Improving operation of wireless communication networks for detecting vulnerable road users

1. A method for a network unit, comprising:

determining that a first mobile terminal is a personal device;

receiving, from the first mobile terminal, information about a status of the first mobile terminal;

determining whether the first mobile terminal is a Vulnerable Road User, VRU, with respect to a vehicle based at least partly on the received information about the status of the first mobile terminal;

transmitting, to the first mobile terminal, an estimate indicating whether the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU with respect to the vehicle and confidence information associated with estimated correctness of the estimate;

detecting a potential collision between the first mobile terminal and the vehicle when the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU; and

transmitting at least one warning message to the first mobile terminal in case that the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU and the potential collision is detected.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information about a status of a second mobile terminal or information about the vehicle; and

determining whether the first mobile terminal is a VRU with respect to the vehicle based at least partly on the received information about the status of the second mobile terminal or information about the vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the received information about the status of the first mobile terminal comprises a location of the first mobile terminal, the method further comprising:

receiving information about a size and location of the vehicle from the second mobile terminal; and

determining whether the first mobile terminal is a VRU based on the location of the first mobile terminal and the size and location of the vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

estimating whether the first mobile terminal is within the vehicle based on the location of the first mobile terminal; and

determining that the first mobile terminal is a VRU when the first mobile terminal is not within the vehicle.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the received information about the status of the first mobile terminal comprises a speed of the first mobile terminal, the method further comprising:

receiving information about a speed of the vehicle or a speed of a second mobile terminal; and

determining whether the first mobile terminal is a VRU based on the speed of the first mobile terminal and the speed of the vehicle or a second mobile terminal.

6. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information about a status of a second mobile terminal or the vehicle;

identifying, based at least partly on the received information about the status of the second mobile terminal or the vehicle, at least one mobile terminal that is in proximity of the second mobile terminal or the VRU; and

transmitting at least a part of the information about the status of the second mobile terminal or the vehicle to the identified at least one mobile terminal.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the personal device is a handheld or a wearable device but not associated with any vehicle.

8. A method for a first mobile terminal, comprising:

determining information about a status of the first mobile terminal, wherein the information is suitable for determining at a network unit whether the first mobile terminal is a Vulnerable Road User, VRU, with respect to a vehicle;

transmitting the information about the status of the first mobile terminal to the network unit;

receiving, from the network unit, an estimate indicating whether the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU with respect to the vehicle and confidence information associated with estimated correctness of the estimate; and

receiving at least one warning message from the network unit in case that the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU and a potential collision with the vehicle is detected.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the transmitted information about the status of the first mobile terminal comprises an estimate indicating whether the first mobile terminal is a VRU with respect to the vehicle.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the transmitted information about the status of the first mobile terminal comprises confidence information associated with estimated correctness of the estimate.

11. A method according to claim 8 , wherein transmitted information about the status of the first mobile terminal comprises a location of the first mobile terminal, a speed of the first mobile terminal and/or information related to connectivity indicating whether the first mobile terminal is associated with a wireless network of the vehicle.

12. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, from a second mobile terminal associated with the vehicle or from the network unit, information about a status of the second mobile terminal or information about the vehicle; and

determining whether the first mobile terminal is a VRU based on the received information.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the information about the status of the second mobile terminal or the information about the vehicle comprises a speed, location and/or direction of the second mobile terminal or the vehicle.

14. An apparatus comprising at least one processing core and at least one non-transitory memory including computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processing core, are configured to cause the apparatus at least to perform:

determine that a first mobile terminal is a personal device;

receive, from the first mobile terminal, information about a status of the first mobile terminal;

determine whether the first mobile terminal is a Vulnerable Road User, VRU, with respect to a vehicle based at least partly on the received information about the status of the first mobile terminal;

transmit, to the first mobile terminal, an estimate indicating whether the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU with respect to the vehicle and confidence information associated with estimated correctness of the estimate;

detect a potential collision between the first mobile terminal and the vehicle when the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU; and

transmit at least one warning message to the first mobile terminal in case that the first mobile terminal is determined as a VRU and the potential collision is detected.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the VRU includes a pedestrian.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the VRU includes a cyclist.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the VRU includes a wheelchair driver.