System and method for identifying vehicle in sub-optimal condition

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for identifying a vehicle in a sub-optimal condition. A first vehicle is disclosed that includes a sensor unit and a processor. The sensor unit may be configured to capture an input associated with a first vehicle surroundings. The processor may be configured to obtain the input from the sensor unit and determine a presence of a second vehicle in a sub-optimal condition proximate to the first vehicle based on the input. The processor may further perform a predefined action in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle in the sub-optimal condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for identifying vehicles in sub - optimal conditions. Background Art

[0002] There are known situations where users drive vehicles in sub - optimal conditions on highways, roads, etc. For example, many users drive vehicles with loads that are sub - optimally secured or not secured at all to the vehicle cargo bed. Additionally, there are known situations where users drive vehicles with damaged parts (e.g., a damaged bumper, a partially or fully damaged side mirror, etc.) or with fully or partially open doors, hoods, liftgates, trunks, and / or other vehicle opening and closing components.

[0003] Such situations can cause inconvenience to commuters who may be driving in close proximity to a vehicle in a sub - optimal condition. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes a first vehicle configured to identify other vehicles (e.g., a second vehicle) that may be in a sub - optimal condition and are approaching the first vehicle while in motion. In response to identifying such a vehicle, the first vehicle may perform one or more predefined actions. A second vehicle may be in a sub - optimal condition when, for example, a load may be loosely or minimally secured to the second vehicle, one or more second vehicle components may be damaged or fallen off, a trailer may be sub - optimally attached to the second vehicle, etc.

[0005] In some aspects, the first vehicle may determine that the second vehicle may be in a sub - optimal condition based on inputs obtained from a first vehicle sensor unit. In an exemplary aspect, the first vehicle sensor unit may include an external vehicle camera, a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor, a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor, etc.

[0006] In some aspects, in response to determining the presence of a second vehicle in a sub - optimal condition approaching the first vehicle, the first vehicle may transmit a maintenance notice to the second vehicle. The first vehicle may transmit the maintenance notice to the second vehicle via, for example, vehicle - to - vehicle (V2V) communication or vehicle - to - infrastructure (V2I) communication. In response to receiving the maintenance notice from the first vehicle, the second vehicle operator may take a remedial action. For example, the second vehicle operator may correctly secure the load to the second vehicle in response to receiving the maintenance notice from the first vehicle, thereby enhancing the convenience of commuters who may be traveling on the same road as the second vehicle.

[0007] In another aspect, in response to determining that a second vehicle in a sub - optimal condition is approaching the presence of the first vehicle, the first vehicle may output, on a first vehicle Human Machine Interface (HMI), a first alert notification indicating to the first vehicle operator that the second vehicle approaching the first vehicle may be in a sub - optimal condition. In response to seeing / hearing the first alert notification, the first vehicle operator may move the first vehicle away from the second vehicle. For example, the first vehicle operator may change the road lane or travel route in response to seeing / hearing the first alert notification. In some aspects, if the first vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, the first vehicle may move itself away from the second vehicle in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle approaching the first vehicle.

[0008] In an additional aspect, in response to determining that a second vehicle in a sub - optimal condition is approaching the presence of the first vehicle, the first vehicle may output a second alert notification to one or more other vehicles that may be located in proximity to the first vehicle, notifying the other vehicles of the presence of the second vehicle on the road. In response to receiving the second alert notification, an operator associated with the other vehicle may maneuver the corresponding vehicle to move away from the second vehicle.

[0009] The present disclosure discloses a first vehicle that determines the presence of a second vehicle in a sub - optimal condition approaching the first vehicle and takes a remedial action in response to determining the second vehicle. The first vehicle further alerts other vehicles in proximity to the first vehicle about the presence of the second vehicle in a sub - optimal condition, thereby ensuring that the other vehicles can take timely remedial actions, such as by changing lanes. The first vehicle further notifies the second vehicle about the potential sub - optimal condition, thereby assisting the second vehicle operator in timely repairing the second vehicle and / or properly securing a load to the second vehicle.

[0010] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout the present disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably.

[0012] Figure 1 An example environment is depicted in which the techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0013] Figure 2 A block diagram of a system for identifying a vehicle in a sub - optimal condition in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0014] Figure 3 Depicts a snapshot of a vehicle in which the vehicle door is in an open state according to the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4 Depicts an alert notification being displayed on a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) according to the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 Depicts a flowchart of a method for identifying a vehicle in a sub-optimal condition according to the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0017] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and the example embodiments are not intended to be limiting.

[0018] Figure 1 Depicts an example environment 100 in which the technologies and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. Environment 100 may include a first vehicle 102 and a second vehicle 104 traveling on a road 106 in proximity to each other. Each of the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 may take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as, for example, a sedan, a work vehicle, a crossover vehicle, a van, a minivan, etc. Additionally, each vehicle 102, 104 may be a manually-driven vehicle, and / or may be configured to operate in a fully autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode or a partially autonomous mode, and may include any powertrain, such as, for example, a gasoline engine, one or more electric actuators, a hybrid system, etc.

[0019] In some aspects, the second vehicle 104 may carry a load 108 on the vehicle cargo bed. In Figure 1 the exemplary aspect depicted, the load 108 includes a mat; however, the present disclosure is not limited to this aspect. The load 108 may be of any type that the second vehicle 104 may carry on the vehicle cargo bed. Additionally, the load 108 is not limited to being disposed on the vehicle cargo bed. In an alternative aspect, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the load 108 may be disposed on the vehicle top portion, the vehicle tailgate, etc.

[0020] The first vehicle 102 may be communicatively coupled to the second vehicle 104 (and other vehicles (not shown) traveling on the road 106) via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, etc. The first vehicle 102 may include a sensor unit or sensor suite (in Figure 2shown as vehicle sensing system 232), the sensor unit or sensor suite may be configured to obtain / capture inputs associated with the surrounding environment of the first vehicle. In an exemplary aspect, the sensor unit may include an external vehicle camera that may be configured to capture images of the surrounding environment of the first vehicle (e.g., the geographical regions proximate to the front portion, rear portion, left portion, and right portion of the vehicle). In additional aspects, the sensor unit may include radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors, light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors, and the like.

[0021] The first vehicle 102 may be configured to determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition based on the inputs captured by the sensor unit. In some aspects, the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed (or loosely / minimally fixed) or not fixed at all to the second vehicle 104. For example, when the second vehicle 104 may be in motion on the road 106, the first vehicle 102 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when the degree of relative movement between the load 108 and the second vehicle 104 is greater than a predefined movement threshold (indicating that the load 108 may be loosely fixed to the second vehicle 104). As another example, when one or more attachment members or straps for fixing the load 108 to the second vehicle 104 (e.g., fixed to the vehicle cargo bed) may be loose or damaged, or the count of the straps may be less than a predefined count threshold (or the straps may be missing), the first vehicle 102 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition. As yet another example, when the second vehicle 104 may be moving on the road 106, the first vehicle 102 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when sub - parts associated with the load 108 (e.g., flaps, covers, cardboard parts, foam, cloth, etc.) may be flying off the load 108.

[0022] In additional aspects, when the second vehicle 104 may be moving on the road 106, the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when one or more vehicle components may be damaged or fallen off (or temporarily assembled using hose straps or similar attachment means), one or more doors, hoods, liftgates, trunks, and / or other vehicle closures may be open, etc.

[0023] In response to determining that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition as described above, the first vehicle 102 may perform one or more predefined actions. For example, the first vehicle 102 may transmit, via V2V communication or V2I communication, a maintenance notice to the second vehicle 104 indicating that the load 108 may be loosely fixed or that the second vehicle 104 may have one or more damaged vehicle components. The second vehicle operator may see / hear the maintenance notice (e.g., via the second vehicle human - machine interface (HMI)) and may take remedial actions accordingly.

[0024] As another example, the first vehicle 102 may display a first alert notification on the first vehicle HMI indicating that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition. In response to seeing / hearing the first alert notification, the first vehicle operator may maneuver the first vehicle to move such that the first vehicle 102 moves away from the second vehicle 104 (e.g., the first vehicle operator may change lanes on the road 106). By moving away from the second vehicle 104, the first vehicle operator may prevent the first vehicle 102 from being affected by the loosely - secured load 108 and / or damaged or falling vehicle components. In some aspects, if the first vehicle 102 is an autonomous vehicle, the first vehicle 102 may autonomously move away from the second vehicle 104 in response to determining that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition.

[0025] As yet another example, in response to determining that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition, the first vehicle 102 may transmit a second alert notification to one or more other vehicles (e.g., a third vehicle, not shown) that may be close to the first vehicle 102 and / or the second vehicle 104, indicating to the third vehicle that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition. In response to hearing / seeing the second alert notification, the third vehicle operator may maneuver the third vehicle to move such that the third vehicle moves away from the second vehicle 104. In this way, the first vehicle 102 notifies other vehicles on the road 106 about the presence of the second vehicle 104 in a sub - optimal condition, enabling other vehicles to timely maneuver their respective vehicles to move and significantly enhancing commuter convenience.

[0026] Further vehicle details are described below in conjunction with Figure 2 the following.

[0027] The first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104 implement and / or perform the operations as described herein in this disclosure in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any actions taken by the vehicle operator based on the notifications provided by the first vehicle 102 should comply with all the rules (e.g., federal, state, national, city, etc.) specific to the location and operation of the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104. The notifications provided by the first vehicle 102 should be considered as recommendations and should only be followed in accordance with any rules specific to the location and operation of the first vehicle 102 and the second vehicle 104.

[0028] Figure 2 A block diagram of a system 200 for identifying vehicles in a sub - optimal condition in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted. In the description Figure 2 that follows, reference will be made to Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0029] System 200 may include a first vehicle 102, a second vehicle 104, a third vehicle 202, and one or more servers 204 (or server 204) communicatively coupled to each other via one or more networks 206 (or network 206). In some aspects, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 202 may additionally be communicatively coupled to each other via V2V communication and / or V2I communication. Additionally, the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 202 may travel on a road 106. Further, as described above in connection with Figure 1 as described, the second vehicle 104 may carry a load 108.

[0030] The server 204 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that provides digital data services to the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, the third vehicle 202, and other vehicles (not shown) that may be part of a vehicle fleet. In additional aspects, the server 204 may be associated with an agency or vehicle maintenance company that may provide maintenance services and / or repair services to the first vehicle 102, the second vehicle 104, and the third vehicle 202 (and other vehicles).

[0031] The network 206 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the devices discussed in various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate. The network 206 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), BLE, Wi-Fi based on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name just a few examples.

[0032] The first vehicle 102 may include a plurality of units, including but not limited to an automotive computer 208, a vehicle control unit (VCU) 210, and a vehicle identification unit 212 (or unit 212). The VCU 210 may include a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) 214 configured to communicate with the automotive computer 208.

[0033] According to the present disclosure, the automotive computer 208 and / or the unit 212 can be installed anywhere in the first vehicle 102. Additionally, the automotive computer 208 can operate as a functional part of the unit 212. The automotive computer 208 can be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 216 and a memory 218. Further, the unit 212 can be separate from the automotive computer 208 (as Figure 2 shown), or can be integrated as part of the automotive computer 208.

[0034] One or more processors 216 can be arranged to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., the memory 218 and / or Figure 2 one or more external databases not shown in the figure) arranged to communicate with a corresponding computing system. The one or more processors 216 can utilize the memory 218 to store programs in the form of code and / or store data for performing aspects in accordance with the present disclosure. The memory 218 can be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing vehicle identification program code. The memory 218 can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and can include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0035] According to some aspects, the VCU 210 may share a power bus with the automotive computer 208 and may be configured and / or programmed to coordinate data between the vehicle system, a connected server (e.g., server 204), and other vehicles (e.g., the second vehicle 104 and the third vehicle 202) operating as part of a vehicle fleet. The VCU 210 may include any combination of or communicate with ECUs 214, such as, for example, a body control module (BCM) 220, an engine control module (ECM) 222, a transmission control module (TCM) 224, a telematics control unit (TCU) 226, a driver assistance technology (DAT) controller 228, and the like. The VCU 210 may also include and / or communicate with a vehicle perception system (VPS) 230, which has connectivity to and / or controls one or more vehicle sensing systems 232 (or sensor units). The vehicle sensing system 232 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including but not limited to: a radio detection and ranging (RADAR or “radar”) sensor configured to detect and locate objects inside and outside the first vehicle 102 using radio waves, a seat area latch sensor, a seat area sensor, a light detection and ranging (“lidar”) sensor, a door sensor, a proximity sensor, a temperature sensor, a wheel sensor, one or more environmental weather or temperature sensors, an in-vehicle camera and an external camera, a steering wheel sensor, a vehicle gyroscope, a vehicle magnetometer, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like. In some aspects, the vehicle sensing system 232 may be configured to capture inputs associated with the surrounding environment of the first vehicle. For example, an external vehicle camera included in the vehicle sensing system 232 may be configured to capture images of geographical areas proximate to the front portion, rear portion, left portion, and right portion of the first vehicle. The vehicle sensing system 232 may further be configured to transmit sensor inputs to the unit 212 at a predefined frequency.

[0036] In some aspects, the VCU 210 may control vehicle operational aspects and implement one or more instruction sets received from the server 204, one or more instruction sets stored in the memory 218, including instructions operating as part of the unit 212.

[0037] The TCU 226 may be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and outside the first vehicle 102 and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 234 for receiving and processing GPS signals, a Bluetooth low energy module (BLEM) 236, a Wi-Fi transceiver, an ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver, and / or may be capable of being configured to communicate between the first vehicle 102 and other systems (e.g., a vehicle key fob ( Figure 2(not shown in the figure), server 204, user devices associated with the first vehicle user, etc.), other wireless transceivers for wireless communication (including cellular communication) between computers and modules( Figure 2 (not shown in the figure). The TCU 226 can be set to communicate with the ECU 214 via a bus.

[0038] The ECU 214 can use inputs from a human driver, inputs from the automotive computer 208, the unit 212, and / or wireless signal input / command signals received via one or more wireless connections from other connected devices (such as the server 204, user devices associated with the first vehicle user, etc.) to control various aspects of vehicle operation and communication.

[0039] The BCM 220 generally includes sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and the integration of variable reactors associated with vehicle systems, and may include a processor-based power distribution circuit, which can control functions associated with the vehicle body (such as lights, windows, safety devices, one or more cameras, one or more audio systems, speakers, windshield wipers, door locks and access controls, various comfort controls, etc.). The BCM 220 can also operate as a gateway for the bus and network interface to interact with remote ECUs( Figure 2 (not shown in the figure).

[0040] The DAT controller 228 can provide level 1 to level 3 automated driving and driver assistance functions, which can include, for example, active parking assistance, vehicle reverse assistance, and adaptive cruise control, etc. The DAT controller 228 can also provide aspects of user and environmental inputs that can be used for user authentication.

[0041] In some aspects, the automotive computer 208 can be connected to the infotainment system 238 (or the vehicle human-machine interface (HMI)). The infotainment system 238 can include a touchscreen interface portion, and can include voice recognition features, biometric recognition capabilities that can identify users based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric recognition means. In other aspects, the infotainment system 238 can be further configured to receive user instructions via the touchscreen interface portion, and / or output or display notifications, navigation maps, etc. on the touchscreen interface portion.

[0042] The computing system architectures of the automotive computer 208, VCU 210, and / or the unit 212 can omit certain computing modules. It should be easily understood that Figure 2 the computing environment depicted is an example of a possible implementation according to the present disclosure, and should not therefore be considered restrictive or exclusive.

[0043] According to some aspects, unit 212 may be integrated with and / or operate as part of ECU 214. Unit 212 may include transceiver 240, processor 242, and computer-readable memory 244 regardless of whether it is integrated with automotive computer 208 or ECU 214, or whether it operates as a stand-alone computing system in the first vehicle 102.

[0044] Transceiver 240 may be configured to receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., server 204, user device associated with the first vehicle user, etc.) via network 206. Additionally, transceiver 240 may transmit notifications, requests, signals, etc. to external devices or systems or the vehicle. Further, transceiver 240 may be configured to receive information / input from vehicle components (such as VCU 210). Additionally, transceiver 240 may transmit a signal (e.g., a command signal) or a notification to vehicle components (such as BCM 220, infotainment system 238, etc.).

[0045] Processor 242 and memory 244 may be the same as or similar to processor 216 and memory 218, respectively. In some aspects, processor 242 may utilize memory 244 to store programs in code form and / or store data for execution in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Memory 244 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory that stores vehicle identification program code.

[0046] In operation, when the first vehicle 102 may be traveling on road 106, processor 242 may obtain sensor input from vehicle sensing system 232. In response to obtaining the sensor input, processor 242 may determine that a second vehicle 104 in a sub-optimal condition may be approaching and present near the first vehicle 102. Specifically, processor 242 may determine that a second vehicle 104 that may be traveling in close proximity to the first vehicle 102 may be in a sub-optimal condition based on the sensor input (e.g., an image) obtained from vehicle sensing system 232.

[0047] In some aspects, processor 242 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub-optimal condition when a load 108 disposed on the second vehicle 104 may be sub-optimally secured (or loosely or minimally secured or not secured at all) to the second vehicle 104. Processor 242 may implement one or more different methods / approaches and one or more machine learning algorithms (which may be pre-stored in memory 244) to determine that the load 108 may be sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle 104.

[0048] In a first exemplary aspect, when the second vehicle 104 may be moving on the road 106, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 by determining the extent of relative movement between the load 108 and the second vehicle 104 based on sensor inputs. In some aspects, the processor 242 may determine the extent of relative movement by performing image processing based on region of interest (ROI) still - frame analysis on images captured by the vehicle sensing system 232. For example, when the second vehicle 104 is moving on the road 106 and the vehicle sensing system 232 captures images of the load 108 and the second vehicle 104, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may have moved a small distance (e.g., 3 - 8 centimeters) relative to its origin position over the most recent 10 - 20 image frames. In response to determining the distance or extent of relative movement, the processor 242 may compare the extent with a predefined movement threshold. When the extent is greater than the predefined movement threshold, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 (and thus the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition).

[0049] In a second exemplary aspect, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 by determining the count of attachment members or straps that secure the load 108 to the second vehicle 104 based on sensor inputs. When the count is less than a predefined count threshold or equal to zero, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 (and thus the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition).

[0050] In a third exemplary aspect, the processor 242 may (based on sensor inputs) determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 based on the condition or manner in which the strap is securing the load 108 to the second vehicle 104. As an example, the processor 242 may analyze sensor inputs while the second vehicle 104 is moving on the road 106 to determine relative movement between the strap and the load 108 (e.g., by analyzing the contrast of the strap), and determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 when the movement of the strap relative to the load 108 is greater than a predefined threshold. In other words, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 when the strap may be securing the load 108 loosely to the second vehicle 104 (which may cause greater relative movement between the load 108 and the strap when the second vehicle 104 moves).

[0051] In a fourth exemplary aspect, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 is likely sub - optimally secured to the second vehicle 104 when (based on sensor input) the load 108 can be placed on the open second vehicle tailgate and no straps secure the load 108 to the tailgate / second vehicle 104. The processor 242 may additionally determine that the load 108 is likely sub - optimally secured to the second vehicle 104 when the load 108 can be placed on the open second vehicle tailgate and may not correctly utilize the tailgate extender to secure load shifting / movement.

[0052] In a fifth exemplary aspect, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 is likely sub - optimally secured to the second vehicle 104 when (based on sensor input) the load 108 can be bent or flexed relative to the vehicle cargo bed or trailer bed. Specifically, in such a case, the processor 242 may determine, based on sensor input, the tilt angle of the load plane relative to the second vehicle plane or the second vehicle cargo bed plane, and determine that the load 108 is bendable when the tilt angle is greater than a predefined angle threshold.

[0053] Although the above description describes aspects in which the processor 242 determines that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when the load 108 is likely sub - optimally secured to the second vehicle 104, the present disclosure is not limited to such aspects. In additional aspects, the processor 242 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when (based on sensor input) the load 108 extends beyond the second vehicle size by more than an allowable extension length (e.g., 2 feet) and no red flag is set on the second vehicle 104.

[0054] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when (based on sensor input) the load 108 is large in size and may potentially fall off the second vehicle 104 when the second vehicle 104 moves. In such a case, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may potentially fall off by using a pre - stored algorithm that calculates the fulcrum and determines the percentage of the load 108 within the second vehicle perimeter and the percentage of the load outside the second vehicle perimeter. The processor 242 may determine that the probability of the load 108 falling off the second vehicle 104 is high when the percentage of the load outside the second vehicle perimeter is greater than a predefined percentage threshold. In some aspects, the processor 242 may further determine that the load 108 may potentially fall off by using motion and non - motion camera algorithms to determine the sway / movement of the load relative to the movement of the second vehicle. When the relative movement is high, the processor 242 may determine that the load 108 may potentially fall off the second vehicle 104, and thus the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition.

[0055] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when the second vehicle 104 may be moving on the road 106 and when a tarp or covering covering the load 108 and / or portions of the second vehicle 104 may potentially fly off (based on sensor inputs). The processor 242 may further be configured to monitor the second vehicle 104 based on sensor inputs when the second vehicle 104 is moving on the road 106 and identify the presence of one or more smaller / lighter items (such as cardboard, foam, cloth, leaves, etc.) that may potentially fly out from the second vehicle cargo space and / or the load 108. The processor 242 may determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition based on sensor inputs when the processor 242 identifies the smaller / lighter items in the second vehicle 104 as described above.

[0056] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when a load 108 and / or other objects disposed on the second vehicle 104 may extend above / beyond the second vehicle bed rails or the top portion of the second vehicle (based on sensor inputs). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that such objects may potentially fly off the second vehicle 104 due to wind, especially when the second vehicle 104 is moving at a high speed on the road 106. In some aspects, the processor 242 may determine such objects by using a pre - stored algorithm that calculates the ratio of the load / object height to the height of the top portion of the second vehicle. If the calculated ratio is greater than a predefined ratio threshold, the processor 242 may determine that the load / object may potentially fall off the second vehicle 104 and, thus, the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition.

[0057] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when a heterogeneous type of load (such as a scrap metal pile, tree branches, etc., which may be difficult to bundle up in one go) may be disposed on the second vehicle 104 (based on sensor inputs). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a homogeneous type of load may be placed more securely on the second vehicle cargo bed compared to a heterogeneous type of load. In such a case, the processor 242 may first determine the load type based on sensor inputs and then determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when the load type may be heterogeneous.

[0058] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition when one or more vehicle components associated with the second vehicle 104 may be in a damaged state or detached (or temporarily assembled using straps or similar attachment means) or missing (e.g., a tire or other second vehicle components may be missing) (based on sensor inputs). The processor 242 may when one or more doors / hoods / openings associated with the second vehicle 104 may be in an open state, as Figure 3(as shown) additionally determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition (based on sensor input). Figure 3 A snapshot of the second vehicle 104 with the passenger door 302 in the open state is depicted. The processor 242 may additionally determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition (based on sensor input) when the second vehicle 104 may have a bent frame or misaligned frame with respect to the alignment of the vehicle body or the vehicle heading.

[0059] The processor 242 may further determine that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition (based on sensor input) when the processor 242 determines that a trailer (not shown) may be sub - optimally attached to the second vehicle 104. As an example, the processor 242 may determine that the trailer may be sub - optimally attached to the second vehicle 104 when there may be significant relative movement between the trailer and the second vehicle 104 at the connection point connecting the trailer to the second vehicle 104 while the second vehicle 104 is moving on the road 106.

[0060] In each of the foregoing examples, the processor 242 is described as determining the sub - optimal condition in an absolute sense (i.e., sub - optimal in all conditions). In an additional aspect, the processor 242 may (based on the input obtained from the vehicle sensing system 232) determine that the vehicle condition may be sub - optimal relative to a particular vehicle speed and / or road condition. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that a vehicle load that may be acceptable at a low vehicle speed on a good road may be sub - optimal at a high vehicle speed on a road in need of repair. The processor 242 may combine the known speed and / or road map with the road quality information stored in the memory 244 to more accurately determine whether the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition.

[0061] In response to determining that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition (or the trailer may be sub - optimally attached to the second vehicle 104) as described above, the processor 242 may perform one or more predefined actions. For example, the processor 242 may transmit, via the transceiver 240 and V2V / V2I communication and / or the network 206, a maintenance notice that may be output from the second vehicle HMI (not shown) to the second vehicle 104. In an exemplary aspect, the maintenance notice may include an indication that the load 108 may be sub - optimally fixed to the second vehicle 104 and / or that one or more vehicle components may be damaged and / or fallen off. In response to hearing / seeing the maintenance notice, the second vehicle operator may take remedial measures, thereby enhancing the convenience of commuters on the road 106. For example, in response to hearing / seeing the maintenance notice, the second vehicle operator may correctly fix the load 108 to the second vehicle 104.

[0062] As another example, the processor 242 may transmit a first alert notice indicating the presence of the second vehicle 104 in a sub - optimal condition close to the first vehicle 102 to the infotainment system 238. InFigure 4 An example snapshot of the infotainment system 238 is shown, which displays a first alert notification 402 stating "The vehicle ahead is not safe! It is recommended that you change lanes." In some aspects, the first alert notification may include a recommendation to avoid traveling on a route or lane on which the second vehicle 104 may be traveling. In response to hearing / seeing the first alert notification 402 output from the infotainment system 238, the first vehicle operator may move the first vehicle 102 a predefined distance away from the second vehicle 104, change lanes on the road 106, and / or decrease or increase the speed of the first vehicle to overtake the second vehicle 104. If the first vehicle 102 is an autonomous vehicle, the first vehicle 102 may autonomously move a predefined distance away from the second vehicle 104 in response to the processor 242 transmitting the first alert notification. In this case, the processor 242 may transmit the first alert notification directly to the DAT controller 228 to cause autonomous movement of the first vehicle.

[0063] In some aspects, the processor 242 may additionally transmit to the infotainment system 238 a route or lane recommendation indicating a route / lane on the road 106 that may not include a bumpy section (since the likelihood of a loose load falling from the second vehicle 104 may be high on a bumpy road). The first vehicle operator may see / hear the route / lane recommendation and may accordingly maneuver the first vehicle to avoid traveling on a route / lane that may include a bumpy section.

[0064] As another example, the processor 242 may transmit, via the transceiver 240 and V2V / V2I communication and / or the network 206, a second alert notification to a third vehicle 202 indicating the presence of the second vehicle 104 in a suboptimal condition in proximity to the first vehicle 102 and / or the third vehicle 202. The second alert notification may include a recommendation to avoid traveling on a route or lane on which the second vehicle 104 may be traveling. In response to hearing / seeing the second alert notification, the third vehicle operator may move away from the second vehicle 104 or change lanes on the road 106.

[0065] The processor 242 may further be configured to determine a second vehicle unique identifier based on sensor input and transmit information associated with the second vehicle unique identifier to the server 204 for storage purposes. The second vehicle unique identifier may include, for example, the second vehicle model, color, license plate identification, etc. In some aspects, the processor 242 may mask the license plate identification to maintain privacy before transmitting the information to the server 204.

[0066] The above description describes where the processor 242 determines on its own based on sensor input that the second vehicle 104 may be in a sub - optimal condition or that the load 108 may not be fixed or minimally fixed on the second vehicle 104; however, the present disclosure is not limited to such aspects. In another aspect, when the processor 242 is unable to determine whether the load 108 is likely to be correctly fixed to the second vehicle 104 or is loosely fixed, the processor 242 may transmit (e.g., via V2V communication) a request to the second vehicle 104 to obtain a second vehicle camera feed (e.g., the camera feed of a rear external camera associated with the second vehicle 104). The processor 242 may use the second vehicle camera feed to confirm whether the load 108 is likely to be correctly fixed to the second vehicle 104 or is loosely fixed, and may perform the above - described actions accordingly when the load 108 is likely to be loosely fixed.

[0067] Figure 5 A flowchart depicting a method 500 for identifying a vehicle in a sub - optimal condition in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. Continued reference may be made to the previous figures for the description. Figure 5 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Additionally, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than those shown or described herein and may include those steps in a different order than the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0068] Method 500 begins at step 502. At step 504, method 500 may include: obtaining, by the processor 242, sensor input from the vehicle sensing system 232. At step 506, method 500 may include: determining, by the processor 242, based on the sensor input, the presence of a second vehicle 104 in a sub - optimal condition that is close to the first vehicle 102. At step 508, method 500 may include: performing, by the processor 242, a predefined action in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle 104 in a sub - optimal condition. The example actions performed by the processor 242 in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle are described above in connection with Figure 2 the example actions performed by the processor 242 in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle.

[0069] Method 500 may end at step 510.

[0070] In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the foregoing disclosure, and which illustrate specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. References in this specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "an example embodiment", etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Additionally, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments.

[0071] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to particular system components. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function.

[0072] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive in nature. More specifically, the word "example" as used herein indicates one of a number of examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being made with respect to the particular example being described.

[0073] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices such as those listed above and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0074] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced with the steps described in a different order than that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of the processes herein is provided for purposes of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0075] Accordingly, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the entire scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will evolve in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In summary, it should be understood that this application is capable of modification and variation.

[0076] Unless expressly stated to the contrary herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless a claim recites a clear limitation to the contrary, the use of the singular articles such as "a," "the," and "said" should be construed to recite one or more of the indicated elements. Conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "could," "might," or "may," typically used unless specifically stated otherwise or otherwise understood within the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments can include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments necessarily require each feature, element, and / or step.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the processor is further configured to: determine that the trailer is sub-optimally attached to the second vehicle based on the input; and perform the predefined action in response to determining that the trailer is sub-optimally attached to the second vehicle.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the processor is further configured to: determine a second vehicle unique identifier based on the input, and wherein the predefined action includes transmitting information associated with the second vehicle unique identifier to a server.

[0079] In one aspect of the present invention: an input is obtained by a processor from a sensor unit configured to capture the input associated with the environment around a first vehicle; the processor determines the presence of a second vehicle in a sub-optimal condition proximate to the first vehicle based on the input; and the processor performs a predefined action in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle in the sub-optimal condition.

[0080] In one aspect of the present invention, the second vehicle is in the sub-optimal condition when a load disposed on the second vehicle is sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle.

[0081] According to the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain an input from a sensor unit configured to capture an input associated with the surrounding environment of a first vehicle; determine, based on the input, the presence of a second vehicle in a sub-optimal condition approaching the first vehicle; and perform a predefined action in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle in the sub-optimal condition.

Claims

1. A first vehicle, comprising: A sensor unit configured to capture inputs associated with the environment surrounding the first vehicle; And A processor communicatively coupled to the sensor unit, wherein the processor is configured to: Obtain the inputs from the sensor unit; Based on the inputs, determine the presence of a second vehicle in a sub-optimal condition approaching the first vehicle; and Execute a predefined action in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle in the sub-optimal condition.

2. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is in the sub-optimal condition when a load disposed on the second vehicle is sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle.

3. The first vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: When the second vehicle is in motion, determine, based on the inputs, the degree of relative movement between the second vehicle and the load; and When the degree of relative movement is greater than a predefined movement threshold, determine that the load is sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle.

4. The first vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: Determine, based on the inputs, the count of attachment members securing the load to the second vehicle; and When the count is less than a predefined count threshold, determine that the load is sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle.

5. The first vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: Determine, based on the inputs, the tilt angle of the load plane relative to the second vehicle plane; and When the tilt angle is greater than a predefined angle threshold, determine that the load is sub-optimally secured to the second vehicle.

6. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is in the sub-optimal condition when one or more vehicle components associated with the second vehicle are in a damaged state.

7. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is in the sub-optimal condition when one or more doors, hoods, liftgates, trunks, or other vehicle closures associated with the second vehicle are in an open state.

8. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is in the sub-optimal condition when: the second vehicle includes a tarp or covering that potentially flies off when the second vehicle is in motion, the second vehicle cargo bed includes smaller or lighter items that potentially fly off when the second vehicle is in motion, the second vehicle includes an object extending beyond the second vehicle cargo bed rails or the second vehicle top portion, the second vehicle includes a heterogeneous type of load that is difficult to tie down, or the second vehicle includes a missing tire or second vehicle component.

9. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes at least one of an external vehicle camera, a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor, and a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor.

10. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predefined action includes transmitting a maintenance notice to the second vehicle.

11. The first vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the processor transmits the maintenance notice to the second vehicle via at least one of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication.

12. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predefined action includes transmitting a first alert notice indicating the presence of a second vehicle close to the first vehicle to a first vehicle human-machine interface (HMI).

13. The first vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the first alert notice includes a suggestion to prevent traveling on the route on which the second vehicle is traveling.

14. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predefined action includes autonomously moving the first vehicle away from the second vehicle by a predefined distance.

15. The first vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predefined action includes transmitting a second alert notice indicating the presence of a second vehicle close to the first vehicle to a third vehicle, wherein the second alert notice includes a suggestion to prevent traveling on the route on which the second vehicle is traveling.

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