Virtual barrier system

1. A virtual-barrier system that defines a keep-out-zone for vehicles to avoid, said system comprising:

a transmitter, said transmitter configured to broadcast information regarding a keep-out-zone on a roadway traveled by other-vehicles;

a location-detector, said location-detector configured to indicate a location of the transmitter; and

a controller in communication with the transmitter and the location-detector, said controller configured to determine boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the location, and operate the transmitter to broadcast coordinates of the boundaries of the keep-out-zone to the other-vehicles on the roadway, wherein the system includes a proximity-detector, said proximity-detector configured to indicate that an object has approached an edge of the keep-out-zone, and the controller is configured to adjust the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes a door-detector, said door-detector configured to indicate a door-status of an access-door of a host-vehicle, said door-status includes open and closed, and the controller is configured to determine the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the door-status.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to expand the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone from within the keep-out-zone.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to expand the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object is a person who has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone from outside of the keep-out-zone.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the location-detector is configured to indicate a motion-vector of a host-vehicle, and the controller is configured to adjust the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the motion-vector.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the system includes one or more safety-markers, and the controller is configured to define the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a position of each of the one or more safety-markers.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the transmitter is attached to a host-vehicle, and the position of each of the one or more safety-markers is determined with respect to the location of the transmitter.

8. The system in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the location-detector is attached to the host-vehicle.

9. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the transmitter is attached to one instance of the one or more safety-markers.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the location-detector is attached to one instance of the one or more safety-markers.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to update a digital-map in accordance with the boundaries of the keep-out-zone, and the digital-map is available to other-vehicles.

12. A controller for a virtual-barrier system that defines a keep-out-zone for vehicles to avoid, said controller comprising:

a processor, said processor configured to communicate with a transmitter, said transmitter configured to broadcast information regarding a keep-out-zone on a roadway traveled by other-vehicles, and a location-detector, said location-detector configured to indicate a location of the transmitter, said processor configured to determine boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the location, and operate the transmitter to broadcast coordinates of the boundaries of the keep-out-zone to the other-vehicles on the roadway, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with a proximity-detector, said proximity-detector configured to indicate that an object has approached an edge of the keep-out-zone, and said processor is configured to adjust the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone.

13. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to communicate with a door-detector, said door-detector configured to indicate a door-status of an access-door of a host-vehicle, said door-status includes open and closed, and said processor is configured to determine the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the door-status.

14. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to expand the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone from within the keep-out-zone.

15. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to expand the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object is a person who has approached the edge of the keep-out-zone from outside of the keep-out-zone.

16. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the location-detector is configured to indicate a motion-vector of a host-vehicle, and the processor is configured to adjust the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the motion-vector.

17. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with one or more safety-markers, and the processor is configured to define boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a position of each of the one or more safety-markers.

18. The controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to operate the transmitter to update a digital-map in accordance with the boundaries of the keep-out-zone, and the digital-map is available to other-vehicles.

19. A method of operating a virtual-barrier system that defines a keep-out-zone for vehicles to avoid, said method comprising:

determining a location of a transmitter using a location-device, said transmitter configured to broadcast information regarding a keep-out-zone on a roadway traveled by other-vehicles;

determining boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the location;

indicating that a proximity-detector detected an object approaching an edge of the keep-out-zone;

adjusting the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object is approaching the edge of the keep-out-zone; and

broadcasting coordinates of the boundaries of the keep-out-zone to the other-vehicles on the roadway using the transmitter.

20. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes determining a door-status an access-door of a host-vehicle indicated by a door-detector; and determining the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the door-status.

21. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes

expanding the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object is approaching the edge of the keep-out-zone from within the keep-out-zone.

22. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes

expanding the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a determination that the object is a person who is approaching the edge of the keep-out-zone from outside of the keep-out-zone.

23. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes

determining, with the location-detector, a motion-vector of a host-vehicle; and

adjusting the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with the motion-vector.

24. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes

defining the boundaries of the keep-out-zone in accordance with a position of each of one or more safety-markers.

25. The method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the method includes

determining the position of each of the one or more safety-markers with respect to the location of the transmitter.

26. The method in accordance with claim 19 , wherein the method includes updating a digital-map in accordance with the boundaries of the keep-out-zone.