Generation of vehicle height limit alerts

A method includes identifying, by an electronic tolling system, a node. The node is associated with a vehicle. The node is configured to identify the vehicle to the electronic tolling system. The method identifies, by the electronic tolling system, a vehicle height calculation system. The method receives, by the electronic tolling system, a height for the vehicle from the vehicle height calculation system. The method receives by the electronic tolling system, a height limit. The height limit is associated with one or more roadways for which the electronic tolling system is configured to collect tolls. The method compares, by the electronic tolling system, the vehicle height to the height limit. The method is responsive to the vehicle height is greater than the height limit, by generating, by the electronic tolling system, an alert. The method sends the alert from the electronic tolling system to an alert display.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to the field of vehicle monitoring systems and more particularly to generating vehicle height limit alerts.

Vehicles travelling along a roadway can cause substantial damage to the vehicle, operators of the vehicle, other drivers, other vehicles, and property. In particular, if a vehicle is exceeds a height limit and collides with an overhead obstruction such as an overpass or a tunnel, significant damage may result.

SUMMARY

A method includes identifying, by an electronic tolling system, a node. The node is associated with a vehicle. The node is configured to identify the vehicle to the electronic tolling system. The method identifies, by the electronic tolling system, a vehicle height calculation system. The method receives, by the electronic tolling system, a height for the vehicle from the vehicle height calculation system. The method receives by the electronic tolling system, a height limit. The height limit is associated with one or more roadways for which the electronic tolling system is configured to collect tolls. The method compares, by the electronic tolling system, the vehicle height to the height limit. The method is responsive to the vehicle height is greater than the height limit, by generating, by the electronic tolling system, an alert. The method sends the alert from the electronic tolling system to an alert display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail,FIG. 1is a block diagram displaying an operational environment suitable for operation of at least one embodiment of the present invention. The operational environment100includes a vehicle110, which includes a node112, and a vehicle height114, a vehicle height calculation system120, which includes the calculated height124, an electronic tolling system130, which includes a roadway134, which includes a height limit132, a height alert program140, and an alert150, all in mutual communication and interconnected via the operational environment100. Various components of the operational environment, such as the electronic tolling system130, vehicle height calculation system120, and node112, may include one or more computers, which may variously be cloud-based, virtual, or distributed environment or a remote environment on defined server hardware, or, more generally, any type of general purpose operational environment, such as that depicted inFIG. 5.

The vehicle110may be a motorized transportation machine. For example, the vehicle110may be an automobile, truck, bus, train, tram, or boat. The vehicle height114is a physical property, namely, the height of the vehicle110. The vehicle height114may change depending on the presence and size of any external load on the vehicle110. For example, the vehicle height114increases if a user of the vehicle110places a bicycle on top of the vehicle110. In some embodiments, the vehicle height114may be expressed as an inequality or range, rather than as a single measured value. For example, a vehicle height A for a vehicle A may be that the vehicle height A is greater than seven feet.

The vehicle height calculation system120is a system for determining the vehicle height114. In some embodiments, the vehicle height calculation system may be a roadside device. For example, the vehicle height calculation system120may determine the vehicle height114by taking a picture of the vehicle110and calculating the vehicle height114based on a reference object of known height, wherein the reference object appears in the picture, for example as in the scene ofFIG. 4wherein the roadside device418may be within the field of view of a camera positioned at the vehicle height calculation system416. In embodiments where the vehicle height is represented as a range or as exceeding a threshold, the vehicle height calculation system120may determine the vehicle height114via a linear interrupt sensor. For example, the vehicle height calculation system120may determine if the vehicle height114is below seven feet or seven feet and above. In such an embodiment, a linear interrupt sensor may extend entirely or partially a roadway, at an exemplary height of seven feet above the roadway such that any vehicle with a vehicle height seven feet or above interrupts the linear interrupt sensor and indicate to the vehicle height calculation system120that the vehicle height114is seven feet or above. The vehicle height114may be communicated to the height alert program140via the electronic tolling system130. The electronic tolling system130is a system of roadside and car tagging devices to determine when a particular vehicle is travelling along a particular roadway. In general, the electronic tolling system130includes a node, such as the node112, which is placed within a vehicle, such as the vehicle110.

The node112is a connection and/or communication point that is capable to creating, receiving, and/or transmitting information via the operational environment100. In some embodiments, the node112is included in the electronic tolling system130. In such an embodiment the node112may be located within the vehicle110and indicate to the electronic tolling system130if the vehicle110has traveled onto a roadway that requires the vehicle110to be tolled. In some embodiments, the node112is an active radio-frequency identification transponder and indicates the presence of the vehicle110to the electronic tolling system130by transmitting a radio signal or unique radio signature. The electronic tolling system130may be a system for collecting tolls.

The roadway134is any path, route, or thoroughfare on which vehicles, such as the vehicle110may travel. The roadway134may include, as a physical property, any characteristics that may make the roadway134potentially hazardous for users of vehicles, such as the vehicle110. For example, the roadway134includes overpasses or tunnels that are along the roadway134as well as any physical restrictions this may impose on the vehicle110. For example, the roadway134includes the height limit132.

The height limit132is a pre-determined height limit. In some embodiments, the height limit132is determined based on the height of an overpass or tunnel that is along the roadway134. In other embodiments, the height limit132is used as a proxy for overall size and determined based on the weight limit of a bridge. The height limit132may be determined by a user and is communicated to the height alert program140.

The height alert program140may receive the vehicle height114and the height limit132as input. The vehicle height114as input is the calculated height124, which is within the height alert program140. The calculated height124corresponds to the vehicle height114. The height alert program140compares the calculated height124and the height limit132, and generates an alert150as output. The height alert program140acts by comparing the calculated height124and the height limit132. The height alert program140may send the alert150to the node112. The height alert program140may act by sending the alert150to the node112. The height alert program140may be a function integrated within another program, or any program or function that can communicate with the electronic tolling system, the node112, and/or the height alert program via the operational environment100.

The alert150may be any notification capable of being emitted from an alert device. In some embodiments the alert device is the node112. In such an embodiment, the node112may be equipped with audio speakers or a light fixture such that the node112may emit an audio and/or visual alert. In some embodiments, the alert150may include instructions to redirect the vehicle110to an alternate roadway wherein the alternate roadway is a different roadway, an alternate route, and/or an alternative route. For example, the alert150may be an audio recording providing verbal instructions to a driver to navigate the vehicle110to an alternate roadway. The alert150may be an indication redirecting or to redirect the vehicle110to an alternate roadway. In other embodiments, the electronic tolling system130may include digital signs which indicate to a user, for example, the cost of their vehicle using a roadway, the type of currency accepted in a particular lane, or whether the user of the vehicle has successfully paid. In such embodiments, the alert150may be displayed via the digital signs within the electronic tolling system130.

In other embodiments, the operational environment100may include an electronic roadside alert system. The electronic roadside alert system may be, for example, a digital display placed alongside a roadway to indicate to drivers safety warnings, traffic warnings, construction warnings, weather warnings, etc. In such an embodiment, the electronic roadside alert system may be in mutual communication with other devices within the operational environment100. In such an embodiment, the alert150may be displayed via the electronic roadside alert system.

FIG. 2is a flowchart depicting the operational steps of the height alert program140, executing via the electronic tolling system130within the operational environment100ofFIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

At step200, the height alert program identifies the node112, the node112being associated with the vehicle110. The height alert program140identifies the node112via the electronic tolling system130. Identifying may include automated calls to height alert program140, for example, from an integrated development environment or as part of the electronic tolling system130.

At step202, the height alert program140identifies the vehicle height calculation system120. The height alert program140identifies the vehicle height calculation system120via the electronic tolling system130. Identifying may include automated calls to height alert program140, for example, from an integrated development environment or as part of the electronic tolling system130.

At step204, the height alert program140receives the vehicle height114. The height alert program140receives the vehicle height114via the electronic tolling system130. Receiving may include a user explicitly calling the height alert program140from a command line interface using a reference to the vehicle height114as an argument. Alternatively, receiving may include automated calls to the height alert program140, for example, from an integrated development environment or as part of a height alert management system.

At step206, the height alert program140receives the height limit132. The height alert program140receives the height limit132via the electronic tolling system130.

At step208, the height alert program140compares the vehicle height114and the height limit132. At step210the height alert program140determines if the vehicle height114is greater than the height limit132. In some embodiment, the height alert program140compares the vehicle height114and the height limit132by calculating the mathematical difference between the two values. In embodiments where the vehicle height114is represented as a range or as exceeding a threshold value, the height alert program140compares the range of the vehicle height114to the height limit132. For example, the height limit132may be seven feet. The vehicle height114may be that the vehicle is above seven feet. In such an embodiment, the height alert program140determines that the vehicle height114is greater than the height limit132.

If yes, the vehicle height114is greater than the height limit132, the height alert program140proceeds to step210. At step210, the height alert program generates the alert150. In some embodiment, the alert150is an alarm sound. In other embodiments, the alert150may be words written or vocalized via the electronic tolling system130.

At step212, the vehicle height114sends the alert150to an alert display. In some embodiments, the alert display is the node112. In other embodiments, the alert display may be a separate client device capable of receiving the alert150via the electronic tolling system130.

FIG. 3is a flowchart depicting the operational steps of height alert program140, operating via the node112, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

At step300, the height alert program140identifies, via the node112, the vehicle110.

At step302, the height alert program140identifies, via the node112, the electronic tolling system130.

At step304, the height alert program140receives information, via the node112, from the electronic tolling system130. At step304, the height alert program140receives whether the calculated height124is greater than the height limit132, which may be calculated via the operational steps200-210of the height alert program140.

In some embodiments, the height alert program140may act, responsive to receiving information that the vehicle height114is greater than the height limit132. In such an embodiment, the height alert program140may generate, via the node112an alert, such as the alert150. The node112may be configured to emit an alert, such as the alert150.

FIG. 4is a perspective view of a height alert system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4includes a vehicle410, a second vehicle412, a node411, a second node414, a vehicle height calculation system416, a roadside device418, an electronic tolling system420, a roadway422, and an alternate roadway424.

The vehicle410and the second vehicle412are vehicles such as the vehicle110. The node411and the second node414are nodes such as the node112. In the embodiment ofFIG. 4, the second node414is located within the second vehicle412, placed on the second vehicle412's front windshield. The node411is located within the vehicle410, place on the vehicle410's front windshield. Both the vehicle410and the vehicle412have a vehicle height, such as the vehicle height114.

The electronic tolling system420is an electronic tolling system, such as the electronic tolling system130. The vehicle height calculation system416is a vehicle height calculation system, such as the vehicle height calculation system120. The roadway422and the alternate roadway424are roadways, similar to the roadway134. The roadway422and the alternate roadway424may have a height limit, such as the height limit132.

The roadside device418may be an electronic roadside alert system. The electronic roadside alert system may be, for example, a digital display placed alongside a roadway to indicate safety warnings, traffic warnings, construction warnings, weather warnings, etc.

FIG. 5is a block diagram depicting components of a computer500suitable for executing the height alert program140.FIG. 5displays the computer500, the one or more processor(s)504(including one or more computer processors), the communications fabric502, the memory506, the RAM516, the cache516, the persistent storage508, the communications unit510, the I/O interfaces512, the display520, and the external devices518. It should be appreciated thatFIG. 5provides only an illustration of one embodiment and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made.

As depicted, the computer500operates over a communications fabric502, which provides communications between the cache516, the computer processor(s)504, the memory506, the persistent storage508, the communications unit510, and the input/output (I/O) interface(s)512. The communications fabric502may be implemented with any architecture suitable for passing data and/or control information between the processors504(e.g. microprocessors, communications processors, and network processors, etc.), the memory506, the external devices518, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, the communications fabric502may be implemented with one or more buses or a crossbar switch.

The memory506and persistent storage508are computer readable storage media. In the depicted embodiment, the memory506includes a random access memory (RAM). In general, the memory506may include any suitable volatile or non-volatile implementations of one or more computer readable storage media. The cache516is a fast memory that enhances the performance of computer processor(s)504by holding recently accessed data, and data near accessed data, from memory506.

Program instructions for the height alert program140may be stored in the persistent storage508or in memory506, or more generally, any computer readable storage media, for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors504via the cache516. The persistent storage508may include a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, the persistent storage508may include, a solid state hard disk drive, a semiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, or any other computer readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

The media used by the persistent storage508may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage508. Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer readable storage medium that is also part of the persistent storage508.

The communications unit510, in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices. In these examples, the communications unit510may include one or more network interface cards. The communications unit510may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. Height alert program140may be downloaded to the persistent storage508through the communications unit510. In the context of some embodiments of the present invention, the source of the various input data may be physically remote to the computer500such that the input data may be received and the output similarly transmitted via the communications unit510.

The I/O interface(s)512allows for input and output of data with other devices that may operate in conjunction with the computer500. For example, the I/O interface512may provide a connection to the external devices518, which may include a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or some other suitable input devices. External devices518may also include portable computer readable storage media, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be stored on such portable computer readable storage media and may be loaded onto the persistent storage508via the I/O interface(s)512. The I/O interface(s)512may similarly connect to a display520. The display520provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor.