Autonomous Maintenance System for Self-Driving Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Self-driving vehicles face challenges in maintaining cleanliness and managing rider behavior, such as smoking, which can lead to discomfort and damage, and existing systems lack efficient solutions for autonomous maintenance and smoke detection.

Innovation Solution

A maintenance system integrated with self-driving vehicles, featuring a camera system for detecting items left behind and a smoke detection system using optical and ionization sensors, coupled with a vehicle management system that autonomously drives the vehicle to cleaning facilities or adjusts settings to address smoke issues, including ventilation and temperature control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a self-driving vehicle operates autonomously without a driver, then productivity and convenience are improved, but the vehicle cannot manually address maintenance needs such as cleaning or smoking incidents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous operation efficiencyVSAvoidmanual intervention capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the self-driving vehicle to autonomously detect maintenance needs (items left behind, smoking incidents) and self-service by navigating to cleaning facilities or adjusting environmental controls without human intervention, resolving the contradiction between autonomous operation and manual intervention capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The camera system and smoke detectors provide continuous feedback to the vehicle management system about the vehicle interior state, enabling the autonomous vehicle to monitor and respond to maintenance needs, bridging the gap between autonomous operation and proactive maintenance management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the vehicle autonomously navigates to cleaning facilities to remove items, then vehicle cleanliness is improved, but time and energy are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle cleanlinessVSAvoidtime for cleaning operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by detecting items left behind and scheduling cleaning operations in advance, allowing the vehicle to address cleanliness issues during naturally occurring downtime or between trips, minimizing impact on operational time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The camera system creates visual copies (images) of items left in the vehicle, which are transmitted to the server for identification and tracking, enabling remote monitoring and reducing the need for immediate physical inspection or intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the vehicle detects and responds to smoking incidents autonomously, then rider comfort and vehicle integrity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmoke damageVSAvoidsmoke detection and response system

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the smoke detection and response function into distinct components: smoke detectors for detection, camera systems for visual confirmation, vehicle management system for decision-making, and environmental controls for response, making the complex system more manageable and maintainable while effectively addressing smoke hazards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If the camera system continuously monitors the vehicle interior for items left behind, then detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem detection accuracyVSAvoidcamera system energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The camera system operates periodically rather than continuously, taking images at scheduled intervals or triggered by specific events (such as when a rider exits the vehicle), maintaining detection accuracy while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively maintains vehicle cleanliness by identifying and removing items left by riders and addressing smoking incidents, enhancing rider comfort and vehicle integrity through autonomous operations.

Implementation Method 1

a smoke detection system that detects smoke inside the vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

using optical and ionization sensors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIonization detection: Ionisation

Implementation Method 3

increasing a rate at which a ventilation system pushes air into the vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 4

temperature control

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal control: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS10282625B1Self-driving vehicle systems and methods

Publication Date: 2019.05.07 DRIVENT LLC

AI summary

A maintenance system can be used with a self-driving vehicle. The maintenance system can include a vehicle management system configured to autonomously drive the vehicle to a destination chosen by a rider. The maintenance system can include a smoke detection system configured to detect smoke inside a cabin of the vehicle.