Intra-vehicle information conveyance system and method

A system for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• a data generating system arranged on the first vehicle and configured to obtain or generate information about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle;
• a first communications system arranged on the first vehicle and coupled to said data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP);
• said first communications system being configured to communicate the information obtained or generated by said data generating system via the ISP to a second communications system on the second vehicle;
• a first position and movement determining system in the first vehicle to determine the position and movement of the first vehicle, said first communications system being coupled to said first position and movement determining system and further configured to communicate the determined position and movement of the first vehicle via the Internet to said second communications system in conjunction with additional information obtained or generated by said data generating system about the conditions around the first vehicle;
• a second position and movement determining system in the second vehicle to determine the position and movement of the second vehicle;
• and
• a processor in the second vehicle for considering the positions and movements of the first and second vehicles and being configured to react to the information obtained or generated by said data generating system in the first vehicle based on analysis of the positions and movements of the first and second vehicles.

A system for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• a data generating system arranged on the first vehicle and configured to obtain or generate information about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle;
• a first communications system arranged on the first vehicle and coupled to said data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP);
• said first communications system being configured to communicate the information obtained or generated by said data generating system via the ISP to a second communications system on the second vehicle;
• a first position and movement determining system in the first vehicle to determine the position and movement of the first vehicle, said first communications system being coupled to said first position and movement determining system and further configured to communicate the determined position and movement of the first vehicle via the Internet to said second communications system in conjunction with additional information obtained or generated by said data generating system about the conditions around the first vehicle;
• and
• a data storage facility coupled to the ISP for storing the information obtained or generated by said data generating system in association with the position of the first vehicle when that information is communicated by said first communications system such that said data storage facility contains data about conditions of an area traveled by the first vehicle in association with the location of that area;
• said second communications system being arranged to communicate with said data storage facility via the ISP to determine whether said data storage facility contains information about an area about to be or being traveled by the second vehicle and if so, to request such information.

A system for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• a data generating system arranged on the first vehicle and configured to obtain or generate information about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle;
• a first communications system arranged on the first vehicle and coupled to said data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP);
• said first communications system being configured to communicate the information obtained or generated by said data generating system via the ISP to a second communications system on the second vehicle;
• and
• a traffic monitoring facility that receives the information obtained or generated by said data generating system, said traffic monitoring facility being configured to analyze the information and perform traffic control actions, and/or notify additional vehicles about the information.

A method for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• obtaining or generating information at the first vehicle about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle using at least one data obtaining or generating device;
• transmitting the obtained or generated information from the first vehicle to a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) using a transmitting device;
• communicating the obtained or generated information from the ISP to the second vehicle using a communicating device;
• transmitting the information obtained or generated at the first vehicle to a traffic monitoring facility using the communicating device;
• and
• performing traffic control actions and/or notifying additional vehicles about the information using a processor at the traffic monitoring facility.

A method for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• obtaining or generating information at the first vehicle about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle using at least one data obtaining or generating device;
• transmitting the obtained or generated information from the first vehicle to a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) using a transmitting device;
• communicating the obtained or generated information from the ISP to the second vehicle using a communicating device;
• determining the position and movement of the first vehicle using a first position and movement determining device;
• determining the position and movement of the second vehicle using a second position and movement determining device;
• communicating the determined position and movement of the first vehicle via the Internet to the second vehicle using the communicating device;
• analyzing the positions and movements of the first and second vehicles at the second vehicle using a processor at the second vehicle;
• and
• directing the second vehicle to take action based on analysis of the positions and movements of the first and second vehicles using the processor.

A method for conveying data from a first independently traveling vehicle to a second independently traveling vehicle using the Internet, comprising:

• obtaining or generating information at the first vehicle about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle using at least one data obtaining or generating device;
• transmitting the obtained or generated information from the first vehicle to a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) using a transmitting device;
• communicating the obtained or generated information from the ISP to the second vehicle using a communicating device;
• determining the position of the first vehicle using a position determining device on the first vehicle;
• transmitting the determined position of the first vehicle from the first vehicle via the Internet to a traffic monitoring facility in conjunction with additional information obtained or generated at the first vehicle;
• and
• setting speed limits at the traffic monitoring facility for an area including the position from which the first vehicle obtained or generated the information and which speed limits are based on the obtained or generated information using a processor at the traffic monitoring facility.