Autonomous Vehicle Gesture Recognition for Traffic Director Commands
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous vehicles lack the capability to handle complex traffic scenarios involving unusual circumstances, such as accident scenes or construction zones, where manual intervention is necessary, especially in the absence of a driver.
Innovation Solution
A gesture recognition system that authenticates the authority of a traffic director and interprets their gestures to control the vehicle's behavior, using sensors, processors, and communication links to implement specific driving actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles operate without a driver, then automation level increases, but the ability to handle unusual traffic circumstances deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an RF communication link as an intermediary between the traffic director and the autonomous vehicle. This allows authentication of the traffic director's authority and transmission of gesture commands wirelessly, enabling human intervention without requiring a physical driver inside the vehicle. The RF link serves as the mediator that bridges the gap between autonomous operation and human adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual control is transferred to a person in the vehicle, then adaptability to unusual circumstances improves, but the autonomous operation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the human control function from the vehicle interior and relocates it to an external traffic director. The traffic director's gestures are captured by external cameras, authenticated via RF communication, and translated into control commands. This extraction allows the vehicle to maintain autonomous operation while gaining the adaptability of human judgment in unusual circumstances.
3Adaptability or versatility
If gesture recognition system is implemented, then the ability to recognize traffic director commands improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs existing sensors (cameras and RF communication systems) that are already part of the autonomous vehicle's standard equipment for navigation and communication. By making these existing components multi-functional—using cameras for both obstacle detection and gesture recognition, and RF systems for both vehicle-to-vehicle communication and traffic director authentication—the patent avoids adding dedicated complex hardware while achieving gesture recognition capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous vehicle (an AV, or manual vehicle in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode) includes the ability to sense a command from a source external to the vehicle and modify the behavior of the vehicle in accordance with the command. For example, the vehicle may visualize a police officer or other person associated with traffic control and interpret gestures made by the person causing the vehicle to stop, slow down, pull over, change lanes, back up or take a different route due to unplanned traffic patterns such as accidents, harsh weather, road closings or other situations. The system and method may also be used for non-emergency purposes, including external guidance for load pick-up/placement, hailing a vehicle used as a cab, and so forth. The command may further be spoken or may include a radio frequency (RF) light or other energy component.