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.

Vehicle-to-pedestrian communication system and method

Aim of the presented research is the development of a cognitive driver assistance system, which can capture the traffic situation, analyse it, and warn the driver in case a pedestrian is a potential hazard. Hence parameters have to be identified by which the intention of the pedestrian can be unambiguously predicted. Two approaches to the topic are addressed. First, the pedestrian’s perspective was taken. The question was how crossing decisions were influenced by the parameters distance and velocity of the car. Following a signal, participants had to choose to cross the road in front of or behind the car. The data analysis showed that pedestrians relied on the distance of the car rather than the time to collision for their decision. In the second experiment the observer’s perspective raised the question what parameters humans use to predict pedestrians’ intentions. Videos of natural traffic scenes were presented. Participants had to make statements about whether the shown pedestrian would cross the street during the next moment. In a baseline and four experimental conditions, certain information was masked in the videos. Just the condition in which only the trajectory information of the pedestrian was available produced a higher error rate.

Pedestrians at the kerb – Recognising the action intentions of humans

A traffic informational system provides information to traffic moving along a road and may include a plurality of traffic information devices mountable to the road, each having an integral power producing source, at least a first set of illumination sources, and a wireless communications subsystem. The traffic informational system may further include at least a first external control device comprising at least one antenna and a transmitter communication wirelessly with the traffic information devices and/or with one another. The traffic information device may communicate with one another, and may include sensor for sensing ambient conditions. The system employs various approaches to reducing power consumption and improving communications, and is suitable for a wide range of applications, including use in remote environments.

Methods, systems and devices related to road mounted indicators for providing visual indications to approaching traffic

A vehicle to pedestrian communication system includes a vehicle-based device having a transmitter and receiver for communicating global positioning of the vehicle. The transmitter broadcasts a global position of the vehicle as part of a vehicle periodic beacon message. A pedestrian-based device is carried by a pedestrian. The pedestrian-based device has a transmitter and receiver for communicating a global position of the pedestrian as part of a pedestrian periodic beacon message. A positional awareness of the vehicle in relation to the pedestrian is assessed by at least one of the vehicle-based device or the pedestrian-based device based on the positioning of the vehicle in relation to the pedestrian. An alert is provided to at least one of the vehicle or the pedestrian indicating a presence of the vehicle or pedestrian based on the respective global positions of the pedestrian and the vehicle.

Vehicle to entity communication

A method includes receiving and storing sensor data including a first plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the environment external to a vehicle at a plurality of respective times, operational data including a second plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of an operational parameter of the vehicle at a plurality of respective times, and synchronization data. The method also includes generating an animated re-creation of an event involving the vehicle using the stored data, and causing the animated re-creation of the event to be displayed.

Synchronization of vehicle sensor information

A system and method for generating pedestrian alerts are provided. Vehicle operators are provided with alerts regarding potential vehicle-pedestrian collisions and other dangers involving pedestrians. Additionally, pedestrians may be provided with alerts regarding potential dangers, including dangers of vehicle-pedestrian collisions. Mobile devices, which can be carried or worn by pedestrians, respond to activation signals from a vehicular device. The vehicular device receives positional information from each mobile device within transmission range, and determines relative positions of each of the mobile devices with respect to the position of the vehicular device. A determination of the probability of intersection of any mobile device with a warning zone near the vehicular device is calculated and predicted according to pre-determined rules. If the probability of intersection meets or exceeds a pre-determined threshold, an alert is generated.

System and method for providing pedestrian alerts

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking 
to develop a system to alert automotive drivers to a 
potential collision with a pedestrian. Under a contract to 
FHWA, OPTIMUS Corporation and its subcontractor 
Dunlap and Associates conducted an analysis of 
contributing factors in pedestrian crashes to determine the 
requirements for the system. Simultaneously, potential 
sensor, positioning, and communication technologies 
were assessed. The resulting requirements highlighted the 
need for a system that can provide high integrity warnings 
with a low false alarm rate, provide a minimum of three 
seconds warning, function in all weather, and be capable 
of alerting drivers to pedestrians hidden by visual screens. 
After analyzing a number of architecture options, 
OPTIMUS determined that the system best able to meet 
the requirements would be based on differential GPS and 
a low power, short range radio architecture. OPTIMUS 
then performed feasibility analysis and testing on the PAS 
concept. 
The PAS will have a pedestrian module and vehicle 
module, each containing a GPS receiver. The pedestrian 
module will utilize the tiny, low power GPS receivers 
being developed for cell phone integration, and a low cost 
and power radio transceiver. The pedestrian module will 
broadcast its position and velocity information to all 
vehicles in range with no personally identifying 
information. The vehicle module receives the information 
from the pedestrian and using DGPS techniques 
determines the relative distance and velocity to the 
pedestrian. The vehicle unit constructs a "warning zone" 
based on its position, velocity, and control settings 
(transmission, turn signal, etc). It then uses the relative 
position and velocity data to predict the closest approach 
or intersection with the warning zone. 
OPTIMUS validated the concept through field tests that 
indicate that the architecture can provide the high 
integrity alert with a low false alarm rate. In the tests, a 
pedestrian took several angles toward, away, and parallel 
to a vehicle approaching on a street while GPS data were 
collected from both the pedestrian and vehicle. 
The feasibility analysis and testing show that PAS will 
provide all weather operation, non-LOS operation around 
visual screens, pedestrian detection at close and relatively 
long range, the capability for very good threat 
discrimination to reduce false alarms, a variable "warning 
zone" depending on vehicle motion and state, the 
capability to handle forty or more simultaneous 
pedestrians, an automatic alert not requiring interpretation 
or attention from the driver, the capability to alert the 
pedestrian, and alert data in a digital format that can drive 
any type of user interface visual, audible, or tactile. The 
PAS also is compatible with Intelligent Transportation 
System (ITS) and telematics concepts and equipment. 
Most vehicles sold in the future will have a GPS, a 
computer, and eventually an ITS wireless data link in 
their telematics, which will reduce the PAS equipage 
costs. 
The paper will discuss the system requirements, 
architecture, concept of operations, design tradeoffs, 
feasibility analysis, and DGPS feasibility test results.

Design and Testing of a Pedestrian Alert System (PAS)

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking to develop a system to alert automotive drivers to an impending collision with a pedestrian. Under contract to FHWA, the authors designed, simulated, and field tested a prototype PAS that relies on DGPS techniques to accurately determine relative position and velocity measurements, which allows the prediction of collision probabilities, and activation of an appropriate driver alert. A US patent has been issued for the PAS developed in this effort. The key requirements of the system include providing accurate warnings with a low false alarm rate at least three seconds before the collision, all weather functionality, and the capability of detecting pedestrians hidden by visual screens. It minimizes false alarms through a variable warning zone" that depends on vehicle and pedestrian motion. It also is capable of alerting the pedestrian in danger. The PAS design is compatible with Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and telematics equipment. Most vehicles sold in the future will have a GPS, a processor, and eventually an ITS wireless data link in their telematics, which will minimize the PAS equipage costs. The PAS has both pedestrian and vehicle modules, each containing a low power, GPS receiver capable of weak signal tracking, and a low cost/power, radio transceiver. The vehicle module is intended to be part of an enhanced vehicle navigation system and the pedestrian module could be integrated with cell phones or other personal electronic devices routinely carried by pedestrians. The pedestrian module broadcasts its position and velocity information to all vehicles in range with no personally identifying information. The vehicle module receives the information from the pedestrian and determines the relative distance and velocity to the pedestrian. The vehicle unit calculates a "warning zone" based on its velocity vector, the state of turn signals and transmission, and the velocity of the individual pedestrian. If the pedestrian is predicted to be in the warning zone and the time-to-collision is within a critical time (on the order of 6 seconds), the driver receives an alert. The alert provides information on both the urgency and direction of the threat. The most challenging aspects of the hardware design were the radio link, driver alert implementation, and the engineering of the small pedestrian module that could be worn by a person that would provide more than 24 hours of protection between recharges. Meeting the power consumption goal required developing elaborate conservation techniques including millisecond control of the operation of the RF transceivers and the GPS receiver. The real-time application software for the pedestrian module is embedded in the GPS receiver, while the vehicle module uses an external single board computer to host its real-time software. The radio link must allow unlicensed transmitters but provide high integrity communication over distances sufficient for GPS acquisition and tracking before the point of closest approach, while maximizing battery life. The driver alert must be interpretable in an instant with little training and it must not cause a dangerous reaction from the driver. The design and development of the PAS was recounted in earlier ION papers. This paper describes the field testing of the final system. This testing included: • the human factors of the driver alert presentation • the capacity, range, and robustness of the radio link • the accuracy and integrity of the relative DGPS positioning between vehicle and pedestrian • the discrimination, accuracy, and integrity of the collision predictions. The completed testing indicates that the system is capable of providing a significant contribution to the goal of reducing the death and injuries caused by vehicle collisions with pedestrians. It also could be adapted for bicycle safety, as well as airport ramp and construction site pedestrian safety."

Field Testing of a Pedestrian Alert System (PAS)

In this article the authors discuss the development and field testing of a new implementation of a combined Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, wireless data link, and processor as outfitted on automobiles for applications in pedestrian detection. The device called is known as a pedestrian alert system (PAS), and it is designed to detect pedestrians in all weather and non-line-of-sight situations, allow for the classification of pedestrian collision types, provide an effective means of alerting drivers to the presence of detected pedestrians, and reduce or eliminate missed detections and false alerts. Field tests are described that evaluate the PAS system's efficacy. The features examined include adequate driver interface, a robust communications link, accurate differential GPS (DGPS), and accurate prediction of velocity and position vectors in 8 second anticipation. The provided proof of concept PAS was deemed to satisfy the given parameters.

Richard Blomberg

Papers

System and method for providing pedestrian alerts

Design and Testing of a Pedestrian Alert System (PAS)

Field Testing of a Pedestrian Alert System (PAS)

Safety Afoot: Field Testing of a Pedestrian Alert System