Autonomous Vehicle Teleoperation for Obstruction Exception Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles often encounter situations that require human intervention, leading to inefficiencies and a high demand for tele-operators, as they struggle to assess and navigate around obstructions, especially when deviating from standard driving rules is necessary, resulting in prolonged stoppages and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a system that allows autonomous vehicles to classify obstruction situations as normal or exceptional, autonomously determining a trajectory and risk assessment, enabling them to proceed without human intervention if the risk is below a threshold, and requesting tele-operator assistance only when necessary, thereby reducing the need for extensive human oversight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If autonomous systems are used to operate in hazardous environments, then worker safety is improved, but the ability to handle unexpected exceptions and complex decision-making deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworker safetyVSAvoidexception handling capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a teleoperation interface as an intermediary between autonomous systems and human operators. This mediator allows autonomous vehicles to operate in hazardous environments while providing a communication channel for human intervention when exceptions occur, thus maintaining both safety and adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares for exceptions by establishing teleoperation capabilities in advance. When anomalies are detected, the system can seamlessly transition to human-operated mode, ensuring that exception handling resources are ready before needed rather than reacting after failures occur

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If teleoperation interfaces are added to allow human intervention, then exception handling capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexception handling capabilityVSAvoidteleoperation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The autonomous system serves itself by automatically detecting when human intervention is needed and initiating teleoperation mode. This self-service approach reduces the complexity of manual monitoring systems while maintaining the ability to handle exceptions through on-demand human engagement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If seamless transition between autonomous and teleoperated modes is implemented, then operational continuity is improved, but control system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational continuityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system dynamically adjusts its degree of autonomy based on real-time conditions. The system can smoothly transition between fully autonomous and teleoperated modes by dynamically reconfiguring control parameters, maintaining operational continuity while managing complexity through adaptive rather than static control architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3948463B1Teleoperation for exception handling
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC
  • EP3948463B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3948463B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3948463B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Exception handing, such as of obstruction situations, by an autonomous vehicle (AV) is disclosed. A method includes identifying an exception situation; identifying a risk associated with autonomously resolving the exception situation; and in response to the risk exceeding a risk threshold, initiating a request for assistance from a tele-operator, and halting for the tele-operator to respond to the request; and receiving a response from the tele-operator.