Patent Issued for Vehicle collision alert system and method (USPTO 11574544): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 FEB 27 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States) has been issued patent number 11574544, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventors are Dewey, Douglas L. (Bloomington, IL, US), Hodel, Jon (Heyworth, IL, US), Roberson, Steve F. (Normal, IL, US).

This patent was filed on August 6, 2020 and was published online on February 7, 2023.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Vehicle collisions due to driving behavior such as impaired driving are widespread. For example, many vehicle accidents occur due to drivers being distracted (e.g., texting, talking on the phone), drowsy, and/or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Vehicle accidents caused by vehicle malfunction, such as steering and braking problems, are also prevalent. Poor driving behavior (e.g., distracted driving) and improper vehicle conditions place other drivers at risk every day. For example, a safe driver operating a brand new vehicle may be involved in an accident due to an impaired driver of another vehicle. Vehicle accidents may be costly, time consuming, and in serious cases, fatal.

“Although many vehicles include safety features designed to prevent collisions, these systems may be generally based upon monitoring the vehicle operator’s own driving behavior (e.g., lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems). Some safety features are used or deployed when a vehicle accident occurs (e.g., airbags, inflatable seat belts). Furthermore, vehicles possessing autonomous or semi-autonomous technology or functionality may reduce the risk of vehicle accidents due to an operator’s own driving behavior. However, these vehicles may be susceptible to causing accidents due to vehicle malfunction (e.g., engine software problems). Therefore, there exists a need for a vehicle collision alert system that may alert a driver to impaired drivers and/or impaired vehicles in the driver’s vicinity to facilitate taking preventative measures to avoid vehicle collisions.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The present embodiments may relate to systems and methods for determining impaired drivers and/or impaired vehicles in real time, and generating an alert signal based upon captured data. The system may include an impairment analysis (“IA”) computer system associated with a host vehicle (e.g., first vehicle), a plurality of sensors on the host vehicle, one or more user computer devices, a host vehicle controller, a target vehicle (e.g., second vehicle) controller, and one or more insurance network computer devices. The IA computer system may be configured to: (i) interrogate a target vehicle by using a plurality of sensors associated with a host vehicle including scanning the target vehicle and a target driver; (ii) receive sensor data including target driver data and target vehicle condition data; (iii) analyze the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data; (iv) detect an impairment with the target driver or the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (v) output an alert signal to at least a host vehicle controller based upon detecting the impairment.

“In one aspect, an impairment analysis (“IA”) computer system for detecting an impairment with a target vehicle or target driver may be provided. The IA computer system may be associated with a host vehicle. The IA computer system may include a plurality of sensors. In some exemplary embodiments, the IA computer system may include an IA computing device that includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor may be programmed to: (i) interrogate (or scan) a target vehicle by using a plurality of sensors associated with a host vehicle including scanning the target vehicle and/or a target driver; (ii) receive sensor data including target driver data and/or target vehicle condition data; (iii) analyze the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data; (iv) detect an impairment with the target driver and/or the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (v) output an alert signal to at least a host vehicle controller, or directing taking other corrective action (such as in the case of an autonomous vehicle) based upon detecting that the target driver and/or target vehicle is impaired. The computer system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a computer-implemented method for detecting an impairment with a target vehicle or target driver may be provided. The method may be implemented using an impairment analysis (“IA”) computing device associated with a host vehicle. The IA computing device may include at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The method may include: (i) interrogating (or scan), by the IA computing device, a target vehicle by using a plurality of sensors associated with a host vehicle including scanning the target vehicle and/or a target driver; (ii) receiving, by the IA computing device, sensor data including target driver data and/or target vehicle condition data; (iii) analyzing, by the IA computing device, the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data; (iv) detecting, by the IA computing device, an impairment with the target driver and/or the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (v) outputting, by the IA computing device, an alert signal to at least a host vehicle controller (or directing other corrective or vehicle collision preventive actions) based upon detecting that the target driver and/or target vehicle is impaired. The method may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In a further aspect, at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon may be provided. When executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions may cause the at least one processor to: (i) interrogate a target vehicle by using a plurality of sensors associated with a host vehicle including scanning the target vehicle and/or a target driver; (ii) receive sensor data including target driver data and/or target vehicle condition data; (iii) analyze the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data; (iv) detect an impairment with the target driver and/or the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (v) output an alert signal to at least a host vehicle controller, or direct corrective or collision preventive driver or vehicle actions, based upon detecting that the target driver and/or target vehicle is impaired. The storage media may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, an impairment analysis (“IA”) computer system for alerting a first driver of a first vehicle, or the first vehicle (such as autonomous vehicle) to a driving hazard posed by a second vehicle operated by a second driver may be provided. The IA computer system may be associated with the first vehicle. In some exemplary embodiments, the IA computer system may include an IA computing device that includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor may be programmed to: (i) receive second vehicle data including second driver data and/or second vehicle condition data, wherein the second vehicle data is collected by a plurality of sensors associated with the first vehicle; (ii) analyze the second vehicle data by applying a baseline model to the second vehicle data; (iii) determine that the second vehicle poses a driving hazard to the first vehicle based upon the analysis; and/or (iv) generate an alert signal, or direct preventive actions (such as in the case that the first vehicle is an autonomous vehicle), based upon the determination that the second driver or second vehicle poses a driving hazard to the first vehicle. The computer system may include additional, less, or alternative functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. An impairment analysis (IA) computer system for detecting a driver or vehicle impairment, the IA computer system located onboard a host vehicle, the IA computer system comprising a plurality of sensors, and at least one processor in communication with the plurality of sensors and at least one memory device, the at least one processor is programmed to: receive sensor data including target driver data and target vehicle condition data, the target vehicle condition data including data associated with a current engine condition of a target vehicle; analyze the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data, wherein the baseline model includes standard engine operation conditions for the target vehicle; detect an impairment of the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and output an alert signal to a host vehicle controller based upon detecting that the target vehicle is impaired.

“2. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises video data from a plurality of cameras, and wherein the plurality of cameras are configured to detect positional data, the positional data including at least one of eye movement, head orientation, neck position, and body posture of a target driver of the target vehicle.

“3. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to store the baseline model in the at least one memory device, and wherein the baseline model includes baseline conditions representing safe driving conditions and standard vehicle maintenance conditions.

“4. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the target driver data is associated with a target driver, and includes information as to at least one of speed, vehicle lane maintenance, braking, head orientation, body posture, and eye movement.

“5. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the target vehicle condition data includes information as to at least one of vehicle maintenance and road condition.

“6. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the alert signal is at least one of an auditory signal, a visual signal, and a haptic signal.

“7. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to output the alert signal to at least one of a target vehicle controller and a vehicle controller of a surrounding vehicle.

“8. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a wireless communications device, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to receive an alert message from the target vehicle.

“9. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: store the sensor data in the at least one memory device; and transmit the sensor data to a remote-computing device to update at least one of an underwriting model and an actuarial model, the sensor data used to adjust an insurance policy of an insurance holder.

“10. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the host vehicle operates in at least one of an autonomous control mode and a semi-autonomous control mode, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to instruct the host vehicle controller to automatically steer the host vehicle away from a path of the target vehicle.

“11. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the host vehicle operates in at least one of an autonomous control mode and a semi-autonomous control mode, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to instruct the host vehicle controller to engage an automated safety system of the host vehicle, and wherein engaging the automated safety system reduces a probability of colliding with the target vehicle.

“12. The IA computer system of claim 1, wherein the impairment is based upon a deviation in at least one of speed maintenance and lane maintenance of the target vehicle.

“13. A computer-implemented method for detecting a vehicle impairment, the method implemented using an impairment analysis (IA) computing device located onboard a host vehicle, the IA computing device including at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device, the method comprising: receiving, by the IA computing device, sensor data including target driver data and target vehicle condition data, the target vehicle condition data including data associated with a current engine condition of a target vehicle; analyzing, by the IA computing device, the sensor data by applying a baseline model to the sensor data, wherein the baseline model includes standard engine operation conditions for the target vehicle; detecting, by the IA computing device, an impairment of the target vehicle based upon the analysis; and outputting, by the IA computing device, an alert signal to a host vehicle controller based upon detecting that the target vehicle is impaired.

“14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises receiving video data from a plurality of cameras, and wherein the plurality of cameras are configured to detect positional data, the positional data including at least one of eye movement, head orientation, neck position, and body posture of a target driver of the target vehicle.

“15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the target vehicle condition data is associated with the target vehicle, and includes information as to at least one of vehicle maintenance and road condition.

“16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the alert signal is at least one of an auditory signal, a visual signal, and a haptic signal.

“17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein outputting the alert signal comprises outputting the alert signal to at least one of a target vehicle controller and a vehicle controller of a surrounding vehicle.

“18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises storing, by the IA computing device, the baseline model in the at least one memory device, and wherein the baseline model includes baseline conditions representing safe driving conditions and standard vehicle maintenance conditions.

“19. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the target driver data is associated with a target driver, and includes information as to at least one of speed, vehicle lane maintenance, braking, head orientation, body posture, and eye movement.”

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Dewey, Douglas L. Vehicle collision alert system and method. U.S. Patent Number 11574544, filed August 6, 2020, and published online on February 7, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11574544)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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