IP Library Granted Patent US 11,670,121
Granted Patent B2
US 11,670,121 · App. 17/197,000 · Granted Jun 6, 2023

Systems and methods for monitoring and reporting road quality

Inventor: Dean K. Jackson (Pittsburgh, PA)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
G07C5/0816B60W40/06B60W50/04G07C5/008G07C5/085G07C5/0808H04L67/12B60W2556/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,670,121
App. No.
17/197,000
Granted
Jun 6, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method in a communication device equipped with an electronic circuit includes obtaining a geographic location of a vehicle in which the communication device operates; monitoring at least one sensor signal that corresponds to road quality; determining a road quality indication of the geographic location based on the at least one sensor signal; transmitting the geographic location and the road quality indication to a server; and determining, using an information received from the server, whether the road quality indication differs from an average road quality indicia for the geographic location.

Claims (48)

1. A method in a communication device equipped with an electronic circuit, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the electronic circuit, a geographic location of a vehicle in which the communication device operates;

monitoring, by the electronic circuit, at least one sensor signal that corresponds to road quality;

determining, by the electronic circuit, a road quality indication of the geographic location based on the at least one sensor signal;

transmitting, by the electronic circuit, the geographic location and the road quality indication to a server; and

determining, using an information received from the server, whether the road quality indication differs from an average road quality indicia for the geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a warning regarding a potential problem with the at least one sensor signal is provided via a user interface, based on the determining.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the electronic circuit, a query requesting an information update based on at least one of:

the road quality indication,

a calibration factor for the vehicle, or

a calibration factor for the geographic location.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an average road quality indicia for a route the vehicle is travelling.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated road indication algorithm for executing by the electronic circuit to generate a road quality indication.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated map.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated navigation route.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the road quality indication includes determining the road quality indication in view of a make and a model of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the road quality indication includes determining the road quality indication in view of a type of suspension with which the vehicle is equipped.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the at least one sensor signal includes receives a respective signal from at least one of: (i) a suspension sensor, (ii) a strut sensor, (iii) a shock sensor, (iv) a horizontal displacement sensor, or (v) a vertical displacement sensor.

11. A device comprising an electronic circuit and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for analyzing road quality information, the computer program configured to perform the steps of:

obtaining a geographic location of a vehicle in which the communication device operates,

monitoring at least one sensor signal that corresponds to road quality,

determining a road quality indication of the geographic location based on the at least one sensor signal,

transmitting the geographic location and the road quality indication to a server, and

determining, using an information received from the server, whether the road quality indication differs from an average road quality indicia for the geographic location.

12. The device of claim 11 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

providing a warning regarding a potential problem with the at least one sensor signal is provided via a user interface, based on the determining.

13. The device of claim 11 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

transmitting, by the electronic circuit, a query requesting an information update based on at least one of:

the road quality indication,

a calibration factor for the vehicle, or

a calibration factor for the geographic location.

14. The device of claim 13 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an average road quality indicia for a route the vehicle is travelling.

15. The device of claim 13 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated road indication algorithm for executing by the electronic circuit to generate a road quality indication.

16. The device of claim 13 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated map.

17. The device of claim 13 , the computer program further configured to perform the steps of:

receiving, by the electronic circuit in response to the query, an updated navigation route.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein determining the road quality indication includes determining the road quality indication in view of a make and a model of the vehicle.

19. The device of claim 11 , wherein determining the road quality indication includes determining the road quality indication in view of a type of suspension with which the vehicle is equipped.

20. The device of claim 11 , wherein the monitoring the at least one sensor signal includes receives a respective signal from at least one of: (i) a suspension sensor, (ii) a strut sensor, (iii) a shock sensor, (iv) a horizontal displacement sensor, or (v) a vertical displacement sensor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2021
From: JACKSON, DEAN K.
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 056483/0948 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 9, 2021
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 056529/0716 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16160892 · Oct 15, 2018
Continuation 14828096 · Aug 17, 2015
Continuation 13362013 · Jan 31, 2012
Related Publication 20210225098A1 · Jul 22, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,412,434 US 12,556,661