Autonomous Vehicle Work Area Reservation Conflict Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing work area reservations for autonomous vehicles are inadequate in preventing collisions and resolving conflicts, as they do not efficiently handle overlapping work schedules and areas.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow autonomous vehicles to determine work areas, broadcast reservation requests, detect conflicts, and selectively reserve or modify work areas through communication with other vehicles and infrastructure, using processors and wireless communication components to manage conflicts and perform autonomous operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If autonomous vehicles use basic vehicle interference prevention devices to avoid collisions, then collision prevention is achieved, but work area reservation conflict resolution is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that coordinates work area reservations between multiple autonomous vehicles. The server receives reservation requests, determines conflicts, and manages work area allocations, enabling sophisticated conflict resolution that individual vehicle devices cannot achieve alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the work area management function into distinct components: individual vehicles determine their own work areas and broadcast requests, the central server processes conflicts and makes determinations, and vehicles receive instructions. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks while working together for comprehensive conflict resolution.
2Productivity
If autonomous vehicles broadcast reservation requests and wait for conflict detection, then work area reservations are managed, but operation delays occur due to conflict resolution time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having vehicles broadcast reservation requests before actual operations begin. The central server proactively determines conflicts and sends instructions to vehicles in advance, allowing vehicles to prepare and minimize delays when conflicts are detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where vehicles continuously broadcast their status and receive instructions from the server. When conflicts are detected, the server provides feedback instructions to vehicles, and vehicles report their operational status back to the server, enabling dynamic adjustment and minimizing overall delays.
3Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous vehicles autonomously negotiate work area modifications with other vehicles, then conflict resolution flexibility is improved, but communication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central server acts as an intermediary that simplifies the negotiation process. Instead of vehicles directly negotiating complex modifications with each other, they communicate their needs to the server, which coordinates modifications and sends instructions to all affected vehicles, reducing communication complexity while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The server provides a universal communication interface that handles multiple functions: receiving reservation requests, detecting conflicts, determining work area modifications, and instructing vehicles. This multi-functional approach simplifies individual vehicle communication requirements while enabling comprehensive conflict resolution and negotiation capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for managing work area reservations are disclosed. A system may receive an indication of a work area to be reserved for an autonomous operation of the autonomous vehicle; broadcast a request to reserve the work area for the autonomous vehicle; determine whether a communication, that indicates a reservation conflict for the work area, has been received; selectively reserve the work area and instructing one or more controllers of the autonomous vehicle to perform the autonomous operation in the work area based on determining whether the communication has been received by the autonomous vehicle; and broadcast, during the autonomous operation, one or more signals identifying the work area.