IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,680,817
Granted Patent B2
US 12,680,817 · App. 18/810,288 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Multi-computer system for dynamically detecting and identifying hazards

Inventors: David Evan Shields (Evanston, IL); David Lambert (La Grange, IL); Kyle Patrick Schmitt (Chicago, IL); Pratheek M. Harish (Ontario, CA)
Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
G01C21/3415G06N5/04G06N20/00G08G1/0112G08G1/0967
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,680,817
App. No.
18/810,288
Filed
Aug 20, 2024
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3667
USPC
701/414
Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing hazard detection and broadcast functions are provided. In some examples, sensor data may be captured by a mobile device, vehicle, or the like. The data may be used to detect a hazard, identify a type of hazard, and the like. One or more users or groups of users for notification of the hazard may be identified and one or more notifications may be transmitted to users within the group.

Claims (47)

1 . An on-board vehicle computing platform of a vehicle, comprising:

a display;

a wireless network interface;

a processing unit; and

a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to:

receive an instruction, based on a user input, to enable hazard detection for a trip;

present, at the display, an indication of at least one irregularity in a road on the trip which the vehicle is travelling, the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road being based on:

historical data including vehicle noise data indicating a smoothness factor for the trip; and

sensor data, collected during the trip, indicating one or more driving behaviors; and

transmit, to another on-board vehicle computing platform of another vehicle and using the wireless network interface, the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road.

2 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to receive user input designating a route for the trip.

3 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to cause the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road to be presented at a plurality of devices based on a group of vehicles, identified in real-time, having a predetermined proximity to a hazard detecting vehicle.

4 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to transmit the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road to other user devices associated with a group, the group being based on a common characteristic associated with the on-board vehicle computing platform and the other user devices.

5 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to present an identification of an alternate route responsive to the at least one irregularity in the road.

6 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to present a type of hazard corresponding to the at least one irregularity in the road.

7 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 6 , wherein the type of hazard includes one or more of a pothole, a stopped vehicle, or debris.

8 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , further comprising presenting an indication of whether a road is less smooth than a predetermined smoothness factor.

9 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 8 , wherein presenting the indication of whether the road is less smooth than the predetermined smoothness factor is based on historical accelerometer data.

10 . The on-board vehicle computing platform of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the on-board vehicle computing platform to:

receive, from a plurality of sources, additional data;

identify, based on the at least one irregularity in the road and the additional data, at least one group of users;

generate a notification identifying the at least one irregularity in the road; and

transmit the notification to the at least one group of users.

11 . A system comprising:

a display of an on-board vehicle device;

a wireless network interface;

a processing unit; and

a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the system to:

receive a user input at the on-board vehicle device providing an instruction to enable hazard detection for a trip;

present, at the display, an indication of at least one irregularity in a road on the trip which a vehicle is travelling, the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road being based on:

historical data including vehicle noise data indicating a smoothness factor for the trip; and

sensor data indicating one or more driving behaviors; and

transmit, using the wireless network interface, the indication of the at least one irregularity to another system.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the historical data includes data related to at least one of potholes, debris, gravel, or vehicle noise levels.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the system to present the smoothness factor in response to receiving user input designating a route for the trip.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the smoothness factor is based on data indicating one or more of lane swerving, lane departure, blinker usage, or sudden speed change.

15 . A method comprising:

receiving, based on a user input at an on-board vehicle device, an instruction to enable hazard detection for a trip;

determining at least one irregularity in a road on the trip which a vehicle is travelling based on:

historical data including vehicle noise data related to a smoothness factor for the trip; and

sensor data indicating one or more driving behaviors during the trip; and

transmitting, using a wireless network interface of the on-board vehicle device, an indication of the at least one irregularity in the road to a plurality of computing devices associated with a group such that the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road is presented at a plurality of displays of the plurality of computing devices.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining the group based on a characteristic associated with the on-board vehicle device, the characteristic being at least one of a family member, a first responder, a school bus driver, a public transportation driver, a rideshare driver, a taxi driver, a fleet vehicle driver, or a food delivery driver.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising presenting a personalized recommendation on at least one display of the plurality of displays based on the one or more driving behaviors.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising presenting a personalized message based on the group being a family group.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising presenting a personalized message based on the group having a common driving behavior characteristic.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein causing the indication of the at least one irregularity in the road to be presented at the plurality of displays includes wirelessly transmitting a notification of the at least one irregularity to a plurality of mobile devices associated with a plurality of users in the group.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 18081863 · Dec 15, 2022
Continuation 16713777 · Dec 13, 2019
Provisional Application 62783485 · Dec 21, 2018
Related Publication 20240410703A1 · Dec 12, 2024
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