Broadcast Guidance for Autonomous Fleet Evacuation Under Communication Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication methods for autonomous vehicles, such as cellular networks, can incur high data costs and be inefficient when sending data to a large number of vehicles, and may fail during emergencies, leading to loss of control and communication challenges.
Innovation Solution
The use of ATSC 3.0 technology for broadcasting data to multiple vehicles in a one-to-many fashion, allowing processors to determine evacuation needs, formulate instructions, and broadcast them to vehicles within a geographic region, ensuring efficient data delivery and vehicle deployment even during communication losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cellular networks are used for one-to-one communication with autonomous vehicles, then direct communication and control are achieved, but data transmission costs increase and efficiency decreases when communicating with large numbers of vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments communication into two layers: a broadcast layer using ATSC 3.0 for one-to-many data distribution, and a unicast layer using cellular networks for individual vehicle interaction. This segmentation allows bulk data (maps, updates, evacuation instructions) to be transmitted efficiently to all vehicles simultaneously via broadcast, while maintaining the ability to communicate individually when needed, thus reducing overall data transmission costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATSC 3.0 broadcast system serves multiple functions: delivering map updates, software updates, evacuation instructions, and emergency alerts to large numbers of vehicles simultaneously. This multi-functional broadcast capability replaces numerous individual cellular communications, achieving cost efficiency while maintaining communication reliability across the entire vehicle fleet.
2Reliability
If cellular networks are used for autonomous vehicle communication, then direct one-to-one data transmission is achieved, but communication efficiency and speed decrease when sending data to large numbers of vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into broadcast channels for mass data distribution and unicast channels for individual vehicle communication. ATSC 3.0 handles the broadcast segment, enabling simultaneous data delivery to thousands of vehicles, while cellular networks handle the unicast segment for individual acknowledgments and specific commands, thereby dramatically improving overall data delivery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATSC 3.0 broadcast system acts as an intermediary between the central server and the vehicle fleet. Instead of the server directly communicating with each vehicle via cellular networks, it uses the broadcast system to relay information to all vehicles simultaneously, significantly accelerating data delivery speed and efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If direct one-to-one cellular communication is used with autonomous vehicles, then individual vehicle control is maintained, but communication may fail during emergencies leading to loss of control
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements beforehand cushioning by establishing ATSC 3.0 broadcast capability as a redundant communication channel before emergencies occur. During emergencies when cellular networks may fail, the broadcast system continues to operate, delivering evacuation instructions and control commands to vehicles, thus ensuring communication reliability and preventing loss of control.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATSC 3.0 broadcast system serves as an intermediary communication channel that operates independently of cellular networks. During emergencies, when the primary cellular communication channel fails, the broadcast intermediary maintains the connection between the central system and vehicles, ensuring continuous control capability and enhancing communication reliability.
4Productivity
If ATSC 3.0 broadcast is used for one-to-many communication, then data transmission cost and time are reduced, but targeted communication with specific vehicles becomes less precise
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the communication approach by using ATSC 3.0 broadcast for delivering general information (maps, updates, evacuation routes) to all vehicles in a region, then segments follow-up communication into targeted unicast messages via cellular networks for vehicle-specific acknowledgments and commands. This segmentation maintains both high delivery speed and precise targeting where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having vehicles send acknowledgments and status information back to the central server via cellular unicast channels after receiving broadcast messages. This feedback mechanism allows the system to verify which vehicles received and processed the broadcast information, enabling precise tracking and targeted follow-up communication while maintaining the efficiency of the initial broadcast delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A server may determine that two-way communication to a plurality of autonomous vehicles has been lost, during conditions suitable for using the autonomous vehicles for evacuation. The server may also determine evacuation points and determine a geographic perimeter around each evacuation point, the perimeter projected to encompass sufficient vehicles to service the evacuation point based on determined evacuation needs of a given evacuation point. Further, the server may formulate an evacuation instruction for each evacuation point, each instruction having one or more parameters, including at least the geographic perimeter corresponding to a given evacuation point, wherein a given evacuation instruction instructs vehicles executing the instruction to travel to the corresponding evacuation point. The server additionally may instruct broadcast of one or more of the evacuation instructions from an ATSC transmitter known to cover a geographic region including at least a portion of the geographic perimeter of each evacuation instruction transmitted.