Back-and-Forth Steering Detection for Accurate Obstacle Identification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing obstacle determination systems erroneously identify left- or right-turn behavior as obstacle avoidance, leading to incorrect obstacle detection, particularly when the vehicle turns at an intersection.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a back-and-forth steering detection module that checks for specific conditions such as abrupt steering thresholds, opposite steering directions, and limited distance and speed to differentiate between turns and obstacle avoidance maneuvers, determining the presence of an obstacle only when the steering start and end roads are identical.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If abrupt steering operation is used to determine obstacle presence, then obstacle detection speed is improved, but false detection during turns increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the obstacle detection process into multiple independent judgment stages: (1) detecting abrupt steering operations, (2) determining vehicle position relative to intersections, (3) checking whether the vehicle is in the process of turning, and (4) final obstacle determination. This segmentation allows the system to filter out false positives during turns while maintaining quick detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first determining vehicle position relative to intersections and checking whether the vehicle is in the process of turning before final obstacle determination. These preliminary checks are conducted in advance of the final obstacle decision, allowing the system to avoid false detections during turn maneuvers while maintaining rapid response to actual obstacles.
2Reliability
If back-and-forth steering detection is added to improve accuracy, then false detection during turns is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing steering detection system multi-functional by enabling it to perform both traditional obstacle avoidance detection and back-and-forth steering detection using the same steering angle sensor and control unit. This universal approach allows accurate differentiation between turns and obstacle avoidance without adding separate dedicated hardware systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by monitoring steering angle changes over time to detect back-and-forth patterns characteristic of turn maneuvers. The system dynamically evaluates steering operations based on temporal patterns rather than static thresholds, enabling accurate distinction between turns and obstacle avoidance while using existing sensor capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Obstacle determination systems and programs detect back-and-forth steering that is behavior of a vehicle for avoiding an obstacle. The systems and programs determine that the obstacle is present between a point where the back-and-forth steering has started and a point where the back-and-forth steering has ended when a steering start road and a steering end road are identical roads. The steering start road is a road where the vehicle is present at a start of the back-and-forth steering. The steering end road is a road where the vehicle is present at an end of the back-and-forth steering.