Patent Issued for Systems And Methods For Indicating Proximity Conditions For A Vehicle (USPTO 10,399,495)

2019 SEP 16 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- United Services Automobile Association (San Antonio, Texas, United States) has been issued patent number 10,399,495, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventor is Osborne, Shane C. (Marion, TX).

This patent was filed on August 21, 2015 and was published online on September 16, 2019.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Conventional proximity alert systems are employed in various types of vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, motorcycles, watercraft, etc.) to alert vehicle operators when the vehicle is in close proximity to other objects (e.g., pedestrians, bicyclists, other cars, obstructions, etc.).

“Recently, such conventional proximity alert systems are becoming more commonplace as standard features in various vehicles due to improvements to technology, decreases in cost and consumer demand. Typically, the proximity alert systems are integrated or otherwise built into the vehicle. However, retrofitting older vehicles to include proximity alert systems proves cost prohibitive and/or generally requires licensed vehicle professionals to physically mount and integrate the proximity alert system into the existing vehicle hardware/software.

“Despite efforts to date, a need still exists for cost effective and easy to install proximity alert systems that can be integrated with both old and new vehicles models/types alike.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “According to one or more embodiments of this disclosure, a proximity indication system is provided. The proximity indication system includes a proximity detection device and a vehicle telematics device or other suitable device. Operatively, the proximity indication device and the vehicle telematics device communicate proximity data and notify a vehicle operator of a proximity condition (e.g., a close proximity between the vehicle and another object/obstruction). Notably, the proximity detection device is mounted to a vehicle, wirelessly communicates, or alternatively, via a single wire connection, with the telematics device and is preferably provided with a power source independent from a vehicle power source, which avoids unnecessarily complex installation and reduces cost. For example, such a device can be included in a license plate mount with a battery, such a replaceable or a battery powered solar cell. Such a low cost system is also adaptable to fit on numerous types of vehicle makes/types.

“In certain embodiments, the vehicle telematics device is operable to detect a direction change of a vehicle and signal for a proximity device coupled to the vehicle to wake. For example, the telematics device detects the direction change by monitoring one or more accelerometers, determining if a turn signal for the vehicle is initiated, determine the vehicle is in a certain gear and/or a change in the vehicle gear (e.g., reverse, drive, etc.). Additionally monitored may be the speed and RPM of the vehicle because not all OBD ports indicate what gear the vehicle is engaged with in order to how to turn the system on and off. The proximity device, upon waking, detects proximity of the vehicle with one or more other objects and wirelessly transmits proximity data. The telematics device receives the proximity data from the proximity device and determines when a close proximity condition between the vehicle and one or more objects exists. When the close proximity condition exists, the telematics device notifies an operator of the vehicle.

“In certain other embodiments, the telematics device further signals for the proximity device and device for monitoring the vehicle speed/RPM to sleep when the direction change is no longer detected and/or after a predetermined amount of time after the direction change is detected. In turn, the proximity device enters sleep and operates at a reduced level of power. Preferably, the proximity device uses a power source independent or separate from a vehicle power source. For example, such power sources can include rechargeable or renewable energy sources (e.g., energy harvesting technologies, solar cells, disposable/replaceable.). By signaling the proximity device to wake or sleep, the telematics device controls the power usage of the proximity device.

“In some embodiments, the telematics device notifies the operator of the vehicle of the close proximity condition by providing a warning to the operator. For example, such warning can include audio alerts, visual displays, and combinations thereof. In such embodiments, the telematics device signals for the onboard vehicle display to display the notification, signals a mobile device to display the notification (e.g., audio, visual, etc.), and/or otherwise trigger additional speaker alarm (e.g., onboard speakers, vehicle speakers, etc.).

“In still further embodiments, the telematics device transmits the proximity data to a third party (e.g., an insurance provider). The insurance provider can receive the telematics data at, for example, a third party server, and performs data analytics on the proximity data. Such data analytics can result in behavior modeling, risk analysis, and risk profiling that can ultimately cause an increase or decrease in underwriting liability, insurance rates, etc.

“These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A method for indicating proximity conditions for a vehicle, the method comprising: providing power to a proximity device from a power source independent from a vehicle power source, wherein the proximity device utilizes one of a radar or an electromagnetic sensor; detecting, by a vehicle telematics device, a direction change of the vehicle; signaling, by the vehicle telematics device, for the proximity device coupled to the vehicle to wake in response to the direction change, thereby causing the proximity device to detect proximity of the vehicle with one or more other objects and wirelessly transmit proximity data, wherein the proximity data is transmitted using a unique signal corresponding to the proximity device, wherein the unique signal is distinct from signals corresponding to other proximity devices; wirelessly receiving, by the vehicle telematics device, the proximity data from the proximity device; notifying, by the vehicle telematics device, an operator of the vehicle of a close proximity condition between the vehicle and the one or more objects; recharging the power source using a vibration harvesting device; and signaling, by the vehicle telematics device, for the proximity device to sleep when the vehicle telematics device no longer detects the direction change thereby causing the proximity device to operate at a reduced level of power.

“2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the telematics device, the direction change of the vehicle comprises detecting the direction change of the vehicle by one or more accelerometers in communication with the telematics device.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the telematics device, the direction change of the vehicle comprises detecting the direction change of the vehicle by detecting initiation of a turn signal.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting, by the telematics device, the direction change of the vehicle comprises detecting change of a speed or RPM relating to the vehicle.

“5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting, by the telematics device, the direction change of the vehicle comprises detecting a vehicle gear change, wherein the vehicle gear change includes changing the vehicle into a reverse gear.

“6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying, by the vehicle telematics device, the operator of the vehicle of the close proximity condition comprises signaling one or more speakers to resonate with an alert.

“7. A vehicle telematics apparatus, comprising: one or more network interfaces adapted to wirelessly communicate in a communication network; a processor adapted to execute one or more processes; and a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process, when executed by the processor, operable to: control power usage of an independent power source separate from a vehicle power source by a proximity device, wherein the proximity device utilizes one of a radar or an electromagnetic sensor; detect initiation of a turn signal of the vehicle; signal for the proximity device coupled to the vehicle to wake in response to detecting the initiation of the turn signal, thereby causing the proximity device to detect proximity of the vehicle with one or more other objects and wirelessly transmit proximity data, wherein the proximity data is transmitted using a unique signal corresponding to the proximity device, wherein the unique signal is distinct from signals corresponding to other proximity devices; wirelessly receive the proximity data from the proximity device; notify an operator of the vehicle of a close proximity condition between the vehicle and the one or more objects; recharge the independent power source using a kinetic energy mini-generator; and signal for the proximity device to sleep when the vehicle telematics apparatus no longer detects the turn signal thereby causing the proximity device to operate at a reduced level of power.

“8. The vehicle telematics apparatus of claim 7, wherein the process, when executed by the processor to detect a direction change of the vehicle, is further operable to detect the direction change from at least one of an accelerometer in communication with the telematics apparatus, initiation of a turn signal, vehicle gear change, and engagement of a vehicle reverse gear.

“9. The vehicle telematics apparatus of claim 7, wherein the process, when executed by the processor to notify the operator of the vehicle of the close proximity condition is further operable to: provide a warning to the operator by at least one of a mobile device display, an onboard vehicle display, and at least one speaker.

“10. The vehicle telematics apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle telematics apparatus comprises at least one of an OBD II device and a mobile phone.

“11. The vehicle telematics apparatus of claim 7, wherein the process, when executed by the processor, is further operable to: transmit the proximity data to a third party server to cause the third party server to perform data analytics on the proximity data and adjust an insurance rate of the vehicle operator based on the data analytics.”

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Osborne, Shane C. Systems And Methods For Indicating Proximity Conditions For A Vehicle. U.S. Patent Number 10,399,495, filed August 21, 2015, and published online on September 16, 2019. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,399,495.PN.&OS=PN/10,399,495RS=PN/10,399,495

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