Collision Mitigation Mode Switching for Autonomous Vehicles

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles lack the flexibility and safety in responding to potential collisions across different operating modes, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in collision mitigation systems.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that allows autonomous vehicles to switch between multiple operating modes, adjusting response characteristics based on the current mode to improve collision detection and mitigation, including configurable data structures for storing operating modes and response characteristics, enabling immediate reporting to autonomy systems or delayed warnings to drivers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single fixed response threshold is used in the collision mitigation system, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot adapt to different operating modes leading to false positives or negatives

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different operating modesVSAvoidsystem structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic response characteristics by allowing the collision mitigation system to switch between multiple operating modes (autonomous, semi-autonomous, manual) with different response thresholds. The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the current operating mode, enabling adaptability without requiring completely separate systems for each mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the response threshold parameter based on the operating mode. By storing multiple response characteristics associated with different operating modes and selecting the appropriate one based on current mode, the system achieves adaptability through parameter variation rather than structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the collision mitigation system uses a single response threshold, then the hardware architecture is simple, but measurement precision of collision risk assessment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision risk assessment accuracyVSAvoidhardware architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent improves measurement precision by selecting different response threshold parameters based on the operating mode. The system stores multiple response characteristics with different thresholds and activates the appropriate one according to the current mode, achieving accurate collision risk assessment without complex hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If the system immediately reports all potential collisions to the autonomy computing system, then response speed is fast, but energy consumption and false positives increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision response speedVSAvoidcomputational energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the balance between response speed and energy consumption by changing the response threshold parameter based on operating mode. In autonomous mode with high safety requirements, the system uses a lower threshold for immediate reporting. In manual mode with lower safety requirements, the system uses a higher threshold to reduce false positives and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by selectively reporting only those potential collisions that meet the mode-specific threshold criteria. Rather than reporting all detected potential collisions regardless of severity, the system filters based on the response characteristic threshold, reducing unnecessary computational energy consumption while maintaining appropriate response speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3444159B1Multi-modal switching on a collision mitigation system
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 UATC LLC
  • EP3444159B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3444159B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3444159B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems (100, 200, 600) and methods (500) for controlling an autonomous vehicle (103) are provided. In one example embodiment, a computer-implemented method (500) includes receiving data (608) indicative of an operating mode (321, 324, 327, 106A, 106B, 106C) of the vehicle (103), wherein the vehicle (103) is configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes (321, 324, 327, 106A, 106B, 106C). The method (500) includes determining one or more response characteristics (303, 331,..., 338) of the vehicle (103) based at least in part on the operating mode (321, 324) of the vehicle (103), each response characteristic (303, 331,..., 338) indicating how the vehicle (103) responds to a potential collision. The method (500) includes controlling the vehicle (103) based at least in part on the one or more response characteristics (303, 331,..., 338).