Stephen M. Ferrari, Positioning Systems Reseach

Stephen M. Ferrari, Positioning Systems Reseach

Submission Content

Submissions will describe a new approach, application, device, product, service, business solution or other operational concept (the “Concept”) that will use or enhance the use of DSRC technology.

The Submission Description will consider the items listed here.

1. Describe the Concept:

Imagine you are driving in town at dinnertime during an intense rainstorm. Traffic is heavy and pedestrians are scrambling for cover. With a fierce wind blowing, tree branches block your view of the stop sign up ahead as you approach an intersection. But just then, a picture of the stop sign appears on your dashboard screen, clearly illuminated with large letters on the familiar octagon shape. You stop, and as you continue on the busy corridor you come to another intersection and a red light. The screen on your dashboard displays a conspicuousimage of a red traffic light, which turns green when the signal gives you the okay to proceed. The traffic signal had been changed to Red from the Emergency Medical Transport vehicle paramedics were driving on the cross street through the intersection. A yellow sign on your dashboard screen displays “Emergency Vehicle Approaching: Keep back 5000 feet.”

Moments earlier, the paramedics had received a call about a possible heart attack victim residing at 2735 Elm Street, a densely populated street with poorly-marked addresses. Driving down Elm, the house numbers appear on the dashboard of the EMT vehicle and the paramedics quickly locate the patient’s residence. In transport to the hospital, the traffic signals change in their favor as they rush to the freeway entrance ramp. Besides the familiar alarm of the Emergency vehicle, the cars traveling in the vicinity safely move to the right lanes as they are alerted with dashboard displays and a voice from the car speakers saying, “Emergency vehicle approaching.” A Highway Patrol officer notices one of the cars ignoring the warnings and speeds off in the left lane and follows in pursuit.

Now immediately behind the offending car, the officer reads fromthe dashboard thatthe registered owner has several tickets and an outstanding arrest warrant. The officer engages the car control device to slow and eventually stop the offender’s car. (The idea of controlling another vehicle is a concept for a future release).

This brief scenario demonstrates only a few of the proposed features of a new class of in-car technology.

Through a unique combination of proprietary road sensors and in-car information display, drivers can view real-time traffic information specific to the road he is traveling. The system provides the driver with a dashboard display of road signs, traffic lights, and emergency alerts.

1. Describe the user or users

Users of this new class of technology who would benefit include all motor vehicle drivers and passengers:

General Public

• Young and new drivers
• Busy moms and families
• Commuters

Commercial Users

• Delivery services
• Utilities
• Long Distance Trucking

Built on the same platform, first responders have the same capabilities as the general public with some additional features including, communication with traffic signals and highway control centers. This group includes:

• Law Enforcement
• Emergency Medical and fire
• Border patrol
• Other First Responders

1. Explain the Concept’s value to the user and society as a whole

“Distracted driving has eclipsed drunk driving as the number one Safety concern of the driving public,” NegligentDriving.com

The system can help focus the driver’s attention toward driving by bringing road signs and emergency alerts into the car up front and close.

Two types of drivers in particular would benefit the most from this system, distracted drivers and the aging population

• Aging population

Older drivers represent a subset of the driving population that deserves special attention. Aging affect a variety of skills needed for safe driving. In particular, the aging population experiences deterioration in physical, perceptual, and cognitive skills:

• Distracted Drivers

Cell phone usage, particularly texting, is common among youth who use this method of communication often. Driving and texting impairs us all, regardless of age, by diminishing our focus. Youth have an increased risk of danger due to the increased exposure to this hazard (OSHA.Gov).

It is conceiveable in the future, using the proposed platform, an application could be created to “sense” a cell phone and turn off some of its features. This would be possible with blue tooth and an app on both the cell phone and the in-car computer.

1. Describe the conditions under which the Concept is useful

The best roads are only as safe as the drivers traveling on them. Sure well paved roads and wide lanes help as does cars in good repair, but it is the skill of the driver makes the difference. An alert driver is aware of the conditions on the road he is traveling.

The benefits of this new communication class include

• Enhanced driving experience by bringing the road signs and conditions into the car increasing visiblity
• Lifesaving technology that allows emergency vehicles the right of way when needed.
• Help with easing traffic congestion by alerting the driver of hazards while he is traveling.

1. Describe how the Concept operates, including its interdependencies with its functional environment, such as:

• transportation infrastructure (traffic signals, dynamic message signs, management centers, etc.),

Through a unique combination of proprietary road sensors and in-car information display application, the driver is presented with real-time traffic information regarding the direction he is traveling. The system provides the driver with a dashboard display of road signs, traffic lights, and Amber Alerts.

The in- car information display application (IDA) has a scanner which reads the sensors in the road. Each sensor has a chip in it. When the car scanner reads the chip it searches its internal database for a match.

• If the match is a stop sign, then a stop sign picture is displayed on the screen.

If it’s a traffic light, a picture of a traffic light is displayed on the screen. As the light changes so does the display

• Traffic signs and light information is stored internally in the car database as the data does not change.

• If it’s an emergency alert such as anAmber alert, then a no match is found on the in-car database/cache. The search then goes to the Highway Traffic Control Center (HTC) database via wireless cell service much like cell phone internet service. The select statement will need both the car ID and the Amber Alert sign ID. The Amber Alert Sign ID is for the HTC database to know which alert to display. It is through the web connection that the Alert is displayed.

• The HTC can “send” data to vehicle displays by the following: The car scanner reads the road chips and constantly scan for information, when know information is found, it searches the HTC database. The HTC database has information stored base on the road ID. As the car travels, it reads the road markers at varied speeds. With this in mind, the HTC data base relates several Road IDs to the information.
• Police cars have the same scanner but can also read the Car IDs just like the HCCs. The Police scanners send Car IDs and Road ID information the HTCs for information. The HTC sends registered owner information to the Police Car Website (Police Car ID) and sends road information based on the Road IDs.
• The HTC can track vehicles by through the constant scans that are received by the cars as each car also sends the Road ID information.
• The web service can be paid for by the car owners or by their current cell phone subscription. Paid subscribers get additional services such as drive thru services, airport, etc.

• non-transportation infrastructure (for example, cell phone systems)

The infrastructure would include cell service with internet connectivity such as those found with iphones, etc.

• vehicles (for example, on-board sensing equipment)

Similar to a desktop computer or laptop, the on-board computer is equippedwith a commercial Operating System such as Unix, Linux, and Microsoft allowing software updates as needed. Attached to the computer is a sensor scanner and ID chip.

• persons other than the user that may interact with the Concept.

Instead of just monitoring, the Highway TrafficControl centers can control traffic. For example, the highway control center technician can “post” detour signs on the driver’s dash board alerting of traffic delays, detours, lane closures, etc. The HTC could conceivably control the vehicles by “sending” commands to slow down.

1. Explain how the Concept relies on the unique characteristics of DSRC, or enhances the use or usefulness of other DSRC devices, services, products, applications or solutions.

The in-car scanner would read the sensors using the DSRC frequency range

HIGHWAY Traffic Control center

1. Describe the ways in which the Concept is innovative: how it differs from past and current practices, technologies, approaches, etc.

This concept is different from other systems as the Highway Traffic Control centers and the vehicles can communicate using the roads traveled.

This system complements existing Garmin like systems as well as OnStar type systems

1. Explain the process by which the Concept would be implemented and widely adopted. Discuss any other risks, costs or challenges in making the utilization and/or adoption of the Concept widespread, and how they could be overcome.

Roll out in phases. Cover highways first then local communities. The Road sensors would be installed by state and local governments covering a predetermined area at a time. This would be paid for by partly the revenues generated from unpaid fines and traffic tickets collected as a result of the installation. The first in-car computer systems could be law-enforcement and other emergency vehicles and paid for by any government first responder funding.

The in-car computers could be installed in each new car and truck and paid for by the consumer. The consumer could be enticed to adopt the in-car computer earlier and add to their existing vehicle with commercial apps. Businesses could use the system to generate sales revenue (e.g. display drive thru fast food menus, etc.).