Vehicle to pedestrian communication system and method

Abstract

A system for alerting a user includes a first device for vehicle-to-pedestrian communication. The first device is operable by a pedestrian. The system further includes a vehicle operable by a driver including a second device for vehicle-to-pedestrian communication. The system is configured to provide an alert via at least one of the first device and second device to at least one of the driver and the pedestrian.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication system, comprising:
 a vehicle operable by a driver and configured to communicate with a first V2P device associated with the vehicle, the first V2P device configured for: 
 communicating with at least one vehicle system to acquire vehicle parameters for the vehicle including the first V2P device, the vehicle parameters including at least one of a location and a speed of the vehicle; 
 predicting a future path of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle parameters; 
 receiving at least one Basic Safety Message (BSM) from a second V2P device associated with a pedestrian via a wireless communications channel; 
 acquiring pedestrian parameters for the pedestrian from at least one of the at least one BSM and the second V2P device, the pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of the pedestrian; 
 determining whether the future path of the vehicle intersects with a future path of the pedestrian using the vehicle parameters, the at least one BSM, and the pedestrian parameters; and 
 when the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian, providing an a visual alert to at least one of a driver of the vehicle and the pedestrian, wherein the visual alert includes a visual directional indication of a location of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle and at least one of an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with a phone call, an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with a text-messaging operation, an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with an Internet browsing operation, and an indication that the pedestrian is distracted by listening to music. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first V2P device is further configured for predicting a the future path of the pedestrian based on at least one of the pedestrian parameters. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first V2P device is further configured for receiving BSMs from a plurality of V2P devices associated with respective pedestrians, and performing threat arbitration to determine a probability of a collision between the vehicle and each one of the pedestrians. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is operable on a Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) network. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is operable to transmit a Basic Safety Message (BSM). 
     
     
       6. A method of operating a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication system, the method comprising:
 communicating with at least one vehicle system to acquire vehicle parameters for a vehicle including a first V2P device, the vehicle parameters including at least one of a location and a speed of the vehicle; 
 predicting a future path of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle parameters; 
 receiving at least one Basic Safety Message (BSM) from a second V2P device associated with a pedestrian via a wireless communications channel; 
 acquiring pedestrian parameters for the pedestrian, the pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of the pedestrian; 
 predicting a future path of the pedestrian based on at least one of the pedestrian parameters; 
 determining whether the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian; and 
 when the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian, providing an a visual alert to at least one of a driver of the vehicle and the pedestrian, wherein the visual alert includes a visual directional indication of a location of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle and at least one of an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with a phone call, an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with a text-messaging operation, an indication that the pedestrian is distracted with an internet browsing operation, and an indication that the pedestrian is distracted by listening to music. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further including:
 receiving BSMs from a plurality of V2P devices associated with respective pedestrians; and 
 performing threat arbitration to determine a probability of a collision between the vehicle and the pedestrians. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is operable on a Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) network. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is operable to transmit a Basic Safety Message (BSM). 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the BSM includes a classification of the pedestrian. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the vehicle includes at least one of an audible alert system and a visual alert system perceptible by the pedestrian, and wherein the audible alert system and the visual alert system are actuatable by at least one of the first device and the second device. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is configured to detect at least one of a driver-to-pedestrian transition and a pedestrian-to-driver transition. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is configured for at least one of distracted driver detection, distracted pedestrian detection and pedestrian trajectory prediction. 
     
     
       14. A vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication system, comprising a vehicle operable by a driver and including a first V2P device, the first V2P device configured for:
 communicating with at least one vehicle system of the vehicle to acquire vehicle parameters for the vehicle, the vehicle parameters including at least one of a location and a speed of the vehicle;   predicting a future path of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle parameters;   acquiring pedestrian parameters from a second V2P device associated with a pedestrian via a wireless communications channel, the pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of the pedestrian;   determining whether the future path of the vehicle intersects with a future path of the pedestrian using the vehicle parameters and the pedestrian parameters; and   when the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian, displaying a visual alert to at least one of a driver of the vehicle and the pedestrian, wherein the visual alert includes a visual directional indication of a location of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle.   
     
     
       15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first V2P device is further configured for:
 acquiring a plurality of pedestrian parameters from a plurality of V2P devices associated with a plurality of pedestrians via a wireless communications channel, the plurality of pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of each of the plurality of pedestrians;   predicting a plurality of future paths of the plurality of pedestrians based on the plurality of pedestrian parameters;   determining which one of the plurality of future paths of the plurality of pedestrians has a highest probability of intersecting with the future path of the vehicle.   
     
     
       16. The system of claim 14, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the pedestrian is distracted from attentiveness to a surroundings of the pedestrian; and   when it is detected that the pedestrian is distracted, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the pedestrian is distracted.   
     
     
       17. The system of claim 16, wherein when it is detected that the pedestrian is distracted, the visual alert varies as a function of a type of distraction causing the pedestrian to be distracted. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 16, wherein detecting whether the pedestrian is distracted includes detecting at least one of use of a mobile device associated with the pedestrian, movement of the mobile device, or a current light level to which the mobile device is exposed. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim 14, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the driver is distracted from attentiveness to a surroundings of the driver; and   when it is detected that the driver is distracted, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the driver is distracted.   
     
     
       20. The system of claim 19, wherein detecting whether the driver is distracted includes detecting at least one of use of a mobile device associated with the driver, a distance of the mobile device to a steering wheel, or an interaction between the driver and a sensor on the steering wheel. 
     
     
       21. The system of claim 14, wherein the visual alert varies as a function of a velocity of the vehicle and a distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim 14, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the pedestrian is hidden from a view of the driver; and   when it is detected that the pedestrian is hidden from the view of the driver, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the pedestrian is hidden from the view of the driver.   
     
     
       23. The system of claim 22, wherein detecting whether the pedestrian is hidden from a view of the driver includes detecting a presence of an object between the pedestrian and the vehicle. 
     
     
       24. A method of operating a vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication system, the method comprising:
 communicating with at least one vehicle system of a vehicle to acquire vehicle parameters for the vehicle including a first V2P device, the vehicle parameters including at least one of a location and a speed of the vehicle;   predicting a future path of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle parameters;   acquiring pedestrian parameters from a second V2P device associated with a pedestrian via a wireless communications channel, the pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of the pedestrian;   predicting a future path of the pedestrian based on at least one of the pedestrian parameters;   determining whether the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian; and   when the future path of the vehicle intersects with the future path of the pedestrian, displaying a visual alert to at least one of a driver of the vehicle and the pedestrian, wherein the visual alert includes a visual directional indication of a location of the pedestrian relative to the vehicle.   
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, the first V2P device is further configured for:
 acquiring a plurality of pedestrian parameters from a plurality of V2P devices associated with a plurality of pedestrians via a wireless communications channel, the plurality of pedestrian parameters including at least one of a position and a speed of each of the plurality of pedestrians;   predicting a plurality of future paths of the plurality of pedestrians based on the plurality of pedestrian parameters;   determining which one of the plurality of future paths of the plurality of pedestrians has a highest probability of intersecting with the future path of the vehicle.   
     
     
       26. The system of claim 24, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the pedestrian is distracted from attentiveness to a surroundings of the pedestrian;   when it is detected that the pedestrian is distracted, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the pedestrian is distracted.   
     
     
       27. The system of claim 26, wherein when it is detected that the pedestrian is distracted, the visual alert varies as a function of a type of distraction causing the pedestrian to be distracted. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 26, wherein detecting whether the pedestrian is distracted includes detecting at least one of use of a mobile device associated with the pedestrian, movement of the mobile device, or a current light level to which the mobile device is exposed. 
     
     
       29. The system of claim 24, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the driver is distracted from attentiveness to a surroundings of the driver; and   when it is detected that the driver is distracted, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the driver is distracted.   
     
     
       30. The system of claim 29, wherein detecting whether the driver is distracted includes detecting at least one of use of a mobile device associated with the driver, a distance of the mobile device to a steering wheel, or an interaction between the driver and a sensor on the steering wheel. 
     
     
       31. The system of claim 24, wherein the visual alert varies as a function of a velocity of the vehicle and a distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle. 
     
     
       32. The system of claim 24, wherein:
 at least one of the first V2P device and the second V2P device is configured for detecting whether the pedestrian is hidden from a view of the driver; and   when it is detected that the pedestrian is hidden from the view of the driver, the visual alert further includes a visual indication that the pedestrian is hidden from the view of the driver.   
     
     
       33. The system of claim 32, wherein detecting whether the pedestrian is hidden from the view of the driver includes detecting a presence of an object between the pedestrian and the vehicle.