Vehicle-mounted transducer

Abstract

Tools are provided to assisting in the driving of a given vehicle in motion. Memory and a processor are provided. The processor is configured and interoperable with the memory, a transducer driver, and the given vehicle's driving control system. An object transducer carried by the given vehicle is driven in order to detect another moving vehicle in a detection area at a detection distance away from the given vehicle. Notification messages sent from other vehicles are received. The notification messages include a too close notification message sent from one of the other vehicles. A determination is made, based at least in part on the too close notification message sent from the one of the other vehicles, when the given vehicle is positioned in relation to the other moving vehicle such that the given vehicle should be driven differently. The given vehicle automatically takes remedial action upon the determination that the given vehicle is too close to the other moving vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for assisting in the driving of a given vehicle in motion, the apparatus comprising memory and a processor, the processor being configured and interoperable with the memory, a transducer driver, and the given vehicle's driving control system, to cause:
 driving of an object transducer carried by the given vehicle in order to detect another moving vehicle in a detection area at a detection distance away from the given vehicle;   receiving notification messages sent from other vehicles, the notification messages including a too close notification message sent from one of the other vehicles;   determining, based at least in part on the too close notification message sent from the one of the other vehicles, when the given vehicle is positioned in relation to the other moving vehicle such that the given vehicle should be driven differently; and   the given vehicle automatically taking remedial action upon the determination that the given vehicle is too close to the other moving vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the given vehicle is an automobile. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising the transducer driver and the object transducer. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the remedial action includes slowing the speed of the given vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the remedial action is taken based on the detected distance to the other moving vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the remedial action is based on the too close notification message sent from the one of the other vehicles. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the notification message is communicated from the other moving vehicle to the given vehicle via transceivers in the other moving and given vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the too close distance is a distance where the detection distance is less than a target distance that should be maintained between the other moving vehicle and the given vehicle when each of the other moving vehicle and the given vehicle is being driven in the same direction. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein when the remedial action is taken, the given vehicle's driving control system is controlled so that the given vehicle's brakes are automatically applied to slow down the given vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein when remedial action is taken, the given vehicle's driving control system is controlled so that the given vehicle is automatically decelerated. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein when the remedial action is taken, the given vehicle's control system is controlled so that a visible warning message is displayed on a display viewable by a user of the given vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to cause capturing and storing images of objects within the detection area in a long term database. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein as the images are captured, they are stored, in real time, in a long term database. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the captured images are annotated by a user via a user interface, and stored in the long term database with the annotations. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the transducer comprises an array of object detecting transducers mounted to a front of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the object detecting transducer includes at least one laser and at least one light detector, the laser generating pulsed laser signals reflected by the object when the object is positioned in a trajectory of the pulsed laser signals, and the reflected pulsed laser signals then being detected by the light detector. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the object detecting transducer includes an image analysis detection system including plural image detection transducer elements. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the image analysis detection system is mounted on the front of the given vehicle and includes four image detection transducer elements. 
     
     
         19 . Computer-readable media encoded with a computer program, the program, when executed with a processor and memory coupled to drivers in a given vehicle, causing:
 driving of an object transducer carried by the given vehicle in order to detect another moving vehicle in a detection area at a detection distance away from the given vehicle;   receiving notification messages sent from other vehicles, the notification messages including a too close notification message sent from one of the other vehicles;   determining, based at least in part on a response to the too close notification message sent from the one of the other vehicles, when the given vehicle is positioned in relation to the other moving vehicle such that the given vehicle should be driven differently; and   the given vehicle automatically taking remedial action upon the determination that the given vehicle is too close to the other moving vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . A method for assisting in the driving of a given vehicle in motion, the method comprising:
 driving of an object transducer carried by the given vehicle in order to detect another moving vehicle in a detection area at a detection distance away from the given vehicle;   receiving notification messages sent from other vehicles, the notification messages including a too close notification message sent from one of the other vehicles;   determining, based at least in part on a response to the too close notification message sent from the one of the other vehicles, when the given vehicle is positioned in relation to the other moving vehicle such that the given vehicle should be driven differently; and   the given vehicle automatically taking remedial action upon the determination that the given vehicle is too close to the other moving vehicle.