Display of relevant warnings to vehicle operators

Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods executed by a processor in a vehicle to present a relevant alert to a vehicle operator, including receiving a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication including information regarding a V2X identified threat, determining whether the vehicle operator is not aware of the V2X identified threat, and in response to determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of the V2X identified threat, determining a display location that is most likely to receive the vehicle operator's attention and generating an alert regarding the V2X identified threat on the determined display location. The generated alert regarding the V2X identified threat on the determined display location may exclude alerts regarding any threat conditions that the processor has determined the vehicle operator is aware of.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 496,691, filed October 7, 2021. The entire content of the said application is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) aim to provide services related to different modes of transportation and improve road safety, traffic efficiency, and energy conservation. ITS networks include advanced telematics and hybrid communications, including Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications and ad hoc direct communications between vehicles, infrastructure, and individuals carrying wireless devices for such communications. The ITS network also enables more specific types of communications such as vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), vehicle-to-device (V2D), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G), all of which are collectively referred to as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.

[0003] Vehicles equipped with V2X technology receive messages from neighboring entities including roadside units, vehicles, and individuals carrying wireless devices. V2X-equipped devices can analyze and use information from the received messages to improve vehicle safety operations. When appropriate, V2X-equipped devices can warn the vehicle operator about safety-critical events or conditions that may pose a threat to the vehicle or its occupants.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various aspects can include a method that can be implemented on a vehicle's processor and a system for implementing a method for presenting warnings related to a vehicle operator in response to the operator's field of vision and area of attention.

[0005] Some embodiments include receiving a V2X communication containing information about a threat identified by the Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of the V2X-identified threat, determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention in response to the determination that the vehicle operator is not aware of the V2X-identified threat, and generating an alert regarding the V2X-identified threat on the determined display location. In some embodiments, generating an alert regarding the V2X-identified threat on the determined display location may include generating a display that excludes alerts regarding any threat conditions recognized by the vehicle operator.

[0006] Some embodiments may include determining the location of an area outside the vehicle containing the V2X-identified threat and determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight, and determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the V2X-identified threat may include determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized the V2X-identified threat in response to determining that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the V2X-identified threat is not within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight.

[0007] Some embodiments may include determining the location of an area outside the vehicle containing a threat identified by V2X, and determining whether the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot, and determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of the threat identified by V2X may include determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of the threat identified by V2X in response to the determination that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot.

[0008] Some embodiments may include determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight, and determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention may include determining to identify a display location that is visible within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight.

[0009] In some embodiments, determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention may include determining which of several vehicle displays is designated as the preferred display for the threat identified by V2X.

[0010] Some embodiments may include determining whether a threat confirmation has been received from the vehicle operator with respect to a threat identified by V2X, and determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of a threat identified by V2X may include determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of a threat identified by V2X, in response to determining that a threat confirmation has not been received from the vehicle operator with respect to a threat identified by V2X.

[0011] Some embodiments may include receiving V2X occlusion data indicating the existence of conditions that reduce the visibility of a V2X-identified threat to the vehicle operator, and determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of a V2X-identified threat may include determining, in response to receiving the V2X occlusion data, that the vehicle operator is not aware of a V2X-identified threat.

[0012] Some embodiments may include increasing the notification priority of a V2X-identified threat in response to a vehicle operator determining that they are unaware of the V2X-identified threat, and determining whether the increased notification priority of the V2X-identified threat is of a higher priority than other identified threats, and generating an alert for a V2X-identified threat on a determined display location may include generating an alert for a V2X-identified threat in response to determining that the increased notification priority of the V2X-identified threat is of a higher priority than other identified threats, but excluding alerts for other identified threats on the determined display location.

[0013] In some embodiments, V2X communications containing information about the threat identified by V2X may be received from a source remote from the vehicle.

[0014] Further embodiments include a vehicle system comprising memory and a processor configured to perform any of the operations summarized above. Further embodiments may include a vehicle system having various means for performing any of the operations summarized above. Further embodiments may include a non-temporary processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions configured to cause the processor of the vehicle system to perform any of the operations summarized above.

[0015] The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and constituting part thereof illustrate exemplary embodiments of the claims and, together with the general description given above and the embodiments for carrying out the invention below, are useful in illustrating the features of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary V2X system suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 2A]This is a component block diagram showing a vehicle suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 2B] This is a component block diagram showing a vehicle suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 2C] This is a diagram illustrating the components of an exemplary vehicle system suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 2D] This is a conceptual diagram showing an exemplary V2X communication protocol stack suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 3A] This is a component block diagram showing the components of an exemplary vehicle management system, suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 3B] This is a component block diagram showing components of another exemplary vehicle management system, suitable for implementing various embodiments. [Figure 4A] This is a process flow diagram illustrating exemplary methods for presenting warnings related to vehicle operators, using various embodiments. [Figure 4B] This is a process flow diagram of exemplary actions that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4C] This is a process flow diagram of exemplary actions that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4D] This is a process flow diagram of exemplary actions that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4E] This is a process flow diagram of exemplary actions that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4F] This is a process flow diagram of exemplary actions that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4G]A process flow diagram of exemplary operations that may be performed as part of a method for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator according to various embodiments. **DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**

[0017] Various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. References made to particular examples and implementations are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the claims.

[0018] Generally, various embodiments utilize elements of a V2X warning system, an in-vehicle / occupant monitoring system (OMS), and in-vehicle sensors to identify relevant warnings and display them to a vehicle operator at an appropriate location, such as an in-vehicle display most likely to receive the vehicle operator's attention, among a plurality of vehicle displays. Various embodiments can calculate blocked or degraded lines of sight, the vehicle operator's area of perception, and whether a threat is recognized by the operator, and present only relevant warnings in locations and / or ways likely to be noticed by the vehicle operator. Additionally, one or more relevant warnings presented to the vehicle operator can exclude information or warnings regarding threats the operator has already recognized and / or low-priority threats. Also, one or more relevant warnings may be presented only at a selected display location rather than at multiple display locations, which may potentially reduce the likelihood of confusing the display and the operator's ability to recognize and evaluate the warning(s).

[0019] The term "system on a chip" (SOC) is used herein to refer to a single integrated circuit (IC) chip that includes multiple resources and / or processors integrated on a single substrate. A single SOC may include circuits for digital, analog, mixed signal, and radio frequency functionality. A single SOC may also include any number of general-purpose and / or dedicated processors (such as digital signal processors, modem processors, video processors, etc.), memory blocks (such as ROM, RAM, flash, etc.), and resources (such as timers, voltage regulators, oscillators, etc.). An SOC may also include software for controlling the integrated resources and processors, as well as for controlling peripheral devices.

[0020] The term "system in a package" (SIP) may be used herein to refer to a single module or package that includes multiple resources, computing units, cores, and / or processors on two or more IC chips, substrates, or SOCs. For example, an SIP may include a single substrate on which multiple IC chips or semiconductor dies are stacked in a vertical configuration. Similarly, an SIP may include one or more multi-chip modules (MCMs) on which multiple ICs or semiconductor dies are packaged on a unified substrate. An SIP may also include multiple independent SOCs that are coupled to each other via high-speed communication circuits and packaged in close proximity, such as on a single motherboard or within a single wireless device. The proximity of the SOCs facilitates high-speed communication and the sharing of memory and resources.

[0021] The terms “component,” “system,” “unit,” and “module” refer to computer-related entities, such as hardware, firmware, hardware-software combinations, software, or running software, configured to perform a specific operation or function. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, and / or a computer. As an example, both an application running on a communication device and the communication device itself may be called components. One or more components may reside within a process and / or an execution thread, and components may be localized on one processor or core and / or distributed across two or more processors or cores. In addition, these components may be executed from various non-temporary computer-readable media storing various instructions and / or data structures. Components may communicate by local and / or remote processes, function or procedure calls, electronic signals, data packets, memory reads / writes, and other known computer, processor, and / or process-related communication methods.

[0022] The term "V2X-identified threat" refers to any event or condition on or near a vehicle that could cause harm or risk of harm to the vehicle, the vehicle's occupants, or anything on or inside the vehicle. In addition, harm or risk to the vehicle may include harm or risk to any extension of the vehicle, such as towed vehicles, cargo, and / or related vehicles in a caravan or operating as a convoy.

[0023] The term "V2X-enabled device" refers to a device installed in a vehicle or device that provides Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) functionality. A V2X-enabled device typically includes a processing system that may include one or more processors, SoCs, and / or SIPs, any of which may include one or more components, systems, units, and / or modules that implement V2X functionality (collectively referred to as "processing systems" for brevity in this specification). The embodiments of V2X-enabled devices and functionality may be implemented as hardware components, software components, or a combination of hardware and software components.

[0024] The term “wireless device” is used herein to mean any one or all of the following wearable devices, including cellular phones, smartphones, portable computing devices, tablet computers, smartbooks, wireless email receivers, multimedia internet-enabled cellular phones, smartwatches, smart clothing, smart glasses, smart wristbands, smart jewelry (e.g., smart rings, smart bracelets, etc.), and similar electronic devices, including memory, wireless communication components, and programmable processors.

[0025] Cooperative-ITS (C-ITS) is under development to improve road safety and pave the way for fully autonomous driving based on the exchange of information via direct wireless short-range communication dedicated to C-ITS and Road Transport and Traffic Telematics (RTTT). Multiple regions around the world are developing standards for vehicle-based communication systems and functions, including standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for use in North America, and by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) for use in Europe. Such systems include the ability of a vehicle to broadcast messages that other vehicles can receive and process to improve traffic safety. Such messages are called Basic Safety Messages (BSM) in North America and Cooperative Awareness Messages (CAM) in Europe (for brevity, they will be collectively referred to as BSM messages in this specification).

[0026] The IEEE 802.11p standard is the basis for Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) and ITS-G5 communication standards. IEEE 1609 is a higher-level standard based on IEEE 802.11p. Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) standards are competing standards developed under the auspices of the Third Generation Partnership Project. These standards serve as the basis for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-traffic system wireless communication used to support intelligent highways, autonomous vehicles, and semi-autonomous vehicles, and to improve the overall efficiency and safety of trunk road transport systems. Other V2X wireless technologies are also being considered in multiple different regions of the world. The techniques described herein are applicable to any V2X wireless technology.

[0027] The C-V2X protocol defines two transmission modes that together provide enhanced road safety and 360° out-of-line perception and a higher level of predictability for autonomous driving. The first transmission mode includes Direct C-V2X, which includes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) and provides extended communication range and reliability within the 5.9 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum of a dedicated intelligent transport system (ITS) independent of the cellular network. The second transmission mode includes vehicle-to-vehicle (V2N) communication in mobile broadband systems and technologies such as third-generation wireless mobile communication technologies (3G) (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000 system, etc.), fourth-generation wireless mobile communication technologies (4G) (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Advanced system, Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Mobile WiMAX) system, etc.), and fifth-generation wireless mobile communication technologies (e.g., 5G NR system). Other V2X wireless technologies are also under consideration in different regions of the world. The techniques described herein are applicable to any V2X wireless technology.

[0028] Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2X) systems and technologies are quite promising for improving traffic flow and vehicle safety by enabling vehicles to share information about their location, speed, direction of travel, braking, and other factors that may be useful to other vehicles for collision avoidance and other safety functions. Vehicles equipped with V2X devices may transmit their vehicle information frequently (e.g., up to 20 times per second) in small messages such as Basic Safety Messages (BSM) or Cooperative Recognition Messages (CAM). If all V2X-enabled vehicles transmit such BSM / CAM messages, all receiving vehicles will have the information necessary to control their own speed and direction in order to avoid collisions and to position vehicles efficiently and safely relative to one another.

[0029] Current V2X applications use maps, vehicle kinematic conditions, and vehicle direction / path to calculate and identify safety-critical events or conditions within relevant identified areas. Events and conditions outside these relevant areas may be ignored for the purpose of warning the operator. Defining relevant areas can be useful in reducing the number of V2X objects tracked and concentrating computing power and resources on more appropriate safety-related data. However, such relevant areas do not take into account the actual line of sight from the operator's seat or the operator's current line of sight. Therefore, such systems often warn the operator of a threat to the vehicle or its occupants, when the operator is already aware of that threat. Repeated warnings that can be ignored can lead to operator desensitization to warnings, which can diminish the effectiveness of such warning systems. Also, warning systems that frequently generate unnecessary warnings can cause user discomfort and / or fatigue.

[0030] Various embodiments include methods and systems configured to perform a method for presenting warnings relevant to a vehicle operator in a manner configured to increase the likelihood that the operator will perceive and process such warnings. In various embodiments, a vehicle processing system (e.g., a V2X onboard device) may receive V2X communications containing information about V2X-identified threats to the vehicle or vehicle occupants. Received V2X communications containing information about V2X-identified threats may originate from onboard systems, V2X infrastructure, other vehicles, other external systems, etc. In response to receiving a message, the vehicle processing system may evaluate several factors relevant to determining whether the V2X-identified threat poses a real threat to the vehicle or passengers. The vehicle processing system may evaluate information from various vehicle sensors to determine whether the vehicle operator has recognized the V2X-identified threat. A threat recognized by the operator may not justify a warning, but the operator may need to be warned about unrecognized V2X-identified threats. In various embodiments, the vehicle processing system may evaluate inputs from the vehicle OMS and on-board sensors or equipment settings to identify explicit and / or implicit indications regarding whether the operator has recognized a threat identified by V2X.

[0031] The vehicle processing system may, in response to determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of a threat identified by V2X, determine the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention. Vehicles may have large head-up display capabilities, such as encompassing much, if not all, of the windshield, as well as multiple displays, such as head-up displays on the side windows and / or multiple different displays on the dashboard. Furthermore, operators may wear head-mounted displays (HMDs) that provide augmented reality displays of vehicle information overlaid on the user's views of the vehicle's interior and exterior. To increase the likelihood that the operator sees and perceives a threat warning message or alert, the processing system may determine where the operator is looking and identify display locations within the operator's line of sight that present a visible warning regarding the V2X-identified threat. For example, if a threat, such as an oncoming vehicle, is approaching from the operator's right, but the operator is currently looking to the left of the vehicle, the vehicle processing system may render a warning message on a vehicle display location to the operator's left (e.g., part of or located on a large display). In vehicles equipped with a large display (e.g., a HUD surrounding the windshield), the display location for presenting an alert message determined by the vehicle processing system may be a part of the display aligned with the operator's current line of sight. In such vehicles, the vehicle processing system may move the alert message across the large display as the operator moves their eyes and head (i.e., the display location may change in response to the operator's eye / head movements). In vehicles equipped with multiple displays (e.g., a small HUD, a dashboard display, and side panel displays), the determined display location may be the one of the multiple displays that is aligned closest to the operator's current line of sight.In such vehicles, the vehicle processing system can move warning messages from one display to another as the operator moves their eyes and head (i.e., the display selected to present the alert message can change in response to the operator's eye / head movements). In some embodiments suitable for vehicles that include a dedicated or preferred display for displaying V2X-related alerts, determining the display location most likely to capture the vehicle operator's attention may involve selecting one vehicle display from among several vehicle displays that is designated as the preferred display for the threat identified by V2X.

[0032] The processing system can then generate an alert regarding the threat identified by V2X and render the alert at a determined display location to improve the likelihood that the operator will see and process the alert message. To avoid overloading the operator with information that is not of high importance to them, the vehicle processing system may generate an alert display that includes only the most relevant or highest-priority information, which may include consideration of whether the operator is aware of (or may be aware of) several threats. In some embodiments, the processing system can generate an alert regarding the threat identified by V2X, which excludes warnings about any threat conditions that the vehicle operator is already aware of or can see. For example, if the vehicle processing system determines that a particular threat has been recognized by the operator, the generated alert message may remove information about the recognized threat. As another example, if there are threats posed by objects or approaching vehicles on both the right and left sides of the operator, the vehicle processing system may render a warning message at a vehicle display location on the left side of the operator (e.g., a large display or part of a located display) which may include only the threat on the right side of the operator, since the operator can see the threat on the left side of the operator. In some embodiments, the processing system can evaluate information related to the operator's attention to determine whether the operator actually perceived a threat in the direction the operator is looking before removing the warning message from the warnings presented on the determined display locations. Furthermore, one or more relevant warnings may be presented only on the selected display locations (i.e., where the operator is looking), avoiding the repetition of warnings or warnings on multiple displays or display locations, which may potentially reduce the likelihood that the operator will perceive and evaluate the warnings.

[0033] Various embodiments can improve the safety and effectiveness of a vehicle safety system by presenting useful warnings to the operator of a V2X-equipped vehicle at the display location the operator is viewing, and by avoiding rendering unnecessary warnings that could lead to operator discomfort or unnecessary warning fatigue. Thus, various embodiments improve the safety and effectiveness of a vehicle safety system by increasing the likelihood that the operator will perceive and respond to threat warnings.

[0034] Figure 1 shows an exemplary V2X system 100 suitable for implementing various embodiments. Referring to Figure 1, vehicles 101, 102, and 103 may each include V2X-equipped devices 111, 112, and 113, which can be configured to establish wireless communication links 121, 122, and 123 between them. Similarly, a pedestrian 50 may carry a wireless device 105, also equipped with V2X-equipped devices, which can also be configured to establish wireless communication links 131, 132, and 133 with the V2X-enabled vehicles 101, 102, and 103. Furthermore, one or more roadside units 109 may also be equipped with V2X-equipped devices, which can be configured to establish wireless communication links 141, 142, 143, and 144 with the vehicles 101, 102, and 103 and the wireless device 105. These wireless communication links 121, 122, 123, 131, 132, 133, 141, 142, 143, and 144 may be configured to periodically carry basic safety messages (BSMs) or other V2X communications broadcast between vehicles 101, 102, 103, wireless device 104, and / or roadside unit 109. In contrast, vehicle 104 may represent other vehicles that do not have the capability to transmit or receive V2X messages.

[0035] The environment shown in Figure 1 reflects a situation in which the operator of a first vehicle 101, having a specific point of view (POV), can easily observe pedestrians 50 and other objects located in Zone A, but may have an obstructed or partially obstructed view of objects located at the far end of Zone B. In this situation, the operator of the first vehicle 101 may not notice that a third vehicle 103, located in the obstructed portion of Zone B, is heading north on Road 10. If not fully informed of the situation, the operator of the first vehicle 101 may mistakenly assume that it is free to enter the northbound traffic, potentially leading to a collision.

[0036] By sharing vehicle / device location, speed, direction, velocity and other behaviors, acceleration / deceleration, turning, etc., vehicles 101, 102, 103 and pedestrians can maintain safe separation and identify and avoid potential collisions (i.e., threats). For example, a first vehicle 101 beginning to exit a parking space can receive a V2X communication (e.g., BSM, CAM) containing information about a V2X-identified threat to the vehicle or its occupants. Any V2X-equipped device, such as from one or more of the other vehicles 102, 103, wireless device 105, and / or roadside unit 109, can transmit and / or relay V2X communications to the first vehicle 101. Upon receipt, the processing system of the first vehicle 101 can use the information contained in or accompanying the V2X communication (i.e., the V2X-identified threat) to determine the location and trajectory of the third vehicle 103. Subsequently, the first vehicle 101 can generate an alert to inform the operator of an imminent risk of collision with the third vehicle 103. Such an alert may allow the operator of the first vehicle 101 to remain in the parking space for a little longer (for example, until the third vehicle 103 has passed) and avoid the collision.

[0037] Furthermore, the V2X-equipped device 111 in the first vehicle 101 can receive information regarding a threat associated with a pedestrian 50 walking toward the first vehicle 101, either included in a received V2X message or as part of a separate V2X message. However, unlike the third vehicle 103, which is in an obscured portion of Zone B, the pedestrian 50 is walking within the line of sight from the operator's point of view of the first vehicle 101. Thus, according to various embodiments, the processing system of the first vehicle 101 can determine the location and trajectory of the pedestrian 50 and decide not to generate an alert regarding the threat because there is an indication that the vehicle operator has recognized the threat. That is, the fact that the threat from the pedestrian 50 (i.e., the risk of causing a collision with the pedestrian) is clearly visible to the vehicle operator, or should be clearly visible. For example, an OMS and / or internal sensor in the first vehicle 101 can detect the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight (i.e., the current direction in which the vehicle operator is looking fixedly, in the opposite direction, or otherwise), and the vehicle processor can be used to determine that a pedestrian 50 is within the vehicle operator's field of view in that direction. A threat located within the vehicle operator's field of view can be interpreted as an implicit acknowledgment of the threat (i.e., a threat confirmation). Alternatively, the vehicle operator may give an explicit threat confirmation, such as a gesture, a verbal cue, or other system input that indicates to the vehicle processor that the vehicle operator is aware of the threat.

[0038] In addition, vehicles 101, 102, 103, wireless device 105, and / or roadside unit 109 can transmit data and information relating to threats identified by V2X and / or other V2X communications to the ITS via a communication network (e.g., V2X, cellular, WiFi, etc.). Elements of the ITS may be configured to communicate with each other via a wired or wireless network to exchange information such as details about objects and conditions that may cause or be associated with threats identified by V2X.

[0039] Various embodiments may be implemented in various vehicles, and an exemplary vehicle 101 among various vehicles is shown in Figures 2A and 2B. Referring to Figures 1 to 2B, vehicle 101 may represent any one or more of the vehicles 101, 102, and 103 described with respect to Figure 1. In various embodiments, vehicle 101 may include a V2X onboard device (e.g., 111) and a control unit 240 which may include a satellite geolocation system receiver 213, occupancy sensors 212, 216, 218, 226, 228, tire pressure sensors 214, 220, cameras 222, 236, microphones 224, 234, collision sensor 230, radar 232, and lidar 238, among other sensors 211 to 238. Multiple sensors 211-238, positioned inside or on the vehicle, may be used for various purposes such as autonomous and semi-autonomous navigation and control, collision avoidance, and positioning, as well as to provide sensor data about objects and people inside or on the vehicle 101. Sensors 211-238 may include one or more of a wide variety of sensors capable of detecting various information useful for navigation and collision avoidance. Each of sensors 211-238 may be in wired or wireless communication with the control unit 240 and with each other. In detail, the sensors may include one or more cameras 222, 236, or other optical or photooptic sensors. The sensors may further include other types of object detection and ranging sensors, such as radar 232, lidar 238, IR sensors, and ultrasonic sensors. The sensors may further include tire pressure sensors 214, 220, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, satellite geographic positioning system sensors 213, control input sensors 211, accelerometers, vibration sensors, gyroscopes, gravimeters, collision sensors 230, intensity meters, stress meters, strain sensors, fluid sensors, chemical sensors, gas content analyzers, pH sensors, radiation sensors, Geiger counters, neutron detectors, biomaterial sensors, microphones 224, 234, occupancy sensors 212, 216, 218, 226, 228, proximity sensors, and other sensors.

[0040] According to various embodiments, the vehicle control unit 240 may be configured to direct signals from one or both of the narrowband Wi-Fi emitters 205F and 205R. Furthermore, the control unit 240 may have default settings for one or both of the narrowband Wi-Fi emitters 205F and 205R, such as a no-direction setting or a setting that automatically instructs one or both of the narrowband Wi-Fi emitters 205F and 205R to follow the steering wheel. When the control unit 240 is not actively directing one or both of the narrowband Wi-Fi emitters 205F and 205R, it may follow the default setting.

[0041] The vehicle control unit 240 may consist of processor-executable instructions for performing navigation and collision avoidance actions using information received from various sensors, particularly cameras 222 and 236. In some embodiments, the control unit 240 may supplement the processing of camera images using distance and relative position (e.g., relative azimuth) which may be obtained from radar 232 and / or lidar 238 sensors. The control unit 240 may be further configured to control the steering, braking, and speed of the vehicle 101 when operating in autonomous or semi-autonomous mode, using information about other vehicles determined using various embodiments.

[0042] Figure 2C is a component diagram of an exemplary vehicle system 200 suitable for implementing various embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 2C, the system 200 may include a vehicle 101 including a V2X onboard device 111 (e.g., a telematics control unit or onboard unit (TCU / OBU)). The V2X onboard device 111 can communicate with various systems and devices such as an in-vehicle network 250, an infotainment system 252, various sensors 254, various actuators 256, and a radio frequency (RF) module 172. The V2X onboard device 111 can also communicate with various other vehicles 201, roadside units 109, base stations 260, and other external devices. The V2X onboard device 111 may be configured to perform actions to present warnings relevant to the vehicle operator, as will be further described below.

[0043] In the example shown in Figure 2C, the V2X-equipped device 111 includes a processor 164, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, and wireless module 172. The processor 164 may consist of processor-executable instructions for controlling the steering, navigation, and / or other operations of the vehicle 101, including decisions regarding alerts to the vehicle operator of relevant warnings, and optionally, the operation of various embodiments. The processor 164 may be coupled to memory 166. The processor 164 may also be coupled to output module 170, which can control an in-vehicle display to generate alerts regarding threats identified by V2X at a determined display location.

[0044] The V2X-equipped device 111 may include a V2X antenna (e.g., an RF module 172) and may be configured to communicate with one or more ITS participants (e.g., stations), such as another vehicle 201, a roadside unit 109, and a base station 260 or another suitable network access point. In various embodiments, the V2X-equipped device 111 may receive information from multiple sources, such as an in-vehicle network 250, an infotainment system 252, various sensors 254, various actuators 256, and the RF module 172. The V2X-equipped device 111 may be configured to warn vehicle operator-related warnings, as further described below.

[0045] Examples of in-vehicle networks 250 include Controller Area Networks (CAN), Local Interconnection Networks (LIN), networks using the FlexRay protocol, Media-Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) networks, and in-vehicle Ethernet networks. Examples of vehicle sensors 254 include location determination systems (such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) systems), cameras, radar, lidar, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, and other appropriate sensor devices and systems. Examples of vehicle actuators 256 include various physical control systems such as steering, brakes, engine operation, lighting, and turn signals.

[0046] Figure 2D is a conceptual diagram showing an exemplary V2X communication protocol stack 270 suitable for implementing various embodiments.

[0047] Figure 3A is a component block diagram showing the components of an exemplary vehicle threat management system 300. The vehicle threat management system 300 may include various subsystems, communication elements, computing elements, computing devices, or computing units that may be used within the vehicle 101. Referring to Figures 1 to 3A, the various computing elements, computing devices, or units within the vehicle threat management system 300 may be implemented within a system of interconnected computing devices (i.e., subsystems) that communicate data and commands with each other (for example, indicated by the arrows in Figure 3A). In some implementations, the various computing elements, computing devices, or units within the vehicle threat management system 300 may be implemented within a single computing device, such as a separate thread, process, algorithm, or computing element. Thus, each subsystem / computation element shown in Figure 3A is also generally referred to herein as a "layer" within the computing "stack" that constitutes the vehicle threat management system 300. However, the use of the terms layers and stack when describing various embodiments does not imply or require that the corresponding functions be implemented within a single autonomous (or semi-autonomous) vehicle management system computing device, although this is a possible implementation embodiment. Rather, the use of the term "layer" is intended to encompass subsystems with independent processors and computational elements (e.g., threads, algorithms, subroutines, etc.) that run within a combination of one or more computing devices and subsystems and computational elements.

[0048] The Vehicle Threat Management System 300 may include a radar perception layer 302, a camera perception layer 304, a positioning engine layer 306, a map fusion and arbitration layer 308, a V2X communication layer 310, a sensor fusion and road world model (RWM) management layer 312, a threat assessment layer 314, and an operator perception assessment layer 316. Layers 302-316 are just examples of some layers in one exemplary configuration of the Vehicle Threat Management System 300. Other configurations may include additional layers for other perception sensors (e.g., a LiDAR perception layer), additional layers for generating alerts and / or display selections, additional layers for modeling, and / or certain layers from layers 302-316 may be excluded from the Vehicle Threat Management System 300. Each of layers 302-316 may exchange data, calculation results, and commands as illustrated by the arrows in Figure 3A. Furthermore, the vehicle threat management system 300 may receive and process data from sensors (e.g., radar, lidar, cameras, inertial measurement units (IMUs), etc.), navigation systems (e.g., Global Position System (GPS) receivers, IMUs, etc.), vehicle networks (e.g., Controller Area Network (CAN) buses), and databases in memory (e.g., digital map data). The vehicle threat management system 300 can output alerts and / or commands to generate alerts regarding threats identified by V2X on selected in-vehicle display locations. The configuration of the vehicle threat management system 300 shown in Figure 3A is merely illustrative, and other configurations of the vehicle management system and other vehicle components may be used. For example, the configuration of the vehicle threat management system 300 shown in Figure 3A may be used in a vehicle configured for autonomous or semi-autonomous operation, but a different configuration may be used in a non-autonomous vehicle.

[0049] The radar perception layer 302 may receive data from one or more detection and ranging sensors, such as radar (e.g., 132) and / or lidar (e.g., 138), and may process the data to recognize and determine the location of other vehicles and objects in the vicinity of the vehicle 101. The radar perception layer 302 may include the use of neural network processing and artificial intelligence methods for recognizing objects and vehicles, and may transmit such information to the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312.

[0050] The camera perception layer 304 may receive data from one or more cameras (e.g., 122, 136), process that data to recognize and determine observations regarding the locations of other vehicles and objects in the vicinity of the vehicle 100, as well as the operator (e.g., the direction of the operator's line of sight). The camera perception layer 304 may include the use of neural network processing and artificial intelligence methods for recognizing objects and vehicles, and may transmit such information to the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312.

[0051] The positioning engine layer 306 may receive data from various sensors and process that data to determine the position of the vehicle 101. These various sensors may include, but are not limited to, GPS sensors, IMUs, and / or other sensors connected via the CAN bus. The positioning engine layer 306 may also utilize input from one or more cameras (e.g., 122, 136) and / or any other available sensors such as radar or LiDAR.

[0052] The vehicle threat management system 300 may include or be coupled with a vehicle wireless communication subsystem 330. The wireless communication subsystem 330 may be configured to communicate with other vehicle computing devices and remote V2X communication systems via V2X communication or the like.

[0053] The map fusion and arbitration layer 308 may access sensor data received from other V2X system participants, receive output from the positioning engine layer 306, and process the data to further determine the location of the vehicle 101 on the map, such as its location within a lane or its position within a street map. The sensor data may be stored in memory (e.g., memory 166). For example, the map fusion and arbitration layer 308 may convert latitude and longitude information from GPS into a location within a road map contained in the sensor data. GPS positioning involves errors, and therefore the map fusion and arbitration layer 308 may function to determine the best estimated location of the vehicle on the road based on the arbitration between GPS coordinates and sensor data. For example, GPS coordinates may pinpoint the vehicle's location near the center of a two-lane road in the sensor data, but the map fusion and arbitration layer 308 may determine, based on the direction of travel, that the vehicle is most likely to be aligned in a lane that coincides with the direction of travel. The map fusion and arbitration layer 308 may pass map-based location information to the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312.

[0054] The V2X communication layer 310 receives and utilizes sensor data and other inputs from the ITS to collect information about moving objects and conditions near and around the vehicle (e.g., 101). The V2X communications received by the V2X communication layer 310 can provide many types of information. For example, other vehicles or roadside units may provide camera images or sensor readings that can be analyzed (i.e., measure proximity, motion, trajectory, etc.). The V2X communication layer 310 can pass V2X messaging information to the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312. However, the use of V2X messaging information by other layers, such as the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312, is not required. For example, other stacks can control the vehicle (e.g., control one or more vehicle displays) without using the received V2X messaging information.

[0055] In some embodiments, the processor may employ a machine learning process to initially determine or improve detector settings for ITS participant types. In some embodiments, the processor may provide multiple observations of ITS participant type parameters to a trained model, such as an ITS participant type model, and receive as output from the model (e.g., an ITS participant type model) detector settings for one or more detectors configured to evaluate the characteristics of an ITS participant.

[0056] In some embodiments, the processor may store detector settings for each ITS participant type in memory accessible by the vehicle processing system (e.g., by ITS participant type). In some embodiments, the processor may receive detector settings and updates from a central source that distributes settings updates to some or all ITS participants in a region via a wireless network (e.g., V2X from roadside units (RSUs), 5G network, etc.). Such distributed detector settings or detector setting updates may be provided based on the ITS participant type. Detector settings or detector setting updates may be distributed among ITS participants at any level of specificity or granularity, including one or more parameters of a single ITS participant type. For example, an ITS participant processor may receive and store an update indicating the maximum reasonable speed of a vehicle. Thus, detector settings may be received, updated, and / or stored in a partitioned manner, for example, individually and / or by ITS participant type. By enabling detector settings to be received, updated, and / or stored for only one detector setting per ITS participant type, the detector settings can be more robust against tampering or the introduction of incorrect or false settings. For example, an update that includes an incorrect setting for the maximum reasonable speed of a vehicle may affect detections related to vehicles, but not detections related to other ITS participant types (e.g., buses, motorcycles, pedestrians, etc.).

[0057] In some embodiments, the processor may determine whether information in a V2X message is valid or invalid using detector settings based on the ITS participant type. In some embodiments, the processor may determine whether a message is invalid based on whether the information in the V2X message satisfies (e.g., is greater than or equal to) a maximum or minimum validity parameter for a detector. In some embodiments, the processor may determine whether a message is valid or invalid based on the output of several detectors. In some embodiments, in response to determining that information in a V2X message is invalid, the processor may perform security actions. For example, the processor may send a report of misconduct about the ITS participant to an ITS network element such as a security server, or to a network element that performs a similar or appropriate function.

[0058] For ease of reference, some of the embodiments described herein relate to vehicles using V2X systems and protocols. However, it should be understood that the various embodiments encompass any or all of V2X or vehicle-based communication standards, messages, protocols, and / or technologies. Therefore, nothing in this application should be construed as limiting the claims to a particular system (e.g., V2X) or message or messaging protocol (e.g., Basic Safety Message (BSM)) unless expressly stated so in the claims. In addition, embodiments described herein may refer to V2X processing systems within a vehicle. Other embodiments are construed in which the V2X processing system may operate in or be included in mobile devices, mobile computers, roadside units (RSUs), and other devices equipped to monitor road and vehicle conditions and participate in V2X communication.

[0059] The sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may receive data and outputs generated by the radar perception layer 302, camera perception layer 304, map fusion and arbitration layer 308, and V2X communication layer 310, and may use some or all of such inputs to estimate or improve the location and state of vehicle 101 in relation to roads, other vehicles on the road, and other objects or organisms in the vicinity of vehicle 101. For example, the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may combine image data from the camera perception layer 304 with arbitrated map location information from the map fusion and arbitration layer 308 to improve the determined position of the vehicle within a traffic lane. As another example, the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may combine object recognition and image data from the camera perception layer 304 with object detection and ranging data from the radar perception layer 302 to determine and improve the relative positions of other vehicles and objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. As another example, the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may receive information about the position and direction of other vehicles from V2X communication (via the CAN bus or wireless communication subsystem 330, etc.) and combine this information with information from the radar perception layer 302 and camera perception layer 304 to improve the location and movement of other objects. The sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 can output the improved location and status information of vehicle 101, as well as the improved location and status information of other vehicles and objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, to the threat assessment layer 314 and / or operator perception assessment layer 316.

[0060] As a further example, the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may analyze conditions in the vehicle sensor data by monitoring perceptual data from various sensors, such as perceptual data from the radar perception layer 302, camera perception layer 304, and other perception layers, and / or data from one or more sensors themselves. The sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may be configured to detect conditions in the sensor data, such as whether a sensor measurement is at, above, or below a threshold, or whether several types of sensor measurements are being performed, and may output the sensor data to the operator perception evaluation layer 316 and / or via wireless communication, such as a V2X connection or other wireless connection, as part of improved location and status information of the vehicle 101, provided from the vehicle 100 to remote devices such as a data server or other vehicles.

[0061] The improved location and status information may include vehicle descriptors associated with the vehicle and its owner and / or operator, such as vehicle specifications (e.g., size, weight, color, mounted sensor type, etc.), vehicle position, speed, acceleration, direction of travel, attitude, orientation, destination, fuel / power level, and other status information, vehicle emergency status (e.g., whether the vehicle is an emergency vehicle or whether the person is in an emergency), vehicle restrictions (e.g., heavy / heavy load, turning restrictions, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) permission, etc.), performance (e.g., all-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, snow tires, chains, supported connection types, mounted sensor operating status, mounted sensor resolution level, etc.), equipment problems (e.g., low tire pressure, weak brakes, sensor malfunction, etc.), owner / operator travel preferences (e.g., preferred lane, road, route, and / or destination, preference to avoid tolls or highways, preference for the fastest route, etc.), permission to provide sensor data to a data agency server (e.g., network server 184), and / or owner / operator identification information.

[0062] The operator perception evaluation layer 316 of the vehicle threat management system 300 may use the improved location and state information of vehicle 101, as well as the location and state information of other vehicles and objects, output from the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312, to predict the future behavior of other vehicles and / or objects. For example, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may use such information to predict the future relative position of other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle, based on its own vehicle position and velocity, as well as the positions and velocities of other vehicles. Such predictions may take into account information from local dynamic map data and route planning to anticipate changes in relative vehicle positions as the host vehicle and other vehicles follow the road. The operator perception evaluation layer 316 may output the behavior and location predictions of other vehicles and objects to the threat evaluation layer 314. Additionally, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may use object behavior in combination with location predictions to plan and generate control signals to control the operation of vehicle 101. For example, based on route planning information, improved location information in road information, and the relative location and movement of other vehicles, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may determine that vehicle 101 needs to change lanes and accelerate in order to maintain or achieve a minimum distance from other vehicles and / or prepare for a U-turn or exit. As a result, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may calculate or otherwise determine changes to the steering angle relative to the wheels and throttle settings, which should be commanded to the threat evaluation layer 314 and the vehicle control unit 240, along with various parameters necessary to achieve such lane changes and acceleration. One such parameter may be the calculated steering wheel command angle.

[0063] In some embodiments, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 can calculate the operator's obstructed (or degraded) line of sight to identified threats, including threats identified by V2X. Such calculations may be based on inputs received from one or more onboard sensors and / or OMS, the inputs may include inputs detecting the operator's behavior, posture, movement, etc. In some embodiments, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may calculate the operator's available perception area (i.e., the available view of the outside world that the operator can see when looking in that direction). In such operation, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may evaluate blind spots, external obstacles, and other structures or operator limitations that may obstruct or limit the operator's perception in the direction of the threat, and may identify areas or zones that the operator can see (e.g., potential areas of perception). Furthermore, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may evaluate possible areas of perception based on places the operator has looked in the past few seconds, or based on the current direction / angle of the operator's line of sight. By comparing whether an identified threat, including a V2X threat, enters an obstructed line of sight or enters the area of ​​perception, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 can determine whether it is likely that the operator saw the identified threat. Furthermore, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 can evaluate internal sensor data or OMS output related to operator actions or responses to determine whether the operator acknowledged or responded to the identified threat. For example, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may evaluate whether the operator performed an operator action (e.g., touching the brakes, changing the throttle level, turning the wheel, etc.) or whether the operator showed a change in face or body movement indicating that they perceived a threat (e.g., focusing their gaze on the threat source, turning their head towards the threat source, etc.).

[0064] The threat assessment layer 314 may receive data and information outputs from the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 and the behavior of other vehicles and objects, as well as location predictions from the operator perception assessment layer 316. Using this information, it may plan and generate control signals to control the operation of vehicle 101, and verify that such control signals meet safety requirements for vehicle 101. For example, based on route planning information, improved locations in road information, and the relative locations and movements of other vehicles, the threat assessment layer 314 may verify and generate one or more alerts regarding threats identified by V2X on a determined display location.

[0065] In various embodiments, the wireless communication subsystem 330 may communicate with other V2X system participants via a wireless communication link to transmit sensor data, location data, vehicle data, and data collected by onboard sensors about the environment surrounding the vehicle. Such information may be used by other V2X system participants to update stored sensor data for relaying to them.

[0066] In various embodiments, the vehicle threat management system 300 may include functions to perform safety inspections or supervision of various commands, planning or other decisions at various layers that may affect the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. Such safety inspection or supervision functions may be implemented in a dedicated layer or distributed among various layers and included as part of a function. In some embodiments, various safety parameters may be stored in memory, and the safety inspection or supervision function may compare determined values ​​(e.g., relative distance to a nearby vehicle, distance from the road centerline, etc.) with the corresponding safety parameters and may issue a warning or command if the safety parameter is violated or will be violated. For example, a safety or supervision function in the operator perception evaluation layer 316 (or in a separate layer) may determine the current or future separation distance between another vehicle and that vehicle (e.g., based on an improved world model by the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312), compare that separation distance with a safety separation distance parameter stored in memory, and issue an instruction to the threat evaluation layer 314.

[0067] Figure 3B shows an example of a subsystem, computing element, computing device, or computing unit within the vehicle threat management system 350 that may be used within the vehicle 101. Referring to Figures 1 to 3B, in some embodiments, layers 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, and 316 of the vehicle threat management system 350 may be similar to those described with reference to Figure 3A, and the vehicle threat management system 350 may operate similarly to the vehicle threat management system 300, except that the vehicle threat management system 350 may pass various data or commands to the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352. For example, the configuration of the vehicle threat management system 350 and the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 shown in Figure 3B may be used in a non-autonomous vehicle.

[0068] In various embodiments, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 and / or the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may output data to the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352. For example, the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312 may output sensor data as part of improved location and status information of the vehicle 101, which is provided to the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352. The vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may use the improved location and status information of the vehicle 101 to make safety decisions regarding the vehicle 101 and / or its occupants. As another example, the operator perception evaluation layer 316 may output behavioral models and / or predictions related to operator perception, gaze direction, and / or threat confirmation to the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352. The vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may use the behavioral models and / or predictions to make safety decisions regarding the vehicle 101 and / or its occupants.

[0069] In various embodiments, the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may include functions for performing safety inspections or supervision of various commands, various layer planning or other decisions, and human operator actions that may affect the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. In some embodiments, various safety parameters may be stored in memory, and the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may compare determined values ​​(e.g., relative distance to a nearby vehicle, distance from the road centerline, etc.) with the corresponding safety parameters and issue warnings or commands if the safety parameters are violated or will be violated. For example, the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may determine the current or future separation distance between its vehicle and another vehicle (e.g., based on an improved world model by the sensor fusion and RWM management layer 312), compare that separation distance with safety separation distance parameters stored in memory, and issue commands to the operator to accelerate, decelerate, or turn if the current or predicted separation distance violates the safety separation distance parameters. As another example, the vehicle safety and collision avoidance system 352 may compare a human operator's change in the steering wheel angle with a safety wheel angle limit or parameter, and may issue an override command and / or alarm in response to a steering wheel angle exceeding the safety wheel angle limit.

[0070] Figure 4A is a process flow diagram of exemplary method 400 for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator in various embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4A, the operation of method 400 can be performed by the processing systems (e.g., 164, 240, 270, 300, 350) of the V2X onboard equipment (e.g., 111, 112, 113) of the vehicle (e.g., 101, 102, 103).

[0071] In block 421, the processing system can receive vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications containing information about V2X-identified threats to the vehicle or its occupants. For example, a received V2X communications may contain information about vehicles, objects, organisms, or conditions that could pose a threat (i.e., a V2X-identified threat) to the vehicle or its occupants. A received V2X communications may contain information about multiple threats to the vehicle or its occupants. Such V2X-identified threats may relate to approaching vehicles, objects, or organisms, vehicles, objects, organisms, or conditions that the vehicle is approaching, and / or vehicles, objects, organisms, or conditions that are within a given proximity to the vehicle. A received V2X communications containing information about one or more V2X-identified threats may originate from an onboard system, V2X infrastructure, other vehicles, other external systems, and / or any source or medium of V2X communications.

[0072] In block 421, in response to receiving a V2X communication containing information about the threat identified by V2X, the vehicle can perform a self-assessment of the V2X-identified threat. For example, the processing system may have narrower considerations than the V2X system that identified and reported the V2X-identified threat.

[0073] As part of its operation in block 421, the processing system can evaluate a wide range of factors related to the risks imposed on the vehicle and / or its occupants when performing a self-assessment of the threats identified by V2X. In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can evaluate area classifications of areas close to or in the general vicinity of the vehicle, such as conditions that may affect the vehicle's maneuverability, the behavior of other vehicles / objects / living things, and the vehicle's location information (e.g., urban streets, parking lots, suburbs or narrower buildings, suburbs, countryside, etc.). In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can evaluate the road configuration of road areas close to the vehicle, such as conditions that may affect visibility, vehicle maneuverability, and vehicle behavior. For example, the processing system may evaluate the presence of intersections, sidewalks, narrow roads, straight versus curved roads, road terrain (e.g., hilly or flat), crosswalks, bicycle paths, etc., which may affect the risks posed to the vehicle or its occupants, as well as the threats that the vehicle may pose to other vehicles, pedestrians, property, animals, etc. In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system may determine historical risk information of the area adjacent to the vehicle, such as whether the area has a history of accidents, the type of accident, and the frequency of accidents.

[0074] In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can evaluate the observed behavior of other vehicles, objects, or living beings, for example, whether another vehicle is maneuvering erratically, whether it is traveling in the same lane or on or near the road as the target vehicle, or whether it is traveling on a sidewalk or a bicycle path. In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can classify other vehicles, objects, and / or living beings, such as whether they are cars, trucks, cyclists, pedestrians, animals, etc.

[0075] In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can evaluate local weather conditions, such as the presence of fog, rain, ice, wet roads, or slippery roads, which may affect visibility, maneuverability, and vehicle operation, as well as sunlight or lighting conditions, such as dawn or dusk, nighttime, daylight, and the presence or absence of nighttime streetlights.

[0076] In some embodiments, in block 421, the processing system can evaluate multiple factors to determine a risk score for the risk imposed by a vehicle on other vehicles, objects, and / or living organisms. In some embodiments, the evaluation of each factor may increase or decrease the risk score. In such embodiments, the processing system can determine the risk score as an aggregate of the evaluations of the factors related to determining the risk imposed by a vehicle on other vehicles, objects, and / or living organisms. In some embodiments, the processing system may associate each of the multiple factors with a weight factor. In such embodiments, the processing system can determine the risk score as an aggregate of the factors related to determining the risk imposed by a vehicle on other vehicles, objects, and / or living organisms and their assigned weight coefficients. In some embodiments, the processing system can adjust the weights applied to some factors based on the values ​​or influence of other detected factors, for example, by increasing the weights associated with some factors when the predicted separation distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, objects, and / or living organisms at the predicted nearest approach point meets or falls below a threshold.

[0077] In block 421, when the processing system performs a self-assessment of the threat identified by V2X, it can evaluate multiple factors in various ways. In some embodiments, the processing system can assign a numerical value to each determined factor and aggregate the assigned values ​​to determine a risk score. In some embodiments, the processing system may apply the determined factors to a decision tree configured to produce a risk score as an output. In some embodiments, the processing system may provide multiple factors (or the numerical values ​​assigned to each of the factors) as input to a weighted expression configured to produce a risk score as an output. In some embodiments, the processing system may apply multiple factors to a trained neural network model that provides a risk score as an output. Other techniques for evaluating multiple factors in block 406 are also possible. In some embodiments, the processing system may determine whether the risk score meets a warning threshold. For example, the processing system may compare the risk score to a threshold stored in memory. In some embodiments, the threshold may vary depending on the circumstances, such as the vehicle operator, whether the vehicle is operating autonomously, and the predicted separation distance between the vehicle and other vehicles, objects, and / or organisms at the predicted nearest approach point.

[0078] The means for performing the operation of block 420 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, and 350, a memory 166, an input module 168, an output module 170, a wireless module 172, and a threat assessment module 314.

[0079] In block 422, the processing system can determine whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by V2X. As part of the operation of block 422, the processing system can assess the operator's current field of view, as well as internal and external factors that may potentially affect the operator's field of view of the identified threat.

[0080] In some embodiments, determining whether a vehicle operator has recognized a threat identified by V2X may include determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized a threat identified by V2X in response to determining that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is not within the operator's line of sight. Thus, a threat identified by V2X may not be visible to the operator because the threat object (e.g., another vehicle) is located in an area that the operator cannot see, for example, when the operator's line of sight to the object is obstructed by an external vehicle, object, living organism, or condition. In some embodiments, in block 422, the processing system may take into account environmental factors that may interfere with or obstruct visibility, such as sunrise, sunset, glare, fog, smog, and rain.

[0081] In some embodiments, determining whether a vehicle operator is aware of a threat identified by V2X may involve determining that the vehicle operator is aware of the threat identified by V2X in response to the determination that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot. For example, based on the vehicle operator's viewpoint, vehicle data may identify known vehicle blind spots, which are areas outside the vehicle where the vehicle operator's view is obstructed due to the vehicle's structure or features. As a further example, the processing system may acquire external environmental information that can identify external elements or factors that may create blind spots, such as sunset, sunrise, or fog. In this way, one or more areas outside the vehicle where the external elements or factors are located may be designated as the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot.

[0082] In some embodiments, determining whether a vehicle operator is aware of a V2X-identified threat may include determining that the vehicle operator is aware of a V2X-identified threat in response to receiving V2X occlusion data indicating that the operator may not be able to see the V2X-identified threat.

[0083] In some embodiments, determining whether a vehicle operator is aware of a threat identified by V2X may include determining that the vehicle operator is aware of a threat identified by V2X in response to determining that the operator has not reacted in a way that indicates the operator has seen and confirmed the threat identified by V2X.

[0084] In some embodiments, in block 422, the processing system can calculate the operator's line of sight and corresponding field of view, taking into account any occlusions or obstacles indicated from V2X communication (i.e., from the perspective of remote sensors), which can provide information about the obstructed object. In addition, the processing system can calculate the operator's line of sight and corresponding field of view, taking into account the operator's viewpoint of objects (e.g., using on-board sensors and / or OMS that provide input such as seat height). Furthermore, the processing system analyzes the operator's behavior and adds contextual and / or dynamic data to the analysis using line of sight angle / direction, facial posture, and / or body movements.

[0085] Using all this information, the processing system can calculate the truly relevant areas outside the vehicle for threat assessment in block 422. If the processing system determines that the identified threat is located outside the truly relevant areas (one or more), the operator does not need to be notified about the identified threat.

[0086] The decisions made by the processing system in block 422 may be in response to the processing system confirming, through a self-assessment of the threat identified by V2X, that the threat identified by V2X poses a significant risk to the vehicle and / or vehicle occupants. Means for performing the operation of block 422 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, operator perception assessment module 316, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0087] In block 424, the processing system may determine the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention in response to determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat identified by V2X. In some embodiments suitable for vehicles with a large display, such as a head-up display encompassing a large portion or all of the windshield, determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention may include determining the portion or segment of the large display that is visible (i.e., aligned with) the operator's field of view in a determined direction of the operator's gaze. In some embodiments suitable for vehicles with multiple vehicle displays, determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention may include determining which of the multiple vehicle displays is visible in the operator's field of view in a determined direction of the operator's gaze. For example, if the threat identified by V2X is coming from the operator's right side (see Figure 1), but the operator is looking to the left (i.e., the opposite direction), a display location located on the left side of the dashboard (e.g., to the left of the full windshield display, on a separate display located on the left side of the dashboard, or on a portion of the HMD augmented reality display) may be selected by the processing system for use in presenting a warning to the operator. In some embodiments, determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention may include determining which of several vehicle displays is designated as the preferred display for the threat identified by V2X. In this way, the processing system can calculate the optimal or best available location for displaying a warning to the operator. Means for performing the operation of block 424 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, threat assessment module 314, operator perception assessment module 316, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0088] In block 426, the processing system can generate alerts regarding threats identified by V2X on the determined display locations. In some embodiments, the processing system can generate alerts regarding threats identified by V2X on the determined display locations, excluding alerts regarding threat conditions that the vehicle operator has perceived or can see (i.e., are within the operator's current field of view and are not obstructed). Also, in certain embodiments, one or more relevant warnings may be presented only at a selected display location rather than at multiple display locations, which could clutter the displays and potentially reduce the likelihood that the operator will perceive and evaluate the warning(s). In some embodiments, the processing system may generate alerts regarding threats identified by V2X on the determined display locations, including only the threats identified by V2X on the determined display locations, in response to determining that the threat identified by V2X has a higher priority than other identified threats. In other words, the processing system can determine that the threat identified by V2X is more important than another threat and therefore generate alerts regarding the V2X-identified threat rather than the other threats. For example, in the scenario described with respect to the environment in Figure 1, if the processing system determines that the threat posed by a third vehicle (e.g., 103) is greater than the threat posed by a pedestrian (e.g., 50), the processing system may generate an alert for the third vehicle at the determined display location, without mentioning the pedestrian. As another example, if the processing system determines that the operator has already seen or recognized the threat posed by the third vehicle (e.g., 103), the processing system may generate an alert for the pedestrian (e.g., 50) at the determined display location, without mentioning the third vehicle.

[0089] The means for performing the operation of block 426 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, and 350, a memory 166, an input module 168, an output module 170, a wireless module 172, a threat assessment module 314, an operator perception assessment module 316, and a vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0090] In some embodiments, the processing system may obtain or retrieve a warning threshold from memory. In such embodiments, in response to determining that the risk score meets the warning threshold obtained from memory, the processing system may send a warning message to the determined display location.

[0091] In some embodiments, the processing system may determine a warning threshold based on information received from one or more sensors and / or ITS. For example, in a situation where four vehicles are in close proximity to one vehicle, the vehicles can communicate with each other (e.g., via one or more V2X messages) with information including their location, distance from the vehicle, and direction. In such embodiments, the processing system (e.g., one or more of the vehicles) can select a warning threshold such that it is statistically more likely that one or two of the vehicles will send a warning message to the vehicle, rather than all four vehicles sending a warning message.

[0092] Figures 4B to 4G are process flow diagrams of exemplary operations 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, and 412 that may be performed as part of Method 400 for presenting relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, according to various embodiments. Operations 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, and 412 may be performed by the processing systems (e.g., 164, 240, 270, 300, 350) of the V2X onboard equipment (e.g., 111, 112, 113) of the vehicle (e.g., 101, 102, 103).

[0093] Figure 4B shows an operation 402 that may be performed by the processing system in some embodiments to determine the location of an area outside the vehicle containing a threat identified by V2X.

[0094] Referring to Figures 1 to 4B, after receiving V2X communication in block 420 of method 400, the processing system can determine the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X in block 428. For example, the processing system can determine where the threat identified by V2X is located within a 360-degree radius of the vehicle. In addition, the processing system can determine how far away the threat is, how fast the threat is moving if applicable, and / or the current trajectory of the threat if applicable. As described above, the processing system can receive information from various sensors of the vehicle and / or information in V2X communication. The means for performing the operation of block 428 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, threat assessment module 314, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0095] In block 430, the processing system can determine the direction of the operator's gaze. The processing system can determine the direction of the operator's gaze using internal vehicle sensors, including internal cameras, and / or OMS outputs. The processing system can analyze inputs related to the operator's gaze, such as the tilt / rotation angle of the head and / or the focus of the operator's eyes. Means for performing the operation in block 430 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, wireless module 172, operator perception evaluation module 316, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352. Following the operation in block 430, the processing system may perform the operation in block 422 of method 400 as described.

[0096] Figure 4C shows an operation 406 that may be performed by the processing system in several embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4C, after determining the location of an area outside the vehicle containing a threat identified by V2X (block 428 of operation 402), the processing system may, in block 432, determine whether the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot. For example, an area outside the vehicle may be known to be obstructed from the operator's view due to structural pillars and other vehicle elements that limit the operator's field of vision. From the operator's point of view (POV), these blocked areas are called blind spots. Means for performing the operation in block 430 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, operator perception evaluation module 316, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352. Following the operation in block 432, the processing system may perform the operation in block 422 of method 400 as described.

[0097] Figure 4D shows an operation 406 that may be performed by the processing system in some embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4D, after receiving V2X communication in block 420, the processing system may determine the direction of the operator's line of sight in block 430, as described with reference to operation 402. Following the operation in block 430, the processing system may perform the operation in block 422 of method 400 as described.

[0098] Figure 4E shows an operation 408 that may be performed by the processing system in some embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4E, after receiving V2X communication in block 420, the processing system may determine in block 434 whether a threat acknowledgment has been received from the operator with respect to the threat identified by V2X. For example, in some embodiments, the threat acknowledgment received from the operator may be an explicit input received from the operator (e.g., verbal input / command, user interface input, user gesture such as a predetermined flashing pattern to confirm an acknowledgment). Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the threat acknowledgment received from the operator may be an implicit acknowledgment (e.g., pupil dilation, smart glasses observation, attention to the direction of the relevant threat, machine learning detection of the user's response to the relevant threat, such as learned through a training cycle, direction of the user's gaze, etc.). The means for performing the operation of block 434 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, and 350, a memory 166, an input module 168, an output module 170, a wireless module 172, an operator perception evaluation module 316, and a vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352. Following the operation in block 434, the processing systems may perform the operation in block 422 of method 400 as described.

[0099] Figure 4F shows an operation 410 that may be performed by the processing system in several embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4F, after receiving V2X communication in block 420, the processing system may receive V2X occlusion data in block 436 indicating the existence of conditions that reduce the visibility of the V2X-identified threat to the operator. For example, in block 436, the processing system may receive information regarding weather conditions (e.g., darkness, fog, rain, snow, smog, etc.) that may make it difficult for the operator to see, nearby obstacles (e.g., one or more other vehicles, objects, structures, living organisms), etc. Such conditions and / or elements may be considered occlusions if they partially or completely block and / or interfere with the operator's field of view. Means for performing the operation in block 436 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, operator perception evaluation module 316, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352. Following the operation in block 436, the processing system may perform the operation in block 422 of method 400 as described.

[0100] Figure 4G shows an operation 412 that may be performed by the processing system in some embodiments. Referring to Figures 1 to 4G, the processing system may perform an operation to increase the notification priority of a V2X-identified threat in response to the processing system determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of the V2X-identified threat. In block 422 of method 400, in response to the processing system determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of the V2X-identified threat, the processing system may, in block 438, increase the notification priority of the V2X-identified threat in response to the processing system determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of the V2X-identified threat. For example, the processing system may determine that the current direction of the operator's line of sight is not in the direction of the V2X-identified threat, which implies that the operator is unaware of the threat. As another example, the processing system may observe that there is no change in the operator's pupils (e.g., dilation), or no change in facial movement or expression, which may suggest that the operator is unaware of the threat. As described above, the processing system may receive information from various sensors in the vehicle and / or information in V2X communication. In some embodiments, the threat assessment module 314 or other vehicle system can maintain a ranking of various threats to the vehicle or vehicle occupants and provide a hierarchy of notifications regarding those threats. In this way, the ranking of various threats can be adjusted (i.e., increased or decreased) depending on whether the operator has identified a threat. Means for performing the operation of block 438 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, 350, memory 166, input module 168, output module 170, radio module 172, threat assessment module 314, and vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0101] In block 440, the processing system can determine whether the increased notification priority of a threat identified by V2X is higher than that of other identified threats. For example, a threat identified by a particular V2X may normally have a relatively low risk ranking, but because the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat, its low risk ranking may increase, potentially becoming a higher-ranked risk than other risks that previously had a higher rank. In such a case, the processing system can determine that the increased notification priority of the threat identified by V2X is higher than that of other identified threats. The means for performing the operation of block 430 include processing systems 164, 240, 270, 300, and 350, a memory 166, an input module 168, an output module 170, a radio module 172, a threat assessment module 314, and a vehicle safety and collision avoidance module 352.

[0102] Following the actions in block 440, the processing system may perform the actions described, as follows: identify the display location in block 424 and generate an alert in block 426 regarding the threat identified by V2X of method 400. In particular, in block 426, the processing system may generate an alert that includes the V2X-identified threat with increased notification priority, but excludes information about other lower-priority identified threats as described. The processing system may also present the alert to only a single display location (instead of multiple redundant renderings of the alert).

[0103] Several different cellular and mobile communication services and standards are available or planned for the future, all of which implement and benefit from various embodiments. Such services and standards include the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long-Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Third Generation Wireless Mobile Communication Technology (3G), Fourth Generation Wireless Mobile Communication Technology (4G), Fifth Generation Wireless Mobile Communication Technology (5G), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), 3GSM, General-Purpose Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems (cdmaOne, CDMA1020®, etc.), GSM Advanced High Speed ​​Data Rate (EDGE), Advanced Mobile Phone Systems (AMPS), Digital AMPS (IS-136 / TDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT). This includes telecommunications, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), wireless local area networks (WLAN), Wi-Fi protected access I & II (WPA, WPA2), and integrated digital extension networks (iDEN). Each of these technologies involves, for example, the transmission and reception of voice, data, signaling, and / or content messages. Any references to terms and / or technical details relating to individual telecommunications standards or technologies are for illustrative purposes only and should not be understood as limiting the scope of the claims to any particular communication system or technology unless specifically stated in the language of the claims.

[0104] Implementation examples are described in the following paragraphs. Some of the following implementation examples are described in terms of exemplary methods, but further exemplary implementations may include exemplary methods described in the following paragraphs implemented by a processing system of a V2X-equipped device comprising a processor comprising processor-executable instructions for performing the operation of the methods of the following implementation examples, and exemplary methods described in the following paragraphs implemented by a processing system of a V2X-equipped device comprising means for performing the functions of the methods of the following embodiments, and the exemplary methods described in the following paragraphs may be implemented as a non-temporary processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions configured to cause the processing system of the V2X-equipped device to perform the operation of the methods of the following embodiments.

[0105] Example 1. A method performed by a vehicle processor to present relevant warnings to a vehicle operator, comprising: receiving a V2X communication containing information about a V2X-identified threat to the vehicle or vehicle occupants; determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of the V2X-identified threat; determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention in response to the determination that the vehicle operator is not aware of the V2X-identified threat; and generating an alert regarding the V2X-identified threat on the determined display location.

[0106] Example 2. The method according to Example 1, further comprising generating a display that excludes alerts for any threat conditions recognized by the vehicle operator, in addition to generating alerts for threats identified by V2X on a determined display location.

[0107] Example 3. The method according to either Example 1 or 2, further comprising determining the location of an area outside the vehicle containing a threat identified by V2X and determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight, wherein determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by V2X includes determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized the threat identified by V2X in response to determining that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is not within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight.

[0108] Example 4. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, further comprising determining the location of an area outside the vehicle containing a threat identified by V2X, and determining whether the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot, wherein determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by V2X is, in response to the determination that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot.

[0109] Example 5. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, further comprising determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight and determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention, which includes determining to identify a display location that is visible within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight.

[0110] Example 6. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 5, wherein determining the display location most likely to attract the attention of the vehicle operator includes determining which of several vehicle displays is designated as the preferred display for the threat identified by V2X.

[0111] Example 7. The method of any one of Examples 1 to 6, further comprising determining whether a threat confirmation has been received from a vehicle operator with respect to a threat identified by V2X, and determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of a threat identified by V2X, which includes determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of a threat identified by V2X in response to the determination that no threat confirmation has been received from the vehicle operator with respect to a threat identified by V2X.

[0112] Example 8. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, further comprising receiving V2X occlusion data indicating that conditions exist that reduce the visibility of a V2X-identified threat to a vehicle operator, and determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of the V2X-identified threat, which includes determining in response to receiving the V2X occlusion data that the vehicle operator is not aware of the V2X-identified threat.

[0113] Example 9. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, further comprising increasing the notification priority of the V2X-identified threat in response to the vehicle operator determining that they are unaware of the V2X-identified threat, and determining whether the increased notification priority of the V2X-identified threat is of a higher priority than other identified threats, and generating an alert regarding the V2X-identified threat on a determined display location, in response to determining that the increased notification priority of the V2X-identified threat is of a higher priority than other identified threats, but excluding alerts regarding other identified threats on a determined display location.

[0114] Example 10. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the V2X communication containing information about the threat identified by V2X is received from a remote source from the vehicle.

[0115] The various embodiments illustrated and described are provided merely as examples to illustrate various features of the claims. However, features illustrated and described in relation to any given embodiment are not necessarily limited to the embodiment in question and may be used in conjunction with or in combination with other embodiments illustrated and described. Furthermore, the claims are not limited by any single exemplary embodiment.

[0116] The above description of the method and process flow diagram are provided only as illustrative examples and do not require or imply that the operations of the various embodiments must be performed in the order presented. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the order of operations in the above embodiments may be performed in any order. Furthermore, words such as “t hereafter,” “then,” and “next” do not limit the order of operations. These words are used to guide the reader throughout the description of the method. Moreover, any reference to a claim element in the singular form using, for example, the articles “a,” “an,” or “the” should not be interpreted as limiting the element to the singular form.

[0117] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, components, circuits, and algorithmic operations described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly demonstrate this hardware and software compatibility, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and operations have generally been described above in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. A person skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in various ways for each specific application, but such a determination of embodiment should not be construed as resulting in a departure from the claims.

[0118] The hardware used to implement the various exemplary logics, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in relation to the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or run using general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of receiver smart objects, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors working with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Alternatively, some operations or methods may be performed by circuits specific to a given function.

[0119] In one or more embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium or a non-temporary processor-readable storage medium. The operation of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein may be embodied in processor-executable software modules or processor-executable instructions that may reside on a non-temporary computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. The non-temporary computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium may be any storage medium that may be accessed by a computer or processor. Such non-temporary computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, FLASH memory, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage smart objects, or any other medium that may be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and may be accessed by a computer. The terms "Disk" and "disc" as used herein include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multipurpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where a disk typically reproduces data magnetically, and a disc reproduces data optically using a laser. The above combinations also fall within the scope of non-temporary computer-readable and processor-readable media. Furthermore, the operation of a method or algorithm may exist as one or any combination or set of codes and / or instructions on a non-temporary processor-readable storage medium and / or a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product.

[0120] The foregoing description of the embodiments disclosed is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to construct or use the claims. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the claims. Accordingly, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be given the broadest scope that corresponds to the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method performed by the vehicle's processor to present relevant warnings to the vehicle operator, The steps include receiving a V2X communication containing information about a threat identified by Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), The steps include determining whether the vehicle operator recognized the threat identified by the V2X, In response to the determination that the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat identified by the V2X, the steps include determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention, A step of generating an alert regarding a threat identified by the V2X on the determined display location, wherein the determined display location changes so that the alert message moves from one display on the vehicle to another in response to the operator's eye or head movements. Methods that include...

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating the alert regarding a threat identified by the V2X on the determined display location includes the step of generating a display that excludes the alert regarding any threat conditions recognized by the vehicle operator.

3. The steps include determining the location of the area outside the vehicle that includes the threat identified by the V2X, The steps of determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight and It further includes, The step of determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by the V2X includes determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized the threat identified by the V2X, in response to determining that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is not within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight. The method according to claim 1.

4. The steps include determining the location of the area outside the vehicle that includes the threat identified by the V2X, The steps include determining whether the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot. It further includes, The step of determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by the V2X includes determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized the threat identified by the V2X, in response to determining that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is within the vehicle operator's recognized blind spot. The method according to claim 1.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight, wherein the step of determining the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention includes identifying a display location that is visible within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the display location most likely to attract the attention of the vehicle operator includes determining which of a plurality of vehicle displays is designated as the preferred display for the threat identified by V2X.

7. The further step includes determining whether a threat confirmation has been received from the vehicle operator with respect to the threat identified by the V2X, The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle operator has recognized the threat identified by the V2X includes, in response to the step of determining that no threat confirmation has been received from the vehicle operator with respect to the threat identified by the V2X, the step of determining that the vehicle operator has not recognized the threat identified by the V2X.

8. The process further includes receiving V2X occlusion data indicating that there are conditions that reduce the visibility of the threat identified by the V2X to the vehicle operator, The step of determining whether the vehicle operator is aware of the threat identified by the V2X includes, in response to receiving the V2X shielding data, determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of the threat identified by the V2X. The method according to claim 1.

9. In response to the vehicle operator determining that they are unaware of the threat identified by the V2X, the step of increasing the notification priority of the threat identified by the V2X, The step of determining whether the increased notification priority of the threat identified by the V2X is a higher priority than other identified threats. It further includes, The step of generating the alert regarding the threat identified by the V2X on the determined display location includes generating the alert regarding the threat identified by the V2X in response to the determination that the increased notification priority of the threat identified by the V2X is higher than that of other identified threats, but excluding alerts regarding other identified threats on the determined display location. The method according to claim 1.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the V2X communication, which includes the information relating to the threat identified by the V2X, is received from a source remote from the vehicle.

11. It is a vehicle, Wireless module and A processor coupled to the wireless module, Receiving V2X communications containing information about threats identified by Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), To determine whether the vehicle operator recognized the threat identified by the V2X, In response to the determination that the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat identified by the V2X, the system determines the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention. The system generates an alert regarding a threat identified by the V2X on the determined display location, wherein the determined display location changes so that the alert message moves from one display on the vehicle to another in response to the operator's eye or head movements. A processor and consisting of processor-executable instructions for performing A vehicle equipped with the following features.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the processor further comprises processor-executable instructions for generating the alerts relating to threats identified by the V2X on the determined display location, excluding alerts relating to any threat conditions that the processor has determined to be recognized by the vehicle operator.

13. The aforementioned processor, The location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is determined. Determining the direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight. It is further composed of processor-executable instructions for, The processor further comprises processor-executable instructions for determining that the vehicle operator is not aware of the threat identified by the V2X, in response to the determination that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is not within the vehicle operator's field of view in the determined direction of the vehicle operator's line of sight. The vehicle according to claim 11.

14. The aforementioned processor, The location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is determined. Determining whether the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot. It is further composed of processor-executable instructions for, The processor further comprises processor-executable instructions for determining that the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat identified by the V2X, in response to the determination that the location of the area outside the vehicle containing the threat identified by the V2X is within the vehicle operator's perceived blind spot. The vehicle according to claim 11.

15. A non-temporary processor-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions configured to cause a vehicle's processor to perform an operation, wherein the operation is: Receiving V2X communications containing information about threats identified by Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), To determine whether the vehicle operator is aware of the threat identified by the V2X, In response to the determination that the vehicle operator is unaware of the threat identified by the V2X, the system determines the display location most likely to attract the vehicle operator's attention. The system generates an alert regarding a threat identified by the V2X on the determined display location, wherein the determined display location changes so that the alert message moves from one display on the vehicle to another in response to the operator's eye or head movements. A non-temporary processor-readable storage medium, including [a specific type of storage medium].

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