Beacon-Based Vehicle Positioning for Narrow-Area Auto Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing low-speed automatic traveling systems face challenges in accurately positioning vehicles and generating precise maps in narrow areas due to limitations in distance accuracy and measurable ranges of in-vehicle cameras and sonars, particularly with obstacles like fences, and require repeated re-measurement for accurate navigation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device using wireless reception antennas to receive radio waves from beacons, determining position information through orientation, and estimating guidance areas via diagonal lines to enable precise vehicle guidance and stop positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If in-vehicle camera and sonar are used for positioning and obstacle detection, then the system can perform low-speed automatic traveling control, but the distance accuracy and measurable range are insufficient, especially in narrow areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacons as intermediary objects deployed in the environment to assist positioning. These beacons serve as external reference points that the vehicle's wireless reception antennas can detect, enabling accurate position determination without relying solely on the vehicle's own sensors. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by transferring part of the measurement function to the environment itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from using only the vehicle's onboard sensors (camera and sonar) to incorporating external wireless signals from beacons. This adds a new dimension to the positioning system by utilizing radio wave propagation characteristics and orientation information from multiple antennas, thereby improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Productivity
If sonar is used for obstacle detection, then the system can detect obstacles, but the measurable range is narrow and re-measurement is required repeatedly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-deploying beacons in the environment before the vehicle needs to navigate. These beacons are positioned in advance to cover the navigation area, so when the vehicle arrives, positioning can occur immediately without requiring repeated re-measurement. This eliminates the time loss associated with multiple sonar scans.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical scanning approach of sonar with a wireless signal-based positioning system. Instead of mechanically sweeping sonar beams to build a map, the system uses wireless reception antennas to receive signals from stationary beacons, dramatically improving navigation efficiency and eliminating the need for repeated re-measurement cycles.
3Loss of information
If in-vehicle camera is used for positioning, then the system can provide visual information, but there are blind spots and weak points in distance accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple positioning approaches by combining wireless beacon reception with traditional sensor data. The wireless reception unit receives signals from beacons to determine position, while this information is integrated with data from cameras and sonars. This combination compensates for the weaknesses of individual systems, eliminating blind spots and improving overall distance measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional positioning system where wireless beacons serve multiple purposes: providing position information, enabling orientation determination, and supporting navigation guidance. This universal approach allows a single beacon infrastructure to address multiple limitations of the vehicle's onboard sensors simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick and accurate vehicle positioning for navigating narrow areas and stopping at unknown positions, enhancing the precision and efficiency of low-speed automatic driving.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless reception unit that receives radio waves through a plurality of wireless reception antennas mounted on a vehicle, the radio waves being transmitted from a plurality of wireless transmitters
Implementation Method 2
a position information acquisition unit that obtains position information of the radio transmitters by using orientation information of the radio waves received by the radio reception unit
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle control device capable of guiding a host vehicle to a narrow area by low-speed automatic driving by quick and precise positioning of the host vehicle, and guiding the host vehicle to a stop position of which details are unknown by designating each stop frame by beacons. A vehicle control device 101 according to the present invention includes a wireless reception unit 121 that receives radio waves through a plurality of antennas 102 mounted on a host vehicle 100, the radio waves being transmitted from a plurality of beacons 201, a position information acquisition unit 122 that obtains position information of the beacons using orientation information of the radio waves received by the wireless reception unit, and a guidance area estimation unit 124 that sets a diagonal line 301 of a rectangular area 302 from the position information and estimates a guidance area 312 from the diagonal line.