Patent Issued for Automated vehicle control and guidance based on real-time blind corner navigational analysis (USPTO 11946748): Allstate Insurance Company
2024 APR 23 (NewsRx) -- By a
The patent’s assignee for patent number 11946748 is
News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Being aware of hazardous driving conditions can aid in improving the likelihood of a safe driving experience. However, often drivers rely on navigational guidance systems that do not alert drivers of upcoming driving hazards. Although many vehicles include sensing devices to detect changing conditions, those devices may be best suited to evaluate current conditions rather than conditions associated with a road segment that a driver is approaching. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to detect upcoming potential dangers and provide adequate warnings to drivers.”
As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below.
“Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods, computer-readable media, systems, and apparatuses for determining a blind corner navigational score based on real-time or near real-time navigational analysis using sensor data, digital image data, and a map database. In some arrangements, the system may be a blind corner navigation system that includes at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the blind corner navigation system to perform blind corner analysis.
“For example, in some arrangements, the system may receive predefined navigational data from a map database system, process the predefined navigational data to detect an upcoming blind corner, receive dynamic navigational data from a digital imaging device, process the dynamic navigational data to determine a blind corner navigational score, the blind corner navigational score indicating a likelihood that the upcoming blind corner is visible from a vantage point of a vehicle, determine whether the blind corner navigational score is above a first threshold, and responsive to a determination that the blind corner navigational score is above a first threshold, transmitting one or more of a warning signal or a vehicle control signal to the vehicle. In at least some arrangements, the digital imaging device may be mounted on the vehicle. The dynamic navigational data may include one or more digital images transmitted from the digital imaging device. In one instance, processing the dynamic navigational data to determine a blind corner navigational score may include performing image analysis on the one or more digital images. For example, the predefined navigational data may include information indicative of a location of a landmark, and performing image analysis may include comprises determining whether the landmark is visible within the one or more digital images.
“In at least some arrangements, transmitting the one or more of a warning signal or a vehicle control signal to the vehicle may include transmitting a first audio signal to the vehicle responsive to determining that the blind corner navigational score is above a second threshold and transmitting a first vehicle control signal to the vehicle responsive to determining that the blind corner navigational score is above a third threshold. The first vehicle control signal may be associated with a vehicle control event that is adjusted based on a response time of the vehicle. The first threshold may be dynamically modified based on weather conditions and/or a condition of a road on which the vehicle is currently located.
“Other features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the additional description provided herein.”
The claims supplied by the inventors are:
“1. A blind corner navigation system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the blind corner navigation system to: receive a preliminary route from a mobile device; receive image data from a digital imager device; receive navigational data from a map database system; process the preliminary route and the navigational data to identify one or more blind corners of the preliminary route; generate a blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route by processing the navigational data received from the map data base system and the image data received from the digital imager device, the blind corner navigational score representing a likelihood that the one or more blind corners are visible from a vantage point of a vehicle; compare the blind corner navigational score to a threshold; based on a result of the comparing and based on driver profile data associated with a driver, generate a warning signal; and transmit the warning signal to the mobile device.
“2. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the driver profile data comprises a reaction time of the driver.
“3. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the warning signal comprises an audible alarm.
“4. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the warning signal comprises a tactile alarm.
“5. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processing the navigational data and the image data to determine the blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route comprises analyzing a level of curvature of each blind corner of the one or more blind corners.
“6. The blind corner navigation system of claim 5, wherein the processing the navigational data and the image data to determine the blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route further comprises assigning a score to each blind corner of the one or more blind corners based on a level of curvature of that blind corner.
“7. The blind corner navigation system of claim 6, wherein the processing the navigational data and the image data to determine the blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route further comprises summing the score assigned to each blind corner of the one or more blind corners.
“8. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the threshold is initially determined based on a driving profile of a driver of a vehicle and is dynamically modified based on weather conditions.
“9. The blind corner navigation system of claim 1, wherein the threshold is determined by the driver.
“10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a preliminary route from a mobile device; receive navigational data from a map database system; receive image data from a digital imager device; process the preliminary route and the navigational data to identify one or more blind corners of the preliminary route; blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route by processing the navigational data received from the map data base system and the image data received from the digital imager device, the blind corner navigational score representing a likelihood that the one or more blind corners are visible from a vantage point of a vehicle; compare the blind corner navigational score to a threshold; based on a result of the comparing and based on driver profile data associated with a driver, generate a warning signal; and transmit the warning signal to the mobile device.
“11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the driver profile data comprises a reaction time of the driver.
“12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the warning signal comprises an audible alarm.
“13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the warning signal comprises a tactile alarm.
“14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the threshold is determined by the driver.
“15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the threshold is initially determined based on a driving profile of a driver of a vehicle and is dynamically modified based on weather conditions.
“16. A method comprising: receiving a preliminary route from a mobile device; receiving navigational data from a map database system; receiving image data from a digital imager device; processing the preliminary route and the navigational data to identify one or more blind corners of the preliminary route; a blind corner navigational score for the preliminary route by processing the navigational data received from the map data base system and the image data received from the digital imager device, the blind corner navigational score representing a likelihood that the one or more blind corners are visible from a vantage point of a vehicle; comparing the blind corner navigational score to a threshold; based on a result of the comparing and based on driver profile data associated with a driver, generating a warning signal; and transmitting the warning signal to the mobile device.
“17. The method of claim 16, wherein the driver profile data comprises a reaction time of the driver.
“18. The method of claim 16, wherein the warning signal comprises an audible alarm.
“19. The method of claim 16, wherein the warning signal comprises a tactile alarm.
“20. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold is determined by the driver.”
For additional information on this patent, see: Chintakindi, Sunil. Automated vehicle control and guidance based on real-time blind corner navigational analysis.
(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)
Patent Issued for Natural language processing platform for automated event analysis, translation, and transcription verification (USPTO 11947872): Allstate Insurance Company
Findings from University of Potsdam Yields New Findings on Flood Risk Management (Remote Sensing-based Mapping of Structural Building Damage In the Ahr Valley): Risk Management – Flood Risk Management
Advisor News
- More than half of Gen X investors support parents or children
- Year-end Roth IRA conversions: What you need to know before the deadline
- Debt is limiting American retirement savings
- How starting a conversation with a stranger is like dating
- Why your clients might face higher taxes in retirement
More Advisor NewsAnnuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
- Employer Group Medicare Advantage Membership Trends by Mark Farrah Associates
- IBX and Penn Medicine have early agreement on reimbursement rates starting next July
- Long-term care: A view from the states
- Priority Health and Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana Complete Acquisition to Foster Innovation and Improve Access to Care
- WV lawmakers say they have ‘no great plan’ for PEIA during the 2025 session
More Health/Employee Benefits NewsLife Insurance News