Server Hazard Index for Real-Time Road Segment Alerts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for providing vehicle driving information, such as radio broadcasts and GPS systems, often lack real-time and localized data on hazardous road conditions, which can lead to delayed awareness of severe weather and road hazards, potentially endangering drivers.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates a hazard index for road segments based on weather conditions, road conditions, and physical attributes, using a server computing device to determine current and predicted hazard values, and transmits this information to remote devices, such as GPS systems, to alert drivers of potential dangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If radio broadcasts are used to provide weather information, then the information is easy to understand and widely accessible, but there is a substantial lag time between weather events and reporting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional radio broadcast mechanisms with an electronic communication system that directly transmits hazard information to vehicle receivers. This substitution eliminates the mechanical constraints of radio scheduling while maintaining information accessibility, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring weather conditions and proactively transmitting hazard information before drivers encounter the hazards. This advance warning capability eliminates the lag time inherent in reactive radio reporting while maintaining driver awareness through clear, pre-formatted messages.
2Loss of time
If GPS systems integrate limited weather information, then real-time location data is provided, but the weather data does not display simple messages about weather-related driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential weather hazard information from complex GPS data and presents it as simple, standalone messages to the driver. This extraction process maintains real-time location awareness while eliminating the complexity of integrated weather displays, allowing drivers to quickly understand hazards without navigating complex interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the complex weather and location data into distinct, easily digestible components: location information, weather conditions, road hazards, and recommended actions. This segmentation maintains real-time data accuracy while presenting information in simple, actionable messages that drivers can easily process.
3Loss of information
If current sources of weather information are used, then basic weather data is provided, but road conditions data and physical road attributes data are not accessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple information sources including weather data, road condition reports, and physical road attribute databases into a unified hazard information system. This combination maintains basic weather information availability while significantly increasing the quantity and completeness of hazard data by integrating previously separate data streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides universal hazard information that serves multiple functions: weather warnings, road condition alerts, and physical attribute data are delivered through a single integrated platform. This multi-functionality maintains basic information availability while expanding the scope to include comprehensive hazard data from diverse sources.
4Reliability
If hazard information is provided for all road segments, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing hazard information specifically for road segments relevant to the driver's current location and route, rather than processing all possible road segments. This approach maintains comprehensive hazard coverage for active routes while significantly reducing system complexity by filtering out irrelevant data processing tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial action by focusing computational resources on processing hazard information for currently relevant road segments rather than attempting to process every possible segment. This partial processing approach achieves sufficient reliability for active routes while managing device complexity through selective data handling.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for conveying vehicle driving information. A server computing device generates a hazard index for a plurality of road segments in a predefined coverage area. The server computing device determines a current hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments based on (i) weather conditions data associated with the road segments, (ii) road conditions data associated with the road segments, and (iii) physical attributes of the road segments. The server computing device determines a predicted hazard value for each of the plurality of road segments and assigns the present hazard value and predicted hazard value to the corresponding road segment. The server computing device receives location data associated with a remote device and transmits hazard information associated with one or more of the plurality of road segments based on the location data and the hazard index.