Autonomous Vehicle Maneuver Control for Non-Standard Traffic Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles lack reliable navigation and coordination in atypical traffic environments, such as emergency vehicle scenarios and road construction sites, leading to potential safety risks and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for autonomous vehicles to receive and respond to control signals from entities like police vehicles, emergency vehicles, and road signs, which include navigation commands and criteria for maneuvers like pulling over or clearing lanes, using sensors and processors to execute these commands and ensure safe navigation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If autonomous vehicles use preconfigured navigation schemas for standard traffic environments, then navigation simplicity and ease of operation are improved, but adaptability to non-standard traffic flows (emergency vehicles, road construction, accidents) deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to non-standard traffic flows

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system transitions from static preconfigured schemas to dynamic adaptive navigation. The system continuously receives control signals from external entities (emergency vehicles, road signs, construction equipment) and adjusts navigation commands in real-time based on changing traffic conditions, enabling both simplicity for standard flows and adaptability for non-standard scenarios

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where control signals from external entities are received and processed to modify navigation behavior. The navigation system monitors traffic conditions, receives feedback signals indicating non-standard situations, and adjusts its commands accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to evolving traffic environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If autonomous vehicles independently react to non-standard traffic flows without unified coordination, then individual vehicle response time is improved, but overall traffic flow coordination and safety deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindividual vehicle response timeVSAvoidoverall traffic flow coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges individual vehicle navigation decisions with centralized coordination from external entities. Control signals from emergency vehicles, road signs, or construction equipment provide unified coordination instructions to multiple autonomous vehicles simultaneously, ensuring that while each vehicle responds quickly, their actions are coordinated to maintain overall traffic safety and efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

External entities (emergency vehicles, intelligent road signs, construction control systems) act as intermediaries that coordinate navigation commands to multiple autonomous vehicles. These intermediaries receive information about non-standard traffic conditions and distribute coordinated control signals to affected vehicles, ensuring unified response while maintaining individual vehicle autonomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If autonomous vehicles lack ability to detect and respond to control signals from external entities, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability in non-standard traffic situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidreliability in non-standard traffic situations

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system is designed with multi-functionality to handle both standard preconfigured navigation and non-standard situations requiring external control signals. The same system architecture processes routine navigation commands and emergency control signals, reducing the need for separate specialized systems while improving reliability across all traffic conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12190726B2Autonomous vehicle maneuver system for emergency vehicles and non-standard traffic flow

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 STATE FARM MUTAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided that may to cause autonomous navigation of autonomous vehicles in the case of non-standard traffic flows such as police stops, emergency vehicle passing, construction sites, vehicle collision sites, and other non-standard road conditions. An entity associated with the non-standard traffic flow (e.g., an emergency vehicle, road sign, barrier, etc.) may transmit or broadcast a control signal to be received (or otherwise detected) at one or more autonomous vehicles. Each autonomous vehicle, upon receiving the control signal, may autonomously navigate in accordance with the control signal, thus mitigating or eliminating dangers associated with non-standard traffic flows.