System and method for preventing secondary accidents on highways

Abstract

A warning system and method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway are provided. A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals within a highway and including a notification output module, and a computing device that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic management facilities. In this warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway, the computing device controls the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of an event through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a warning system and method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, and more specifically, to a warning system and method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway that prevents secondary accidents by outputting a warning notification when an accident occurs on a highway. Background Technology

[0002] Secondary accidents on highways are recognized as a very serious problem regarding road traffic safety. Secondary accidents are incidental accidents that occur during the handling process following an initial accident, and they primarily occur when drivers passing the scene fail to respond in time or when the accident handling process is not carried out properly. Such secondary accidents are highly likely to cause greater damage than the initial accident, and can result in fatal casualties and property damage, especially in environments where a large number of vehicles are traveling at high speeds.

[0003] The importance of preventing secondary accidents is further highlighted by statistical data. A significant portion of accidents on highways are caused by secondary incidents, and the fatality rate resulting from these is reported to be higher than that of the initial accident. Such accidents do not merely result in personal injury but lead to severe traffic congestion and increased social costs. In particular, there is a risk that the arrival of emergency vehicles may be delayed, or that drivers near the accident scene may become confused, potentially causing further accidents.

[0004] Traditionally, various methods have been attempted to prevent secondary accidents. Representative examples include installing warning signs at the accident scene or using flashing hazard lights to alert following vehicles of the accident. Additionally, safety education encouraging drivers and passengers to immediately evacuate the vehicle has played an important role. However, these methods have several limitations. For instance, warning signs or flashing hazard lights may be less effective on curved sections with limited visibility or at night. Furthermore, there is a possibility of exposure to even greater danger if one fails to evacuate from the accident scene or moves to the wrong location.

[0005] In terms of technological efforts, automatic warning systems installed in vehicles and accident notification systems utilizing electronic display boards deployed on highways have been developed. These systems contribute to alerting following vehicles by rapidly transmitting information in the event of an accident. However, these systems also have limitations. For instance, electronic display-based warning systems are effective only within the installed sections and may experience delays in delivering real-time accident information. Furthermore, since in-vehicle warning systems are limited to the vehicles in which they are installed, there is a problem in that not all drivers can receive the same level of warning.

[0006] In conclusion, current technologies and methods are insufficient to completely prevent secondary accidents. More innovative approaches are required to deliver rapid and effective warnings at accident scenes and to induce appropriate responses from drivers. Against this backdrop, the need for new technologies and systems to prevent secondary accidents more efficiently is emerging.

[0007] The aforementioned background technology is one that the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the content of the present disclosure, and it cannot be considered as prior art disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of this application. The problem to be solved

[0008] The problem that the present disclosure aims to solve is to provide a warning system and method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, which can effectively prevent secondary accidents by enabling drivers to recognize the occurrence of an event on the highway through a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point on the highway, for the purpose of resolving the aforementioned conventional problems.

[0009] Another problem that the present disclosure aims to solve is to provide a warning system and method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, which can prevent secondary accidents and prevent traffic congestion caused by the event by identifying a detour route when an event occurs on a highway and guiding vehicles approaching the location of the event to detour via the detour route.

[0010] The problems that this disclosure aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0011] A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above-described problem comprises a plurality of traffic management facilities, each including a notification output module, installed at predetermined intervals within the highway, and a computing device that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic management facilities. In this warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, the computing device can control the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of an event through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway.

[0012] In various embodiments, the notification output module includes a directional speaker and a gobo light, and the computing device can control the output of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of voice through the directional speaker at predetermined intervals, or control the display of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of a visual on the road through the gobo light.

[0013] In various embodiments, the computing device analyzes image data generated by capturing an area including the specific point to calculate a score corresponding to the magnitude of an event occurring at the specific point, determines the severity of the event occurring at the specific point according to the calculated score, and determines the size of the predetermined range based on the determined severity of the event.

[0014] In various embodiments, the computing device can correct the severity of the determined event based on weather information of an area including the specific point and the time at which the event occurred at the specific point, and adjust the size of the determined predetermined range according to the corrected severity of the event.

[0015] In various embodiments, the computing device determines the attributes of a notification based on the distance between the at least one traffic management facility and the specific point—the attributes of the notification include at least one of the type, size, and period of the notification—and can control the output of the notification of the determined attributes through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility.

[0016] In various embodiments, the computing device may generate multiple facility groups by grouping two or more traffic management facilities according to a pre-set rule when two or more traffic management facilities are installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and determine the attribute of a notification corresponding to each of the generated multiple facility groups based on the distance between the reference location of each of the generated multiple facility groups and the specific point.

[0017] In various embodiments, the computing device may identify a detour route existing between the specific point and the at least one traffic management facility when the severity of an event occurring at the specific point exceeds a standard, and control the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of the event and a second notification guiding to detour via the identified detour route through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility.

[0018] In various embodiments, the computing device may, when no detour route is identified between the specific point and the at least one traffic management facility, increase the attribute of a predetermined notification and control a first notification corresponding to the increased attribute to be output through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility.

[0019] In various embodiments, when the identified detour route exists at a first point, the computing device controls the first notification and the second notification to be output through a notification output module of a traffic management facility installed before the first point among traffic management facilities installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and controls the device to output only the first notification through a notification output module of a traffic management facility installed between the specific point and the first point.

[0020] In various embodiments, the computing device can determine the validity of the identified detour route and control the output of a second notification guiding to detour via the identified detour route through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility only when the identified detour route is determined to be valid.

[0021] In various embodiments, the computing device determines the attributes of a notification based on the volume of vehicle traffic over a predetermined range centered on the specific point—the attributes of the notification include at least one of the type, size, and period of the notification—and can control the output of the notification of the determined attributes through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility.

[0022] In various embodiments, the computing device may provide a notification regarding the occurrence of an event to a driver terminal corresponding to vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on the specific point.

[0023] In various embodiments, the computing device identifies a detour route existing between a specific vehicle and a specific point among vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and provides a notification to a specific driver terminal corresponding to the specific vehicle to guide it to detour via the identified detour route, and when the driving route corresponding to the specific vehicle is changed to the identified detour route, it may provide a predetermined reward to the specific driver terminal.

[0024] A warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to another embodiment of the present disclosure for solving the above-described problem is a method performed by a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, comprising a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals within the highway and including a notification output module, and a computing device that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic management facilities, wherein the computing device may include the step of detecting the occurrence of an event within the highway and, when the computing device determines that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway, the step of controlling the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of an event through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities.

[0025] Other specific details of the present disclosure are included in the detailed description and drawings. Effects of the invention

[0026] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point on the highway, a notification regarding the occurrence of the event is output through a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals on the highway, thereby enabling drivers to recognize the occurrence of the event on the highway and effectively preventing secondary accidents.

[0027] In addition, when an event occurs on a highway, there is an advantage in that by identifying an alternative route and guiding vehicles approaching the location of the event to take the alternative route, secondary accidents can be prevented, and traffic congestion caused by the event can be prevented.

[0028] The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0029] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and serve to further enhance understanding of the technical concept of the present disclosure together with the detailed description of the invention; therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings. FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 are drawings illustrating traffic management facilities according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating, in various embodiments, an exemplary form of outputting a notification through a plurality of traffic management facilities installed within a predetermined range. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating, in various embodiments, an exemplary form of outputting notifications of different attributes depending on the distance from the location where an event occurs. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for outputting a notification that guides a detour route according to the occurrence of an event in various embodiments. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating, in various embodiments, an exemplary form of outputting different types of notifications depending on whether a bypass path exists. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0030] The advantages and features of the present disclosure and the methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0031] The terms used herein are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless specifically stated otherwise in the text. As used herein, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components in addition to the components mentioned.

[0032] Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components, and "and / or" includes each of the mentioned components and all combinations of one or more thereof. Although terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, they are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another. Accordingly, the first component mentioned below may be the second component within the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0033] As used herein, the terms “part” or “module” refer to hardware components such as software, FPGAs, or ASICs, and the “part” or “module” performs certain roles. However, the “part” or “module” is not limited to software or hardware. The “part” or “module” may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or configured to run on one or more processors. Thus, by example, the “part” or “module” includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided within the components and “parts” or “modules” may be combined into a smaller number of components and “parts” or “modules,” or further separated into additional components and “parts” or “modules.”

[0034] Spatially relative terms such as "below," "beneath," "lower," "above," and "upper" may be used to facilitate the description of the relationship between one component and other components as illustrated in the drawings. Spatially relative terms should be understood as encompassing different orientations of components during use or operation, in addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings. For example, if a component depicted in a drawing is inverted, a component described as "below" or "beneath" of another component may be placed "above" of that component. Therefore, the exemplary term "below" may encompass both the lower and upper directions. Components may also be oriented in other directions, and accordingly, spatially relative terms may be interpreted according to the orientation.

[0035] Expressions such as "first," "second," or "first," "second" as used in this specification are used to distinguish one object from another when referring to a plurality of objects of the same kind, unless otherwise indicated by the context, and do not limit the order or importance of said objects.

[0036] Expressions used herein such as “A, B, and C,” “A, B, or C,” “A, B, and / or C,” or “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and / or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and C,” “at least one selected from A, B, or C,” “at least one selected from A, B, and / or C,” etc., may mean each of the listed items or all possible combinations of the listed items. For example, “at least one selected from A and B” may refer to (1) A, (2) at least one of A, (3) B, (4) at least one of B, (5) at least one of A and at least one of B, (6) at least one of A and B, (7) at least one of B and A, and (8) all of A and B.

[0037] As used herein, the expression “based on” is used to describe one or more factors affecting an act or action of a decision or judgment described in the phrase or sentence containing such expression, and such expression does not exclude additional factors affecting said act or action of a decision or judgment.

[0038] As used in this specification, the expression that a certain component (e.g., a first component) is "connected" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component) may mean that the said certain component is not only directly connected or connected to the said other component, but is also connected or connected through a new other component (e.g., a third component).

[0039] As used herein, the expression "configured to" may have meanings such as "set to," "capable of," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of." Such expression is not limited to the meaning of "specifically designed in hardware," and, for example, a processor configured to perform a specific operation may mean a generic-purpose processor capable of performing that specific operation by executing software.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) may be used in a meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise.

[0041] In this specification, the term "computer" refers to any type of hardware device comprising at least one processor, and may be understood to include software configurations operating on said hardware device according to the embodiments. For example, the term "computer" may be understood to include smartphones, tablet PCs, desktops, laptops, and user clients and applications running on each of these devices, but is not limited thereto.

[0042] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0043] Each step described in this specification is described as being performed by a computer, but the subject of each step is not limited thereto, and depending on the embodiment, at least some of each step may be performed on different devices.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are drawings illustrating traffic management facilities according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of traffic management facilities (100), a computing device (200), a driver terminal (300), an external server (400), and a network (500).

[0047] Here, the warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is according to one embodiment, and its components are not limited to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 and may be added, changed, or deleted as needed.

[0048] In one embodiment, a plurality of traffic management facilities (100) may be installed at predetermined intervals within the highway. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of traffic management facilities (100) may be structures in the form of poles installed near the road, with components for traffic management installed therein.

[0049] In various embodiments, a plurality of traffic management facilities (100) can perform traffic management. To this end, each of the plurality of traffic management facilities (100) may include a CCTV module (110), a notification output module (120), and a control module (130), as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, not limited thereto, the plurality of traffic management facilities (100) may further include various components for traffic management (e.g., sensors for collecting various information).

[0050] The CCTV module (110) can acquire video data by capturing a predetermined space. For example, the CCTV module (110) can capture video data at preset intervals or generate video data in a real-time streaming manner. To this end, the CCTV module (110) may include one or more cameras, but is not limited thereto.

[0051] The notification output module (120) can output a notification by initiating operation under the control of the control module (130) described below. In various embodiments, the notification output module (120) may include a directional speaker (121) and a Gobo light (122), but is not limited thereto.

[0052] A directional speaker (121) may refer to a speaker that uses technology to concentrate sound in a specific direction. While a general speaker operates by spreading sound in all directions and filling the entire space around the listener, a directional speaker (121) emits sound only in a specific direction. Therefore, sound cannot be heard in spaces other than that direction, but because the output voice signal is concentrated in a specific space, the voice output by the directional speaker (121) can be heard clearly in that specific space, and there is an advantage that the voice signal can be clearly transmitted to a more distant space. Considering this, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by using a directional speaker (121) to output a voice-form notification, a vehicle traveling on the road can hear the voice-form notification more clearly even to a vehicle located at a distance, and the noise problem caused by the notification can be minimized.

[0053] In the gobo light (122), GOBO stands for Go Between Optics and refers to a light that utilizes technology to project light into a specific pattern or shape. The gobo light (122) is typically a plate made of metal, glass, or plastic, with a specific pattern or image engraved on its surface. When the light passes through the gobo, the engraved pattern is projected onto the light, allowing it to be displayed in a desired form on walls, floors, ceilings, etc. A feature of the gobo light (122) is that it can display highly precisely designed patterns and has the advantage of being able to be freely displayed on the road without any prior work. Considering these points, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a notification is displayed on the road in a visual form, like a road sign, using the gobo light (122), thereby enabling drivers traveling on the road to more clearly perceive information regarding the occurrence of an event.

[0054] The control module (130) can control the operation of components included in the traffic management facility (100) according to control commands obtained from the computing device (200) described later.

[0055] In one embodiment, the computing device (200) can control the operation of a plurality of traffic management facilities (100).

[0056] Here, the warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is described as having a control module (130) that controls the operation of components within each traffic management facility (100) and a computing device (200) that manages a plurality of traffic management facilities (100) installed within a predetermined area, but is not limited thereto, and may be implemented in such a way that each of the plurality of traffic management facilities (100) does not separately have a control module (130), and the computing device (200) also controls the operation of components included in each of the plurality of traffic management facilities (100).

[0057] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) may be connected to a network (500) and a plurality of traffic management facilities (100), and when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway, it may be controlled so that a notification regarding the occurrence of the event is output through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100) installed within a predetermined range centered on a specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities (100).

[0058] For example, the computing device (200) can control the output of an event notification in the form of voice through a directional speaker (121) at predetermined intervals, or control the display of an event notification in the form of visual on the road through a gobo light (122).

[0059] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) may be connected to a driver terminal (300) via a network (500), and when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point on the highway, it may provide a notification regarding the occurrence of the event to a driver terminal (300) corresponding to a vehicle traveling within a predetermined range centered on the specific point.

[0060] Here, the driver terminal (300) may refer to any form of entity(s) in a system having a mechanism for communicating with a computing device (200). For example, such a driver terminal (300) may include a personal computer (PC), a notebook, a mobile terminal, a smartphone, a tablet PC, and a wearable device, and may include any type of terminal capable of connecting to a wired or wireless network. Additionally, the driver terminal (300) may include any computing device implemented by at least one of an agent, an API (Application Programming Interface), and a plug-in. Additionally, the driver terminal (300) may include an application source and / or a client application.

[0061] Additionally, the network (500) may refer to a connection structure capable of exchanging information between each node, such as multiple terminals and servers. For example, the network (500) may include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the World Wide Web (WWW), a wired / wireless data network, a telephone network, a wired / wireless television network, a Controller Area Network (CAN), and Ethernet.

[0062] Wireless data communication networks may include, but are not limited to, 3G, 4G, 5G, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), 5GPP (5th Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), WIMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), Wi-Fi, Internet, LAN (Local Area Network), Wireless LAN (Wireless Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), PAN (Personal Area Network), RF (Radio Frequency), Bluetooth network, NFC (Near-Field Communication) network, satellite broadcasting network, analog broadcasting network, DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) network, etc.

[0063] In one embodiment, an external server (400) may be connected to a computing device (200) via a network (500) and may store and manage various information / data necessary for the computing device (200) to perform a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, or receive and store and manage various information / data derived as the computing device (200) performs a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway. For example, the external server (400) may be a storage server separately provided outside the computing device (200), but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, the hardware configuration of the computing device (200) for performing a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway will be described.

[0065] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 4, a computing device (200) according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include one or more processors (210), a memory (220) for loading a computer program (251) executed by the processor (210), a bus (230), a communication interface (240), and a storage (250) for storing the computer program (251). Here, FIG. 4 illustrates only the components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that other general-purpose components may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0067] The processor (210) controls the overall operation of each component of the computing device (200). The processor (210) may be configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), or any form of processor well known in the art of the present disclosure.

[0068] Additionally, the processor (210) may perform operations for at least one application or program for executing the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, and the computing device (200) may have one or more processors.

[0069] In various embodiments, the processor (210) may further include Random Access Memory (RAM) (not shown) and Read-Only Memory (ROM) (not shown) for temporarily and / or permanently storing signals (or data) processed within the processor (210). Additionally, the processor (210) may be implemented in the form of a System on Chip (SoC) comprising at least one of a graphics processing unit, RAM, and ROM.

[0070] Memory (220) stores various data, instructions and / or information. Memory (220) may load a computer program (251) from storage (250) to execute a method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. When the computer program (251) is loaded into memory (220), the processor (210) may perform the method / operation by executing one or more instructions constituting the computer program (251). Memory (220) may be implemented as volatile memory such as RAM, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0071] The bus (230) provides communication functions between components of the computing device (200). The bus (230) can be implemented as various types of buses, such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

[0072] The communication interface (240) supports wired and wireless internet communication of the computing device (200). Additionally, the communication interface (240) may support various communication methods other than internet communication. To this end, the communication interface (240) may be configured to include a communication module well known in the art of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the communication interface (240) may be omitted.

[0073] Storage (250) can store computer programs (251) non-temporarily. When a warning process for preventing secondary accidents on a highway is performed through a computing device (200), storage (250) can store various information necessary to provide a warning process for preventing secondary accidents on a highway.

[0074] The storage (250) may be configured to include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any form of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0075] A computer program (251) may include one or more instructions that cause a processor (210) to perform a method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure when loaded into memory (220). That is, the processor (210) may perform the method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by executing the one or more instructions.

[0076] In one embodiment, the computer program (251) may include one or more instructions for performing a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, comprising: a step of detecting the occurrence of an event within a highway; and a step of controlling a notification regarding the occurrence of an event to be output through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway.

[0077] The steps of the method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented directly in hardware, implemented as a software module executed by hardware, or implemented by a combination thereof. The software module may reside in RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), Flash Memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any form of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0078] The components of the present disclosure may be implemented as a program (or application) and stored on a medium to be executed in combination with a computer, which is hardware. The components of the present disclosure may be executed as software programming or software elements, and similarly, embodiments may be implemented in programming or scripting languages ​​such as C, C++, Java, assembler, etc., including various algorithms implemented as combinations of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. Functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms executed on one or more processors. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 5 through 9, a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, performed by a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, will be described.

[0080] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a warning method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 5, in step S110, the computing device (200) can detect the occurrence of an event within the highway.

[0082] Here, the event may refer to a traffic accident on the highway, but is not limited thereto, and may include, but is not limited to, any situation in which a secondary accident may occur on the highway, such as lane blockage by obstacles like broken-down vehicles or falling rocks, sudden traffic congestion, or black ice.

[0083] In addition, although this is described as detecting the occurrence of events within a highway, it is not limited to this and can be applied in various environments, such as general roads like expressways.

[0084] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) can detect the occurrence of an event within the highway based on the receipt of a user's report and notification.

[0085] Here, the user may be a party to the occurrence of an event on the highway (e.g., the perpetrator or victim of a traffic accident) or a witness (reporter) to the occurrence of the event, but is not limited thereto, and may be a person dispatched to the scene of the event upon receiving a report of the event (e.g., insurance company employee, police, etc.).

[0086] Additionally, the user may be an employee of a traffic control room that monitors and controls traffic conditions based on multiple video data generated by capturing different areas through CCTV modules (110) included in each of the multiple traffic management facilities (100) placed within the highway.

[0087] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) can detect the occurrence of an event by analyzing image data generated as it photographs the highway.

[0088] For example, the computing device (200) can detect the occurrence of an event by analyzing multiple video data generated by capturing different areas through CCTV modules (110) included in each of the multiple traffic management facilities (100) placed within the highway, using a pre-learned event detection model.

[0089] Here, the pre-trained event detection model may be a model trained based on training data in which multiple image data generated by capturing a highway section is used as input data and information regarding the event (e.g., whether the event occurred, the location of the event, and the type of the event) is used as ground truth data, and which receives specific image data as input and outputs as result data whether an event occurred in the highway section included in the specific image data, and if so, what the event is.

[0090] An event detection model (e.g., a neural network) consists of one or more network functions, and one or more network functions may consist of a set of interconnected computational units that can generally be referred to as 'nodes'. These 'nodes' may also be referred to as 'neurons'. One or more network functions are composed of at least one node. The nodes (or neurons) constituting one or more network functions may be interconnected by one or more 'links'.

[0091] In an event detection model, one or more nodes connected via links can form relative input and output node relationships. The concepts of input and output nodes are relative; any node in an output node relationship with respect to one node may be in an input node relationship with respect to another node, and vice versa. As previously mentioned, the input node versus output node relationship can be generated based on links. One or more output nodes may be connected to a single input node via links, and vice versa.

[0092] In a relationship between input and output nodes connected via a single link, the value of the output node can be determined based on data input into the input node. Here, the nodes interconnecting the input and output nodes may have weights. These weights can be variable and may be varied by a user or an algorithm to enable the event detection model to perform the desired function. For example, if one or more input nodes are interconnected to a single output node via respective links, the output node value can be determined based on the values ​​input into the input nodes connected to the output node and the weights set on the links corresponding to each input node.

[0093] As described above, an event detection model comprises one or more nodes interconnected through one or more links, forming input and output node relationships within the model. The characteristics of an event detection model can be determined by the number of nodes and links within the model, the relationships between the nodes and links, and the weight values ​​assigned to each link. For example, if two event detection models exist with the same number of nodes and links but different weight values ​​between the links, the two event detection models may be recognized as distinct from each other.

[0094] Some of the nodes constituting the event detection model may form a layer based on their distances from the initial input node. For example, a set of nodes with a distance of n from the initial input node may form n layers. The distance from the initial input node can be defined by the minimum number of links that must be traversed to reach that node from the initial input node. However, this definition of a layer is arbitrary for illustrative purposes, and the degree of a layer within the event detection model may be defined in a way different from that described above. For example, the layers of nodes may be defined by their distance from the final output node.

[0095] The initial input node may refer to one or more nodes within the event detection model to which data is directly input without passing through links in relation to other nodes. Alternatively, within the event detection model network, in terms of relationships between nodes based on links, it may refer to nodes that do not have other input nodes connected by links. Similarly, the final output node may refer to one or more nodes within the event detection model that do not have output nodes in relation to other nodes. Additionally, the hidden node may refer to nodes constituting the event detection model that are neither the initial input node nor the final output node. An event detection model according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may have more nodes in the input layer than nodes in the hidden layer that are close to the output layer, and may be an event detection model in which the number of nodes decreases as one progresses from the input layer to the hidden layer.

[0096] An event detection model may include one or more hidden layers. The hidden nodes of a hidden layer can take the output of the previous layer and the output of neighboring hidden nodes as inputs. The number of hidden nodes for each hidden layer may be the same or different. The number of nodes in the input layer may be determined based on the number of data fields in the input data and may be the same or different from the number of hidden nodes. The input data fed into the input layer can be processed by the hidden nodes of the hidden layer and output by the fully connected layer (FCL), which is the output layer.

[0097] In various embodiments, the event detection model may be a deep learning model (e.g., FIG. 4).

[0098] A deep learning model (e.g., a deep neural network (DNN)) can refer to an event detection model that includes multiple hidden layers in addition to input and output layers. Using a deep neural network, one can identify the latent structures of data. That is, one can identify the latent structures of photos, text, videos, voice, and music (e.g., what objects are in a photo, what the content and emotion of the text are, what the content and emotion of the voice are, etc.).

[0099] Deep neural networks may include, but are not limited to, convolutional neural networks (CNN), recurrent neural networks (RNN), autoencoders, Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), restricted Boltzmann machines (RBM), deep belief networks (DBN), Q networks, U networks, and Siamese networks.

[0100] In various embodiments, the network function may include an autoencoder. Here, the autoencoder may be a type of artificial neural network for outputting output data similar to the input data.

[0101] An autoencoder may include at least one hidden layer, and an odd number of hidden layers may be placed between the input and output layers. The number of nodes in each layer may be reduced from the number of nodes in the input layer to an intermediate layer called the bottleneck layer (encoding), and then expanded symmetrically from the bottleneck layer to the output layer (symmetrical to the input layer). The nodes of the dimensionality reduction layer and the dimensionality restoration layer may or may not be symmetrical. Additionally, the autoencoder can perform non-linear dimensionality reduction. The number of input and output layers may correspond to the number of sensors remaining after the preprocessing of the input data. In the autoencoder structure, the number of nodes in the hidden layers included in the encoder may have a structure where it decreases as it moves away from the input layer. Since the number of nodes in the bottleneck layer (the layer with the fewest nodes located between the encoder and the decoder) may not transmit a sufficient amount of information if it is too small, it may be maintained at a certain number or higher (e.g., more than half the number of the input layer).

[0102] In step S120, when the occurrence of an event is detected through step S110, the computing device (200) can control the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of an event through a notification output module (120) included in a plurality of traffic management facilities (100). For example, the computing device (200) can control the output of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of voice through a directional speaker (121) at a predetermined interval, and / or control the output of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of visual display on the road through a gobo light (122).

[0103] In various embodiments, when the computing device (200) determines that an event has occurred at a specific point on the highway, as shown in FIG. 6, it can control the output of an event notification through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100) installed within a predetermined range (e.g., 20 km) centered on a specific point among a plurality of traffic management facilities (1000).

[0104] In this case, the predetermined range may be determined based on the severity of the event.

[0105] More specifically, first, the computing device (200) can calculate a score corresponding to the scale of an event that occurred at a specific point by analyzing image data generated by capturing an area including a specific point. For example, the computing device (200) can calculate a score within the range of 0 to 100 by comprehensively evaluating the type of event, the degree of event occurrence, and the form of event occurrence that occurred at the specific point by analyzing image data generated by capturing an area including a specific point. For example, if the type of event is a traffic accident, the computing device (200) can calculate a score corresponding to the traffic accident by comprehensively evaluating the degree of the traffic accident (whether it is a simple contact accident, an accident at the level where the vehicle overturns, etc.) and the types of vehicles involved in the traffic accident (whether they are ordinary cars, trucks, etc.).

[0106] Subsequently, the computing device (200) can determine the severity of an event that occurred at a specific point based on a score corresponding to the scale of the event. For example, the computing device (200) can classify the severity of the event into one of a plurality of grades based on a score corresponding to the scale of the event.

[0107] Here, the multiple grades may be grades classified into three levels: upper, middle, and lower, but are not limited thereto, and may be grades classified into a total of nine levels from upper-upper to lower-lower, or grades classified into four levels such as safety, caution, warning, and danger.

[0108] Afterwards, the computing device (200) can determine a predetermined range size based on the severity of the event, and can output a notification through the notification output module (120) of the traffic management facility (100) installed within the determined range size.

[0109] Here, the size of a predetermined range corresponding to the severity of an event may be determined based on information stored in advance, and may be set so that a wider range is determined as the severity of the event increases (as the score corresponding to the scale of the event increases and the grade corresponding to the severity of the event increases), but is not limited thereto.

[0110] At this time, the computing device (200) can correct the severity of the event based on weather information of an area including a specific point and the time at which the event occurred at the specific point, and can adjust the size of a predetermined range according to the corrected severity of the event.

[0111] Typically, when the location where an accident occurs is snowy, rainy, or foggy, braking is difficult and visibility is poor, so there is a relatively higher likelihood of a secondary accident. Taking this into consideration, the computing device (200) can increase the severity of the event based on weather information of an area including a specific point, and increase the size of a predetermined range accordingly, if it is snowing or raining at a specific point or visibility is poor due to fog.

[0112] In addition, if the event occurs at night, it is more difficult to visually perceive the event compared to daytime, so there is a relatively higher possibility of a secondary accident. Considering this, the computing device (200) can increase the severity of the event compared to daytime when the event occurs at night, and accordingly, increase the size of a predetermined range.

[0113] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) outputs a notification through a notification output module (120) of at least one traffic management facility (100), determines the attributes of the notification (e.g., type, size, and period of the notification, etc.) based on the distance between at least one traffic management facility (100) and a specific point where an event occurred, and controls the notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100) so that a notification of the attributes determined according to the distance is output.

[0114] For example, referring to FIG. 7, the computing device (200) can control the output of a notification of a first attribute through the notification output module (120) of the specific traffic management facility (100) when the distance between the specific traffic management facility (100) and the specific point where an event occurred is a first distance (D1). Here, the notification of the first attribute is a notification that is output at a first cycle and may be a voice notification of a first size and a visual notification warning of an event occurrence, or a voice / visual notification warning of an event occurrence.

[0115] Additionally, the computing device (200) can control the output of a notification of a second attribute at a second period longer than the first period through the notification output module (120) of the specific traffic management facility (100) when the distance between the specific traffic management facility (100) and the specific point where an event occurred is a second distance (D2) longer than the first distance (D1). Here, the notification of the second attribute is a notification output at a second period longer than the first period, and may be a voice notification of a second size smaller than the first size and a visual notification notifying of the occurrence of an event, or a voice / visual notification notifying of the occurrence of an event.

[0116] Additionally, the computing device (200) can control the output of a notification of a third attribute through the notification output module (120) of the specific traffic management facility (100) when the distance between the specific traffic management facility (100) and the specific point where an event occurred is a third distance (D3) which is longer than a second distance (D2). Here, the notification of the third attribute is a notification that is output every third period which is longer than the second period, and may be a voice notification of a third size smaller than the second size and a visual notification guiding the occurrence of an event, or a voice / visual notification guiding the occurrence of an event.

[0117] In various embodiments, when two or more traffic management facilities (100) are installed within a predetermined range centered on a specific point, the computing device (200) can create multiple facility groups by grouping two or more traffic management facilities (100) according to a pre-set rule, determine the attribute of a notification corresponding to each of the multiple facility groups based on the distance between each of the reference location (e.g., center location) of each of the multiple facility groups and the specific point, and control the traffic management facilities (100) included in each facility group so that the notification of the attribute determined corresponding to each facility group is output identically.

[0118] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) can determine the attributes of a notification based on the vehicle traffic volume over a predetermined range centered on a specific point, and can control the output of a notification of the attributes determined according to the vehicle traffic volume through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100).

[0119] Typically, in sections with low traffic volume, there are many vehicles traveling at relatively high speeds, and thus there is a high possibility of secondary accidents occurring. Taking this into consideration, the computing device (200) can increase the attributes of the notification to be output when there is low traffic volume within a predetermined range based on the point where the event occurred.

[0120] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) may be connected via a network (500) to a driver terminal (300) corresponding to vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on a specific point, and may provide a notification regarding the occurrence of an event at the specific point to the driver terminal (300) (e.g., app push, SMS, etc.). However, it is not limited thereto.

[0121] In various embodiments, when the computing device (200) determines that an event has occurred at a specific point, it may identify a detour route existing between the specific point and at least one traffic management facility (100), and control the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of the event and a second notification guiding to detour via the detour route through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100). The following description will be explained with reference to FIG. 8.

[0123] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for outputting a notification that guides a detour route according to the occurrence of an event in various embodiments.

[0124] Referring to FIG. 8, when the computing device (200) determines that an event has occurred at a specific point, it can identify a detour route existing between at least one traffic management facility (100) installed within a predetermined range from the specific point and the specific point.

[0125] Here, the detour route is an avoidance route capable of avoiding an event that occurs at a specific point. For example, the detour route may be a highway exit ramp existing prior to the point where the event occurs, but is not limited thereto. In the case where at least one of a plurality of lanes is blocked by an event that occurs at a specific point, the remaining lanes excluding the at least one lane blocked by the event can be identified as the detour route.

[0126] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) can identify a detour route existing between a specific point and at least one traffic management facility (100) when the severity of an event occurring at a specific point exceeds a standard.

[0127] Here, the computing device (200) can identify a detour route based on video data generated from a CCTV module (110) of at least one traffic management facility (100) installed within a predetermined range from a specific point, but is not limited thereto, and can identify a detour route based on map data for an area corresponding to a predetermined range from a specific point.

[0128] In step S220, if a detour route is identified through step S210, the computing device (200) can control the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of an event and a second notification guiding to detour via the detour route through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100).

[0129] At this time, when a detour route exists at a first point, the computing device (200) can control the output of a first notification and a second notification through a notification output module (120) of a traffic management facility (100) installed before the first point among traffic management facilities (100) installed within a predetermined range centered on a specific point, and can control the output of only the first notification through a notification output module (120) of a traffic management facility (100) installed between a specific point and the first point. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the computing device (200) can control the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of an event and a second notification guiding to detour via a detour route through a notification output module (120) of a traffic management facility (100-1, 100-2) installed before the point where the detour route exists. Meanwhile, the computing device (200) can control the notification output module (120) of the traffic management facility (100-3, 100-4) installed after the point where the detour route exists so that only the first notification regarding the occurrence of an event is output.

[0130] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) controls the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of an event and a second notification guiding to detour via a detour route through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100), wherein if no detour route is identified between a specific point and at least one traffic management facility (100), the attributes of a predetermined notification may be increased, and the first notification corresponding to the increased attributes may be output through the notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100).

[0131] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) can determine the validity of a detour route and control a second notification to be output through a notification output module (120) included in at least one traffic management facility (100) to guide detouring via the detour route only when the detour route is determined to be valid.

[0132] For example, the computing device (200) can determine validity based on whether the event can be avoided when driving on a detour route, or whether the original driving route can be returned when driving on a detour route, but is not limited thereto.

[0133] In various embodiments, the computing device (200) may identify a detour route existing between a specific vehicle and a specific point among vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on a specific point via a network (500), and provide a notification to a specific driver terminal (300) corresponding to the specific vehicle to guide it to detour via the detour route. For example, the computing device (200) may provide a notification to the specific driver terminal (300) guiding the detour route as a recommended route, but is not limited thereto.

[0134] At this time, the computing device (200) may provide a predetermined reward to a specific driver terminal when the driving path corresponding to a specific vehicle is changed to a detour path (e.g., when the driving path of a specific vehicle is tracked and identified as moving to a detour path, or when a driving path previously set for the vehicle is changed to a detour path in response to guidance on a detour path as a recommended path).

[0135] For example, the reward could be points of a certain size. Points can be used for fuel discounts, highway toll discounts, etc., whenever certain criteria are met, and can also be redeemed for cash if needed.

[0137] The aforementioned warning method for preventing secondary accidents on highways has been described with reference to the flowchart illustrated in the drawings. For the sake of simplicity, the warning method for preventing secondary accidents on highways has been illustrated and described using a series of blocks; however, the present disclosure is not limited to the order of the blocks, and some blocks may be performed in a different order than that illustrated and described in this specification or simultaneously. Additionally, new blocks not described in this specification and drawings may be added, or some blocks may be deleted or modified.

[0139] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented in other specific forms without altering its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Explanation of the symbols

[0140] 100 : Traffic management facilities 200: Computing device 300 : Driver terminal 400 : External Server 500 : Network

Claims

Claim 1 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, comprising: a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals within a highway and including a notification output module; and a computing device for controlling the operation of the plurality of traffic management facilities, wherein, when it is determined that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway, the computing device controls the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of an event through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point among the plurality of traffic management facilities. Claim 2 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, wherein, in claim 1, the notification output module includes a directional speaker and a gobo light, and the computing device controls the output of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of voice through the directional speaker at predetermined intervals, or controls the display of a notification guiding the occurrence of an event in the form of a visual on the road through the gobo light. Claim 3 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 1, wherein the computing device analyzes image data generated by photographing an area including the specific point to calculate a score corresponding to the scale of an event occurring at the specific point, determines the severity of the event occurring at the specific point according to the calculated score, and determines the size of the predetermined range based on the determined severity of the event. Claim 4 In paragraph 3, the computing device corrects the severity of the determined event based on weather information of an area including the specific point and the time at which the event occurred at the specific point, and adjusts the size of the determined predetermined range according to the corrected severity of the event, a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway. Claim 5 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, wherein, in claim 1, the computing device determines the attributes of a notification—the attributes of the notification include at least one of the type, size, and period of the notification—based on the distance between the at least one traffic management facility and the specific point, and controls the output of the notification of the determined attributes through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility. Claim 6 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 1, wherein the computing device generates a plurality of facility groups by grouping two or more traffic management facilities according to a pre-set rule when two or more traffic management facilities are installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and determines the attribute of a notification corresponding to each of the generated plurality of facility groups based on the distance between the reference position of each of the generated plurality of facility groups and the specific point. Claim 7 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 1, wherein the computing device identifies a detour route existing between the specific point and the at least one traffic management facility when the severity of an event occurring at the specific point exceeds a standard, and controls the output of a first notification regarding the occurrence of the event and a second notification guiding to detour via the identified detour route through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility. Claim 8 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, wherein, in the case where a detour route is not identified between the specific point and the at least one traffic management facility, the computing device upscales the attributes of a predetermined notification and controls a first notification corresponding to the upscaled attributes to be output through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility. Claim 9 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 7, wherein the computing device controls the first notification and the second notification to be output through a notification output module of a traffic management facility installed before the first point among traffic management facilities installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and controls the first notification to be output only through a notification output module of a traffic management facility installed between the specific point and the first point, when the identified detour route exists at the first point. Claim 10 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 7, wherein the computing device determines the validity of the identified detour route and controls the output of a second notification guiding to detour via the identified detour route through a notification output module included in at least one traffic management facility only when the identified detour route is determined to be valid. Claim 11 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, wherein, in claim 1, the computing device determines the attributes of a notification—the attributes of the notification include at least one of the type, size, and period of the notification—based on the volume of vehicle traffic over a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and controls the output of the notification of the determined attributes through a notification output module included in the at least one traffic management facility. Claim 12 In claim 1, the computing device provides a warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, which provides a notification regarding the occurrence of an event to a driver terminal corresponding to vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on the specific point. Claim 13 A warning system for preventing secondary accidents on a highway according to claim 1, wherein the computing device identifies a detour route existing between a specific vehicle and a specific point among vehicles located within a predetermined range centered on the specific point, and provides a notification to a specific driver terminal corresponding to the specific vehicle to guide it to detour via the identified detour route, and provides a predetermined reward to the specific driver terminal when the driving route corresponding to the specific vehicle is changed to the identified detour route. Claim 14 A method for preventing secondary accidents on a highway, performed by a warning system comprising a plurality of traffic management facilities installed at predetermined intervals within a highway and including a notification output module, and a computing device that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic management facilities, wherein the computing device detects the occurrence of an event within the highway; and when the computing device determines that an event has occurred at a specific point within the highway, the computing device controls the output of a notification regarding the occurrence of the event through a notification output module included in at least one of the plurality of traffic management facilities installed within a predetermined range centered on the specific point.

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