Autonomous Vehicle Parking Assignment for Wireless Data Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in efficiently uploading and downloading large datasets due to wireless bandwidth limitations and parking spot availability when parked overnight, leading to suboptimal data transfer throughput.
Innovation Solution
A system that assigns parking spots to autonomous vehicles based on data transfer throughput, considering the size of datasets, wireless link characteristics, access point characteristics, and priorities, using a server computer to instruct vehicles to park in optimal locations for data transfer within the coverage area of suitable access points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous vehicles upload large datasets wirelessly from parking spots, then data transfer throughput is improved, but wireless bandwidth limitations cause transfer time to increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the parking area into multiple zones with different wireless signal qualities. Vehicles with large datasets are assigned to parking spots in zones with superior wireless coverage and higher signal strength, while vehicles with smaller datasets can park in zones with moderate coverage. This local differentiation of parking spot quality based on wireless characteristics directly addresses the contradiction by matching data transfer requirements with appropriate wireless environments, thereby improving throughput while minimizing transfer time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of wireless link characteristics and parking spot availability before vehicles arrive at the parking area. By pre-calculating optimal parking spot assignments based on expected data transfer needs and current wireless conditions, the system prepares the optimal configuration in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when vehicles begin data transfer, they are already positioned in spots that maximize throughput and minimize transfer time, rather than adapting during the transfer process.
2Productivity
If more parking spots are made available for data transfer, then data transfer efficiency is improved, but parking spot availability becomes constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic parking spot assignment where the availability and suitability of parking spots are continuously updated based on real-time wireless conditions, data transfer progress, and vehicle requirements. Parking spots are not statically designated but dynamically allocated and reallocated as conditions change. This dynamic approach allows the system to maximize data transfer efficiency by actively managing spot availability rather than relying on fixed assignments, thereby resolving the contradiction between transfer efficiency and spot availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces additional dimensions to parking spot characterization beyond simple occupancy status. Parking spots are evaluated across multiple dimensions including wireless signal strength, access point proximity, data transfer throughput capacity, and temporal availability. By adding these dimensional characteristics, the system can differentiate between spots and make more nuanced assignments, effectively increasing the usable capacity of the parking area without physically adding more spots, thus improving efficiency while maintaining availability.
3Productivity
If wireless bandwidth is increased to handle large datasets, then data transfer throughput is improved, but bandwidth limitations and interference cause transfer reliability to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces access points as intermediary devices between autonomous vehicles and the central server. These access points serve as localized data transfer hubs that aggregate data from multiple vehicles and relay it to the server, thereby distributing the bandwidth burden. The access points also perform local data management functions such as caching, compression, and error correction, which enhance transfer reliability. This intermediary architecture allows the system to achieve high throughput by parallelizing transfers through multiple access points while maintaining reliability through localized error handling and data validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the data transfer process into multiple smaller transactions handled by different access points rather than requiring a single high-bandwidth connection. Large datasets are divided into chunks that can be transferred simultaneously through multiple access points, reducing the bandwidth demand on any single wireless link. This segmentation approach improves throughput by utilizing aggregate bandwidth across multiple channels while enhancing reliability by distributing risk—if one connection fails, other segments continue transferring, preventing complete transfer failure.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure are generally directed to systems and methods for assigning parking spots to autonomous vehicles based on data transfer throughput and other considerations. In one exemplary method, a server computer receives from a first autonomous vehicle, information regarding a size of a first dataset available for uploading from the first autonomous vehicle into the server computer. The server computer may further receive from a second autonomous vehicle, information regarding a size of a second dataset that the second autonomous vehicle has available for uploading into the server computer. The server computer may then assign parking spots to the two autonomous vehicles based on evaluating various factors such as the size of one or both datasets, characteristics of wireless links for carrying out data transfer in the parking area, characteristics of various access points in the parking area, and priorities associated with the data transfer.