To improve vehicle safety

Abstract

A system and method are provided for improving the safety of a vehicle in which the rider wears a helmet. An exemplary system includes a passive t-greeder and a controller communicating with the passive t-greeder. The controller includes a processor and memory that stores instructions causing the controller to execute a set of actions when executed by the processor. The set of actions includes receiving instructions from the passive t-greeder corresponding to a passive tag, evaluating the passive tag, and configuring a vehicle restriction mode based on the evaluation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] Related Applications This disclosure claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 469,590, filed on May 30, 2023, entitled "ENHANCING SAFETY OF A VEHICLE," Serial No. PLR-914-30601.01P-US, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] The use of helmets, seat belts, and other safety equipment by occupants of certain vehicles, such as off-road vehicles, can provide additional protection to the occupants in the event of an accident. There is a need to promote compliance with the use of safety equipment in a low-cost and user-friendly manner. Embodiments are described with respect to these and other general considerations. The embodiments described herein are not limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background art.

Summary of the Invention

[0003]

[0003] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for improving the safety of vehicles, such as vehicles in which the rider wears a helmet.

[0004]

[0004] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for improving the safety of a vehicle in which the rider wears a helmet. The system includes a passive tag reader and a controller in communication with the passive tag reader. The controller includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to execute a set of operations. The set of operations includes receiving, from the passive tag reader, an instruction corresponding to a passive tag associated with the rider's helmet, identifying a user profile based on the instruction, and configuring one or more settings of the vehicle based on the user profile.

[0005]

[0005] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for improving vehicle safety. The system includes a passive tug greeder and a controller communicating with the passive tug greeder. The controller includes a processor and memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to execute a set of actions. The set of actions includes enabling a vehicle restriction mode, receiving instructions from the passive tug greeder corresponding to a passive tag in the vehicle, and disabling the vehicle restriction mode based on the passive tag.

[0006]

[0006] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a vehicle. The vehicle includes a frame, a plurality of wheels operably coupled to the frame, a passive tug grease, and a controller communicating with the passive tug grease. The controller includes a processor and memory that stores instructions causing the controller to execute a set of actions when executed by the processor. The set of actions includes receiving instructions corresponding to enabling a vehicle restriction mode, overriding a vehicle restriction mode, and disabling a vehicle restriction mode.

[0007]

[0007] This summary is provided in a simplified form to introduce the selection of concepts further described below in modes for carrying out the invention. This summary is not intended to identify any important or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Additional aspects, features, and / or advantages of the examples are partially described in the following description, partially evident from that description, or can be learned through practice of the present disclosure.

[0008]

[0008] Non-exclusive and non-exclusive examples are explained with reference to the following diagram. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1A]This figure shows an overview of an exemplary system according to some aspects described herein. [Figure 1B] This figure shows an overview of another exemplary system according to some aspects described herein. [Figure 2] This figure shows an exemplary vehicle according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 3] This figure shows exemplary methods for improving vehicle safety according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 4A] This figure shows exemplary methods for improving vehicle safety according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 4B] This figure shows another exemplary method for improving vehicle safety according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 5] This figure shows exemplary methods for improving vehicle safety according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 6] This figure shows an overview of an exemplary system according to some aspects described herein. [Figure 7] This block diagram shows exemplary physical components of a computing device in which aspects of this disclosure may be put into practice. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010]

[0018] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and illustrate specific embodiments or examples. These embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, and structural modifications may be made without departing from the disclosure. Embodiments may be practiced as methods, systems, or devices. Accordingly, embodiments may take the form of hardware implementations, full software implementations, or implementations combining software and hardware embodiments. Accordingly, the following detailed description should not be constrained to mean restrictively, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the accompanying claims and their equivalents.

[0011]

[0019] Low-cost, user-friendly helmet detection systems can encourage vehicle occupants to wear helmets. For example, a helmet detection system may include communication systems, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy systems, cellular systems, Wi-Fi systems, near-field communication (NFC) systems, or passive radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, which are installed in the vehicle and can operate in conjunction with the vehicle's control systems (e.g., engine / battery management and operating systems). In some examples, a helmet detection system may include a passive t-greeder system installed in the vehicle and operating in conjunction with the vehicle's control systems. A passive t-greeder system may include a passive tag installed on the user's helmet and a passive t-greeder (e.g., emitter, receiver, transceiver) installed on the headrest or other part of the vehicle that is close to the driver (e.g., close enough to interface with the passive tag on the driver's helmet).

[0012]

[0020] As another example, passive tags include quick response (QR) codes, barcodes, or other graphic tags. In such an example, the helmet detection system includes a camera, scanner, or other reader for appropriately scanning one or more graphic tags using it. In this example, scanning such graphic tags may have the associated computational performance benefits compared to examples where computer vision is used to determine compliance with safety equipment. Thus, it will be understood that passive tags in the embodiments described herein may be wireless tags or graphic tags, among other examples. Furthermore, although embodiments are described in relation to helmet detection, it will be understood that similar technology may be used in any of the various other safety equipment, including, but not limited to, seat belts, doors, jackets and / or other protective clothing, and / or nets, among other examples.

[0013]

[0021] In some examples, there may be multiple passive tug cribblers installed in the vehicle (for example, one on each of the multiple headrests included in the vehicle). In another example, additionally or alternatively, there may be cameras in the front and / or rear of the passenger area. Additionally or alternatively, passive tug cribblers are installed in the vehicle's rollover protection structure (ROPS). Thus, it will be understood that passive tug cribblers can be installed in any of the various locations. In certain examples, such a system may use an additional occupant location input to identify whether any of the passenger seats are occupied. The occupant location input may include the output of one or more seat belt sensors, seat sensors, door sensors, or other applicable sensors that can be recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, if a seat sensor indicates that there is an occupant in a particular seat, the passive tug cribbler for that seat may be activated (e.g., emit a radio frequency signal) so that a passive tag on the occupant's helmet can be detected according to the embodiments described herein. As another example, a passive tugrider may determine whether a graphic tag is close to a location indicated to have an occupant. Another occupant location input may include signals received by an adaptive suspension system that can detect vehicle load, from which the location or distribution of one or more occupants can be detected.

[0014]

[0022] The passive tag can be shielded or otherwise have directional emission to eliminate or reduce the possibility of detecting a helmet in the vehicle's storage bed or other locations, such as when the helmet is worn by the vehicle's driver or passenger, and to limit detection to helmets in close proximity to the passive tag. The passive tag can have a unique or semi-unique identification to enable the identification of one or more user-specific settings, such as settings stored in the vehicle's management and operating systems.

[0015]

[0023] Embodiments described herein may include vehicle system integration. For example, if a helmet is detected (e.g., as a graphic tag attached to the seat, or within the proximity of a reader placed in the seat, or in an area associated with the seat), the vehicle may operate normally. However, if the vehicle is operated by a driver not wearing a helmet, or if a passenger's helmet is not detected, the vehicle's management and operating systems may initiate various vehicle restriction modes. In some examples, if a helmet is not detected, the vehicle may be disabled (e.g., disabled during operation and / or ignition is disabled before operation). In some examples, the vehicle may initiate a vehicle restriction mode in which the vehicle's speed is limited (e.g., to less than 10 miles per hour). Vehicle restriction modes may also include engine derating to reduce acceleration. Thus, it will be understood that vehicle restriction modes may include any of various additional or alternative restrictions, such as restrictions to prevent the vehicle from being used on inclines exceeding a predetermined threshold. Similar embodiments may apply, as additional or alternative, to any of the various other safety equipment described herein.

[0016]

[0024] In some cases, the activation of the vehicle restriction mode may be overridden. Since helmets are often not required by law in many cases, it may be practical to allow the override of the systems disclosed herein only through deliberate coordinated effort. For example, there may be a deactivation switch for the disclosed systems below a panel accessible only by a tool (e.g., a screwdriver or hex wrench). Additional and / or alternative mechanisms for overriding the disclosed systems are provided later herein.

[0017]

[0025] Figure 1A shows an exemplary system 100 according to some aspects described herein. The exemplary system can be a system for improving vehicle safety, such as one for a vehicle in which a rider 102 wears a helmet 104. The rider 102 can be a driver / operator or a passenger of the vehicle.

[0018]

[0026] System 100 includes a passive tag 106 and a passive tag reader 108. The passive tag 106 can be, among other examples, a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a near field communication (NFC) tag, or a barcode tag. The passive tag 106 can be a sticker that can be adhesively bonded to another object, or a hard tag that can be mechanically and / or magnetically coupled to another object. The passive tag reader 108 can be an RFID tag reader, an NFC tag reader, or a barcode tag reader. Additional and / or alternative types of passive tags and passive tag readers can be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0019]

[0027] The passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to a part of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200 described later herein with respect to FIG. 2). Specifically, the passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to the seat 110. The seat 110 can be a seat on which an operator 102 sits to operate the vehicle. The seat 110 can be a seat on which a passenger 102 sits inside / on the vehicle. In some examples, the seat 110 can be an upright seat, such as a bucket seat. In some examples, the seat 110 can be a saddle-type seat (e.g., for a motorcycle, an all-terrain vehicle, a jet ski, etc.).

[0020]

[0028] In some examples, system 100 includes a plurality of seats (e.g., multiple instances of the illustrated seat 110). For example, the plurality of seats 110 can be side-by-side seats, bench seats, bucket seats, or other types of seats recognizable by those skilled in the art. The passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to at least one of the plurality of seats 110. Additionally or alternatively, in implementations where it is desired to detect helmets (e.g., helmet 104, etc.) for a plurality of occupants of a vehicle (e.g., multiple passengers, one operator and one or more passengers, etc.), system 100 can include a plurality of passive tag readers 108 each coupled to a respective seat of the plurality of seats 110. The plurality of passive tag readers 108 can be arranged to interface with passive tags (such as passive tag 106) of an operator and / or passengers within a particular seat of the plurality of seats 110.

[0021]

[0029] In some examples, seat 110 includes a headrest 112. The passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to the headrest 112. In some examples, the passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to a side of the headrest 112 (e.g., to the front / rear of the headrest 112 relative to the direction the operator 112 is facing). In some examples, the passive tag reader 108 can be embedded within the headrest 112. The illustrated example shows a passive tag reader 108 coupled to the rear of the headrest 112, but it should be appreciated that the passive tag reader 108 can be coupled to any one of a plurality of locations along any one of a plurality of vehicle components (e.g., frame, armrest, floor, panel, door, handlebar, console, etc.) to detect the passive tag 106.

[0022]

[0030] In some examples, the headrest 112 may be manufactured together with the vehicle to include a passive tug cleaver 108 (for example, coupled inside or outside of it). In some examples, the headrest 112 (or another vehicle component) including the passive tug cleaver 108 may be manufactured separately from the vehicle so that an existing vehicle can be modified to include a headrest 112 (or other vehicle component) including the passive tug cleaver 108. In some examples, the headrest 112 (or another vehicle component) may be manufactured together with the vehicle without including the passive tug cleaver 108, in which case the passive tug cleaver 108 may be mounted on / inside the headrest 112 (or other vehicle component). Thus, in some examples, embodiments of the system 100 disclosed herein, such as the passive tug cleaver 108, may be mounted on / inside one or more components of a conventional vehicle by strapping, screwing, or otherwise coupling the passive tug cleaver to one or more components of a conventional vehicle.

[0023]

[0031] In some examples, system 100 includes a controller 114. The controller 114 may include a processor and a memory for storing instructions configured to perform one or more methods or processes disclosed herein. The controller 114 is configured and may be programmed to control the operation of an engine (e.g., in a fuel-driven or hybrid vehicle) and / or an electric motor (e.g., in a hybrid or electric drivetrain vehicle). In some examples, the controller 114 is configured and may be programmed to control the operation of a battery (e.g., in a fuel-driven and / or electric drivetrain vehicle).

[0024]

[0032] In some examples, the controller 114 communicates with the passive tagreator 108 via a wired link, fiber optic link, etc. For example, the passive tagreator 108 may be accessible via an Ethernet connection, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, and / or a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, among other examples. As an addition or alternative, in some examples, the controller 114 communicates with the passive tagreator 108 wirelessly via a wireless communication network, etc. In some examples, the wireless communication network may be any suitable communication network or combination of communication networks. For example, the communication network may include a Wi-Fi network (which may include one or more wireless routers, one or more switches, etc.), a peer-to-peer network (e.g., Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy network), a cellular network (e.g., a 3G network, 4G network, 5G network, etc., compliant with any suitable standard), a wired network, etc. In some examples, the communication network could be a local area network (LAN), an interface conforming to a known communication standard such as Bluetooth®, IEEE 802 standard (e.g., IEEE 802.11), ZigBee® or similar specifications based on IEEE 802.15.4, a wide area network (WAN), a public network (e.g., the Internet), a private or semi-private network, any other suitable type of network, or any suitable combination of networks.

[0025]

[0033] Furthermore, in some examples, the passive t-greeter 108 and the controller 114 may communicate directly, such as through direct wired communication and / or direct wireless communication. As an addition or alternative, the passive t-greeter 108 and the controller 114 may communicate indirectly, such as through indirect wired communication and / or indirect wireless communication. For example, the passive t-greeter 108 and / or the controller 114 may communicate with an intermediate communication device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, wearable computing device, etc.), which then communicates with the other of the passive t-greeter 108 and / or the controller 114.

[0026]

[0034] In the illustrated system 100 in Figure 1A, the passive tag 106 is attached to the helmet 104, but it should be recognized by those skilled in the art that the passive tag 106 may be contained in / on any of various other garments or accessories. For example, in some cases, the passive tag may be contained in / on a T-shirt, hat (e.g., a safety helmet), jacket, necklace, vest (e.g., a life jacket for ships), goggles, etc. Additional types of garments and / or accessories that may be worn to improve the safety of the vehicle occupant may be recognized by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it will be understood that similar technology may be used for any number of garments / accessories and associated passive tags.

[0027]

[0035] Figure 1B outlines another exemplary system 150 according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The aspect of Figure 1B is similar to that of Figure 1A and is therefore not described in detail below. For example, system 150 includes a passive leeder 152 and a passive tag 154. Similar to the aspect described above with respect to Figure 1A, the passive tag 154 is read using the passive leeder 152 so that a controller 114 controls the operation of the vehicle according to the aspect described herein. As stated above, the passive tag according to the aspect described herein may be used in any of a variety of additional or alternative safety equipment, including, but not limited to, seat belts, doors, and / or nets, among other examples.

[0028]

[0036] In this example, the passive tag 154 is a graphic tag, such as a QR code or barcode, and can therefore be appropriately read or scanned by the passive tag greeder 152. Similar to wireless tags, graphic tags can encode any of the various types of information according to the embodiments described herein. For example, a graphic tag may encode, or otherwise include, a unique identifier, an area indication (e.g., indicating the area of ​​the vehicle where the passive tag should be located), a rider type indication, and / or a user profile indication. As an example, a helmet passive tag may indicate the rider's skill level and / or include an identifier associated with the user. Another example is a seatbelt passive tag indicating the seat to which the seatbelt is associated (e.g., encoded within the graphic tag or as an identifier associated with such a set). Therefore, compared to cases where computer vision is used to evaluate one or more objects in an image, the use of such graphic tags, among other advantages, can enable the use of lower-cost components and / or reduced utilization of computing resources.

[0029]

[0037] In this example, the graphic tag is incorporated into the logo, pattern, or other design features of the helmet 104. The passive tag 154 may be a sticker adhesively bonded to the helmet 154. In another example, the passive tag 154 is a badge sewn or ironed onto a seat belt or other safety equipment. In this example, the graphic tag is infrared emitting and / or reflective, thereby facilitating the reading of the passive tag 154 in low-light conditions (e.g., based on reflection from instrumentation on the vehicle's dashboard and / or using an infrared emitter / receiver). In some cases, the passive tag 154 is formed by printing, etching, or other methods so that it is invisible in visible light.

[0030]

[0038] The passive tag 154 is shown on the side of the helmet 104, but in other examples, it will be understood that the passive tag 154 may be attached to any of the various alternative locations. In some cases, multiple passive tags are used so that the passive tag greeder 152 can read at least one of the multiple passive tags (for example, regardless of the orientation of the helmet 154).

[0031]

[0039] The passive tangler 152 is positioned at the front of the vehicle (for example, on the dashboard or as a hood-mounted camera). In addition or alternatively, the passive tangler may be positioned at the rear of the vehicle and / or relative to the vehicle's ROPS (for example, to capture the rear row of seats), among other examples.

[0032]

[0040] In some cases, the vehicle may not include a camera available to read passive tags within the vehicle's passenger area, so the user's mobile device camera is used. For example, a mobile device application may operate the mobile device's camera to identify one or more passive tags and thus determine appropriate compliance with safety equipment. Such decisions may be made periodically before and / or during vehicle operation, among other examples. In such cases, the user's mobile device may be mounted on the vehicle's dashboard, the vehicle's front pillar, or behind the vehicle's front seats, among other examples.

[0033]

[0041] Figure 2 shows an exemplary vehicle 200 in several embodiments provided herein. Vehicle 200 is merely an example, and those skilled in the art will recognize other types of vehicles to which the teachings of this disclosure may apply. For example, types of vehicles to which the mechanisms for improving vehicle safety provided herein may be incorporated may include all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility vehicles (UTVs), road vehicles, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, mopeds, flat-bottomed boats, jet skis, speedboats, or other types of vehicles that may be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0034]

[0042] The vehicle 200 includes a frame 202 and one or more ground engagement members 204 (e.g., wheels and tires). The frame 202 includes a lower frame 206 and an upper frame 208. One or more ground engagement members 204 are operably coupled to the lower frame 206. The vehicle further includes a drivetrain 210 operably coupled to the lower frame 206 and drivably connected to one or more of the ground engagement members 204. The upper frame 208 includes a front section 212, a middle section 214, and a rear section 216. The front section 212, the middle section 214, and the rear section 216 can be coupled to each other and to the lower frame 206.

[0035]

[0043] In this example, the drivetrain 210 consists of a combination of a fuel-burning engine and a transmission, along with a drive shaft extending between the drivetrain and two of the ground engagement members 214. In another example, the drivetrain 210 may be a hybrid, fuel cell, or electric drivetrain, among other examples. The drivetrain 210, associated front and rear suspension assemblies, and steering assemblies are described in more detail in our U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 223,717 filed April 6, 2021, U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 494,891 filed July 28, 2006, and U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 494,890 filed July 28, 2006, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0036]

[0044] The vehicle 200 further includes one or more seats 218. One or more seats 218 may be similar to or the same as the seat 110 described earlier herein with respect to Figure 1A. One or more seats 218 may be multiple seats, such as side-by-side seats. In the illustrated example of Figure 2, one or more seats 218 are bucket seats.

[0037]

[0045] One or more sheets 218 may include passive tug cleavers, such as passive tug cleavers 108 and / or passive tug cleavers 152, respectively, as described herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. Additionally or alternatively, passive tug cleavers may be coupled to the frame 202. For example, passive tug cleavers may be coupled to the upper frame 208, such as in the front section 212, the middle section 214, and / or the rear section 216. As a further example, passive tug cleavers may be coupled to the front of the vehicle, such as the vehicle hood or dashboard, as shown in reference numerals 220 and 222, respectively. Examples of such cleavers were described above with respect to Figure 1B.

[0038]

[0046] The drivetrain 210 is communicable with a controller, such as the controller 114 described herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. The controller may control the drivetrain 210, such as to control the speed and / or acceleration of the vehicle 200. In some examples, the controller controls the battery and / or engine of the vehicle 200. In some examples, the vehicle 200 includes climate control settings, light / visibility settings, audio / entertainment settings, seat position settings, and / or suspension settings, which are controlled by the controller and / or another computing device included in the vehicle 200.

[0039]

[0047] Additional and / or alternative components that may be part of vehicle 200 will be recognizable to those skilled in the art, at least in light of the teachings provided herein. Furthermore, components of other types of vehicles that may incorporate the mechanisms provided herein (e.g., ATVs, UTVs, road vehicles, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, mopeds, and / or vessels) will be recognizable to those skilled in the art. For example, in saddle-type vehicles (e.g., motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis, etc.), the passive tug rigger may be located on the vehicle's handlebars or body.

[0040]

[0048] Figure 3 shows an exemplary method 300 in several embodiments described herein. An exemplary method 300 may be a method for improving the safety of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200 in Figure 2). In the example, embodiments of method 300 are performed by a device such as a computing device 602 and / or server 604, which are described below with respect to Figure 6. In addition or alternative, embodiments of method 300 are performed by a controller 114, which are described above with respect to Figures 1A and 1B.

[0041]

[0049] Method 300 begins with operation 302, in which an instruction is received from a passive tag cleaver. This instruction may correspond to a passive tag associated with the rider's helmet, the vehicle's seat belt, the vehicle's door, and / or various additional or alternative safety equipment. The passive tag cleaver may be similar to or identical to passive tag cleavers 108 and / or passive tag cleavers 152 described previously herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B, respectively. Furthermore, the passive tag may be similar to or identical to passive tag 106 and / or passive tag 154 described previously herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B, respectively. In the examples, the instruction includes an identifier to be read from the passive tag. In some examples, the passive tag is writable so that data written to the passive tag can be retrieved by the passive tag cleaver. The written data may include unique and / or semi-unique data associated with a specific individual and / or a category of the individual (e.g., skill level, subscriber level, etc.).

[0042]

[0050] In some examples, prior to receiving instructions, method 300 includes receiving signals corresponding to occupants (e.g., the operator and / or one or more passengers) inside the vehicle. For example, the vehicle may include seat belt sensors, seat sensors, door sensors, ignition devices, start / stop buttons, and / or other types of sensors / interfaces that provide indication that occupants are inside the vehicle. The passive tug greeder may be activated in response to receiving a signal. Thus, in some examples, the passive tug greeder may be off or idle and may only be activated when it is determined (e.g., based on signals from one or more vehicle sensors) that occupants such as the operator and / or passengers are present inside the vehicle.

[0043]

[0051] In operation 304, it is determined whether a user profile is associated with the instruction. For example, the received instruction may be compared with a dataset containing identifier-to-user profile pairings to determine whether a pairing exists between the received instruction and a stored user profile. The dataset may be stored locally in the vehicle (e.g., in the memory of controller 112 in Figures 1A and 1B) and / or remotely from the vehicle. Furthermore, the dataset may be specific to an individual vehicle or applicable to a fleet of vehicles.

[0044]

[0052] If no user profile is associated with the instruction, the flow branches to "no" and enters operation 306, where a default action is performed. For example, an instruction taken from a passive tag may include a pre-configured action to be performed in operation 306. Additional or alternative default actions may include creating a user profile, remembering one or more settings, remembering the received instruction, associating the settings with the passive tag's identifier, etc. In some examples, the signal from the passive tag may be too weak for the passive t-greeder to take data from it to determine whether there is a user profile associated with the instruction, thereby prompting the rider to move closer to the passive t-greeder. In some examples, method 300 may include determining whether the instruction has an associated default action, such that in some cases no action may be performed as a result of receiving the instruction. Method 300 may terminate in operation 306. Alternatively, method 300 may return to operation 302 to provide an iterative loop of receiving an instruction from a passive t-greeder and determining whether there is a user profile associated with the instruction.

[0045]

[0053] However, if it is determined that there is a user profile associated with the instruction, the flow branches to "YES" and method 300 proceeds to operation 308. In operation 308, the user profile is identified based on the instruction. In some examples, the user profile corresponds to a specific individual. For example, the received instruction may contain unique and / or semi-unique data associated with a specific individual. Thus, the received instruction may be compared to a dataset containing pairings of identifiers with unique / semi-unique data in order to determine which individual the received instruction corresponds to. The dataset may be stored locally in the vehicle (e.g., in the memory of controller 112 in Figure 1A) and / or remotely from the vehicle.

[0046]

[0054] In some examples, instructions and / or associated user profiles correspond to skill levels in operating the vehicle. For instance, skill levels might include beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Alternatively, user profiles might correspond to subscription levels. Therefore, vehicle settings can be configurable for users based on one or more user profile categories and / or other factors (e.g., skill level, subscription level, etc.).

[0047]

[0055] In operation 310, one or more settings of the vehicle are configured based on the user profile. One or more settings may include at least one of the vehicle's speed limit or incline limit. For example, if the user profile corresponds to a beginner skill level, the speed limit may be set to a first value (e.g., 10 miles per hour); if the user profile corresponds to an intermediate skill level, the speed limit may be set to a second value (e.g., higher than the first value); and if the user profile corresponds to an expert skill level, the speed limit may be set to a third value (e.g., higher than the first and / or second values).

[0048]

[0056] Similarly, if the user profile corresponds to a beginner skill level, the slope limit may be set to a first value (e.g., a first slope level); if the user profile corresponds to an intermediate skill level, the slope limit may be set to a second value (e.g., higher than the first value); and if the user profile corresponds to an expert skill level, the slope limit may be set to a third value (e.g., higher than the first and / or second values).

[0049]

[0057] Any additional and / or alternative settings that may be configured will be recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, an individual may have preferences for vehicle climate control settings, vehicle lighting / visibility settings, vehicle audio / entertainment settings, seat position settings, and / or suspension settings, which may be associated with a user profile and / or user category, so as to be configured based on instructions from passive tags in the manner described herein.

[0050]

[0058] In some cases, performance data may be collected from the vehicle. For example, performance data may include data corresponding to speed, acceleration, fuel consumption, battery range, incline, horsepower, torque, braking performance, and whether the rider (e.g., operator and / or passenger) is wearing a helmet. Performance data may be timestamped. Performance data may be transmitted (e.g., to a remote server / computing device) along with information indicating the user profile. By collecting data on vehicle performance, data analysis can be performed on vehicle performance, helmet compliance, and vehicle use by user profiles. In general, aggregating vehicle statistics can help improve vehicle safety by determining which user profiles comply with helmet safety, when a vehicle needs maintenance, and other useful insights that can be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0051]

[0059] Method 300 may terminate in operation 310. Alternatively, Method 300 may return to operation 302 (or any other operation from Method 300) to provide an iterative loop that includes receiving instructions corresponding to passive tags from the passive tag leader, identifying user profiles based on the instructions, and enabling vehicle configurations specific to the user profiles.

[0052]

[0060] Figure 4A shows an exemplary method 400 in some embodiments described herein. An exemplary method 400 may be a method for improving the safety of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200 in Figure 2). In the example, embodiments of method 400 are performed by a device such as a computing device 602 and / or server 604, which are described below with respect to Figure 6. In addition or alternative, embodiments of method 300 are performed by a controller 114, which are described above with respect to Figures 1A and 1B.

[0053]

[0061] Method 400 is initiated in operation 402, and the vehicle restriction mode is enabled. The vehicle restriction mode may include one or more of the following: setting a maximum permissible speed for the vehicle, setting a maximum permissible incline for the vehicle, derating the vehicle's engine, and preventing the vehicle from starting. For example, the maximum permissible speed may be a value of approximately 10 mph, or approximately 5 mph to approximately 15 mph, among other examples. Furthermore, the maximum permissible incline may be a value of approximately 10 degrees, or approximately 5 degrees to approximately 15 degrees, among other examples. The engine may be derated by reducing its output or operating capacity to a percentage of its maximum rated level. Preventing the vehicle from starting may include a hard stop, such as physically locking a button, lever, knob, switch, etc., configured to start the vehicle, or a soft stop, such as software and / or commands within the controller (e.g., controller 112 in Figures 1A and 1B) that prevents the vehicle from starting.

[0054]

[0062] In some examples, the vehicle includes an engine with multiple gear settings, such as a first gear setting and a second gear setting. The engine is able to communicate with the controller. Furthermore, the first gear setting may be lower than the second gear setting. Enabling a vehicle restriction mode in operation 402 may include restricting the engine to the first gear setting (e.g., thereby restricting the engine to a relatively low gear). In general, a vehicle restriction mode limits the functionality of the vehicle, for example, so that the vehicle is safer for a person who has chosen not to wear a helmet. It will be understood that in such a vehicle restriction mode, any of the various additional and / or alternative restrictions may be imposed on the vehicle.

[0055]

[0063] In operation 404, it is determined whether instructions have been received from a passive tag corresponding to a passive tag associated with the rider's helmet, the vehicle's seat belt, the vehicle's door, and / or any of the various additional or alternative safety equipment. The passive tag may be similar to or identical to passive tag 108 and / or passive tag 152, respectively, as previously described herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. Furthermore, the passive tag may be similar to or identical to passive tag 106 and / or passive tag 154, respectively, as previously described herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. Furthermore, examples of such embodiments have been described above with respect to method 300 in Figure 3 and will not be described again in detail.

[0056]

[0064] If no instruction corresponding to the passive tag is received from the passive t-greeder, the flow branches to "no" and enters operation 406, where a default action is performed. For example, a vehicle restriction mode may include a pre-configured action. In some examples, the signal from the passive tag may be too weak for the passive t-greeder to retrieve data from it, thereby prompting the driver to move closer to the passive t-greeder. In other examples, method 400 may include determining whether a vehicle restriction mode has a default action associated with it, such that in some cases no action is performed as a result of not receiving an instruction corresponding to the passive tag from the passive t-greeder. Method 400 may terminate in operation 406. Alternatively, method 400 may return to operation 402 and provide an iterative loop that checks whether an instruction corresponding to the passive tag was received from the passive t-greeder while the vehicle restriction mode is enabled.

[0057]

[0065] In some cases, in operation 404, an SOS warning signal may be activated if no instruction is received from the passive tag greeder corresponding to the passive tag. For example, it may be assumed that the rider is attempting to misuse the vehicle in an emergency. In another example, the rider may be in a dangerous situation and as a result have lost the passive tag (e.g., clothing or accessories such as a helmet containing those passive tags). A dangerous situation may include a vehicle accident, vehicle rollover, and / or overturning that would put one or more occupants of the vehicle in a potentially dangerous situation. Examples of SOS warning signals that may be activated are described in further detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 506,204, filed October 20, 2021, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE HAZARDOUS CONDITION DETECTION," which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0058]

[0066] However, if it is determined that an instruction corresponding to a passive tag has been received from a passive tag regulator, the flow branches to "YES" and method 400 proceeds to operation 408. In operation 408, the instruction is validated against an allow list. The allow list may contain one or more user profiles associated with one or more passive tags. Each user profile on the allow list may be predetermined as being permitted to operate the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is owned by a particular family, the allow list may include user profiles corresponding to each member of the family, but user profiles of non-family members may not be included. Furthermore, since passive tags may be associated with a particular helmet, the allow list may correspond to helmets owned by each member of the family, such that the helmet is the key or path to disabling the vehicle restriction mode. A similar technique may be applied to a deny list, where instructions corresponding to entries in the deny list cannot disable the vehicle restriction mode, but instructions from passive tags not present in the deny list will, accordingly, disable the vehicle restriction mode.

[0059]

[0067] As another example, in a rental organization, operators may be provided with different helmets based on which vehicles they are authorized to operate. Therefore, if an operator attempts to operate a vehicle they are not authorized to operate, one or more aspects of the vehicle may be restricted (e.g., the vehicle may not operate, the vehicle may not exceed a certain speed, the vehicle may not operate beyond a certain incline, etc.).

[0060]

[0068] In some cases, specific passive tags, or items containing passive tags (e.g., helmets, t-shirts, hats, jackets, necklaces, life jackets, etc.), may be paired with a vehicle. For example, pairing may involve adding the user profile associated with a specific passive tag to an allow list.

[0061]

[0069] In operation 410, the vehicle restriction mode is disabled. In some examples, the flow may proceed directly from operation 404 to operation 410 when method 400 branches to "yes," such as in implementations that do not involve verifying the instruction against the allow list of passive tags.

[0062]

[0070] When the vehicle restriction mode is disabled, the vehicle may be allowed to exceed the previously set maximum permissible speed and / or previously set maximum permissible incline. In some cases, engine derating may be reversed. In some cases, the vehicle may be allowed to start after it was previously not allowed to start. In some cases, the vehicle may be allowed to exceed a certain gear, but previously it may have been restricted to remain below a certain gear. In some cases, the vehicle restriction mode may only be disabled in part, since the user profile associated with the instructions in the passive tag may be associated with one or more user profiles with associated restrictions. Such embodiments may be similar to those described above with respect to method 300.

[0063]

[0071] Method 400 may terminate in operation 410. Alternatively, Method 400 may provide an iterative loop that returns to operation 402 (or any other operation from Method 400) to enable the vehicle restriction mode, determine whether an instruction corresponding to the passive tag has been received from the passive t-greeder, and consequently disable the vehicle restriction mode.

[0064]

[0072] Figure 4B shows another exemplary method 450 for improving vehicle safety, according to some embodiments described herein. The embodiments of Figure 4B are similar to those described above with respect to Figure 4A and are therefore not described again below.

[0065]

[0073] In operation 452, the vehicle restriction mode is enabled. The aspects of operation 452 are similar to the aspects of operation 402 described above with respect to method 400 in Figure 4A. For example, operation 452 includes at least one or more of the following: setting a maximum permissible speed for the vehicle, setting a maximum permissible incline for the vehicle, deterring the vehicle's engine, and / or preventing the vehicle from starting.

[0066]

[0074] The flow proceeds to operation 454, where the passive tag is evaluated. In an example, operation 454 includes evaluating the passive tag using one or more passive tag greeters, examples of which were described above with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. For example, if the passive tag is a radio tag, operation 454 may include determining whether the passive tag has been detected (e.g., all or above a threshold signal strength). In another example, if the passive tag is a graphic tag, the passive tag may be scanned by a passive tag greeter (e.g., a camera) and the associated image data may be processed to determine whether the passive tag is present with respect to a region (e.g., a region associated with a passenger / operator seat, a seat belt area, or a closed door). As described above, the tag may include identifiers associated with a given region, such that operation 454 includes comparing identifiers obtained from the passive tag based on such associations (e.g., indicating an operator / passenger seat, operator / passenger door, etc.). As described above, operation 454 may, in addition or alternative, include evaluating additional information based on the passive tag, such as a seat belt sensor and / or weight distribution sensor, to determine whether the passive tag is expected within a given area, based on other sensor data indicating that the occupant is expected within that area.

[0067]

[0075] In the example, evaluating a passive tag involves processing multiple data points, for example, to determine the motion associated with the passive tag and / or to determine the average location / signal strength for the passive tag. As a further example, a passive tag may be evaluated using multiple passive tag readers (e.g., wireless and / or image tag readers) to triangulate its location, for example, within a vehicle, and / or to address cases where the tag is moving and therefore cannot be consistently read by the same reader. It will be understood that any of the various techniques may be used to evaluate a passive tag in accordance with aspects of this disclosure.

[0068]

[0076] The flow proceeds to decision 456, where it is determined whether the evaluation indicates compliance with vehicle safety equipment. For example, if it is determined that a passive tag has a signal intensity exceeding a given threshold and / or has an identifier associated with the area in which the passive tag was detected, then the passive tag may be determined to indicate compliance with safety equipment. Although method 450 is described in relation to a single passive tag, it will be understood that similar embodiments may be used to evaluate multiple passive tags. In such examples, among other examples, a failure to evaluate a single tag may result in an overall failure to evaluate multiple passive tags, or, as another example, a success to evaluate a single tag may result in an overall success to evaluate multiple passive tags.

[0069]

[0077] If decision 456 determines that the evaluation has failed, the flow branches to "No" and enters operation 458, where the default action is executed. The mode of operation 458 is the same as the mode described above with respect to operation 406 in Figure 4A, and therefore will not be described in detail again. The flow then returns to operation 454 so that method 450 may loop between operations 454, 456, and 458 until decision 456 determines that the evaluation has succeeded.

[0070]

[0078] Returning to decision 456, if evaluation success is determined instead, the flow branches to "yes" and enters action 460, in which the vehicle restriction mode is disabled. The aspects of action 460 are similar to those described above with respect to action 410 in Figure 4A, and are therefore not described in detail. In examples where multiple passive tags are evaluated, action 460 may include, among other examples, disabling the vehicle restriction mode for the entire vehicle and / or disabling functionality associated with a particular rider / operator. As shown in the figure, method 450 terminates in action 460.

[0071]

[0079] Figure 5 shows an exemplary method 500 in some embodiments described herein. An exemplary method 500 may be a method for improving the safety of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200 in Figure 2). In the example, embodiments of method 500 are performed by a device such as a computing device 602 and / or server 604, which are described below with respect to Figure 6. In addition or alternative, embodiments of method 300 are performed by a controller 114, which are described above with respect to Figures 1A and 1B.

[0072]

[0080] Method 500 is initiated in operation 502, and the vehicle restriction mode is enabled. The vehicle restriction mode may include one or more of the following: setting a maximum permissible speed for the vehicle, setting a maximum permissible incline for the vehicle, derating the vehicle's engine, and preventing the vehicle from starting. For example, the maximum permissible speed may be a value of approximately 10 mph, or approximately 5 mph to approximately 15 mph, among other examples. Furthermore, the maximum permissible incline may be a value of approximately 10 degrees, or approximately 5 degrees to approximately 15 degrees, among other examples. The engine may be derated by reducing its output or operating capacity to a percentage of its maximum rated level. Preventing the vehicle from starting may include a hard stop, such as physically locking a button, lever, knob, switch, etc., configured to start the vehicle, or a soft stop, such as software and / or commands within the controller (e.g., controller 112 in Figures 1A and 1B) that prevents the vehicle from starting.

[0073]

[0081] In some examples, the vehicle includes an engine with multiple gear settings, such as a first gear setting and a second gear setting. The engine is able to communicate with a controller. Furthermore, the first gear setting may be lower than the second gear setting. Enabling the vehicle restriction mode in operation 502 may include restricting the engine to the first gear setting (e.g., thereby restricting the engine to a relatively low gear). In general, the vehicle restriction mode limits the functionality of the vehicle, for example, to make the vehicle safer for a person who has chosen not to wear a helmet.

[0074]

[0082] In operation 504, it is determined whether an instruction corresponding to overriding the vehicle restriction mode has been received. For example, the vehicle may include a user interface communicating with a controller. An instruction corresponding to overriding the vehicle restriction mode may be received in response to the reception of an input in the user interface. For example, the input may be toggling the state of a switch (e.g., located below a panel accessible via a tool). Another example is that the input may be a user input provided in an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system. Another example is that the user interface includes buttons, knobs, levers, microphones, and / or cameras that receive pushes, twists, cranks, voice commands, gestures, etc., among other user inputs. Additional and / or alternative types of user inputs and / or user interfaces that may be used with the vehicle will be recognized by those skilled in the art. In some examples, the user interface may be restricted from inadvertent or accidental access. For example, the user interface may be located behind a physical barrier (e.g., a door, a panel, etc.), and / or the user interface may be protected by a passcode.

[0075]

[0083] In some cases, the rider may call, text, or otherwise send a message to a remote fleet operator to disable vehicle restriction mode. In such cases, the instruction could be a call, text, or message requesting permission to disable vehicle restriction mode. In some cases, the remote fleet operator may be able to disable vehicle restriction mode remotely. As an addition or alternative, the remote fleet operator may respond to the instruction to allow the rider to disable vehicle restriction mode. For example, the response could include a passcode that the rider can enter into the vehicle or a vehicle-associated nomadic device to disable vehicle restriction mode.

[0076]

[0084] If no instruction corresponding to override vehicle restriction mode is received, the flow branches to “No” and enters operation 502, and vehicle restriction mode remains enabled. In some examples, the signal from the passive tag may be too weak for the passive tgreeder to obtain data from it to determine whether there is a user profile associated with the instruction, thereby prompting the user to move closer to the passive tgreeder. However, if it is determined that an instruction corresponding to override vehicle restriction mode has been received, the flow branches to “Yes” and method 500 proceeds to operation 506. In operation 506, the instruction is verified using multi-factor authentication. To add additional security when disabling vehicle restriction mode, the user (e.g., operator, passenger, service technician, etc.) may provide multiple inputs to disable vehicle restriction mode. For example, the user may have to flip a switch hidden under a panel, and then also make a phone call, or provide input to a computing device (e.g., phone, tablet, wearable device, etc.), or provide input to the IVI. Additional and / or alternative mechanisms for multi-factor authentication will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

[0077]

[0085] In some cases, an SOS warning signal may be activated when an instruction corresponding to overriding the vehicle restriction mode is received. For example, in an emergency, it may be assumed that the occupant is attempting to misuse the vehicle. Exemplary embodiments of such SOS warning signals are described in further detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 506,204, filed October 20, 2021, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE HAZARDOUS CONDITION DETECTION," which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0078]

[0086] In operation 508, the vehicle restriction mode is disabled. In some examples, method 500 may proceed directly from operation 504 to operation 508 when the flow branches to "yes", such as in implementations that do not involve verifying instructions using multi-factor authentication.

[0079]

[0087] When a vehicle restriction mode is disabled, the vehicle may be allowed to exceed the previously set maximum permissible speed and / or previously set maximum permissible incline. In some cases, engine derating may be reversed. In some cases, the vehicle may be allowed to start after it was previously not allowed to start. In some cases, the vehicle may be allowed to exceed a certain gear, but previously it may have been restricted to remain below a certain gear. In some cases, it will be understood that the vehicle restriction mode may only be disabled in part, since the user profile associated with the instructions of the passive tag may be associated with one or more user profiles that have one or more associated restrictions. In some cases, only some of the previously enabled vehicle restrictions may be disabled, and the degree of the previously enabled vehicle restrictions (e.g., the degree of speed, incline, etc.) may be modified. Such embodiments may, as an example, be similar to the embodiments described above with respect to method 300.

[0080]

[0088] Method 500 may terminate in operation 508. Alternatively, Method 500 may return to operation 502 (or any other operation from Method 500) to provide an iterative loop that enables the vehicle restriction mode, determines whether an instruction to override the vehicle restriction mode has been received, and consequently disables the vehicle restriction mode.

[0081]

[0089] Figure 6 shows an example of System 600 according to several aspects of the disclosed subject matter. System 600 may be a system for improving vehicle safety, such as in a vehicle where the occupant wears a helmet, uses a seat belt, and / or uses any of the various other safety equipment associated with vehicle operation. System 600 includes one or more computing devices 602, one or more servers 604, one or more input data sources 606, and a communication network or network 608. In some examples, the computing device 602 may receive input data 610 from the input data source 606. In addition or alternative, in some examples, the network 608 may receive input data 610 from the input data source 606. In some examples, the computing device 602 may be similar to or identical to the controller 112 and / or intermediate communication device described herein with respect to Figures 1A and 1B. Thus, in some examples, the computing device 602 may be included in a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 200). As an addition or alternative, in some examples, the computing device 602 may be a nomadic device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or wearable device, which may be associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

[0082]

[0090] In some examples, the computing device 602 includes a communication system 612, a user profile engine or component 614, and / or a vehicle restriction engine or component 616. In some embodiments, the computing device 602 may perform at least a portion of the user profile component 614 to identify a user profile based on input data 610. In some examples, the computing device 602 may perform at least a portion of the vehicle restriction component 616 to enable and / or disable the vehicle restriction mode of the vehicle.

[0083]

[0091] In some examples, the server 604 includes a communication system 618, a user profile engine or component 620, and / or a vehicle restriction engine or component 622. In some embodiments, the server 604 may perform at least a portion of the user profile component 620 to identify a user profile based on input data 610. In some examples, the server 604 may perform at least a portion of the vehicle restriction component 622 to enable and / or disable the vehicle restriction mode of a vehicle.

[0084]

[0092] In addition or alternatively, in some examples, the computing device 602 may communicate data received from the input data source 606 to the server 604 via the communication network 608, which can perform at least some of the user profile components 614, 620 and / or vehicle restriction components 616, 622. In some examples, the user profile components 614, 620 perform one or more parts of the methods / processes disclosed herein and / or recognized by those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. In some examples, the vehicle restriction components 616, 622 perform one or more parts of the methods / processes disclosed herein and / or recognized by those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure.

[0085]

[0093] In some examples, computing device 602 and / or server 604 could be any suitable computing device or combination of devices, such as a desktop computer, vehicle computer, mobile computing device (e.g., laptop computer, smartphone, tablet computer, wearable computer, etc.), server computer, virtual machine running on a physical computing device, or web server. Furthermore, in some examples, there could be multiple computing devices 602 and / or multiple servers 604.

[0086]

[0094] In some examples, the input data source 606 can be any suitable source of input data (e.g., data generated from a computing device, data stored in a repository, data generated from a software application, data received by a passive tugboomer, data received from a vehicle, etc.). In some examples, the input data source 606 can include memory for storing the input data (e.g., local memory of computing device 602, local memory of server 604, cloud storage, portable memory connected to computing device 602, portable memory connected to server 604, etc.). In some examples, the input data source 606 can include an application configured to generate input data and provide that input data via a software interface. In some examples, the input data source 606 can be local to computing device 602. In some examples, the input data source 606 can be remote from computing device 602 and can communicate input data 610 to computing device 602 (and / or server 604) via a communication network (e.g., communication network 608). In some examples, the input data source 606 can include multiple sources of input data.

[0087]

[0095] In some examples, the input data 610 may include data retrievalable from passive tags (e.g., RFID tags, NFC tags, barcode tags, etc.). In some examples, the input data 610 may include user profile data retrievalable from remote and / or local data stores (e.g., server 604 or computing device 602, respectively). In some examples, the input data 610 may include vehicle information retrievalable from vehicle controllers, vehicle sensors (e.g., seat belt sensors, door sensors, seat sensors, etc.), and / or vehicle components (e.g., engine, battery, etc.).

[0088]

[0096] In some examples, communication network 608 could be any suitable communication network or combination of communication networks. For example, communication network 608 could include a Wi-Fi network (which could include one or more wireless routers, one or more switches, etc.), a peer-to-peer network (e.g., Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy network), a cellular network (e.g., a 3G network, 4G network, 5G network, etc., compliant with any suitable standard), a wired network, a controller area network (CAN), etc. In some examples, communication network 608 could be a local area network (LAN), an interface conforming to a known communication standard such as the Bluetooth® standard, the IEEE 802 standard (e.g., IEEE 802.11), ZigBee® or similar specifications based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, a wide area network (WAN), a public network (e.g., the Internet), a private or semi-private network (e.g., an intranet of a company or university), any other suitable type of network, or any suitable combination of networks. In some examples, the communication links (arrows) shown in Figure 6 could be any suitable communication link or combination of communication links, such as a wired link, fiber optic link, Wi-Fi link, Bluetooth® link, cellular link, or satellite link.

[0089]

[0097] Figure 7 shows a simplified block diagram of a device in which an aspect of the present disclosure may be put into practice according to an aspect thereof. The device may be, for example, a mobile computing device. One or more of these embodiments may be implemented in operating environment 700. This is merely an example of a suitable operating environment and is not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of use or functionality. Other well-known computing systems, environments, and / or configurations that may be suitable for use include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, smartphones, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, programmable consumer electronics, and distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices.

[0090]

[0098] In its most basic configuration, the operating environment 700 generally includes at least one processing unit 702 and memory 704. Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, the memory 704 (e.g., instructions for one or more embodiments of the methods / processes 300, 400, and / or 500 described with respect to Figures 3, 4, and 5, respectively) may be volatile (e.g., RAM), non-volatile (e.g., ROM, flash memory, etc.), or any combination of the two. This most basic configuration is shown by the dashed line 706 in Figure 7. Furthermore, the operating environment 700 may also include storage devices (removable 708, and / or non-removable 710), including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tapes. Similarly, the operating environment 700 may also have input devices 714, such as a remote controller, keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input, onboard sensors, and / or output devices 712, such as a display, speaker, printer, motor, etc. The environment may also include one or more communication connections 716, such as LANs, WANs, short-range wireless communication networks, cellular broadband networks, and point-to-point connections.

[0091]

[0099] The operating environment 700 generally includes at least one form of computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by at least one processing unit 702 or other devices constituting the operating environment. By example, but not by limitation, the computer-readable medium may include computer storage medium and communication medium. The computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media that are implemented in any way or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The computer storage medium includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other tangible non-temporary medium that can be used to store desired information. The computer storage medium does not include communication medium. The computer storage medium does not include carrier waves or other propagating or modulated data signals.

[0092]

[0100] Communication media include any information distribution medium that embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal having one or more of the characteristics that have been set or modified to encode information in the signal. Communication media include, but are not limited to, wired media such as wired networks or direct wired connections, as well as wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.

[0093]

[0101] Operating environment 700 may be a single computer operating in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers. Remote computers may be personal computers, servers, routers, network PCs, peer devices, or other common network nodes, and generally include many or all of the elements described above, as well as other elements not so specifically mentioned. Logical connections may include any method supported by available communication media. Such networking environments are common in offices, enterprise-scale computer networks, intranets, and the internet.

[0094]

[0102] Aspects of this disclosure are described above with reference, for example, to block diagrams and / or operational diagrams of methods, systems, and computer program products according to aspects of this disclosure. The functions / actions described in the blocks may be performed in a manner different from the order shown in any flowchart. For example, depending on the functions / actions involved, two consecutively shown blocks may be executed substantially simultaneously, or they may sometimes be executed in reverse order.

[0095]

[0103] Clause 1. A system for improving the safety of a vehicle in which the rider wears a helmet, comprising a passive tugreeder and a controller communicating with the passive tugreeder, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory that stores instructions causing the controller to execute an action set when executed by the processor, and the action set includes receiving instructions from the passive tugreeder corresponding to a passive tag associated with the rider's helmet, identifying a user profile based on the instructions, and configuring one or more settings of the vehicle based on the user profile.

[0096]

[0104] A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, wherein one or more settings include at least one of a vehicle speed limit or a gradient limit.

[0097]

[0105] Clause 3. A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising the operation set receiving a signal corresponding to the presence of a rider inside the vehicle prior to receiving an instruction, and activating a passive treader in response to receiving the signal.

[0098]

[0106] Clause 4. A system described in any of the provisions of this Specification in which a user profile corresponds to one of the specific individuals operating the vehicle or the skill level of operating the vehicle.

[0099]

[0107] Clause 5. A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising a passive tag and a helmet to which the passive tag is attached.

[0100]

[0108] Clause 6. The system described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising a headrest to which a passive batgrease is coupled.

[0101]

[0109] Clause 7. A system described in any of the clauses of this specification in which the controller is wirelessly communicating with a passive greeder.

[0102]

[0110] Clause 8. A system described in any of the provisions of this Specification, wherein the operation set further includes collecting vehicle performance data and transmitting the performance data together with a user profile.

[0103]

[0111] Clause 9. A system for improving vehicle safety, comprising a passive tugreeder and a controller communicating with the passive tugreeder, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to execute an action set, the action set including enabling a vehicle restriction mode, receiving instructions from the passive tugreeder corresponding to a passive tag in the vehicle, and disabling the vehicle restriction mode based on the passive tag.

[0104]

[0112] Clause 10. A system described in any of the provisions of this Specification, in which the vehicle restriction mode includes one or more of the following: setting the maximum permissible speed of the vehicle, setting the maximum permissible incline of the vehicle, deterring the engine of the vehicle, and preventing the vehicle from starting.

[0105]

[0113] Clause 11. A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising an engine communicating with a controller, including at least a first gear setting and a second gear setting, wherein enabling a vehicle restriction mode includes restricting the engine to the first gear setting, the first gear setting being lower than the second gear setting.

[0106]

[0114] Clause 12. A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, in which a passive tag is associated with at least one of the following: the rider's helmet, the vehicle's seat belt, the vehicle's door, or the vehicle's net.

[0107]

[0115] Clause 13. The system described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising a helmet to which a passive tag is attached, and a headrest to which a passive tag cleaver is attached.

[0108]

[0116] Clause 14. A system as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, wherein the passive tag is a graphic tag, the passive trigger is equipped with a camera, the instruction includes an identifier encoded by the graphic tag, and the vehicle restriction mode is deactivated in response to the detection of the passive tag within the area indicated by the encoded identifier.

[0109]

[0117] Clause 15. A vehicle comprising a frame, a plurality of wheels operably coupled to the frame, a passive tug grease, and a controller communicating with the passive tug grease, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory for storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to execute a set of actions, the set of actions including receiving instructions corresponding to enabling a vehicle restriction mode, overriding a vehicle restriction mode, and disabling a vehicle restriction mode.

[0110]

[0118] Clause 16. A vehicle as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising a user interface communicating with a controller, wherein instructions corresponding to overriding a vehicle restriction mode are received in response to the reception of an input in the user interface.

[0111]

[0119] Clause 17. A vehicle as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, wherein the frame comprises a lower frame and an upper frame, the upper frame comprising a front section, a middle section and a rear section, the front section, the middle section and the rear section being coupled to each other and to the lower frame.

[0112]

[0120] Clause 18. A vehicle as described in any of the provisions of this Specification, in which the vehicle restriction mode includes one or more of the following: setting the maximum permissible speed of the vehicle, setting the maximum permissible incline of the vehicle, deterring the engine of the vehicle, and preventing the vehicle from starting.

[0113]

[0121] Clause 19. A vehicle according to any of the provisions of this Specification, further comprising one or more seats, wherein a passive treader is coupled to at least one of the one or more seats.

[0114]

[0122] Clause 20. A vehicle described in any of the provisions herein, in which the controller is communicating wirelessly with the passive treader.

[0115]

[0123] The descriptions and examples of one or more embodiments provided in this application are not intended to limit or restrict in any way the scope of the claimed disclosure. The embodiments, examples, and details provided in this application are considered sufficient to indicate ownership and enable others to make and use the claimed embodiments of this disclosure. The claimed disclosure should not be construed as being limited to any embodiments, examples, or details provided in this application. Various features (both structural and methodological), whether shown and described together or separately, are intended to be selectively included or omitted to create embodiments having a particular set of features. Although the descriptions and examples of this application are provided, a person skilled in the art may envision variations, modifications, and alternative embodiments that do not deviate from the broader scope of the claimed disclosure and fall within the spirit of the broader embodiments of the general inventive concept embodied in this application.

Claims

1. A system for improving the safety of vehicles in which the rider wears a helmet, Passive Butagrida and, The controller communicating with the aforementioned passive tugreeter Equipped with, The controller comprises a processor and a memory that stores instructions that cause the controller to execute an action set when executed by the processor. The aforementioned set of operations Receiving instructions from the passive tag greeder corresponding to the passive tag associated with the rider's helmet, Identifying the user profile based on the above instructions, To configure one or more settings for the vehicle based on the user profile. A system that includes this.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the settings include at least one of a vehicle speed limit or a tilt limit.

3. The aforementioned set of operations, before receiving the instruction, Receiving a signal corresponding to the presence of the occupant inside the vehicle, In response to receiving the aforementioned signal, the passive tweeder is activated. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the user profile corresponds to one of a specific individual operating the vehicle or a skill level of operating the vehicle.

5. The aforementioned passive tag and, The helmet to which the passive tag is attached The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

6. Headrest to which the aforementioned passive tug grease is attached The system according to claim 5, further comprising:

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller communicates wirelessly with the passive greeder.

8. The aforementioned set of operations To collect performance data of the aforementioned vehicle, The performance data is transmitted together with the user profile. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

9. Passive Butagrida and, The controller communicating with the aforementioned passive tug regretting and A system for improving vehicle safety, comprising: the controller comprising: a processor and a memory that stores instructions for causing the controller to execute an action set when executed by the processor, and the action set is Enable vehicle restriction mode, Receiving instructions corresponding to the passive tag in the vehicle from the passive tag greeder, Based on the passive tag, the vehicle restriction mode is disabled. A system that includes this.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle restriction mode includes one or more of the following: setting a maximum allowable speed for the vehicle, setting a maximum allowable incline for the vehicle, deterring the engine of the vehicle, and preventing the vehicle from starting.

11. An engine that communicates with the controller, including at least a first gear setting and a second gear setting. Furthermore, The system according to claim 9, wherein enabling the vehicle restriction mode includes restricting the engine to the first gear setting, the first gear setting being lower than the second gear setting.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the passive tag is associated with at least one of the following: the rider's helmet, the vehicle's seat belt, the vehicle's door, or the vehicle's net.

13. A helmet to which the aforementioned passive tag is attached, The headrest to which the passive tug grease is attached The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

14. The aforementioned passive tag is a graphic tag, The aforementioned passive griller is equipped with a camera, The instruction includes an identifier encoded by the graphic tag, The vehicle restriction mode is disabled in response to the detection of the passive tag within the region indicated by the encoded identifier. The system according to claim 9.

15. Frame and, Multiple wheels operably coupled to the frame, Passive Butagrida and, The controller communicating with the aforementioned passive tug regretting and A vehicle comprising, the controller comprising a processor and a memory that stores instructions that cause the controller to execute an action set when executed by the processor, the action set is Enable vehicle restriction mode, Receiving instructions corresponding to overriding the aforementioned vehicle restriction mode, Disabling the aforementioned vehicle restriction mode and Vehicles, including

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, further comprising a user interface communicating with the controller, wherein the instruction corresponding to overriding the vehicle restriction mode is received in response to the reception of an input in the user interface.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the frame includes a lower frame and an upper frame, the upper frame comprising a front section, a central section and a rear section, and the front section, the central section and the rear section are coupled to each other and to the lower frame.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle restriction mode includes one or more of the following: setting the maximum permissible speed of the vehicle, setting the maximum permissible incline of the vehicle, deterring the engine of the vehicle, and preventing the vehicle from starting.

19. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more seats, and the passive treader is coupled to at least one of the one or more seats.

20. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the controller communicates wirelessly with the passive treader.

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