IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,046,601
Granted Patent B2
US 10,046,601 · App. 15/681,528 · Granted Aug 14, 2018

Smartwatch blackbox

Inventors: Benjamin D. Briggs (Waterford, NY); Lawrence A. Clevenger (LaGrangeville, NY); Leigh Anne H. Clevenger (Rhinebeck, NY); Jonathan H. Connell, II (Cortlandt Manor, NY); Nalini K. Ratha (White Plains, NY); Michael Rizzolo (Albany, NY)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
B60C9/00B60W30/08B60W2540/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,046,601
App. No.
15/681,528
Granted
Aug 14, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques are provided for alerting drivers of hazardous driving conditions using the sensing capabilities of wearable mobile technology. In one aspect, a method for alerting drivers of hazardous driving conditions includes the steps of: collecting real-time data from a driver of a vehicle, wherein the data is collected via a mobile device worn by the driver; determining whether the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition exists; providing feedback to the driver if the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition exists, and continuing to collect data from the driver in real-time if the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition does not exist. The real-time data may also be collected and used to learn characteristics of the driver. These characteristics can be compared with the data being collected to help determine, in real-time, whether the driving behavior is normal and whether a hazardous driving condition exists.

Claims (65)

1. A computer program product for alerting drivers of hazardous driving conditions, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

collect real-time data from a driver of a vehicle, wherein the data is collected via a mobile device worn by the driver;

determine whether the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition exists;

provide feedback to the driver if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition exists; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition does not exist,

wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

detect hand deviations of the driver using the real-time data;

determine whether the hand deviations of the driver involve side-to-side hand movements;

estimate speed of the vehicle using the real-time data if the hand deviations of the driver involve side-to-side hand movements;

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the hand deviations of the driver do not involve side-to-side hand movements;

determine whether the speed of the vehicle is higher than an average speed for a roadway on which the vehicle is travelling;

provide the feedback to the driver if the speed of the vehicle is higher than the average speed for the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the speed of the vehicle is not higher than the average speed for the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

use the real-time data to learn characteristics of the driver.

3. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

compare the real-time data to the characteristics of the driver to determine whether the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition exists.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the feedback is provided to the driver via the mobile device worn by the driver.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 , wherein the feedback is provided as an audible alert message to the driver via the mobile device worn by the driver.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the feedback is provided as an audible alert message to the driver via an audio system of the vehicle.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

track feedback provided to the driver.

8. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the real-time data collected from the user comprises physiological data for the user selected from the group consisting of: skin electrical characteristics, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, pulse, and combinations thereof.

9. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the real-time data collected from the user comprises trajectory data for the user selected from the group consisting of: movement, speed, direction, orientation, location, and combinations thereof.

10. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the real-time data collected from the user comprises environmental data selected from the group consisting of: air pressure, temperature, wind velocity, and combinations thereof.

11. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor, a pulse oximeter sensor, a heart rate sensor, and combinations thereof.

12. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a gyroscope sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, and combinations thereof.

13. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: a barometer, an air temperature sensor, a wind speed sensor, and combinations thereof.

14. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises a smartwatch.

15. A computer program product for alerting drivers of hazardous driving conditions, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

collect real-time data from a driver of a vehicle, wherein the data is collected via a mobile device worn by the driver;

determine whether the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition exists;

provide feedback to the driver if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition exists; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition does not exist,

wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

detect vibrations in the vehicle using the real-time data;

determine whether the vibrations in the vehicle are above a given frequency and duration;

detect ambient sound in the vehicle using the real-time data if the vibrations in the vehicle are above the given frequency and duration;

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the vibrations in the vehicle are not above the given frequency and duration;

determine whether the ambient sound in the vehicle is above a given level;

provide the feedback to the driver if the ambient sound in the vehicle is above the given level; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the ambient sound in the vehicle is not above the given level.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

use the real-time data to learn characteristics of the driver.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises a smartwatch.

18. A computer program product for alerting drivers of hazardous driving conditions, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

collect real-time data from a driver of a vehicle, wherein the data is collected via a mobile device worn by the driver;

determine whether the real-time data indicates that a hazardous driving condition exists;

provide feedback to the driver if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition exists; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the real-time data indicates that the hazardous driving condition does not exist,

wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

detect changes along a direction of travel using the real-time data;

determine whether a number of the changes along the direction of travel is greater than a given threshold number of changes for a given duration;

detect a type of road on which the vehicle is travelling using the real-time data if the number of changes along the direction of travel is greater than the given threshold number of changes for the given duration;

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the number of changes along the direction of travel is not greater than the given threshold number of changes for the given duration;

determine whether the vehicle is travelling on a highway;

detect a heart rate of the driver using the real-time data if the vehicle is travelling on the highway;

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the vehicle is not travelling on the highway;

determine whether the heart rate of the driver is elevated;

provide the feedback to the driver if the heart rate of the driver is elevated; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the heart rate of the driver is not elevated.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:

detect a skin conductivity of the driver using the real-time data if the heart rate of the driver is elevated; and

continue to collect data from the driver in real-time if the heart rate of the driver is not elevated.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the mobile device worn by the user comprises a smartwatch.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2017
From: BRIGGS, BENJAMIN D.; CLEVENGER, LAWRENCE A.; CLEVENGER, LEIGH ANNE H.; CONNELL, JONATHAN H., II; RATHA, NALINI K.; RIZZOLO, MICHAEL
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043342/0046 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15005675 · Jan 25, 2016
Related Publication 20170368992A1 · Dec 28, 2017
Cited By (2)
US 12,198,122 US 12,457,491