Granted Patent B2

US 10,848,454 · App. 14/582,005 · Granted Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Claims (70)

1. A computer-implemented system for facilitating communication between drivers, comprising:

a database to store location data for a plurality of drivers;

a mobile device associated with one of the drivers to receive a command from that driver;

a server comprising a central processing unit, memory, an input port to receive the location data from the database and the command from the mobile device, and an output port, wherein the central processing unit is configured to:

monitor the drivers in real time;

determine in real time a location of the driver associated with the mobile device from the plurality of other drivers based on the location data;

determine for the driver, a social bubble comprising a network of at least a portion of other drivers as participants from the plurality that are proximate to the driver based on the identified location by applying a size threshold comprising a total number of drivers to the social bubble;

change the participants in the social bubble in real time as the location of the driver changes based on the driver location and size threshold, comprising:

automatically add to the social bubble at least one new driver that is proximate to the driver as the driver's location changes; and

automatically remove one or more of the participants in the social bubble from the social bubble when the location of the one or more participants is no longer proximate to the driver's location; and

transmit the command from the driver to one or more of the participants in the social bubble at the time the command is received from the driver, wherein any response received in reply to the command is processed.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit identifies the social bubble by determining traffic density at the location, determining a speed of a vehicle of the driver, determining a proximate distance based on the vehicle density and speed, determining that the distance of each of the other drivers from the driver satisfies the proximate distance, and grouping the other drivers as members of the social bubble.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the central processing unit applies factors to reduce a number of the other drivers within the social bubble.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit receives identification information for the driver from the user, identifies the driver based on the identification information, and transmits the command to the identified driver.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit determines an appropriateness of the command for delivery by determining a sentiment of the command, by identifying the sentiment of the message as positive, by validating the message, and by assigning a level of appropriateness of the command for delivery.

6. A system according to claim 5 , wherein the central processing unit rewrites the command when the command is determined to be not appropriate for delivery.

7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit validates the command prior to delivery by reviewing previous commands from the user, determining a reputation of the user based on the previous commands, and validating the command when the reputation is positive.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit validates the command prior to delivery by determining content of the command, determining whether a recipient of the command has previously received commands similar to the content of the command, and validating the command when a predefined number of similar commands have been received for the recipient.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit determines a cognitive load of an intended recipient of the command, applies a threshold to the cognitive load, and delivers the command when the cognitive load satisfies the threshold.

10. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit provides to the user, a report comprising a tally of commands received from other drivers.

11. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit updates the network of other drivers in the social bubble as the user drives.

12. A computer-implemented method for facilitating communication between drivers, comprising:

maintaining location data for a plurality of drivers in a database;

identifying a command from one of the drivers via a mobile device associated with that driver;

monitoring the drivers via a server comprising a central processing unit, memory, an input port to receive the location data from the database and the command from the mobile device, and an output port;

determining in real time a location of the driver associated with the mobile device from the plurality of other drivers based on the location data;

determining for the driver, a social bubble comprising a network of at least a portion of other drivers as participants from the plurality that are proximate to the driver based on the identified location by applying a size threshold comprising a total number of drivers to the social bubble;

changing the participants in the social bubble as the location of the driver changes based on the driver location and size threshold, comprising:

automatically adding to the social bubble at least one new driver that is proximate to the driver as the driver's location changes; and

automatically removing one or more of the participants in the social bubble from the social bubble when the location of the one or more participants is no longer proximate to the driver's location; and

transmitting the command from the driver to one or more of the participants in the social bubble at the time the command is received from the driver, wherein any response received in reply to the command is processed.

13. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

determining the social bubble, comprising:

determining traffic density at the location;

determining a speed of a vehicle of the driver;

determining a proximate distance based on the vehicle density and speed;

determining that the distance of each of the other drivers from the driver satisfies the proximate distance; and

grouping the other drivers as members of the social bubble.

14. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

applying factors to reduce a number of the other drivers within the social bubble.

15. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving identification information for the driver from the user;

identifying the driver based on the identification information;

transmitting the command to the identified driver.

16. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

determining an appropriateness of the command for delivery, comprising:

determining a sentiment of the command;

identifying the sentiment of the message as positive;

validating the message; and

assigning a level of appropriateness of the command for delivery.

17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

rewriting the command when the command is determined to be not appropriate for delivery.

18. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

validating the command prior to delivery, comprising:

reviewing previous commands from the user;

determining a reputation of the user based on the previous commands; and

validating the command when the reputation is positive.

19. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

validating the command prior to delivery, comprising:

determining content of the command;

determining whether a recipient of the command has previously received commands similar to the content of the command;

validating the command when a predefined number of similar commands have been received for the recipient.

20. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

determining a cognitive load of an intended recipient of the command;

applying a threshold to the cognitive load; and

delivering the command when the cognitive load satisfies the threshold.

21. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

providing to the user, a report comprising a tally of commands received from other drivers.

22. A method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

updating the network of other drivers in the social bubble as the user drives.

Assignments (10)