AV Fleet Backend Communications System Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated or autonomous vehicles (AVs) face unacceptable transmission delays due to network latency when communicating with backend systems, particularly when managing multiple AVs, which hinders fluid operations on public roads and highways.
Innovation Solution
A backend system dynamically configures AVs' communication systems to switch between multiple channels and establish mesh networks, using network resource maps to optimize routes based on base station locations, predicted communication requirements, and cost data, ensuring reliable communications by prioritizing data transmission over optimal channels and establishing mesh networks in areas with limited network availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the backend system manages multiple AVs using traditional communication channels, then fleet management capability is improved, but transmission delay increases due to network latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mesh networks as intermediary communication paths between AVs and backend systems. When direct communication channels are unavailable or congested, AVs can relay data through other AVs in the mesh network, bypassing traditional centralized communication bottlenecks and reducing transmission delays while maintaining fleet management capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between traditional communication channels and mesh network paths based on real-time network conditions. The backend system monitors channel availability and automatically reroutes communications through alternative paths, optimizing transmission speed while maintaining connection to multiple AVs
2Speed
If the system uses multiple communication channels to reduce latency, then transmission speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backend system continuously monitors network channel conditions and provides feedback to AVs about which communication paths are optimal. This centralized coordination simplifies the complexity management by having the backend make routing decisions based on real-time feedback, rather than requiring each AV to independently manage multiple complex communication protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into different functional layers: the backend system handles channel selection and routing decisions, while AVs focus on executing communication protocols. This segmentation divides the complexity of managing multiple channels across different system components, making the overall system more manageable
3Reliability
If mesh networks are established in areas with limited network availability, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of network availability in different geographic areas using network resource maps. Before deploying AVs to areas with limited network coverage, the backend system pre-configures mesh network parameters and identifies potential relay nodes, reducing the complexity of on-the-fly mesh network establishment while ensuring communication reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A backend communications system can manage communications, using transmission control protocol (TCP), between a fleet of AVs in a given region and a backend system that manages transportation for the fleet of AVs. For each of the fleet of AVs, the backend communications system can select a designated one of a plurality of communication channels to transmit and receive transmission acknowledgments (ACKs). The backend communications system can transmit data packets to the fleet of AVs using any number of communication channels and receive ACKs from each of the fleet of AVs over the designated communication channel.