System and method for facilitating driver communication via an audio centric network

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating communication via an audio centric network are provided. A social bubble is generated for a driver. The social bubble includes a network of other drivers within a proximity of the driver. The proximity is calculated based on one or more of a density of traffic and driver speed. Communication is facilitated between the driver and at least one of the other drivers in the bubble as participants in a conversation. A natural language utterance is received from one of the participants during the conversation and the natural language utterance is compared with predefined commands. One of the predefined commands that best matches the natural language utterance is selected and the command is provided to the other participant in the conversation. The social bubble is updated as the proximity between the driver and one or more of the other drivers changes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented system for facilitating communication between drivers, comprising:
 a database to store location data for a plurality of drivers;   a server comprising a central processing unit, memory, an input port to receive the location data from the database, and an output port, wherein the central processing unit is configured to:
 determine for a driver, a social bubble comprising a network of other drivers within a proximity of the driver, wherein the proximity is determined based on one or more of a density of traffic and driver speed; 
 facilitate communication between the driver and at least one other driver in the bubble as participants in a conversation comprising:
 receive a natural language utterance from one of the participants; 
 compare the natural language utterance with predefined commands, 
 select one of the predefined commands that best matches the natural language utterance; and 
 provide the command to the other participant in the conversation; and 
 
 update the other drivers in the social bubble as the proximity between the driver and one or more of the other drivers changes. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the driver and each of the other drivers are associated with a vehicle equipped with a GPS navigation system. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein the central processing unit determines location coordinates for each vehicle at a time period comprising one of a continuously, at predetermined times, and as requested. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein the participants communicate via a microphone located in the associated vehicle or via a microphone of a handheld mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit identifies one or more of the other drivers for removal from the bubble and prevents at least one of the one or more other drivers from removal when the at least one other driver is communicating with the driver. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit stores a recording of the verbal utterances between the participants and provides the recording to the participants. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit determines the proximity, comprising one or more of:
 identifying a high traffic density and assigning a short proximity distance as the proximity;   identifying a low traffic density and assigning a long proximity distance as the proximity;   identifying a speed of the driver as over a predetermined speed limit and assigning a longer proximity distance as the proximity; and   identifying a speed of the driver as under the predetermined speed limit and assigning a shorter proximity distance as the proximity.   
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit maintains a distance grid with values for one of traffic density or driver speed along a horizontal axis and values for the other of the traffic density or driver speed along a vertical axis and determines the proximity by identifying the values for traffic density and driver speed in the distance grid for the driver. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit applies a size threshold to the other drivers in the bubble and reduces a number of the other drivers in the bubble when the number of the other drivers in the bubble exceeds the threshold. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein the central processing unit determines one or more of the other drivers to remove from the bubble, comprising:
 applying one or more rules to the other drivers; and   selecting at least one of the other drivers that satisfies the one or more rules for removal from the bubble.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating communication between drivers, comprising:
 determining for a driver, a social bubble comprising a network of other drivers within a proximity of the driver, wherein the proximity is determined based on one or more of a density of traffic and driver speed;   facilitating communication between the driver and at least one other driver in the bubble as participants in a conversation comprising:
 receiving a natural language utterance from one of the participants; 
 comparing the natural language utterance with predefined commands, selecting one of the predefined commands that best matches the natural language utterance; and 
 providing the command to the other participant in the conversation; and 
   updating the social bubble as the proximity between the driver and one or more of the other drivers changes.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the driver and each of the other drivers are each associated with a vehicle equipped with a GPS navigation system. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 locating location coordinates for each vehicle at a time period comprising one of a continuously, at predetermined times, and as requested.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the participants communicate via a microphone located in the associated vehicle or via a microphone of a handheld mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more of the other drivers for removal from the bubble; and   preventing at least one of the one or more other drivers from removal when the at least one other driver is communicating with the driver.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing a recording of the verbal utterances between the participants; and   providing the recording to the participants.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining the proximity, comprising one or more of:
 identifying a high traffic density and assigning a short proximity distance as the proximity; 
 identifying a low traffic density and assigning a long proximity distance as the proximity; 
 identifying a speed of the driver as over a predetermined speed limit and assigning a longer proximity distance as the proximity; and 
 identifying a speed of the driver as under the predetermined speed limit and assigning a shorter proximity distance as the proximity. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 maintaining a distance grid with values for one of traffic density or driver speed along a horizontal axis and values for the other of the traffic density or driver speed along a vertical axis; and   determining the proximity by identifying the values for traffic density and driver speed in the distance grid for the driver.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 applying a size threshold to the other drivers in the bubble; and   reducing a number of the other drivers in the bubble when the number of the other drivers in the bubble exceeds the threshold.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining one or more of the other drivers to remove from the bubble, comprising:   applying one or more rules to the other drivers; and   selecting at least one of the other drivers that satisfies the one or more rules for removal from the bubble.