrated in FIG. 7 by
storage 720. In one embodiment, computer readable instructions to
implement one or more embodiments provided herein may be in storage
720. Storage 720 may also store other computer readable
instructions to implement an operating system, an application
program, and the like. Computer readable instructions may be loaded
in memory 718 for execution by processing unit 716, for
example.
[0046] The term "computer readable media" as used herein includes
computer storage media. Computer storage media includes volatile
and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in
any method or technology for storage of information such as
computer readable instructions or other data. Memory 718 and
storage 720 are examples of computer storage media. Computer
storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM,
flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, Digital Versatile
Disks (DVDs) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic
tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or
any other medium which can be used to store the desired information
and which can be accessed by device 712. Computer storage media
does not, however, include propagated signals. Rather, computer
storage media excludes propagated signals. Any such computer
storage media may be part of device 712.
[0047] Device 712 may also include communication connection(s) 726
that allows device 712 to communicate with other devices.
Communication connection(s) 726 may include, but is not limited to,
a modem, a Network Interface Card (NIC), an integrated network
interface, a radio frequency transmitter/receiver, an infrared
port, a USB connection, or other interfaces for connecting
computing device 712 to other computing devices. Communication
connection(s) 726 may include a wired connection or a wireless
connection. Communication connection(s) 726 may transmit and/or
receive communication media.
[0048] The term "computer readable media" may include communication
media. Communication media typically embodies computer readable
instructions or other data in a "modulated data signal" such as a
carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any
information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" may
include a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or
changed in such a manner as to encode information in the
signal.
[0049] Device 712 may include input device(s) 724 such as keyboard,
mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, infrared
cameras, video input devices, and/or any other input device. Output
device(s) 722 such as one or more displays, speakers, printers,
and/or any other output device may also be included in device 712.
Input device(s) 724 and output device(s) 722 may be connected to
device 712 via a wired connection, wireless connection, or any
combination thereof. In one embodiment, an input device or an
output device from another computing device may be used as input
device(s) 724 or output device(s) 722 for computing device 712.
[0050] Components of computing device 712 may be connected by
various interconnects, such as a bus. Such interconnects may
include a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), such as PCI
Express, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), firewire (IEEE 1394), an
optical bus structure, and the like. In another embodiment,
components of computing device 712 may be interconnected by a
network. For example, memory 718 may be comprised of multiple
physical memory units located in different physical locations
interconnected by a network.
[0051] Those skilled in the art will realize that storage devices
utilized to store computer readable instructions may be distributed
across a network. For example, a computing device 730 accessible
via a network 728 may store computer readable instructions to
implement one or more embodiments provided herein. Computing device
712 may access computing device 730 and download a part or all of
the computer readable instructions for execution. Alternatively,
computing device 712 may download pieces of the computer readable
instructions, as needed, or some instructions may be executed at
computing device 712 and some at computing device 730.
[0052] Various operations of embodiments are provided herein. In
one embodiment, one or more of the operations described may
constitute computer readable instructions stored on one or more
computer readable media, which if executed by a computing device,
will cause the computing device to perform the operations
described. The order in which some or all of the operations are
described should not be construed as to imply that these operations
are necessarily order dependent. Alternative ordering will be
appreciated by one skilled in the art having the benefit of this
description. Further, it will be understood that not all operations
are necessarily present in each embodiment provided herein. Also,
it will be understood that not all operations are necessary in some
embodiments.
[0053] Further, unless specified otherwise, "first," "second,"
and/or the like are not intended to imply a temporal aspect, a
spatial aspect, an ordering, etc. Rather, such terms are merely
used as identifiers, names, etc. for features, elements, items,
etc. For example, a first object and a second object generally
correspond to object A and object B or two different or two
identical objects or the same object.
[0054] Moreover, "exemplary" is used herein to mean serving as an
example, instance, illustration, etc., and not necessarily as
advantageous. As used herein, or is intended to mean an inclusive
"or" rather than an exclusive "or". In addition, "a" and "an" as
used in this application are generally be construed to mean one or
more unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be
directed to a singular form. Also, at least one of A and B and/or
the like generally means A or B and/or both A and B. Furthermore,
to the extent that "includes", "having", "has", "with", and/or
variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the
claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar
to the term "comprising".
[0055] Also, although the disclosure has been shown and described
with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations
and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art based
upon a reading and understanding of this specification and the
annexed drawings. The disclosure includes all such modifications
and alterations and is limited only by the scope of the following
claims. In particular regard to the various functions performed by
the above described components (e.g., elements, resources, etc.),
the terms used to describe such components are intended to
correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which
performs the specified function of the described component (e.g.,
that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally
equivalent to the disclosed structure. In addition, while a
particular feature of the disclosure may have been disclosed with
respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be
combined with one or more other features of the other
implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or
particular application.
* * * * *