Autonomous Parking Mesh Networking Without Cellular Coverage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous parking and summoning systems in vehicles require cellular communication to function, which is not available in many parking environments, limiting their functionality in locations like underground parking structures and remote areas.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a mesh network among vehicles to share cellular connections, allowing vehicles without cellular coverage to autonomously park and summon using short-range communication protocols and proxy vehicles with cellular connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous parking systems use cellular communication to communicate with driver's smartphone, then vehicle location sharing and summoning functions are enabled, but the system cannot operate in parking environments without cellular coverage such as underground parking structures and remote areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mesh network as an intermediary communication system that operates independently of cellular infrastructure. This mesh network uses short-range wireless communication between vehicles and infrastructure to relay messages, enabling autonomous parking operations in areas without cellular coverage while maintaining reliability through multiple potential communication paths
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into two independent layers: cellular communication for areas with coverage and mesh network for areas without coverage. This segmentation allows the system to switch between communication methods based on environmental conditions, ensuring operational availability across diverse parking environments
2Reliability
If the system requires cellular connection for autonomous parking operations, then communication with driver's smartphone is reliable, but the system becomes inoperable in locations like underground parking structures and remote parking areas
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system dynamically adapts its operation mode based on environmental conditions. The system automatically switches between cellular communication and mesh network protocols depending on availability, ensuring both reliability when cellular is present and operability when it is not
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh network serves as an intermediary that enables system operation in locations where direct cellular communication is unavailable, allowing autonomous parking functions to work in underground structures and remote areas while maintaining reliability through vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes techniques and systems for autonomous parking in locations without cellular coverage. A system can include a processor that obtains a request to autonomously park in a parking environment. The system can then determine whether parking space information indicating an available space was obtained. In response to determining that parking space information was obtained, the system can autonomously operate the host vehicle to navigate to and park in the available space. The system determines whether a communication system of the host vehicle has a cellular connection available to aid in the navigation. In response to a determination that the cellular connection is not available, the system communicates the location of the host vehicle to the processor via a proxy vehicle with an operable cellular connection. By utilizing a mesh network among vehicles to share their cellular connections, autonomous parking features may remain available in locations without cellular coverage.