INTELLIGENT EMERGENCY VEHICLE ALERT SYSTEM AND USER INTERFACE

Abstract

An intelligent emergency vehicle alert system includes a locative server in communication with processors of each of an emergency vehicle and a ground vehicle. The locative server repeatedly receives locative data from each of the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle. The locative data indicates a substantially current geospatial location of the respective vehicle. An intelligent emergency vehicle alerting process is also provided. The process is operative to selectively alert a driver of the ground vehicle of a presence of the emergency vehicle. The alert is conveyed at least in part based upon a determined spatial proximity between the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle. The alert may also be based upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and ground vehicle are traveling on the same road of travel, in the same direction of travel, and/or that the emergency vehicle is behind the ground vehicle

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present embodiments will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a graphical system architecture that enables required information passing and computational determinations according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 a illustrates an overhead view of an example roadway (“R1”) upon which vehicles are traveling according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 b illustrates an overhead representation of road R1 at a future moment in time after the drivers of the vehicles responded to the alerts they received from their local computing devices according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3 a and 3b illustrate an overhead representation of road R2 according to at least one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 a illustrates a visual navigation system according to the prior art;

FIG. 4 b illustrates a descriptive image of a navigation system according to at least one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a descriptive image of a vehicle navigation system provided according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent emergency vehicle alert system comprising: a locative server in communication with processors of each of an emergency vehicle and a ground vehicle, the locative server repeatedly receiving locative data from each of the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle, wherein the locative data indicates a substantially current geospatial location of the respective vehicle; andan intelligent emergency vehicle alerting process, wherein the process is operative to alert a driver of the ground vehicle of a presence of the emergency vehicle, the alert being conveyed at least in part based upon a determined spatial proximity between the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

2. The intelligent emergency vehicle alert system of claim 1, wherein the locative server is a remote server connected by a wireless communication link to each of the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

3. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the locative server is located within at least one of: the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

4. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling upon the same road of travel.

5. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling in the same road direction upon a common road of travel.

6. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle is located behind the ground vehicle, on the same road of travel.

7. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling upon intersecting roads of travel.

8. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is a sound alert that is output to the driver of the ground vehicle by a speaker of the ground vehicle.

9. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the sound alert is a simulated emergency vehicle siren sound.

10. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the sound alert is a verbal prompt indicating an evasive action to be taken by the driver.

11. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a lane configuration of the road of travel of the ground vehicle.

12. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the alert is a visual alert that is output to the driver of the ground vehicle by a screen of the ground vehicle.

13. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the visual alert includes at least one of: a textual and a graphic indication of evasive action to be taken by the driver of the ground vehicle.

14. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the visual alert includes an arrow indicating a direction in which the driver should pull over.

15. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the visual alert includes an indication of a relative location of the emergency vehicle with respect to the ground vehicle.

16. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the visual alert includes an indication of a relative distance of the emergency vehicle with respect to the ground vehicle.

17. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the intelligent emergency vehicle alerting process is further operative to automatically reduce a volume of a stereo of the ground vehicle for a period of time.

18. An intelligent emergency vehicle alert method comprising: providing a locative server in communication with processors of each of a emergency vehicle and a ground vehicle, wherein the locative server repeatedly receives locative data from each of the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle, the locative data indicating the substantially current geospatial location of the respective vehicle; andproviding an intelligent emergency vehicle alerting process, wherein the process is operative to alert a driver of the ground vehicle as to the presence of the emergency vehicle, the alert being conveyed at least in part based upon a determined spatial proximity between the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

19. The intelligent emergency vehicle alert method of claim 18, wherein the locative server is a remote server connected by a wireless communication link to each of the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

20. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the locative server is comprised within at least one of: the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle.

21. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling upon the same road of travel.

22. The intelligent emergency vehicle system of claim 18, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling in the same road direction upon a common road of travel.

23. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle is located behind the ground vehicle, on the same road of travel.

24. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle are traveling upon intersecting roads of travel.

25. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is a sound alert that is output to the driver of the ground vehicle by a speaker of the ground vehicle.

26. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is a verbal prompt indicating an evasive action to be taken by the driver.

27. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 18, wherein the alert is a visual alert that is output to the driver of the ground vehicle by a screen of the ground vehicle.

28. The intelligent emergency vehicle method of claim 27, wherein the visual alert includes at least one of a textual and a graphic indication of evasive action to be taken by the driver of the ground vehicle.

29. An intelligent emergency vehicle alert method comprising: alerting a driver of a ground vehicle as to a presence of an approaching emergency vehicle through at least one of an audio and visual display of the ground vehicle, the alert being output part based at least in part upon a determined spatial proximity between the emergency vehicle and the ground vehicle and at least one of: a determination that the ground vehicle and the emergency vehicle are on a same road of travel,a determination that the ground vehicle and the emergency vehicle are moving in a same road-direction of travel, anda determination that the ground vehicle and the emergency vehicle are on intersecting roads of travel.

30. The intelligent emergency vehicle alert method of claim 29 wherein the alerting comprises attracting an attention of the driver through at least one of an audio and visual output and informing the driver as to required evasive action through at least one of an audio and visual prompt.

31. The intelligent emergency vehicle alert method of claim 29 wherein the alerting is ceased upon a determination that the emergency vehicle is no longer approaching the ground vehicle.