System and method for sweepback pull prevention and notification

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for sweepback pull prevention and notification. A vehicle is provided that can assist in preventing skimming towing. The vehicle includes one or more sensors that may capture audiovisual and other data relating to a location where the vehicle may be parked. Based on the captured data, the vehicle may determine whether the location has any particular parking rules and whether the vehicle is towed. If the vehicle detects that it is towed, it may verify whether the tow is legal or illegal based on the captured data. If the vehicle determines that the tow is illegal, it may output a notification to the tow operator that the tow activity is illegal. In addition, the vehicle may capture data while the vehicle is being towed. The data, along with data captured by the vehicle before or just after parking, may then be sent to an appropriate current office.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle communications. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure relate to prevention and notification related to predatory towing. Background Technology

[0002] Predatory towing is a term referring to unethical practices employed by some tow truck operators. In some cases, these practices can result in unfair and excessive charges on vehicle owners. For example, a vehicle legally parked in a location may be towed away without any warning to the vehicle user. Another example of predatory towing is a tow truck showing up at an accident scene without being called and offering to tow a disabled vehicle. The tow truck operator may then charge unreasonable fees, which the driver of the disabled vehicle may have to bear because he / she consented to the towing.

[0003] Predatory trailer rentals can impose significant costs on consumers. These costs can vary considerably depending on the specific circumstances, but they can be substantial. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes systems and methods for preventing predatory and / or unauthorized vehicle towing.

[0005] In some cases, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including: one or more processors, one or more sensors coupled to the one or more processors, a first memory coupled to the one or more processors, and a second memory coupled to the one or more processors. The vehicle uses the one or more sensors to capture environmental data associated with the environment near the vehicle. The vehicle can also determine a first location of the vehicle within the environment and determine, based on the environmental data, that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules. Furthermore, the vehicle can determine that the vehicle is being towed, and thereafter the vehicle can determine, based on one or more parking rules, that the towing of the vehicle is unauthorized. The vehicle can also output a notification indicating that the towing of the vehicle is unauthorized.

[0006] In another scenario, a method for preventing predatory towing is provided. The method may include: a vehicle capturing first data associated with a first location of the vehicle at a first time using multiple integrated sensors. The method may further include the vehicle determining, based on the first data, that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules. The method may further include determining, at a second time, that the vehicle is being towed. Thereafter, the method may include the vehicle determining, based on the one or more parking rules, that the towing is unauthorized. The method may further include: the vehicle capturing second data associated with the towing, outputting a notification indicating that the towing is unauthorized, and sending the second data to a user device of a user of the vehicle or an external server associated with law enforcement.

[0007] In another scenario, a vehicle is provided that firstly captures first data associated with a first location of the vehicle. The first data includes information about one or more road signs at the first location. The vehicle may also determine, based on the first data, that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules and that the vehicle is parked at the first location. Subsequently, the vehicle may secondly determine that a towed vehicle is present near the first location and send a message indicating the presence of a towed vehicle to a user device associated with the vehicle's user.

[0008] These and other advantages of this disclosure are provided in detail herein. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Specific embodiments are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals may be used to indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and / or components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms can be used interchangeably depending on the context.

[0010] Figure 1 An environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 A block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 3A and Figure 3B An environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a process for determining an illegal towing operation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5This is a flowchart of a process performed by a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of another process performed by a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a functional block diagram of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to be limiting.

[0018] Figure 1 An environment 100 in which various embodiments of the invention can be implemented is illustrated. Environment 100 may include a vehicle 200, a trailer 300, a user device 400, one or more control servers 500, and an authority server 600. The control server 500, vehicle 200, authority server 600, user device 400, and trailer 300 may be communicatively coupled to each other via one or more networks 700. The user device 400 may be associated with a user 800 of vehicle 200 and may be, for example, a mobile phone, laptop computer, computer, tablet computer, smartwatch, wearable device, or any other device with communication capabilities.

[0019] Control server 500 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 vehicle 200. Additionally, control server 500 may be an auxiliary server and may be associated with at least one of a trailer assistance company, a vehicle maintenance and repair company, an insurance company, and a transportation company. See below for reference. Figure 7 Details of the control server 500 are provided. In one embodiment, the authority server 600 may be associated with an authority such as a police, fire department, caregiver, or other law enforcement entity. In some embodiments, the authority server 600 may be constructed similarly to the control server 500.

[0020] Network 700 illustrates an exemplary communication infrastructure in which connected devices discussed in various embodiments of this disclosure can communicate. Network 700 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). Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, 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 5G are just a few examples.

[0021] Multiple scenarios may occur in environment 100. In one embodiment, if vehicle 200 experiences a malfunction and needs to be towed, vehicle 200 may send a towing request message to control server 500. The control server may then send a message instructing the company operating the towing vehicle 300 to tow vehicle 200. Additionally, control server 500 may send a message to vehicle 200 (and / or user device 400) providing details of the towing company (e.g., name, address, etc.), the towing vehicle 300 (e.g., license plate number, etc.), and the towing vehicle's driver (e.g., name, driver's license number, etc.). After the towing vehicle 300 arrives at vehicle 200's location, vehicle 200 may determine information about the towing vehicle (e.g., using one or more of vehicle 200's sensors). In one case, the vehicle may capture an image of the towing vehicle 300's license plate and compare it with information received from control server 500. If the information matches, vehicle 200 may determine that towing vehicle 300 is authorized to tow vehicle 200. If the information does not match, vehicle 200 can warn the towing vehicle 300 operator (and the user 800 via user device 400) that they are not authorized to tow vehicle 200. In one embodiment, vehicle 200 can notify the towing vehicle 300 operator that his / her actions are recorded as evidence of unauthorized towing.

[0022] Vehicle 200 may include multiple units, including but not limited to an automotive computer, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a detection unit. See below for reference. Figure 2 Provide vehicle details.

[0023] Figure 2 A block diagram of a vehicle 200 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. The vehicle 200 may include multiple units, including but not limited to an automotive computer 208, a vehicle control unit (VCU) 210, and an infotainment unit 238. The VCU 210 may include multiple electronic control units (ECUs) 214 configured to communicate with the automotive computer 208.

[0024] In some embodiments, a user device, such as a mobile phone or a laptop computer, may be configured to connect to the vehicle computer 208. The user device may communicate via one or more wireless connections, and / or via the Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol. Protocols, Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and other possible data connectivity and sharing technologies can be used to directly connect to vehicle 200.

[0025] According to this disclosure, the vehicle computer 208 can be installed anywhere in the vehicle 200. The vehicle computer 208 may be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 202, one or more memories 204, and one or more transceivers 206.

[0026] Processor 202 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 204 and / or memory 205) configured to communicate with a corresponding computing system. Figure 2 The processor 202 may communicate with one or more external databases (not shown in the diagram). The processor 202 may utilize the memory 204 to store programs and / or data in code form to perform operations according to this disclosure. The memory 204 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing vehicle control program code. The memory 204 may include any or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.) and may 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.). In some embodiments, the memory 204 may include modules 245 that may implement various embodiments of this disclosure. Modules 245 may include instructions that can be executed by the processor 202 to implement various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0027] The vehicle computer 208 may also include a transceiver 206. The transceiver 206 may be configured to receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., user device 208, external server, etc.). Furthermore, the transceiver 206 may transmit notifications, requests, signals, etc., to external devices or systems. Additionally, the transceiver 206 may be configured to receive information / input from vehicle components (such as vehicle sensing system 232, one or more ECUs 214, etc.). Furthermore, the transceiver 206 may transmit signals (e.g., command signals) or notifications to vehicle components such as BCM 220, infotainment system 238, etc.

[0028] In some embodiments, VCU 210 may share a power bus with vehicle computer 208 and may be configured and / or programmed to coordinate data between vehicle systems, connected servers, etc. VCU 210 may include or communicate with any combination of ECUs 214, such as, for example, Body Control Module (BCM) 220, Engine Control Module (ECM) 222, Transmission Control Module (TCM) 224, Telematics Control Unit (TCU) 226, Driver Assistance Technology (DAT) Controller 228, etc. VCU 210 may also include and / or communicate with a Vehicle Sensing System (VPS) 230, which may connect to and / or control one or more vehicle sensing systems 232. The vehicle sensing system 232 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including but not limited to radio detection and ranging (RADAR or “radar”) sensors configured to use radio waves to detect and locate objects inside and outside the vehicle 200, seating area latch sensors, seating area sensors, light detection and ranging (“LIDAR”) sensors, door sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, wheel sensors, one or more ambient weather or temperature sensors, interior and exterior cameras, steering wheel sensors, etc. Sensors as part of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be coupled to the vehicle 200 at one or more locations in one or more ways. For example, various sensors of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be integrated into various subsystems of the vehicle 200 (such as doors, side mirrors, roof, etc.) or attached to the vehicle 200 using suitable mounting mechanisms. In some embodiments, various sensors of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be located at the front, rear, sides, top, bottom, and underside of the vehicle 200. The location of the sensors may depend on their function. For example, sensors monitoring the area beneath the vehicle can be attached to the underside of vehicle 200, while sensors monitoring areas on either side of vehicle 200 can be mounted or integrated into the doors of vehicle 200. Vehicle sensing system 232 may also include one or more road noise sensors, such as accelerometers coupled to various mechanical components and / or systems of vehicle 200. Those skilled in the art will recognize that sensors can be coupled to the vehicle in various different ways and locations besides those mentioned above.

[0029] In some embodiments, VCU 210 can control vehicle operation aspects and implement one or more instruction sets received from server 206, user device 208, or from one or more instruction sets stored in memory 204.

[0030] TCU 226 can be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and outside the vehicle 200, and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 234 for receiving and processing GPS signals. Module (BLEM) 236, Wi-Fi transceiver, UWB transceiver and / or may be configured for use in vehicle 200 with other systems (e.g., vehicle key fob). Figure 2 Other wireless transceivers (not shown in the image), external servers, user devices, etc., and wireless communication (including cellular communication) between computers and modules. Figure 2 (Not shown in the image). TCU 226 can communicate with ECU 214 via a bus. In some respects, TCU 226 can be configured to determine the real-time vehicle geolocation, for example, via NAV receiver 234.

[0031] ECU 214 can control various aspects of vehicle operation and communication using inputs from the human driver, inputs from the vehicle computer 208, and / or wireless signal inputs received from other connected devices (such as server 206, etc.) via a wireless connection.

[0032] The BCM 220 typically integrates sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and variable reactors associated with vehicle systems. It may also include processor-based power distribution circuitry that controls 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 entry controls, various comfort controls, etc. The BCM 220 can also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 2 (Not shown in the image) Interaction.

[0033] The DAT controller 228 can provide Level 1 to Level 3 automated driving and driver assistance functions, which may include, for example, active parking assist, vehicle reversing assist, and adaptive cruise control. The DAT controller 228 can also provide various aspects of user and environmental inputs that can be used for user authentication.

[0034] In some embodiments, the vehicle computer 208 may be connected to the infotainment system 238 (or the vehicle human-machine interface (HMI)). The infotainment system 238 may include a touchscreen interface portion and may include voice recognition features, and the ability to identify a user's biometrics based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric identification methods. In other aspects, the infotainment system 238 may also be configured to receive user commands via the touchscreen interface portion and / or output or display notifications, navigation maps, etc., on the touchscreen interface portion.

[0035] The computing system architecture of the automotive computer 208 and / or VCU 210 can omit certain computing modules. This should be easily understood. Figure 2 The computing environment depicted herein is an example of possible implementations according to this disclosure and should therefore not be considered limiting or exclusive.

[0036] In some embodiments, vehicle 200 may include an autonomous driving system 240. Vehicle 200 may be manually driven or configured to operate using the autonomous driving system 240 in a fully autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode (e.g., Level 5 autonomy) or in one or more partially autonomous modes that may include driver assistance technologies. Examples of partially autonomous (or driver assistance) modes are broadly understood in the art to be Level 1 to Level 4 autonomy. For example, a vehicle with Level 1 autonomy may include a single automated driver assistance feature, such as steering or acceleration assistance. Adaptive cruise control is one such example of a Level 1 autonomous system, encompassing both acceleration and steering aspects.

[0037] Level 2 autonomy in a vehicle can provide driver assistance technologies, such as partial automation of steering and acceleration functions, where the automated system is supervised by a human driver performing non-automated operations (such as braking and other controls). In some embodiments, with Level 2 and higher levels of autonomy, the primary user can control the vehicle when the user is inside the vehicle, or in some example embodiments, when the vehicle is being remotely operated, from a location far from the vehicle but within a control area extending several meters from the vehicle.

[0038] Level 3 autonomy in vehicles can provide conditional automation and control of driving characteristics. For example, Level 3 vehicle autonomy may include “environmental awareness” capabilities, where the autonomous vehicle (AV) can make informed decisions independently of the current driver, such as accelerating past slow-moving vehicles, while the current driver remains ready to regain control of the vehicle if the system is unable to perform its task.

[0039] Level 4 AV can operate independently of a human driver, but may still include human controls for overdrive operations. Level 4 automation also enables the autonomous driving mode to intervene in response to predefined conditions, such as road hazards or system events.

[0040] Level 5 AV may include fully autonomous vehicle systems that do not require human input to operate, and may not include human-operated driving controls.

[0041] To prevent potential unauthorized towing, vehicle 200 may be programmed to perform certain actions to collect evidence that may be useful in the event that vehicle 200 is towed without proper authorization and / or fraudulently. Figure 3A and Figure 3BTwo scenarios according to embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated. For example... Figure 3A As shown, a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200) may be traveling along road 201. While vehicle 200 is traveling along road 201, various sensors of the vehicle collect audio, visual, and other data about the environment surrounding the vehicle. This data may be stored in a rolling buffer. For example, the rolling buffer may store the equivalent of one minute of data, and new data is continuously overwritten until a certain trigger condition is met. In our example, consider a user of vehicle 200 intending to park vehicle 200 along road 201. To park vehicle 200, the user will slow down vehicle 200 (e.g., between 5 mph and 10 mph), and eventually the vehicle's speed will be 0 mph, and once vehicle 200 is parked, the parking brake can be engaged. In one embodiment, when the vehicle's speed remains between 5 mph and 10 mph for a threshold amount of time, vehicle 200 may infer that vehicle 200 is likely to park. This can serve as a trigger event for vehicle 200 to transfer the data present in the rolling buffer to a longer-term storage device of the vehicle (e.g., memory 204). If written evidence is required for any purpose, the data may be used in the future.

[0042] In one embodiment, the data stored in the scrolling buffer can be video and / or still images of the environment near vehicle 200. For example... Figure 3A As shown, road / traffic signs 203 and 205 may exist along road 201. These road signs 203 and 205 may include information related to parking along road 201. For example, road sign 203 indicates that parking on this side of the road is limited to two hours, and any vehicle parked beyond that time may be towed. Road sign 205 indicates that parking on this side of road 201 is permitted only, and anyone without a proper parking permit may be towed. In contrast, Figure 3B Road 207 shown has no road signs. Therefore, it can be assumed that there are no parking restrictions along road 207. When vehicle 200 is traveling along road 201 or road 207, it can capture visual data of structures and road signs that may exist along the road. This visual data is first stored in a rolling buffer, and if a trigger condition is met, the data can be transferred from the rolling buffer to long-term storage. In a predatory towing incident, vehicle 200 parked along road 207 may be towed even if there are no parking restrictions along road 207. In other cases, vehicle 200 may be towed from road 201 before the 2-hour parking restriction expires. In such cases, having evidence that the towing is illegal will largely prevent such practices.

[0043] In some cases, road signs 203 and 205 may be illegally, counterfeit, or fraudulently installed. Often, it is difficult to determine whether a particular road sign is legitimate or fraudulent. In some embodiments, road signs legally installed by the appropriate government authorities are geotagged and may also have specific markings embedded in the sign, such as identification numbers or tracking numbers. A database of such geotagged road signs may be maintained by the appropriate authorities. Counterfeit road signs may not have one or more of these features. In one embodiment, when a vehicle detects the presence of a road sign, it can capture an image of the road sign and compare it with information in the database of geotagged road signs to determine whether the detected road sign is legitimate. If the vehicle detects a mismatch between the location of the detected sign and the information in the database, the vehicle can infer that the detected road sign is counterfeit, and it can send a message to the appropriate authorities informing them of the location of the counterfeit road sign and an image of the counterfeit road sign. The presence of a counterfeit road sign can also warn the vehicle of the higher likelihood of predatory towing at that location. The vehicle can then inform the vehicle's user that it is best to park in another location and suggest one or more alternative parking locations for vehicle 200. In situations where the vehicle cannot capture environmental data correctly or sufficiently (e.g., due to obstacles or lighting conditions), the vehicle may request the user to capture certain aspects of the environment (e.g., via a user device). The user can then capture additional environmental data and provide that data to the vehicle. The vehicle then uses the data received from the user device to enhance the environmental data it has captured.

[0044] Figure 4 A process 250 for identifying and reporting unauthorized towing is illustrated according to an embodiment of this disclosure. This can be (e.g., by...) Figure 1 The control server 500 and / or vehicle 200) execute process 250.

[0045] At step 252, the vehicle may capture environmental data of its vicinity as it travels along the road. The captured data may be audio, visual, proximity, or other types of data providing information about the environment. This data may be timestamped and geotagged to establish the time of data capture and the vehicle's location at the time of capture. The vehicle may analyze the captured data and check if triggering conditions are met. For example, triggering conditions may include the vehicle traveling within a certain speed range, the vehicle's parking brake being engaged, etc. If the vehicle determines that the triggering conditions are met, it may send the captured environmental data to an external server (step 254) or transfer the captured environmental data to its long-term storage device. At step 256, the external server may analyze the environmental data and extract one or more features from the data. For example, if the captured data includes road sign data, the external server may analyze the road sign data to determine if there are any parking restrictions along the road or if the vehicle is towed under certain conditions. Based on the analysis of the environmental data, the external server may determine a set of rules for the location (step 258). In one embodiment, these rules may relate to the vehicle's towing / parking at that location. The external server may send those sets of rules to the vehicle. In some embodiments, in addition to the set of rules, the external server may also determine information about local laws relating to the parking and towing of the vehicle (e.g., vehicle regulations of the jurisdiction in which the vehicle is used) and send information about those laws to the user device of the vehicle and / or the user operating the vehicle.

[0046] At step 260, the external server can receive information from the vehicle that it is being towed. The vehicle can use one or more of its sensors (e.g., a camera or a tilt sensor) to determine whether it is being towed. Based on the received information that the vehicle is being towed, the external server can consult the set of rules for that location determined at step 258 to determine whether the towing is legal or illegal (step 262). If the towing is determined to be legal at step 264, the external server can send a message to the user device (step 270) (e.g., indicating that the vehicle is being towed, and the process ends at step 266). If the towing is determined to be illegal at step 264 based on the set of rules, in addition to sending a message to the user device, the external server can also notify the local law enforcement authorities (e.g., Figure 1 The authorities' server 600 sends a message indicating that an illegal towing activity is underway, along with the vehicle's location information (step 268) and other relevant information. In some embodiments, the vehicle may output audio and / or visual notifications indicating that the towing is illegal.

[0047] Figure 5 A process 350 for identifying and recording illegal towing of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Process 350 may be, for example, by… Figure 1The vehicle 200 performs the following. The vehicle may use one or more of its sensors to collect environmental data as it travels along the road (step 352). This environmental data may include audio, visual, proximity, and other data providing information about the environment surrounding the vehicle. In one embodiment, the environmental data may include information about any signs or information posted along the road. Such information may include details about any parking restrictions, towing information, or other road-related alerts. The environmental data is continuously collected and stored in the vehicle (e.g., in a rolling buffer). If the vehicle detects a triggering event indicating that the vehicle may be parked or is about to be parked (e.g., slowing down to a certain range, coming to a complete stop, detecting engagement of the parking brake, etc.), the vehicle may transfer the data from the rolling buffer to long-term storage in the vehicle. At step 354, the vehicle may analyze the environmental data to determine whether the location where the vehicle is parked has any associated towing rules, such as those described above. Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown in the diagram. If it is determined that no towing / parking rules are associated with the location, the vehicle may store environmental data in the vehicle's long-term storage device (step 356) as evidence that the vehicle is not towed at that location. This environmental data is timestamped and geotagged, and can be used as evidence in any legal proceedings if needed.

[0048] In one embodiment, the vehicle can detect that it is being towed (step 358). The vehicle can use one or more of its external and internal sensors to determine that it is being towed or lifted. Many techniques are known in the art for determining whether a vehicle is being towed. Examples include systems that use accelerometers to detect the vehicle's tilt, the vehicle's movement when the ignition is off, etc. If the vehicle detects that it is being towed, it can determine whether the towing is authorized or unauthorized. Since the vehicle has determined at step 354 that it is not being towed at the location, the vehicle determines at step 360 that the towing is unauthorized or illegal. Based on the determination that the towing is illegal, the vehicle can indicate to the tow truck operator that his / her actions are illegal (e.g., via one or more speakers of the vehicle (step 368)). For example, the vehicle can output audio via its speakers to indicate to the tow truck operator that the towing is illegal because the location is not subject to any towing rules. Alternatively, the vehicle can output audio to inform the tow truck operator that the towing event is being recorded and will be provided as evidence of illegal activity. Upon determining that towing is illegal, the vehicle can begin recording the actions of the towing vehicle operator and also capture information about the towing vehicle, such as its license plate number. In one embodiment, the vehicle can send the recorded information to local law enforcement authorities and / or the user's device (step 370). In another embodiment, the recorded information can be sent to a control server 500 for long-term storage.

[0049] If, at step 354, the location is determined to be associated with towing / parking based on analysis of the environmental data captured at step 352, then at step 362, the vehicle can determine one or more towing / parking rules associated with the location. Towing rules can be time-based, permission-based, etc. The vehicle can store one or more towing rules associated with the location in its memory, or optionally send this information to an external server. At step 364, the vehicle can detect that it is being towed. This step can be similar to step 358 described above. Once the vehicle determines that it is being towed, it can determine at step 366 whether the towing is legal or illegal. The vehicle can consult one or more towing rules determined at step 362 and determine whether the towing is legal or illegal based on those rules. For example, considering that the towing rules indicate that the vehicle may be towed after 2 hours of parking, in this case, the vehicle can determine the amount of time elapsed since the vehicle was parked at the location until the current time. If the elapsed time is less than 2 hours, the vehicle can determine that the towing is illegal. If, at step 366, the vehicle determines that the towing is illegal, it can output an indication that the towing is illegal, for example in audio and / or visual form, and begin recording the actions of the towing vehicle operator (step 368). Alternatively or additionally, the vehicle may also send a message to local law enforcement authorities and / or the vehicle's user that the vehicle is being illegally towed (step 370).

[0050] Figure 6 A process 450 for preventing vehicle towing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. This can be achieved (e.g., by...) Figure 1 The vehicle (200) executes process 450. At step 452, the vehicle may collect environmental data associated with the vehicle's current location. In one embodiment, this environmental data may be collected based on the fulfillment of triggering conditions as described above. In other embodiments, environmental data may be collected continuously, and only specific portions of the environmental data related to the location where the vehicle is parked or intended to be parked are stored. In either case, at the time the vehicle is parked, the vehicle has environmental data regarding the location where the vehicle is parked and its vicinity. At step 454, the vehicle determines, based on one or more rules associated with towing, that the location where the vehicle is parked will be subject to towing. For example, there may be a two-hour parking restriction at the location, or parking at the location may require a permit, etc. Based on the determination that the current location where the vehicle is parked or is about to be parked will be subject to towing / parking restrictions, at step 456, the vehicle may suggest one or more alternative parking locations that are not subject to towing / parking restrictions. For example, the vehicle may determine that there is a paid parking garage near the location and (e.g., via infotainment system 238) indicate to the vehicle's user that it may be best to park at that parking garage to avoid potential towing of the vehicle.

[0051] In some embodiments, a vehicle user may ignore suggestions to park at an alternative parking location and park the vehicle at the current location. At step 458, the vehicle may determine that it is parked at the current location subject to towing / parking restrictions under certain conditions or rules. After the vehicle is parked at the location, the vehicle may determine that a towing vehicle is present nearby (step 460). For example, the vehicle may use its integrated safety systems and associated sensors to continuously monitor its surroundings. Based on data captured by its sensors, the vehicle may determine the presence of other vehicles (including towing vehicles) nearby. If the vehicle detects a towing vehicle nearby, it may determine whether it has violated any towing / parking rules associated with that location. For example, if a towing-related rule instructs a vehicle parked at that location to be towed in 2 hours, the vehicle may compare the current time with the time it was parked at that location to determine if 2 hours have elapsed. If the vehicle determines that 2 hours have not elapsed, it may conclude that it is not subject to towing. At step 462, the vehicle may determine that it has not violated any rules associated with towing at that location.

[0052] However, in this scenario, due to the presence of the towed vehicle, the vehicle can anticipate predatory towing and send a message to the user's device indicating the presence of the towed vehicle at the vehicle's parking location (step 464). Upon receiving this message, the user can choose to return to the vehicle and move it to a different parking location to avoid potential predatory towing. In some cases, the vehicle may wait until the towed vehicle is within a threshold distance of the vehicle before sending a message to the user's device. In other cases, the vehicle may send a message to the user's device upon first detecting the presence of the towed vehicle, regardless of its distance from the towed vehicle, to allow the user sufficient time to return to the vehicle. In some cases, the vehicle may detect that it is being towed after sending a message to the user's device or even before sending the message (step 466). Since the vehicle has previously determined at step 462 that it has not violated any towing-related rules for that location, the vehicle can determine that the towing is illegal and can send a message to the local law enforcement agency notifying them of the illegal towing activity and providing them with the location of the towing activity and details of the towed vehicle and / or the towed vehicle operator / owner (step 468). Additionally, the vehicle can send a notification to the user's device that the vehicle is being towed. The user can then immediately return to the location and retrieve the vehicle.

[0053] In one scenario, when a user parks the vehicle at a location with one or more associated towing / parking rules / restrictions (step 458), the vehicle determines those rules (e.g., based on analysis of environmental data captured by the vehicle prior to parking). Considering time-based restrictions at the location, such as the vehicle being towed after 2 hours, the vehicle determines a first time the vehicle was parked at the location and then a second time after which the vehicle is likely to be towed, i.e., two hours from the first time (step 470). The vehicle then continuously monitors the current time and compares it to the second time to determine how much time remains before the vehicle is towed. The vehicle can determine that the current time is within a threshold timeframe of the second time (step 472). Based on this determination, the vehicle can send a message to the user device indicating that the vehicle is towed after the second time and suggesting that the vehicle be moved before the second time (step 474). In some cases, the vehicle can determine the location of the user device and, based on the location of the user device, determine the distance between the vehicle and the user. The device can then calculate the approximate time it might take for the user to reach the vehicle. The threshold timeframe can be dynamically adjusted based on the calculated approximate time. For example, consider a user device location indicating the user is 200 meters from the vehicle. Based on this information, the vehicle can determine that the user will take 10 minutes to reach the vehicle. The vehicle can then adjust a threshold to 15 minutes before a second time, such that when the current time is 15 minutes earlier than the second time, the vehicle can send a message to the user device in step 474. The threshold can also be increased as the distance between the user and the vehicle increases. The vehicle can continuously monitor the user device's location and adjust the threshold accordingly.

[0054] In some embodiments, before notifying local law enforcement authorities of an illegal towing incident, the vehicle may request confirmation from its user device that the vehicle can notify local law enforcement authorities. Once local law enforcement authorities arrive at the location, the vehicle can send evidence of the captured illegal towing to the authorities in real time, allowing the authorities to provide the evidence to the towing operator.

[0055] In some cases, while a vehicle is being towed, the vehicle can monitor the tow operator's actions to determine that the towing is being performed properly. The vehicle can record any damage caused by the tow operator due to improper towing procedures or operator negligence and provide this information to the owner or law enforcement authorities. Examples of improper towing include, but are not limited to, horizontally towing an electric vehicle beyond a certain distance or speed, incorrectly towing a car based on its drivetrain architecture or driven wheels, improperly securing the vehicle for transport resulting in damage, and rendering the vehicle unusable on the ground while it is being lifted. If the vehicle determines that the towing is illegal, it can file a complaint directly with local law enforcement (e.g., by sending a message to the authorities' server 600).

[0056] In some embodiments, in cases of both legal and illegal towing, the vehicle may request appropriate documentation from the towing operator. The towing operator may then provide these documents directly to the insurance company. In other embodiments, the vehicle may record information related to the towing event and provide this information to the insurance company, allowing the insurance company to verify the information against the towing operator's records to ensure its authenticity. For example, the vehicle may record the arrival and departure times of the towed vehicle, the license plate number of the towed vehicle, the equipment used for towing, whether other personnel (e.g., fire department, utility workers, etc.) were involved in the towing, the location of the towed vehicle, and whether the towing operator complied with maximum distance limits for towing vehicles. Vehicle 200 and / or control server 500 may also compare the cost assessed by the towing company with standard or historical costs for that location to determine whether the cost is reasonable or excessive.

[0057] Figure 7A block diagram depicts an exemplary control server 500, purportedly an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, on which one or more technologies (e.g., methods) may be performed. In other embodiments, server 500 may act as a standalone device or may be connected to (e.g., networked) other servers. In a networked deployment, server 500 may operate as a server machine, a client machine, or both in a server-client network environment. In the example, server 500 may act as a peer-to-peer (P2P) (or other distributed) network environment. Server 500 may be a personal computer (PC), tablet PC, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile phone, smart keychain, wearable computing device, network device, network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions (continuously or otherwise) specifying actions to be taken by the server (e.g., a base station). Furthermore, while only a single server is mentioned, the term "server" should also be considered as any collection of servers that individually or jointly execute a set (or sets) of instructions for performing any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, such as those configured for cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS), or other computer clusters.

[0058] The examples described herein may include logic or components, modules, or mechanisms, or may operate on logic or components, modules, or mechanisms. A module is a tangible entity (e.g., hardware) capable of performing a specified operation during operation. A module includes hardware. In the examples, the hardware may be specifically configured to perform a specific operation (e.g., hardwired). In another example, the hardware may include a configurable execution unit (e.g., a transistor, circuit, etc.) and a computer-readable medium containing instructions that configure the execution unit to perform a specific task when in operation. The configuration may occur under the guidance of the execution unit or loading mechanism. Thus, when the device is operating, the execution unit is communicatively coupled to the computer-readable medium. In this example, the execution unit may be a member of more than one module. For example, under operation, the execution unit may be configured at one point in time to implement a first module via a first set of instructions, and at a second point in time to reconfigure the execution unit to implement a second module via a second set of instructions.

[0059] Server (e.g., computer system) 500 may include hardware processor 502 (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), main memory 504, and static memory 506, some or all of which may communicate with each other via interconnect (e.g., bus) 508. Server 500 may also include a graphics display device 510, an alphanumeric input device 512 (e.g., keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 514 (e.g., mouse). In this example, the graphics display device 510, the alphanumeric input device 512, and the UI navigation device 514 may be a touchscreen display. Server 500 may additionally include a storage device (i.e., drive unit) 516, a network interface device / transceiver 520 coupled to an antenna, and one or more sensors 528, such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a compass, an accelerometer, or other sensors. Server 500 may include output controller 534, such as serial (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB)), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR)), near field communication (NFC) connections, to communicate with or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., printers, card readers, etc.).

[0060] Storage device 516 may include machine-readable medium 522 thereon storing one or more sets of data structures or instructions 524 (e.g., software) embodied or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. Instructions 524 may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 504, static memory 506, or hardware processor 502 during execution of the instructions by server 500. In this example, one or any combination of hardware processor 502, main memory 504, static memory 506, or storage device 516 may constitute a machine-readable medium.

[0061] Although machine-readable medium 522 is shown as a single medium, the term "machine-readable medium" can include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) configured to store one or more instructions 524.

[0062] Various embodiments may be implemented wholly or partially in software and / or firmware. This software and / or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to perform the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as, but not limited to, source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, etc. Such computer-readable medium may include any tangible non-transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory, etc.

[0063] The term "machine-readable medium" can include any medium having the following properties: capable of storing, encoding, or transporting instructions executable by server 500; causing server 500 to perform any or more of the technologies disclosed herein; or capable of storing, encoding, or transporting data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Examples of non-limiting machine-readable media can include solid-state memory as well as optical and magnetic media. In examples, high-capacity machine-readable media includes machine-readable media having a plurality of particles having rest masses. Specific examples of large-scale machine-readable media can include non-volatile memories such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

[0064] Instruction 524 may further utilize any of a plurality of transport protocols (e.g., Frame Relay, Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.) to transmit or receive over communication network 526 via network interface device / transceiver 520 using a transport medium. Exemplary communication networks may include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), packet data networks (e.g., the Internet), mobile phone networks (e.g., cellular networks), conventional telephone (POTS) networks, wireless data networks (e.g., referred to as…) The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 series of standards, known as The IEEE 802.16 series of standards, the IEEE 802.15.4 series of standards, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are examples. In the example, the network interface device / transceiver 520 may include one or more physical sockets (e.g., Ethernet sockets, coaxial sockets, or telephone sockets) or one or more antennas to connect to the communication network 526. In the example, the network interface device / transceiver 520 may include multiple antennas to communicate wirelessly using at least one of the following: Single-Input Multiple-Output (SIMO) technology, Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology, or Multiple-Input Single-Output (MISO) technology. The term "transmission medium" should be considered to include any intangible medium capable of storing, encoding, or transmitting instructions for execution by server 500 and comprising digital or analog communication signals, or other intangible media used to facilitate communication of such software. The operations and processes described and shown above may be implemented or performed in any suitable order as needed in various embodiments. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be performed in parallel. Furthermore, in some embodiments, fewer or more operations than described may be performed.

[0065] It should be noted that the vehicle implements and / or performs the operations described herein in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any action taken by the vehicle owner based on recommendations or notices provided by the vehicle should comply with all rules specific to the vehicle's location and operation (e.g., federal, state, national, city, etc.). Recommendations or notices provided by the vehicle should be considered as advice and followed only in accordance with any rules specific to the vehicle's location and operation. In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the foregoing disclosure, illustrating specific embodiments in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "an embodiment," "embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but each embodiment may not necessarily include said particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in connection with embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0066] Furthermore, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed by 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 specific 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 with different names but identical functions.

[0067] It should also be understood that the term "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive in nature. More specifically, the term "example" as used herein refers to one of several examples, and it should be understood that there is no undue emphasis or preference on the particular example described.

[0068] Computer-readable media (also known as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that contributes to providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by the computer's processor). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. Computing devices may include computer-executable instructions, which can be executed by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0069] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc., described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc., are described as occurring in a certain ordered order, such processes can be practiced by performing the described steps in a different order than that described herein. It should also be understood that some steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or some steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of processes herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0070] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Many embodiments and applications beyond the examples provided will become apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should not be determined by reference to the above description, but rather by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents. It is anticipated and expected that the techniques discussed herein will evolve in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In conclusion, it should be understood that modifications and changes are possible with this application.

[0071] Unless explicitly indicated otherwise herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by one skilled in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless the claims explicitly limit the recitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as “a,” “the,” or “the” should be interpreted as one or more of the elements indicated by the recitation. Unless otherwise specifically stated or otherwise understood in the context of use, conditional language such as, in particular, “can,” “may,” “may,” or “may” is generally intended to express that some embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements, and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element, and / or step in any way.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a second location, wherein the second location is not associated with the one or more parking rules; and output information about the second location via one of the vehicle's display or the user device.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the one or more processors are further configured to: determine at the second time that the vehicle has not violated the one or more parking rules; determine that the vehicle is being towed by the trailer vehicle; and output a notification indicating that the towing is unauthorized or illegal.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the one or more processors are further configured to: capture second data associated with the trailer of the vehicle; and send the first data and the second data to an external device.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the one or more processors are further configured to: determine, based on the first data, at a second time that the vehicle will violate the one or more parking rules at a third time; determine, at the second time, the distance between the vehicle and the user device; determine, based on the distance, the amount of time required for the user to return to the first location; and, based on the amount of time and the difference between the second time and the third time, send a message to the user device instructing the user to return to the first location.

[0076] According to an embodiment, before sending the message, the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the trailer vehicle is within a threshold distance of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: One or more processors; One or more sensors, said one or more sensors being coupled to said one or more processors; and A memory coupled to the one or more processors; The memory stores instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: The one or more sensors are used to capture environmental data associated with the environment near the vehicle; Determine the first position of the vehicle within the environment; Based on the environmental data, it is determined that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules; It is confirmed that the vehicle is being towed; Based on one or more parking rules, it is determined that the towing of the vehicle is not authorized; as well as Output a notification indicating that the trailer of the vehicle is not authorized.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to send the environmental data to an external server, wherein the external server is associated with a law enforcement agency.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: Determine if the triggering event has occurred.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the triggering event is one of the following: the vehicle is traveling within a first speed range, the parking brake of the vehicle is engaged, or the speed of the vehicle is 0 mph.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: A second location is determined based on the association of the first location with the one or more parking rules, wherein the second location is not associated with the one or more parking rules; and Output information about the second position.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: Data associated with the towed vehicle is captured using the one or more sensors; and The data associated with the tow truck is sent to a user device or external server associated with the user of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the environmental data includes information about one or more road signs present in the vicinity of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein to determine that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules, the instruction further causes the one or more processors to: Analyze the one or more road signs to determine the one or more parking rules; Parking rules associated with the first location are determined based on historical data about the first location; and The validity of one or more parking rules is determined based on the historical data.

9. A method comprising: The vehicle uses multiple integrated sensors to capture first data associated with the vehicle's first location at the first moment; The vehicle and the first data determine that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules; The vehicle determines at a second time that the vehicle is being towed; The unauthorized towing is determined by the vehicle and based on one or more parking rules; Second data associated with the towed trailer is captured by the vehicle; The vehicle outputs a notification indicating that the towed trailer is unauthorized; as well as The vehicle sends the second data to the user device of the vehicle's user or an external server associated with law enforcement agencies.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: The event is triggered by the vehicle detection. The triggering event is one of the following: the vehicle is traveling within a first speed range, the vehicle's parking brake is active, or the vehicle's speed is 0 mph.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: A second location is determined by the vehicle, wherein the second location is not associated with the one or more parking rules; as well as The vehicle outputs information about the second location via one of the following: the vehicle's display or the user device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising: Parking rules associated with the first location are determined based on historical data about the first location; as well as The validity of one or more parking rules is determined based on the historical data.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein outputting the notification comprises outputting an audible message via one or more speakers of the vehicle, the audible message indicating that the tow is illegal and that the vehicle is capturing data related to the tow.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the first location is associated with the one or more parking rules further comprises analyzing the first data by the vehicle, wherein the first data includes visual information about one or more road signs present at the first location.

15. A vehicle comprising: Multiple sensors; One or more processors, said one or more processors being coupled to said plurality of sensors; One or more memories coupled to one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: First data associated with a first location of the vehicle is captured at a first time, wherein the first data includes information about one or more road signs at the first location; Based on the first data, it is determined that the first location is associated with one or more parking rules; Determine that the vehicle is parked at the first location; In the second instance, it was determined that a trailer vehicle was present near the first location; as well as A message is sent to a user device associated with the user of the vehicle, the message indicating the presence of the towed vehicle.

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