In-Vehicle Sensor System for Automated AMBER Alert Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle drivers are distracted by receiving and processing emergency alerts, such as AMBER alerts, which can lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in identifying and reporting suspicious activities or individuals, as they must divide their attention between driving and scanning the environment for matching descriptions.
Innovation Solution
An automated vehicle-based system that uses sensors to scan the environment for objects matching alert parameters and transmits identified information to law enforcement, minimizing driver distraction by processing alerts automatically and providing accurate, efficient responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a civilian driver visually scans for suspects matching alert parameters, then the ability to identify target objects improves, but driver distraction from vehicle operating tasks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual visual scanning mechanism with an automated sensor-based detection system. Sensors mounted on the vehicle automatically capture images and video of the surrounding environment, eliminating the need for the driver to manually scan for suspects. The system processes this visual data automatically, substituting mechanical human observation with automated optical detection and image processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting, analyzing, and reporting suspect matches without requiring driver intervention. The sensor system autonomously monitors the environment, the processing system automatically compares detected objects against alert parameters, and the system self-manages the entire identification workflow, freeing the driver from this task.
2Productivity
If the driver divides attention between driving and scanning for suspects, then alert response capability is maintained, but the accuracy and efficiency of identifying matching descriptions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the driver's divided attention mechanism with automated sensor arrays and processing systems. Multiple sensors continuously capture environmental data, while dedicated processing resources analyze this data against alert parameters with full computational attention, achieving both high productivity and high accuracy simultaneously without human cognitive division.
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple functions into a unified automated platform: environmental monitoring, image capture, object detection, parameter comparison, and alert generation. This multi-functional system handles the entire alert response workflow automatically, maintaining productivity while eliminating the accuracy loss associated with divided human attention.
3Loss of information
If initial alert presentation is provided to the driver, then awareness of emergency situation is established, but additional driver distraction is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary automated processing layer between the alert presentation and the driver. The sensor system and processing algorithms act as intermediaries that handle the detailed analysis and identification tasks, allowing the driver to receive essential alert information without being directly engaged in the complex scanning and matching process, thus reducing distraction while maintaining awareness.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are disclosed for responding to an incoming alert using vehicle resources to scan and report on an environment of a vehicle. An example an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle includes a sensor subsystem in communication with a sensor, a communication interface, a processor, and memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive, via the communication interface, an alert including one or more alert parameters, instruct the sensor to scan an assigned region around the vehicle, receive, from the sensor, locally scanned data corresponding to the assigned region, determine that the scanned data includes an object having features matching a selected alert parameter of the one or more alert parameters, and transmit, to an alert service, a notification identifying the object and the features matching the selected alert parameter, the notification including a location of the object.