Autonomous Vehicle Pickup Signaling for Precise Rider Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for autonomous vehicles to accurately determine a precise pick-up location from a general goal location are often imprecise or inaccurate, leading to difficulties in locating the rider and inefficient vehicle navigation, especially when the general goal location is specified imprecisely or inaccurately.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a location signaling system where a rider uses a signaling device to transmit a location indication signal to the autonomous vehicle, which processes this signal along with road data and other information to determine a precise goal location, allowing the vehicle to navigate to a suitable stopping place near the rider's actual location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the autonomous vehicle travels to the general goal location specified by the rider, then the vehicle can reach the approximate area, but the location determination accuracy is insufficient leading to difficulty in locating the rider
Solution Approach 1:
The rider's device transmits the precise pick-up location to the autonomous vehicle before the vehicle arrives. This preliminary transmission of location information allows the vehicle to navigate directly to the exact pick-up point rather than searching from a general goal location, thereby improving location determination accuracy and reducing the time required to locate the rider.
2Measurement precision
If the driver communicates with the rider to learn the precise goal location, then the location accuracy improves, but the process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical communication process (phone calls, text messages between driver and rider) with an automated electronic system. The rider's device automatically transmits the precise goal location coordinates to the autonomous vehicle through a server, eliminating the need for time-consuming human communication while maintaining high location accuracy.
3Productivity
If the autonomous vehicle navigates to the precise goal location, then the pick-up efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases due to location signaling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the rider's existing mobile device with location capabilities (GPS, network connectivity) to perform multiple functions: storing rider information, determining precise location, and transmitting pick-up signals to the autonomous vehicle. This multi-functional use of the rider's device avoids adding separate dedicated signaling equipment, thereby improving pick-up efficiency while minimizing system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Among other things, a signal is emitted from a signaling device and is captured by stimulus detectors location on a vehicle, including an autonomous vehicle. Properties of the signal are analyzed, potentially in concert with other information, to determine the precise location of the signaling device and therefore the precise goal location for picking up a rider of the autonomous vehicle. In response to the calculation of the precise goal location, the autonomous vehicle attempts to travel to a location as near as possible to the precise goal location to facilitate entry of the rider into the vehicle.