Automatic assessment of the size of the dragged object

Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods for automatically populating safety messages (such as basic safety messages (BSMs)) with the positions and combined lengths of the vehicle and the towed object. Some embodiments include determining the distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to the remote sensor on the towed object by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor. Some embodiments include populating the safety message with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object based on the determined distances from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. non-provisional application No. 17 / 206,057, filed March 18, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] The automotive industry is deploying vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology, a form of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication that enables vehicles to exchange information with each other, with roadside infrastructure, and with other entities involved in providing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) and Cellular-V2X (C-V2X, also known as LTE-V2X) wireless communication are examples of communication technologies used in V2X systems.

[0004] Vehicles equipped with V2X systems periodically transmit messages including safety messages that convey information about the vehicle, useful for collision avoidance and route planning by autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles and traffic management systems. Safety messages may include vehicle location information such as position, vehicle size, speed, and acceleration. These safety messages are sent by the vehicle to enable other vehicles within communication range to assess the presence of road hazards and avoid collisions. Various forms of safety messages are defined in V2X standards, such as the SAE J2735 message set dictionary or the ETSI EN 302 637 specification series under ETSI ITS-G5. Examples of safety messages defined in different V2X standards include Basic Safety Messages (BSM), Collaborative Awareness Messages (CAM), and Distributed Environment Notification Messages (DENM). For ease of description and not limitation, all forms and protocols of safety messages will be referred to herein as "BSM".

[0005] When a vehicle tows an object (referred to herein as the "towed object") such as a trailer, boat, campervan, or other vehicle, the BSM should include the total combined length of the towing vehicle and the towed object. Currently, the length of the towed object must be manually entered into the vehicle's V2X system, for example, by the user. This manual input requirement means that, given human error or failure to enter information, the length of the towed object may sometimes be omitted and therefore not reflected in the BSM. When this occurs, the BSM cannot inform other vehicles of the actual combined length of the towing vehicle and the towed object, or even the existence of a towed object. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The aspects include methods, processing systems, and computing devices for automatically populating safety messages with the positions of the towing vehicle and the towed object, as well as combined length information. The aspects may include: determining the distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor, and populating the safety message with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object based on the determined distances from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor. In some aspects, the safety message may be one of a Basic Safety Message (BSM), a Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM), or a Distributed Environmental Notification Message (DENM).

[0007] In some aspects, the short-range wireless signal can be at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband signals. In some aspects, the remote sensor can be a camera, and the short-range wireless signal encodes image data from the camera. Some aspects may also include receiving the short-range wireless signal in a video surveillance system of a vehicle, wherein processing the short-range wireless signal received from the camera to determine the distance from one or more antennas in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object is performed by the video surveillance system.

[0008] Some aspects may also include providing the vehicle-to-everything (V2X) processing system with the determined distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to a camera on the towed object in a format that allows the V2X processing system to automatically populate fields in a safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object. In some aspects, short-range radio signals may encode data from remote sensors. Some aspects may also include processing short-range radio signals received from remote sensors to obtain information about the movement of the towed object relative to the vehicle. Some aspects may also include processing short-range radio signals received from remote sensors to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion, and including an indication of a critical event, such as populating a critical event flag, in the safety message in response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle meets the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion.

[0009] Another aspect may include a vehicle system, such as a V2X system, comprising a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations of any of the methods outlined above. Another aspect includes a vehicle system including means for performing functions of any of the methods outlined above. A further aspect includes a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having processor-executable software instructions stored thereon, the processor-executable software instructions being configured to cause the processor of the vehicle system to perform operations of any of the methods outlined above. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the various embodiments.

[0011] Figure 1A and Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary vehicle processing system suitable for implementing any of the various embodiments, the vehicle being connected to a towed object having remote sensors.

[0012] Figure 2A and Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram illustrating detectable movement of a towed object relative to a connected vehicle according to various embodiments.

[0013] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a towing vehicle and a towed object equipped with remote sensors, showing distance measurements that can be performed in various embodiments.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a component block diagram illustrating an exemplary system-level encapsulation suitable for implementing any of the various embodiments.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a component block diagram illustrating a software architecture suitable for implementing any of the various embodiments, the software architecture including a radio protocol stack for connecting to one or more processing systems of a vehicle towing an object.

[0016] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a component block diagram illustrating a system configured to automatically fill a BSM with the positions of a vehicle and a towed object, as well as the combined length, according to various embodiments.

[0017] Figures 7A to 7DThis is a process flowchart of a method for automatically filling a BSM with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object and the combined length, executed by one or more processing systems connected to a vehicle connected to the towed object, according to various embodiments.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a component block diagram suitable for use with various embodiments of the processing system.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a component block diagram of a base station server computing device applicable to various embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. References to specific examples and embodiments are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the aspects or claims.

[0021] Many sensors, such as wireless cameras, are available that can be mounted on the towed object to provide information to the towing vehicle or its driver. For example, a backup camera mounted at the rear of a trailer can allow the driver of the towing vehicle to monitor the environment behind the trailer and assist in reversing the assembled vehicle. Similarly, other sensors can be mounted on the towed object, such as accelerometers, proximity sensors, motion sensors, radar, lidar, etc. Such sensors can use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband (UWB), or other short-range wireless technologies to transmit data (e.g., video images) to the towing vehicle. Many short-range wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ultra-wideband (UWB), include the ability to determine the distance a signal has traveled, such as ranging techniques. Examples include High-Precision Indoor Positioning (HAIP) in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi positioning (using fine timing measurements or IEEE 802.11az), or IEEE 802.15.4z for UWB.

[0022] Various embodiments include methods and systems using conventional sensors (such as backup cameras), which can be mounted on the towed object (i.e., the trailer) and communicate with one or more receivers on the towing vehicle using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, or other short-range wireless signals. In various embodiments, the same short-range wireless signal used for communication between a remote sensor (e.g., a backup camera) and the receiver on the towing vehicle is used to measure the distance between the sensor and one or more antennas on the towing vehicle. By using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or UWB ranging technologies, the distance between a remote sensor located on the towed object and one or more antennas located on the towing vehicle can be automatically measured, thereby reducing the need for an operator to estimate or physically measure the distance from the front or rear end of the towed object to the rear end of the towed object, as is required in a V2X system by manually entering this information. Vehicle systems (such as V2X systems) can use the automatically measured distances to populate BSM messages with accurate trailer position and size data, particularly including the combined or total length of the towing vehicle and the towed object.

[0023] Various embodiments enable the use of simple, off-the-shelf sensors (such as wireless backup cameras or proximity sensors) to automatically provide information about the distance to the end of the towed object (e.g., a trailer). The V2X system can use this information to populate the BSM message with the combined position and combined length of the towing vehicle and the towed object. This reduces the need for operators to manually input V2X system trainers or combined vehicle and trailer length information. Therefore, such inexpensive sensors can be used to provide new safety features, including ensuring the accuracy of vehicle length data in BSM transmissions via towing vehicles. Furthermore, this new safety feature can be added to vehicles without the need for wiring or complex system integration, which can be difficult and / or expensive.

[0024] As used herein, the term "vehicle" refers to one of various types of vehicles, such as cars, trucks, buses, etc. Vehicles can be autonomous, semi-autonomous, or non-autonomous, operating with and / or without an onboard human driver. According to various embodiments, a vehicle may include onboard computing devices configured to receive its messages (e.g., BSM) and transmit its messages (e.g., BSM) to one or more other nearby vehicles and / or base stations (e.g., Node B / eNode B). C-V2X has two distinct communication modes: Mode 3, which includes communication with infrastructure, and Mode 4, where vehicles communicate directly with each other without any infrastructure (i.e., V2V) (also known as sidelink communication).

[0025] As used herein, the term "V2X system" refers to any of various vehicle processing and communication systems configured to send and receive messages (including the generation and transmission of BSMs) consistent with ITS standards. A V2X system (also referred to as a "wireless device") may include at least a processor, communication system, and memory (i.e., electronic storage device) within or built into a vehicle for sending and receiving its messages (e.g., BSMs) wirelessly. A V2X system may be equipped with a mobile broadband adapter and / or any similar device configured to connect to a base station, as specified in 3GPP specifications, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) specifications, IEEE specifications, or other similar specifications. A V2X system may support sidelink communication between two or more other V2X systems. For example, a first vehicle with sidelink communication resources may be configured to send messages to a second vehicle configured to receive sidelink communication, and vice versa. Sidelink communication can occur without the support of a communication network. Sidelink communication may include logical sidelink channels for V2X systems to exchange and coordinate settings and data to control signaling and coordinate the use of allocated frequencies. The more information a V2X system has about the availability of sidelink communication resources, the more effectively it can perform sidelink communication.

[0026] As used herein, the term "base station" refers to an entity that communicates with wireless devices (e.g., V2X systems) and may also be referred to as Node B, eNode B, LTE Evolution Node B, Access Point (AP), Radio Headend, Transmit / Receive Point (TRP), New Radio Base Station (NR BS), 5G Node B (NB), Next Generation Node B (gNB), etc. Each base station can provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area. In 3GPP, the term "cell" can refer to the coverage area of ​​a base station, the base station subsystem serving that coverage area, or a combination thereof, depending on the context in which the term is used. A base station can provide connectivity between communication vehicles and / or direct communication with one or more vehicles. A base station can operate as a hub for communication to and / or from one or more vehicles. A base station can provide communication coverage for macrocells, picocells, femtocells, another type of cell, or a combination thereof. Macrocells can cover a relatively large geographic area (e.g., a radius of several kilometers) and can allow unrestricted access for mobile devices with service subscriptions. A picocell can cover a relatively small geographic area and allows unrestricted access by mobile devices with service subscriptions. A femtocell can cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a home) and allows restricted access by mobile devices associated with the femtocell (e.g., mobile devices in a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG)). A base station can support one or more (e.g., three) cells. The terms “eNB,” “base station,” “NR BS,” “gNB,” “TRP,” “AP,” “Node B,” “5G NB,” and “cell” are used interchangeably herein.

[0027] The term "System-on-a-Chip" (SoC) is used herein to refer to a single integrated circuit (IC) chip containing multiple resources and / or processors integrated on a single substrate. A single SoC may contain circuitry for digital, analog, mixed-signal, and radio frequency functions. A single SoC may also include any number of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processors (digital signal processors, modem processors, video processors, etc.), memory blocks (e.g., ROM, RAM, flash memory, etc.), and resources (e.g., timers, voltage regulators, oscillators, etc.). A SoC may also include software for controlling the integrated resources and processors, as well as software for controlling peripheral devices.

[0028] The term "System-in-Package" (SIP) may be used herein to refer to a single module or package that incorporates multiple resources, computing units, cores, and / or processors on two or more IC chips, substrates, or SoCs. For example, a SIP may include a single substrate on which multiple IC chips or semiconductor dies are stacked in a vertical configuration. Similarly, a SIP may include one or more multi-chip modules (MCMs) on which multiple ICs or semiconductor dies are packaged into a unified substrate. A SIP may also include multiple independent SoCs coupled together via high-speed communication circuitry and packaged in close proximity (such as on a single motherboard or in a single wireless device). The proximity of SoCs facilitates high-speed communication and the sharing of memory and resources.

[0029] As used herein, the terms “component,” “system,” “unit,” “module,” etc., include computer-related entities configured to perform specific operations or functions, such as, but not limited to, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process, processor, object, executable file, execution thread, program, and / or computer running on a processor. For illustration, applications running on communication devices and communication devices can both be referred to as components. One or more components may reside within a process and / or execution thread, and components may reside on a single processor or core and / or be distributed across two or more processors or cores. Furthermore, these components can execute from various non-transitory computer-readable media on which various instructions and / or data structures are stored. Components can communicate as local and / or remote processes, function or procedure calls, electronic signals, data packets, memory read / write, and other known computer, processor, and / or process-related communication methods.

[0030] Various embodiments can be implemented within various intelligent transportation systems, examples of which are shown in Figure 1A The diagram is shown as system 100, and in Figure 1B The diagram is shown as system 101. Figure 1A In the exemplary system 100 shown, the process of determining the distance to a remote sensor 150 on the rear of the towed object is performed within the V2X system. Figure 1B In the exemplary system 101 shown, a process for determining the distance to a remote sensor 150 on the rear of the towed object is performed within an intermediate processing system (such as a backup camera display system), wherein the distance information determined by the intermediate processing system is provided to the V2X system for filling the BSM.

[0031] refer to Figure 1AThe transport control system 100 may include a towing vehicle 110 connected to a towed object 120, such as any type of trailer (e.g., campervan, flatbed, paddock, refrigerated trailer, low trailer, step deck, gooseneck trailer, special trailer, etc.). The towed object 120 may be any object configured to be towed by a vehicle on the road, including both automotive and non-automotive vehicles. Additionally, the transport control system 100 may include one or more auxiliary vehicles 115 and / or one or more base stations 25, both configured to communicate with the towing vehicle 110 traveling on the road.

[0032] The towing vehicle 110 and the auxiliary vehicle 115 can be configured to use a radar system for navigation, distance measurement, proximity warning, and other vehicle functions. Such a radar system can enable or assist vehicles 110 and 115 to avoid collisions and remain on the road. Furthermore, each vehicle 110 and 115 can also be configured to compile and transmit a BSM via sidelink communication (i.e., PC5 in 3GPP) through wireless communication link 11. The BSM allows each vehicle to communicate its own vehicle information, such as acceleration, speed, position, and vehicle size, to another vehicle. The BSM can also help vehicles avoid collisions with each other. According to various embodiments, the towing vehicle 110 can be configured to generate and transmit an enhanced BSM to the auxiliary vehicle 115 and / or base station 25, the BSM including position and size information corresponding to the towed object 120.

[0033] Base station 25 and auxiliary vehicle 115 may include various circuits and devices for controlling their operation, such as processors, memory, and transceivers for receiving BSMs via wireless signals in wireless communication link 10, such as from traction vehicle 110. Base station 25 may also receive BSMs from auxiliary vehicle 115. Furthermore, base station 25 exchanges information with communication network 50 and remote servers or other remote computing devices (e.g., transportation control servers).

[0034] In various embodiments, the towing vehicle 110 may include a V2X system 140, which may include various circuits and devices for controlling its operation. Figure 1AIn the example shown, V2X system 140 includes a processor 141, a memory 143, an input module 145, and an output module 147. V2X system 140 can use the input module 145 and the output module 147 to communicate with other onboard vehicle resources (e.g., sensors, drive systems, navigation systems, etc.). Additionally, V2X system 140 can be coupled to one or more in-vehicle transceivers 112, 114 and out-of-vehicle transceivers 149 and is configured to communicate wirelessly via one or more in-vehicle transceivers 112, 114 and out-of-vehicle transceivers 149. In-vehicle transceivers 112, 114 can be configured to be coupled to one or more antennas 116 / 118 mounted on the vehicle and to exchange or at least receive wireless signals from at least one remote sensor 150 in one or more wireless communication links 12, 14. One or more vehicle-mounted transceivers 149 can be used to exchange wireless signals with one or more base stations 25 or one or more additional vehicles 115 in wireless communication links 10, 11.

[0035] In various embodiments, the remote sensor 150 may be a camera (e.g., a backup camera), an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a motion sensor, radar, lidar, or any device that detects, measures, or responds to environmental properties or changes thereof. The remote sensor 150 may be battery-powered (i.e., including its own power source), powered by a power source on the towed object, and / or powered by a power source on the towing vehicle (e.g., via a wired connection). The remote sensor 150 may include a processor 151, a memory 153, a transceiver 159, and a detector assembly 160 configured to detect, measure, and / or respond to specific environmental properties. The remote sensor 150 may be configured to transmit sensor data (e.g., image or video data) to the V2X system 140 via wireless communication links 12, 14, exchanging signals with transceivers 112 / 114 within the vehicle using the transceiver 159 (e.g., an RF transmitter). Transceiver 159 can be a short-range device using low power (e.g., 25-100 milliwatts of effective radiated power (ERP) or less, depending on the frequency band). Such short-range devices typically have a limited useful range of up to one hundred meters, but do not require licenses and tend to be cheaper than higher-power (i.e., longer-range) devices. As used herein, the expression "short-range wireless signal" refers to a signal that travels from a few centimeters to a few meters, as defined by IEEE 802.15.4, the technical standard defining the operation of low-rate wireless personal area networks.

[0036] In various embodiments, wireless communication links 12, 14 may use short-range wireless signals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and / or UWB, which may also provide ranging and / or location information. For example, in Figure 1A In the illustrated embodiment, if the remote sensor 150 is a backup camera, the video stream of its field of view 165 can be relayed to the V2X system 140 via one or both of the wireless communication links 12, 14 within the vehicle transceiver 112 / 114. Furthermore, any of a variety of wireless signal ranging techniques is used to analyze the signals forming the wireless communication links 12, 14 between the remote sensor 150 and the antennas 116 / 118. In this way, the wireless communication links 12, 14 used to transmit sensor data can also be used to determine the distance (e.g., D1, D2) to the remote sensor 150 on the towing vehicle 110, particularly the distance (e.g., D1, D2) from the sensor transceiver 159 to each of the one or more antennas 116 / 118 mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the transceivers 112, 114 within the vehicle.

[0037] V2X system 140 can receive short-range wireless signals from transceiver 159 via wireless communication links 12, 14 and in-vehicle transceivers 112 / 114. Wireless communication links 12, 14 can be bidirectional or unidirectional and can use one or more communication protocols. For example, if remote sensor 150 is a backup camera, the short-range wireless signals can encode image data (such as video streams) from the camera, which can be received by V2X system 140. Additionally, control commands can be transmitted from V2X system 140 to remote sensor 150. In some embodiments, processor 141 of V2X system 140 can process video streams, such as on a display inside towing vehicle 110.

[0038] Alternatively, a separate or intermediate processor can be used to process, such as Figure 1B The video stream shown, along with the operations of determining the distance (e.g., D1, D2) to remote sensors 150 on the towing vehicle 110 and providing distance information to the V2X system 140 (e.g., via a data cable connection). In some embodiments, some or all of the components (e.g., processor 141, memory 143, input module 145, output module 147, onboard vehicle transceivers 112, 114 and / or onboard vehicle transceiver 149) may be integrated into a single device or module, such as a system-on-a-chip (SOC) processing device. Such an SOC processing device may be configured for use in a vehicle and configured (e.g., with processor-executable instructions executed in processor 141) to perform operations of various embodiments.

[0039] Figure 1B This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a transportation control system 101 suitable for implementing any of the various embodiments. Reference Figure 1B The transportation control system 101 may include elements that are the same as or similar to those described above with respect to the transportation control system 100. Additionally, the transportation control system 101 may include an intermediate processing system 170 separate from the V2X system 140 of the traction vehicle 110. For example, the intermediate processing system 170 may be a dedicated sensor monitoring system, such as a video monitoring system for a backup camera.

[0040] The intermediate processing system 170 can perform some of the functions of the V2X system 140 of the transportation control system 100. Specifically, the intermediate processing system 170 can receive short-range wireless signals from transceiver 159 via wireless communication links 12, 14 and in-vehicle transceivers 112 / 114. Wireless communication links 12, 14 can be bidirectional or unidirectional communication links and can use one or more communication protocols. Therefore, the short-range wireless signals received by the intermediate processing system 170 from transceiver 159 can encode data (such as video streams) from remote sensors 150. The intermediate processing system 170 can process (i.e., decode) the data encoded in the short-range wireless signals. Additionally, control commands can be transmitted from the intermediate processing system 170 to the remote sensors 150 using one or both of the wireless communication links 12, 14.

[0041] The intermediate processing system 170 may include a processor 171, a memory 173, an input module 175, and an output module 177. Additionally, the intermediate processing system 170 may optionally include or be coupled to a display 179 for presenting (i.e., outputting) processed data from the remote sensor 150. The intermediate processing system 170 may use the input module 175 and the output module 177 to communicate with the main V2X system 140 and other onboard vehicle resources (e.g., sensors, drive systems, navigation systems, etc.). Such communication with the onboard vehicle resources may use a wired or wireless connection 16, which may be bidirectional or unidirectional. Furthermore, the intermediate processing system 170 may be coupled to one or more of the vehicle-in-vehicle transceivers 112, 114 and configured to communicate wirelessly via one or more of the vehicle-in-vehicle transceivers 112, 114. The vehicle-in-vehicle transceivers 112, 114 may be used to exchange or at least receive wireless signals from at least one remote sensor 150 in one or more wireless communication links 12, 14.

[0042] In some embodiments, intermediate processing system 170 may process short-range wireless signals received from remote sensor 150 to determine the distance (e.g., D1, D2) from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver (i.e., the vehicle-mounted transceiver 112, 114 of towing vehicle 110) to the remote sensor 150 on the towed object 120. Furthermore, intermediate processing system 170 may then provide (i.e., transmit) the determined distance (e.g., D1, D2) information to V2X system 140 in a format that allows the V2X system to automatically populate fields in a basic safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object. Alternatively, intermediate processing system 170 may transmit short-range wireless signals or at least their timing information to V2X system 140 for distance determination. Subsequently, V2X system 140 can compile and populate one or more BSMs to include the location and combined length of the vehicle and the towed object based on the determined distance from remote sensor 150 to one or more antennas (e.g., 116, 118) coupled to one or more receivers (e.g., 112, 114). Afterward, V2X system 140 can use vehicle-external transceiver(s) 149 to transmit the enhanced BSM to one or more base stations 25 and / or one or more additional vehicles 115.

[0043] In various embodiments, the processor (e.g.) Figure 1B The intermediate processor 171 shown or as Figure 1AThe V2X system processor 141 shown can be configured to perform ranging calculations that use short-range wireless signals from wireless communication links 12, 14 to determine the distance between the remote sensor 150 and antennas 116 / 118 coupled to the respective vehicle-mounted transceivers 112 / 114. For example, the ranging calculations can use the time-of-flight or round-trip time of the short-range wireless signals to determine the distance. In this way, a first distance D1 can be determined from the first antenna 116 to the remote sensor 150 on the towed object 120, the first antenna 116 being coupled to a first vehicle-mounted transceiver 112 that at least acts as a first receiver. Specifically, the first distance D1 represents the straight-line distance between the transceiver 159 of the remote sensor 150 and the first antenna 116 of the first vehicle-mounted transceiver 112 coupled to the towing vehicle 110. Additionally, by using the second vehicle-mounted transceiver 114, a second distance D2 can be determined from the second antenna 118 coupled to the second vehicle-mounted transceiver 114, which serves as at least the second receiver, to the remote sensor 150 on the towed object 120. Similarly, the second distance D2 represents the straight-line distance between the transceiver 159 of the remote sensor 150 and the first antenna 116 coupled to the second vehicle-mounted transceiver 114 of the towing vehicle 110. Using more than one antenna 116, 118 can provide redundancy to ensure more accurate measurements. Furthermore, by coupling at least two separate antennas 116, 118 to the vehicle-mounted transceiver (e.g., 112, 114), the movement of the towed object 120 relative to the towing vehicle 110 can be detected more accurately via triangulation, as shown in the reference. Figure 2A and 2B As described.

[0044] In various embodiments, processor 141 may include V2X processing capabilities configured to calculate vehicle position and / or size information and populate the BSM with that information. Once one or both of a first distance D1 and a second distance D2 are determined (e.g., via an intermediate processor or via V2X processor 141), processor 141 can populate the BSM with the position of the towed object based on the determined distances D1, D2. Alternatively, the processor can populate the BSM with the position of the towing vehicle 110 itself.

[0045] One or more vehicle-mounted transceivers 149 can be configured to conduct wireless communications by exchanging signals with base station 25 and / or one or more attached vehicles 115 in one or more wireless communication links 10, 11. The exchanged signals may include coded information such as BSM, command signals for control and maneuvering, signals from navigation facilities, etc. Wireless communication links 10, 11 may include multiple carrier signals, frequencies, or frequency bands, each of which may include multiple logical channels. Furthermore, wireless communication links 10, 11 may use one or more radio access technologies (RATs). Examples of RATs that can be used in wireless communication links include 3GPP LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G (e.g., NR), GSM, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and other mobile phone communication technology cellular RATs. Other examples of RATs that can be used in one or more of the various wireless communication links 10, 11 within the communication system may include mid-range protocols (such as LTE-U, LTE-Direct, LAA, MuLTEfire, Cellular V2X (also known as LTE-V2X)) and relatively short-range RATs (such as Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, UWB and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE)).

[0046] Input module 145 can receive sensor data from one or more other vehicle sensors (e.g., radar systems) and electronic signals from other components (including drive control and navigation components). Output module 147 can be used to communicate with or activate various components of the towing vehicle 110, including vehicle-internal transceivers 112 and 114, vehicle-external transceiver 149, drive control components, navigation components, sensors directly on the towing vehicle 110, and remote sensors 150.

[0047] Figure 2A and Figure 2B A plan view 200 shows a towing vehicle 110 connected to a towed object 120 traveling on road 5. (Refer to...) Figure 2AThe towing vehicle 110 travels in one of two lanes, with the towed object 120 following directly behind. According to various embodiments, the vehicle system (e.g., V2X system 140, intermediate processing system 170) can determine one or more distances D1, D2 from one or more antennas on the towing vehicle (such as one or both antennas 116, 118 coupled to transceivers 112, 114 within the vehicle) to the remote sensor 150 on the towed object 120 by processing short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensor 150 via wireless communication links 12, 14.

[0048] Reference Figure 2B The towing vehicle 110 is still traveling in one of the two lanes of road 5, but the rear end of the towed object 120 has now turned into the adjacent lane. According to various embodiments, processing the short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensor 150 may include obtaining information about the movement of the towed object 120 relative to the towing vehicle 110. As shown, the lateral movement of the rear end of the towed object 120 has caused a change in the distance between antennas 116, 118 and the remote sensor 150. Specifically, the distance has changed to a shorter distance D'1, D'2.

[0049] Lateral movement of the rear end of the towed object 120 will alter (typically shorten) the distance between antennas 116, 118 and remote sensor 150. Therefore, by continuously or periodically determining and monitoring distances D'1, D'2, the vehicle system (e.g., V2X system 140, intermediate processing system 170) can detect when the movement of the towed object meets criteria indicating dangerous vehicle movement. For example, extreme swerving of the towed object 120 can be detected when either distance D'1 or D'2 shortens by more than a threshold change in distance. This threshold change in distance can be stored in the vehicle system (e.g., within the V2X system, the intermediate processing system, or a separate camera display system) as a criterion for dangerous vehicle movement (i.e., dangerous turns). As another example, the rear end of the towed object 120 may experience a small drift-type lateral movement that does not meet a predetermined threshold change distance, but in a cycle from one side to the other, a regular or periodic change in distance D'1, D'2 exceeding the threshold cycle number may meet different criteria for dangerous vehicle movement (i.e., dangerous drift).

[0050] Therefore, in some embodiments, the vehicle system (e.g., V2X system 140, intermediate processing system 170) can process short-range wireless signals received from remote sensor 150 to determine whether a change in distance from antennas 116, 118 on the towing vehicle 110 to the end of the towed object 120 meets a dangerous vehicle movement criterion, such as indicating an extreme turn or drift. For example, a dangerous vehicle movement pattern criterion may be met when the observed change in measured distance matches a predetermined pattern of regular displacement of measured distance, the predetermined pattern exceeding a threshold difference consistent with dangerous drift. In response to determining that the movement of the towed object 120 relative to one or more antennas on the towing vehicle 110 meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion, the V2X system may populate a critical event flag in the BSM to warn other vehicles of potential danger.

[0051] When assessing the movement of the towed object 120, the vehicle system (e.g., V2X system 140, intermediate processing system 170) may consider the current trajectory or path of the towing vehicle 110. For example, if the towing vehicle 110 makes a sharp turn, then Figure 2B The relative positions of the towing vehicle 110 and the towed object 120 shown do not meet the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criteria because the towed object 120 follows the towing vehicle 110 and therefore does not turn. Similarly, the duration or periodicity of changes in distance measurements indicating the movement of the towed object 120 can also be considered, since a single or infrequent turn of the towed object can be caused by wind or road conditions and therefore does not indicate dangerous drift. Therefore, if a turning or drift event lasting only a few seconds does not recur or only recurs infrequently, it may not meet the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criteria.

[0052] Figure 3A and Figure 3B A plan view of an additional transport control system 102, 103 according to various embodiments is shown, the additional transport control system 102, 103 including a towing vehicle 110 connected to a towed object 120 having different antenna / receiver / sensor configurations.

[0053] Reference Figure 3AThe transport control system 102 includes a towing vehicle 110, which includes only a single antenna 118 coupled to a single in-vehicle transceiver (not shown separately), but the towed object 120 includes more than one remote sensor 150. Specifically, the towed object 120 includes four remote sensors 150. By including more than one remote sensor 150, the in-vehicle transceiver 114 can be used to exchange or at least receive wireless signals from a plurality of wireless communication links 41, 42, 43, 44, each of the respective remote sensors 150. Each of the plurality of wireless communication links 41, 42, 43, 44 can be used to determine the distance from each of the remote sensors 150, particularly from the corresponding transceiver (e.g., 159) therein, to the in-vehicle transceiver 114 on the towing vehicle 110. Using multiple remote sensors 150 also provides redundancy and improves the detection of relative movement of the towed object 120. Any number of remote sensors 150 can be used. While the remote sensors 150 can be positioned almost anywhere on the towed object 120, positioning them at the rear end or outer edge of the towed object 120 makes it easier for the vehicle system (e.g., V2X system 140, intermediate processing system 170) to determine the farthest or outermost dimension of the towed object 120. The BSM message may not need to define the precise outer shape of the towed object 120, only the length and optionally the width.

[0054] Reference Figure 3B The transport control system 103 includes a towing vehicle 110, which again includes two antennas 116, 118 coupled to a transceiver (not shown separately) within the vehicle. However, the towed object 120 includes two different types of remote sensors 150, 180. For example, the first remote sensor 150 could be a backup camera, while the second remote sensor 180 could be a proximity sensor. Despite using two different remote sensors, distance information can be derived from every point and different points on the towed object 120. Moreover, even though the second remote sensor 180 only provides distance information for one side of the towed object, since the second remote sensor 180 is positioned on the lateral edge (right side), the opposite lateral edge (i.e., the left side) can be estimated as being at the same lateral distance from the centerline of the towing vehicle 110. Antennas 116 and 118, coupled to transceivers 112 and 114 within the vehicle, can be used to exchange or at least receive wireless signals from each of the respective remote sensors 150 and 180, from multiple wireless communication links 12, 14, 17, and 19. According to various embodiments, short-range wireless signals can be used for distance calculations to automatically populate BSM messages.

[0055] Figure 4 This is a component block diagram illustrating an example processing system 400, which may be included within a V2X 140 and / or intermediate processing system 170 implementing any of the various embodiments and configured to perform the functions of the V2X 140 and / or intermediate processing system 170.

[0056] refer to Figure 1A-4 The example processing system 400 shown is in the form of a system-in-package (SIP) comprising two system-on-chip (SoC) 402, 404 coupled to a clock 406, a voltage regulator 408, onboard vehicle transceivers 112, 114, onboard vehicle transceiver 149, and other sensors 470 (e.g., radar, lidar, etc.). In some embodiments, the first SoC 402 operates as the central processing unit (CPU) of a wireless device, executing instructions of a software application by performing arithmetic, logic, control, and input / output (I / O) operations specified by instructions. In some embodiments, the second SoC 404 may operate as a dedicated processing unit. For example, the second SoC 404 may operate as a dedicated 5G processing unit responsible for managing high-capacity, high-speed (e.g., 5Gbps, etc.) and / or very high frequency short-wavelength (e.g., 28GHz millimeter-wave spectrum, etc.) communications.

[0057] The first SOC 402 may include a digital signal processor (DSP) 410, a modem processor 412, a graphics processor 414, an application processor 416, one or more coprocessors 418 (e.g., vector coprocessors) connected to one or more processors, memory 420, custom circuitry 422, system components and resources 424, an interconnect / bus module 426, one or more temperature sensors 430, a thermal management unit 432, and a thermal power envelope (TPE) component 434. The second SOC 404 may include a 5G modem processor 452, a power management unit 454, an interconnect / bus module 464, multiple mmWave transceivers 456, memory 458, and various additional processors 460 (e.g., application processors, packet processors, etc.).

[0058] Each processor 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460 may include one or more cores, and each processor / core may perform operations independently of other processors / cores. For example, the first SOC 402 may include a processor running a first type of operating system (e.g., FreeBSD, LINUX, OS X, etc.) and a processor running a second type of operating system (e.g., MICROSOFT WINDOWS 10). Additionally, any or all of processors 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460 may be included as part of a processor cluster architecture (e.g., synchronous processor cluster architecture, asynchronous or heterogeneous processor cluster architecture, etc.).

[0059] The first SOC 402 and the second SOC 404 may include various system components, resources, and custom circuitry for managing sensor data, analog-to-digital conversion, wireless data transmission, and performing other specialized operations, such as decoding data packets and processing encoded audio and video signals for presentation in a web browser. For example, the system components and resources 424 of the first SOC 402 may include power amplifiers, voltage regulators, oscillators, phase-locked loops, peripheral bridges, data controllers, memory controllers, system controllers, access ports, timers, and other similar components for supporting processors and software clients running on wireless devices. System components and resources 424 and / or custom circuitry 422 may also include circuitry for interfacing with peripheral devices such as cameras, electronic displays, wireless communication devices, external memory chips, etc.

[0060] The first SOC 402 and the second SOC 404 can communicate via interconnect / bus module 450. Various processors 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, and 460 can be interconnected via interconnect / bus module 426 to one or more memory elements 420, system components and resources 424, as well as custom circuitry 422 and a thermal management unit 432. Similarly, processor 452 can be interconnected via interconnect / bus module 464 to a power management unit 454, an mmWave transceiver 456, memory 458, and various additional processors 460. Interconnect / bus modules 426, 450, and 464 may include reconfigurable logic gate arrays and / or implement bus architectures (e.g., CoreConnect, AMBA, etc.). Communication can be provided by advanced interconnects such as high-performance on-chip networks (NoCs).

[0061] The first and / or second SOCs 402, 404 may further include input / output modules (not shown) for communicating with external resources such as radio module 153, sensor(s) 150, clock 406, and voltage regulator 408. External resources (e.g., clock 406, voltage regulator 408) may be shared by two or more internal SOC processors / cores.

[0062] In addition to the example processing system 400 discussed above, various embodiments can be implemented in a wide variety of computing systems, which may include a single processor, multiple processors, multi-core processors, or any combination thereof.

[0063] Figure 5 This is a software architecture diagram illustrating software architecture 500, which includes a wireless protocol stack for the user plane and control plane suitable for implementing wireless communications in any of the various embodiments. (Reference) Figure 1A-5 The V2X system 140 can implement a software architecture 500 to facilitate communication between the V2X system 140 and a base station 25 of a transportation control system (e.g., 100). In various embodiments, layers in the software architecture 500 can be logically connected to corresponding layers in the software of the base station 25. The software architecture 500 can be distributed among one or more processors (e.g., processors 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460).

[0064] Software architecture 500 may include a Non-Access Layer (NAS) 502 and an Access Layer (AS) 504. NAS 502 may include functions and protocols for supporting packet filtering, security management, mobility control, session management, and services and signaling between the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) (e.g., SIM 404) of V2X system 140 and its carrier. AS 504 may include functions and protocols for supporting communication between the SIM (e.g., SIM 404) and entities of the supported access network (e.g., base station 25). Specifically, AS 504 may include at least three layers (Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3), each of which may contain various sublayers.

[0065] In the user plane and control plane, Layer 1 (L1) of AS 504 can be Physical Layer (PHY) 506, which can supervise the functions enabling transmission and / or reception over the air interface. Examples of such Physical Layer 506 functions may include Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) appending, coded blocks, scrambling and descrambling, modulation and demodulation, signal measurement, etc. The Physical Layer may include various logical channels, including Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), or sidelink channels such as Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH) and Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH).

[0066] In the user plane and control plane, Layer 2 (L2) of AS 504 can be responsible for the link between V2X system 140 and base station 25 on physical layer 506. In various embodiments, Layer 2 may include a Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer 508, a Radio Link Control (RLC) sublayer 510, and a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) sublayer 512, each of which forms a logical connection terminating at base station 25.

[0067] In the control plane, Layer 3 (L3) of AS 504 may include a Radio Resource Control (RRC) sublayer 3. Although not shown, software architecture 500 may include additional Layer 3 sublayers, as well as various upper layers above Layer 3. In various embodiments, RRC sublayer 513 may provide functions including broadcasting system information, paging, and establishing and releasing RRC signaling connections between V2X system 140 and base station 25.

[0068] In various embodiments, PDCP sublayer 512 can provide uplink functions, including multiplexing between different radio bearers and logical channels, sequence numbering, handover data processing, integrity protection, encryption, and header compression. In the downlink, PDCP sublayer 512 can provide functions including sequential delivery of data packets, duplicate data packet detection, integrity verification, decryption, and header decompression.

[0069] In the uplink, RLC sublayer 510 can provide segmentation and concatenation of upper-layer data packets, retransmission of lost data packets, and Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ). In the downlink, RLC sublayer 510 functions may include reordering of data packets to compensate for out-of-order reception, reassembly of upper-layer data packets, and ARQ.

[0070] In the uplink, MAC sublayer 508 can provide functions including multiplexing between logical and transport channels, random access procedures, logical channel prioritization, and hybrid ARQ (HARQ) operations. In the downlink, MAC layer functions can include intra-cell channel mapping, demultiplexing, discontinuous reception (DRX), and HARQ operations.

[0071] While the software architecture 500 can provide the ability to transmit data over a physical medium, it may also include at least one host layer 514 to provide data transmission services to various applications in the V2X system 140. In some embodiments, dedicated functions provided by at least one host layer 514 may provide an interface between the software architecture and a general-purpose processor (e.g., 141).

[0072] In other embodiments, software architecture 500 may include one or more higher logical layers (e.g., transport, session, presentation, application, etc.) that provide host layer functionality. For example, in some embodiments, software architecture 500 may include a network layer (e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) layer) where logical connections terminate at a Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway (PGW). In some embodiments, software architecture 500 may include an application layer where logical connections terminate at another device (e.g., end-user equipment, server, etc.). In some embodiments, software architecture 500 may also include a hardware interface 516 in AS 504 between physical layer 506 and communication hardware (e.g., one or more radio frequency (RF) transceivers).

[0073] Figure 6A This is a component block diagram illustrating a system 600 according to various embodiments, the system 600 being configured to automatically fill a BSM with the positions of a vehicle and a towed object, as well as the combined length. Reference Figure 1A-6A System 600 may include information about Figure 1A The described transportation control system 100 includes components such as the V2X system 140. System 600 may also include one or more remote sensors 150 / 180, which may be part of the transportation control system configured to assist the V2X system 140 in measuring the size of the towed object and populating the BSM with accurate vehicle position / location information.

[0074] V2X system 140 may also include memory 143 (i.e., electronic storage device), one or more processors 141, and / or other components such as input / output modules 145, 147. V2X system 140 may also include communication lines or ports to enable the exchange of information with remote equipment and / or computing devices (such as external resources 620). Using communication lines via in-vehicle transceivers 112 / 114, processor 141 can exchange information or at least receive wireless signals via wireless communication links 12 / 14 to measure distances to one or more remote sensors 150 / 180. Additionally, using communication lines via one or more external transceivers 149, the processing system can exchange information with communication network 50 and / or other remote computing platforms via base station 25 and wireless communication link 10, and with one or more nearby auxiliary vehicles 115 via wireless communication link 11 through a secondary link. Figure 6A The illustration of V2X system 140 is not intended to be limiting. V2X system 140 may include multiple hardware, software and / or firmware components that operate together to provide the functionality attributed to V2X system 140 herein.

[0075] Memory 143 can be any non-transitory computer-readable medium that electronically stores information. The electronic storage medium of memory 143 may include one or both of system storage devices provided integrally with (i.e., substantially non-removable) the V2X system 140 and / or removably connected thereto. Examples include ports (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, FireWire ports, etc.) or drives (e.g., disk drives, etc.). Memory 143 may include one or more of optically readable storage media (e.g., optical discs, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, etc.), charge-based storage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drives, etc.), and / or other electronically readable storage media. Memory 143 may include one or more virtual storage resources (e.g., cloud storage, virtual private networks, and / or other virtual storage resources). Memory 143 may store software algorithms, information determined by processor 141, and information received from V2X system 140 that enables V2X system 140 to function as described herein.

[0076] Processor 141 can be configured to provide information processing capabilities in V2X system 140. Thus, processor 141 may include one or more of the following: digital processor, analog processor, digital circuitry designed to process information, analog circuitry designed to process information, state machine, and / or other mechanisms for electronically processing information. Although processor 141(one or more) in Figure 6AThe processor 141 is shown as a single entity, but this is for illustrative purposes only. In some embodiments, the processor 141 may include multiple processing units. These processing units may be physically located within the same device, or one or more processors 141 may represent the processing capabilities of multiple devices operating remotely and / or locally to each other in a coordinated manner.

[0077] The V2X system 140 can be configured by machine-readable instructions 630, which may include one or more instruction modules. These instruction modules may include computer program modules. Specifically, the instruction modules may include one or more of the following: a short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 640, a distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor, a BSM location information filling module 642, a towed object movement analysis module 643, a BSM critical event flag filling module 644, a BSM transmission module 645, and / or other instruction modules.

[0078] The short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 640 can be configured to receive and / or process short-range wireless signals (e.g., 12, 14, 17, 19, 41, 42, 43, 44) from one or more remote sensors (e.g., 150, 180). In some embodiments, the short-range wireless signal can be at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or UWB signals.

[0079] As a non-limiting example, the unit for implementing the machine-readable instructions 635 of the short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 640 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140), which may use memory (e.g., 143), external resources 620 and / or signal information received from a transceiver (e.g., 112 / 114) within a vehicle.

[0080] The distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor can be configured to determine the distance from antennas 116, 118 of a receiver (e.g., one or both of transceivers 112 / 114 in the vehicle) coupled to a towed object (e.g., 120) to a remote sensor (e.g., 150) by processing short-range wireless signals (e.g., 12, 14, 17, 19, 41, 42, 43, 44) received from a remote sensor (e.g., 150, 180). Using ranging measurement techniques associated with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and / or UWB, the distance determination module 641 can determine the distance traveled by the short-range wireless signal. In some embodiments, the remote sensor may be a camera, and the short-range wireless signal may encode image data from the camera. For example, the short-range wireless signal may not only be measured to determine the distance from the antenna to the remote sensor but may also carry encoded data that can be converted into images and / or streaming video captured by the camera. Otherwise, regardless of the type of remote sensor, short-range wireless signals can be used to encode data from the remote sensor in addition to being measured to determine the distance from the antenna to the remote sensor.

[0081] As a non-limiting example, the unit for implementing the machine-readable instructions 635 of the distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that can use a processing device (e.g., 140) with memory (e.g., 143) and external resources 620.

[0082] The BSM location information filling module 642 can be configured to fill the Basic Safety Message (BSM) with the location and combined length of the vehicle and the towed object, in part based on the distance determined by the distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor. In some embodiments, the location and combined length filled in the BSM by the BSM location information filling module 642 may include the total combined length of the towing vehicle (e.g., 110) and the towed object (e.g., 120), including any overlap space therebetween. In some embodiments, the location and combined length filled in the BSM by the BSM location information filling module 642 may additionally include the width of one or both of the towing vehicle 110 and the towed object 120.

[0083] As a non-limiting example, means for implementing machine-readable instructions 635 of the BSM location information filling module 642 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140) that may use memory (e.g., 143), external resources 620 and / or signal information received from a transceiver (e.g., 112 / 114) within a vehicle.

[0084] The towed object movement analysis module 643 can be configured to process short-range wireless signals (e.g., 12, 14, 17, 19, 41, 42, 43, 44) received from remote sensors (e.g., 150, 180) to obtain information about the movement of a towed object (e.g., 120) relative to a towing vehicle (e.g., 110). In some embodiments, the movement of the towed object can be detected based on changes in distance determined by the distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor. The detected distance changes can reflect the movement of the towed object relative to the towing vehicle 110. In some embodiments, the towed object movement analysis module 643 can be configured to process the short-range wireless signals to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to the antenna in the vehicle meets a hazardous or critical vehicle movement criterion. If the detected distance changes meet one or more criteria indicating or associated with certain hazardous conditions, such as turning or drifting of the towed object, additional measures can be taken.

[0085] As a non-limiting example, an apparatus for implementing machine-readable instructions 635 of the towed object movement analysis module 643 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140) that may use memory (e.g., 143), external resources 620 and / or signal information received from a transceiver (e.g., 112 / 114) within the vehicle.

[0086] BSM critical event flag filling module 644 can be configured to fill critical event flags in the BSM in response to the towed object movement analysis module 643 determining that the movement of the towed object relative to the antenna in the vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion. For example, a change in distance measurement can meet a criterion indicating that the rear end of the towed object has turned or laterally moved beyond a predetermined turning threshold movement amount. As another example, a movement pattern can meet a criterion indicating that the towed object has drifted for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., more than 10 seconds) or oscillated back and forth for more than a predetermined drift threshold movement amount, which may be less than a predetermined turning threshold.

[0087] As a non-limiting example, means for implementing machine-readable instructions 635 of the BSM critical event flag filling module 644 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140) that may use memory (e.g., 143), external resources 620 and / or signal information received from a transceiver (e.g., 112 / 114) within a vehicle.

[0088] BSM transmission module 645 can be configured to transmit BSM filled by BSM location information filling module 642 and possible BSM critical event flag filling module 644. In some embodiments, BSM transmission module 645 may use vehicle external transceiver 149 to transmit the filled BSM to one or both of base station 25 and auxiliary vehicle 115.

[0089] As a non-limiting example, means for implementing the machine-readable instructions 635 of the BSM transmission module 645 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140, 170) that may use memory 143, external resources 620 and / or vehicle external transceivers 149.

[0090] One or more processors 141 may be configured to execute modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644 and / or 645 and / or other modules. One or more processors 141 may be configured to execute modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644 and / or 645 and / or other modules via software; hardware; firmware; a combination of software, hardware, and / or firmware; and / or other mechanisms for configuring processing capabilities on one or more processors 141. As used herein, the term "module" may refer to any component or collection of components that performs the functions belonging to a module. This may include one or more physical processors, processor-readable instructions, circuitry, hardware, storage media, or any other component during the execution of processor-readable instructions.

[0091] The descriptions of the functions provided by the various modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, and / or 645 described below are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting, as any module 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, and / or 645 may provide more or fewer functions than described. For example, one or more of modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, and / or 645 may be eliminated, and some or all of their functions may be provided by other modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, and / or 645. As another example, processor(s) 141 may be configured to execute one or more additional modules that may perform some or all of the functions attributed to one of modules 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, and / or 645 as described below.

[0092] Figure 6B This is a component block diagram illustrating a system 601 according to various embodiments, the system 601 being configured to automatically fill the BSM with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object, as well as the combined length. Reference Figure 1A-6B System 601 may include information about Figure 1B The described transport control system 101 includes components such as the V2X system 140 and the intermediate processing system 170. System 601 may also include one or more remote sensors 150 / 180, which may be part of the transport control system configured to assist the V2X system 140 and the intermediate processing system 170 in measuring the dimensions of the towed object and populating the BSM with accurate vehicle position / location information.

[0093] V2X system 140 may include the features and functions described with respect to system 600, such as processor 141. Additionally, V2X system 140 in system 601 may be configured by machine-readable instructions 631, which may include one or more additional or different instruction modules. Instruction modules may include computer program modules. Specifically, instruction modules may include one or more of the following: a towed object information receiving module 646, a BSM location information filling module 642, a BSM critical event flag filling module 644, a BSM transmission module 645, and / or other instruction modules.

[0094] The towed object information receiving module 646 can be configured to receive information related to a towed object (e.g., 120) from the processor 151 of the intermediate processing system 170. In some embodiments, the received towed object information may include length information, such as the total length from the front of the towing vehicle (e.g., 110) to the rear of the towed object (e.g., 120). Furthermore, the received towed object information may include width information, such as the maximum width of the towed object, or more detailed dimensional information about the towed object. Additionally, the received towed object information may include movement information about the towed object. Movement information may indicate how or whether the towed object moves relative to the towing vehicle. Furthermore, movement information may indicate how or whether the towed object moves in a dangerous manner matching a predefined set of dangerous vehicle movement patterns.

[0095] As a non-limiting example, the unit for implementing the machine-readable instructions 635 of the short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 640 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140), which may use memory (e.g., 143), external resources 620 and / or signal information received from a transceiver (e.g., 112 / 114) within a vehicle.

[0096] The intermediate processing system 170 can operate like a video surveillance system in a vehicle, such as for monitoring backup camera video. The intermediate processing system 170 may include a memory 173 (i.e., an electronic storage device), one or more processors 171, input / output modules 175 / 175, and / or other components, such as an optional display 179. The intermediate processing system 170 may also include communication lines or ports, such as for connection to a transceiver 112 / 114 within the vehicle to enable information exchange with one or more remote sensors 150 / 180. Figure 6B The illustration of intermediate processing system 170 is not intended to be limiting. Intermediate processing system 170 may include multiple hardware, software, and / or firmware components that operate together to provide the functionality attributed to intermediate processing system 170 herein.

[0097] The intermediate processing system 170 may include one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules similar to the computer program modules in machine-readable instructions 630 or 631 of the processor 141 in the V2X system 140 described above. Similarly, a given intermediate processing system 170 may include one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules similar to the computer program modules in machine-readable instructions 630, 631 of the V2X system 140 described above. Additionally, the intermediate processing system 170 may be configured by machine-readable instructions 635, which may include one or more of its own instruction modules. Instruction modules may include one or more of the following: a short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 670, a distance determination module 671 from the antenna to a remote sensor, a towed object movement analysis module 673, a towed object information transmission module 676, a video surveillance system module 677, and / or other instruction modules.

[0098] The short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 670 can operate in the same or similar manner as the short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 640 of the machine-readable instructions 630 of the processor 141 described above with respect to system 600. Therefore, the short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 670 can receive and process short-range wireless signals (e.g., 12, 14, 17, 19, 41, 42, 43, 44) for remote sensors (e.g., 150, 180). For example, in the case where the intermediate processing system 170 is a video monitoring system for a vehicle, the short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module 670 can receive and / or process camera images and / or streaming video. Similarly, the distance determination module 671 from the antenna to the remote sensor and the towed object movement analysis module 673 can operate in the same or similar manner as the distance determination module 641 from the antenna to the remote sensor and the towed object movement analysis module 643 of the machine-readable instructions 630 of the processor 141 described above with respect to system 600.

[0099] The towed object information transmission module 676 can transmit information related to the towed object (e.g., 120) received by the towed object information receiving module 646 described above. For example, the transmitted towed object information may include length information, such as the total length from the front of the towing vehicle (e.g., 110) to the rear of the towed object (e.g., 120). Furthermore, the transmitted towed object information may include width information, such as the maximum width of the towed object, or more detailed dimensional information about the towed object. Additionally, the transmitted towed object information may include movement information about the towed object. Movement information can indicate how or whether the towed object moves relative to the towing vehicle. Furthermore, movement information can indicate how or whether the towed object moves in a dangerous manner matching a predefined set of dangerous vehicle movement patterns.

[0100] The towed object information transmission module 676 can provide this information to the V2X system 140 in a format that allows the BSM to include determined distance information related to the towed object. The V2X system 140 can automatically populate fields in the basic safety message with information about the location and combined length of the vehicle and the towed object.

[0101] As a non-limiting example, an apparatus for implementing machine-readable instructions 635 of the towed object information transmission module 676 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 170) that may use memory (e.g., 173) and / or may include input / output modules 175 / 177 that may include a communication link 16 to the V2X system 140.

[0102] When the intermediate processing system 170 is a video surveillance system or part thereof, it may include an optional video surveillance system module 677. The video surveillance system module 677 may provide functionality such as video display (e.g., output on display 179) and other features typically included in backup camera systems.

[0103] Figures 7A to 7D The diagram illustrates operations of methods 700, 701, 702, and 703, executed by a processor of a processing system according to various embodiments, for automatically filling a BSM with the positions of a vehicle and the towed object, and a combined length. In some embodiments, methods 700, 701, 702, and 703 may be performed with one or more additional operations not described and / or without one or more of the operations discussed. References Figure 1A-7AThe operations of methods 700, 701, 702, and 703 can be implemented in one or more processors (e.g., digital processors, analog processors, digital circuits designed to process information, analog circuits designed to process information, state machines, and / or other mechanisms for electronically processing information) in response to instructions stored electronically on an electronic storage medium of the processing system. The one or more processors may include one or more devices configured, via hardware, firmware, and / or software, specifically designed to perform one or more operations of methods 700, 701, 702, and 703. For example, the operations of methods 700, 701, 702, and 703 can be performed by a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of the processing system (e.g., 130).

[0104] Figure 7A Method 700 is illustrated. In block 721, the processor of the processing system may perform operations including determining the distance from an antenna in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor. In block 721, the processor of the processing system may use a distance determination module (e.g., 641) from the antenna to the remote sensor. For example, the processor may determine one or more distances associated with the towed object, such as its length, width, and / or position relative to the towing vehicle, as described above. In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations of block 721 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140, 170), which may use memory 143, 173, external resource 620, and / or transceiver 112 / 114 within the vehicle. In some embodiments, the short-range wireless signals received in block 721 may be or include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or UWB signals. In some embodiments, the short-range wireless signal received in block 721 can encode data from a remote sensor. In some embodiments, the remote sensor can be a camera. Therefore, the short-range wireless signal can encode image data from the camera.

[0105] In block 723, the processor of the processing system can perform operations including filling the BSM with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object based on the determined distance from the antenna to the remote sensor. In block 723, the processor of the processing system can use a BSM position and a combined length filling module (e.g., 642). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations of block 723 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that can use processing devices (e.g., 140, 170) that can use memory 143, 173 and / or external resources 620.

[0106] In some embodiments, the processor may repeat any or all of the operations in blocks 721 and 723 to repeatedly measure the distance to the rear end of the towed vehicle, which may be useful for detecting dangerous movement conditions such as the described turning or drifting.

[0107] Figure 7B Method 701 is shown, which can be performed together with method 700 or as an enhancement of method 700, for automatically filling the BSM with the position of the vehicle and the towed object and the combined length.

[0108] In block 725, the processor can receive short-range wireless signals from the vehicle's video surveillance system. Using the video surveillance system, the receiving and processing of short-range wireless signals from the camera in block 721 can be performed by the video surveillance system to determine the distance from the antenna in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object. In block 725, the processor of the processing system can use a short-range wireless signal receiving / processing module (e.g., 670). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations of block 725 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) of a processing device (e.g., 140, 170), which may use memory 143, 173, external resource 620, and / or the vehicle's internal transceiver 112 / 114.

[0109] In block 727, the processor may provide the V2X processing system with the determined distance from the antenna in the vehicle to the camera on the towed object in a format that enables the V2X processing system to automatically populate fields in the basic safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object. In block 727, the processor of the processing system may use a towed object information transmission module (e.g., 676). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations of block 727 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that may use processing devices (e.g., 140, 170) of memory 143, 173 and / or external resources 620.

[0110] After the operation in block 727, the processor can perform the operation in block 723, and thereafter repeat the operations in blocks 721, 723, 725 and 727 to repeatedly or continuously fill the BSM with the positions of the traction vehicle and the traction object and the combined length.

[0111] Figure 7C Method 702 is shown, which can be performed together with method 700 or as an enhancement to method 700, for automatically filling the BSM with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object and the combined length.

[0112] In block 729, following the operations in block 721, the processor can process short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor to obtain information about the movement of the towed object relative to the vehicle. In block 729, the processor of the processing system can use a towed object movement analysis module (e.g., 643). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations in block 729 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that can use processing devices (e.g., 140, 170) that can utilize memory 143, 173 and / or external resources 620.

[0113] After the operation in block 729, the processor can perform the operation in block 723, and thereafter repeat the operations in blocks 721, 723 and 729 to repeatedly or continuously fill the BSM with the positions of the towing vehicle and the towed object and the combined length.

[0114] Figure 7D Method 703 is shown, which can be performed together with method 700 or as an enhancement to method 700 for automatically filling the BSM with the position of the vehicle and the towed object and the combined length.

[0115] In block 731, following the operation in block 721, the processor can process short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to an antenna in the vehicle meets a hazardous or critical vehicle movement criterion. In block 731, the processor of the processing system may use a towed object movement analysis module (e.g., 643). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operation in block 731 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that may use processing devices (e.g., 140, 170) with memory 143, 173 and / or external resources 620.

[0116] In block 733, the processor of the processing system may perform operations, such as populating a critical event flag in the BSM, in response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to the antenna in the vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion. This includes indicating a critical event in a safety message. In block 733, the processor of the processing system may use a BSM critical event flag population module (e.g., 644). In some embodiments, the unit for performing the operations of block 733 may include a processor (e.g., 141, 171, 410, 412, 414, 416, 418, 452, 460) that may use processing devices (e.g., 140, 170) of memory 143, 173 and / or external resources 620.

[0117] After the operation in block 733, the processor can execute the operation in block 723, and thereafter repeat the operations in blocks 721, 723, 731 and 733 to repeatedly or continuously fill the BSM with the position and length information of the towing vehicle and the towed object.

[0118] All aspects (including but not limited to the above references) Figure 1A-7D The embodiments discussed can be implemented on various processing systems, examples of which are shown in Figure 8 It is shown in the form of a computing device suitable for use in a vehicle. (Reference) Figure 1A-8The processing system 800 may include a first SoC 402 (e.g., an SoC-CPU) coupled to a second SoC 404 (e.g., a SoC with 5G capability) and a third SoC 806 (e.g., a C-V2X SoC configured to manage V2V, V2I, and V2P communications on a D2D link, such as a D2D link established in dedicated ITS 5.9GHz spectrum communications). The first, second, and / or third SoCs 402, 404, and 806 may be coupled to an internal memory 816 and a radio module 149 coupled to an antenna 804. Additionally, the processing system 800 may include one or more onboard vehicle-mounted transceivers 149 (e.g., wireless data links and / or cellular transceivers, etc.) coupled to one or more processors in the first, second, and / or third SoCs 402, 404, and 806. One or more vehicle external transceivers 149 can be connected to antenna interface 804, which is used to connect to a vehicle antenna for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation.

[0119] Various embodiments (including but not limited to the above references) Figure 1A-8 The embodiments discussed can be implemented on various vehicle computing systems, examples of which are shown in Figure 9 As shown in the image. (Reference) Figure 1A-9 The vehicle computing system 900 may include a processor 901 coupled to volatile memory 902 and mass non-volatile memory (such as a disk drive 903). The vehicle computing system 900 may also include peripheral memory access devices, such as a floppy disk drive, compact disc (CD), or digital video disc (DVD) drive 906 coupled to the processor 901. The processor 901 of the vehicle computing system 900 may be coupled to a communication port 907 (or interface), which is coupled to a network 904 for exchanging data and commands with a radio module (not shown). The vehicle computing system 900 may include additional access ports for coupling to peripheral devices, external memory, or other devices, such as USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt, etc.

[0120] Implementation examples are described in the following paragraphs. While some of the following implementation examples are described with reference to exemplary methods, other exemplary implementations may include: the exemplary methods discussed in the following paragraphs implemented by a vehicle computing system processor, which may be an onboard vehicle unit that may be independent of or part of a V2X onboard vehicle device, and includes a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to perform the operations of the methods of the following implementation examples; the example methods discussed in the following paragraphs implemented by a vehicle computing system that includes means for performing the functions of the methods of the following implementation examples; and the example methods discussed in the following paragraphs may be implemented as a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium on which processor-executable instructions are stored, the processor-executable instructions being configured to cause the vehicle computing system processor to perform the operations of the methods of the following implementation examples.

[0121] Example 1. A method performed by a processing system of a vehicle connected to a towed object, the method comprising: determining, by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor, a distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object; and filling a safety message with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object based on the determined distance from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor.

[0122] Example 2. The method described in Example 1, wherein the security message is one of a Basic Security Message (BSM), a Collaboration Aware Message (CAM), or a Distributed Environment Notification Message (DENM).

[0123] Example 3. The method according to any one of Example 1 or 2, wherein the short-range wireless signal is at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband signal.

[0124] Example 4. The method according to any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the remote sensor is a camera, and the short-range wireless signal encodes image data from the camera.

[0125] Example 5. The method according to any one of Examples 1-4 further includes: receiving a short-range wireless signal in a video monitoring system of a vehicle, wherein processing the short-range wireless signal received from the camera to determine the distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object is performed by the video monitoring system; and providing the determined distance from the receiver in the vehicle to the camera on the towed object to a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) processing system in a format that enables the V2X processing system to automatically populate fields in a safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object.

[0126] Example 6. The method according to any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the short-range wireless signal encodes data from the remote sensor.

[0127] Example 7. The method according to any one of Examples 1-6 further includes: processing the short-range wireless signal received from the remote sensor to obtain information about the movement of the towed object relative to the vehicle.

[0128] Example 8. The method according to any one of Examples 1-7 further includes: processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas of a receiver coupled to a vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion; and in response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas of a receiver coupled to a vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion, including an indication of a critical event in a safety message, such as filling a critical event flag in the safety message.

[0129] The processors implementing the various embodiments can be any programmable microprocessor, microcomputer, or one or more multiprocessor chips that can be configured by software instructions (applications) to perform various functions, including those described in the various aspects of this application. In some communication devices, multiple processors may be provided, such as one dedicated to wireless communication functions and another dedicated to running other applications. Typically, software applications can be stored in internal memory before they are accessed and loaded into the processor. The processor may include sufficient internal memory to store application software instructions.

[0130] As used herein, the terms “component,” “module,” “system,” etc., are intended to include computer-related entities configured to perform specific operations or functions, such as, but not limited to, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process, processor, object, executable file, execution thread, program, and / or computer running on a processor. For illustration, both an application running on the processor of a communication device and the communication device itself can be referred to as a component. One or more components may reside within a process and / or execution thread, and components may reside on a single processor or core and / or be distributed across two or more processors or cores. Furthermore, these components can execute from various non-transitory computer-readable media on which various instructions and / or data structures are stored. Components can communicate as local and / or remote processes, function or procedure calls, electronic signals, data packets, memory read / write, and other known network, computer, processor, and / or process-related communication methods.

[0131] Many different cellular and mobile communication services and standards are available or anticipated in the future, all of which can be realized and benefit from various aspects. Such services and standards can include, for example, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 3rd generation wireless mobile communication technology (3G), 4th generation wireless mobile communication technology (4G), 5th generation wireless mobile communication technology (5G), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), 3GSM, Universal Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems (e.g., cdmaOne, CDMA1020TM), EDGE, Advanced Mobile Telephone Systems (AMPS), Digital AMPS (IS-136 / TDMA), Evolved Data Optimized (EV-DO), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), Wi-Fi Protected Access I and II (WPA, WPA2), Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iden), C-V2X, V2V, V2P, V2I, and V2N, etc. Each of these technologies relates to the transmission and reception of, for example, voice, data, signaling, and / or content messages. It should be understood that any references to terms and / or technical details relating to individual telecommunications standards or technologies are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims to a particular communication system or technology, unless specifically stated in the language of the claims.

[0132] The aspects shown and described are provided by way of example only to illustrate the various features of the claims. However, the features shown and described with respect to any given aspect are not necessarily limited to the associated aspect and may be used or combined with other aspects shown and described. Furthermore, the claims are not intended to be limited to any one of the exemplary aspects. For example, one or more operations of the method may replace or be combined with one or more operations of the method.

[0133] The foregoing method descriptions and process flowcharts are provided as illustrative examples only and are not intended to require or imply that the operations of the various aspects must be performed in the given order. As those skilled in the art will understand, the order of operations in the foregoing aspects may be performed in any order. Words such as “afterward,” “then,” and “next” are not intended to limit the order of operations; these words are used to guide the reader through the description of the method. Furthermore, any reference to singular claim elements, such as the use of the articles “a,” “an,” or “the,” should not be construed as limiting the elements to the singular.

[0134] The various illustrative logic blocks, modules, components, circuits, and algorithmic operations described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and operations have been described above in general terms of their functionality. Whether this functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the system as a whole. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such decisions should not be construed as causing a departure from the scope of the claims.

[0135] Hardware used to implement the various illustrative logics, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or executed using a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), ASIC, field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of receiver intelligent objects, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Alternatively, some operations or methods may be performed by circuitry specific to a given function.

[0136] In one or more aspects, the described functionality can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, such functionality can be stored as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium. The operation of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein can be embodied in processor-executable software modules or processor-executable instructions, which can reside on a non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. A non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium can be any storage medium accessible by a computer or processor. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage smart objects, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible by a computer. As used herein, disks and optical discs include compact optical discs (CDs), laser optical discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, wherein disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of non-transitory computer-readable and processor-readable media. Additionally, the operation of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of code and / or instructions on a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium and / or a computer-readable storage medium that may be incorporated into a computer program product.

[0137] The foregoing description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the claims. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of the claims. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is accorded the widest scope consistent with the appended claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more processing systems connected to a vehicle towing an object, comprising: The distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to the remote sensor on the towed object is determined by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor, wherein the remote sensor is a camera, and the short-range wireless signals encode image data from the camera; and Based on the determined distance from one or more antennas coupled to the receiver to the remote sensor, the safety message is populated with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object; Process the short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensor to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas of the receiver coupled to the vehicle meets a hazardous or critical vehicle movement criterion; and In response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas of the receiver coupled to the vehicle meets the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criteria, the safety message includes an indication of a critical event flag.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The security message is one of the following: Basic Security Message (BSM), Collaboration Awareness Message (CAM), or Distributed Environment Notification Message (DENM).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The short-range wireless signal is at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband signals.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The short-range wireless signal is received in the video monitoring system of the vehicle, wherein processing the short-range wireless signal received from the camera to determine the distance from one or more antennas coupled to the receiver in the vehicle to the remote sensor on the towed object is performed by the video monitoring system; and The determined distance from one or more antennas coupled to the receiver in the vehicle to the camera on the towed object is provided to the vehicle-to-everything (V2X) processing system in the following format, which enables the V2X processing system to automatically populate fields in the safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensor are processed to obtain information about the movement of the towed object relative to the vehicle.

6. A processing system for use in a vehicle, comprising: One or more transceivers, the one or more transceivers being configured to be coupled to one or more antennas on the vehicle; as well as A processor, coupled to the one or more transceivers and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform the following operations: The distance from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor is determined by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor on the towed object, wherein the remote sensor is a camera, and the short-range wireless signals encode image data from the camera. as well as Based on the determined distances from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor, a safety message is populated with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object; The short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensors are processed to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas on the vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion. as well as In response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas on the vehicle meets the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criteria, the safety message includes an indication of a critical event.

7. The processing system according to claim 6, wherein, The security message is one of the following: Basic Security Message (BSM), Collaboration Awareness Message (CAM), or Distributed Environment Notification Message (DENM).

8. The processing system according to claim 6, wherein, The processor is also configured with processor-executable instructions such that the short-range wireless signal is at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband.

9. The processing system according to claim 6, wherein, The one or more transceivers are configured to receive the short-range wireless signal in the video surveillance system of the vehicle, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to perform the following operations: The processing of the short-range wireless signals received from the camera to determine the distance from the one or more antennas on the vehicle to the remote sensor on the towed object is performed by the video monitoring system; and The determined distance from one or more antennas on the vehicle to the camera on the towed object is provided to the vehicle-to-everything V2X processing system in the following format, which enables the V2X processing system to automatically populate fields in the basic safety message with information about the position or length of the vehicle and the towed object.

10. The processing system according to claim 6, wherein, The processor is also configured with processor-executable instructions to perform the following operations: The short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensor are processed to obtain information about the movement of the towed object relative to the vehicle.

11. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon, the processor-executable instructions being configured to cause a processor of a vehicle processing system to perform operations, the operations including: The distance from one or more antennas coupled to a receiver in the vehicle to a remote sensor on the towed object is determined by processing short-range wireless signals received from a remote sensor, wherein the remote sensor is a camera, and the short-range wireless signals encode image data from the camera. as well as Based on the determined distances from the one or more antennas to the remote sensor, a safety message is populated with the positions of the vehicle and the towed object; The short-range wireless signals received from the remote sensors are processed to determine whether the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas on the vehicle meets a dangerous or critical vehicle movement criterion. as well as In response to determining that the movement of the towed object relative to one or more antennas on the vehicle meets the dangerous or critical vehicle movement criteria, the safety message includes an indication of a critical event.

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