Proactive vehicle doors to prevent accidents

Abstract

This solution will help to detect oncoming traffic and / or nearby external objects when the vehicle door is being opened, and it would automatically stop the vehicle door from opening further if there is a possibility of an accident involving the vehicle doors or its users. This solution will notify vehicle users using an indicator on the vehicle door and / or an existing notification systems in vehicle that vehicle door has been restricted from opening further due to potential of an accident. This invention also has an external alert mechanism, which would generate alert externally that vehicle door is about to be opened, and therefore, help to prevent accidents. This invention will also comprise of an artificial intelligence module within the proactive vehicle door system, where such module would constantly gather data, analyze and provide proactive suggestions or even take necessary actions in order to help prevent any vehicle door related accidents.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 256,707, entitled “Proactive Vehicle Doors to Prevent Accidents” filed on Nov. 18, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]It often occurs that when a vehicle door is opened without paying close attention to the oncoming traffic (for example: another vehicle, cyclist, motorbike, scooter, people, etc), then there is a potential of an accident if the traffic either coming from behind or even from the front come and hit that open vehicle door. In this situation, there is also a risk of the user themselves getting hit by traffic if they weren't paying attention while opening their vehicle door.[0003]In addition to above, it also often occurs that when a vehicle user opens their vehicle door without paying close attention to the external objects, then there is a potential for an accident as tha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a solution to prevent accidents when opening vehicle doors in the event of an accident or external object damage. The system uses sensors to detect the approach of objects and will automatically stop the vehicle door from opening further. The system also notifies the user with an indicator and notifies external people or objects of the vehicle's intent to open the door. Additionally, the system analyzes user behavior and will proactively inform the user or external objects about potential mistakes to avoid future accidents. The technical effect of this patent is to provide a safer way to open vehicle doors and prevent accidents.

Problems solved by technology

It often occurs that when a vehicle door is opened without paying close attention to the oncoming traffic (for example: another vehicle, cyclist, motorbike, scooter, people, etc), then there is a potential of an accident if the traffic either coming from behind or even from the front come and hit that open vehicle door.

In this situation, there is also a risk of the user themselves getting hit by traffic if they weren't paying attention while opening their vehicle door.

In addition to above, it also often occurs that when a vehicle user opens their vehicle door without paying close attention to the external objects, then there is a potential for an accident as that vehicle door can hit the external objects (for example: another vehicle parked in parking lot, building wall if vehicle was parked next to building wall, road sign pillar / pole, water hydrant, etc).

Overall, the vehicle door related accidents are increasing more and more, and can result in dents and damages on the vehicle itself as well as other external objects / vehicles.

In addition, there are costs involved to fix those dents / damages, rise in insurance premiums occur due to such accidents, and so on.

In fact, in some cases, people even run away after they hit another vehicle with their vehicle door without reporting those accidents resulting in hit and run cases.

Also, currently there is no indicator on the vehicle notification system or the vehicle doors itself to indicate to the vehicle door operators that there is a risk of an accident when there are external objects or oncoming traffic.

Also, currently there isn't any type of external alert mechanism (for example: an indicator, notification, digital display, lights, etc) to external / outside people, oncoming traffic or nearby external objects that the vehicle door is about to be opened, which can provide an alert to those external things and help to prevent accidents.

In addition, currently there also isn't an artificial intelligence module for the proactive vehicle doors that would constantly gather, analyze and provide proactive suggestions or even take the necessary actions in order to help prevent any vehicle door related accidents.

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