Combination Vehicle Alerting Units for Spatial Acoustic Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) for quiet vehicles struggle to effectively notify road users of the presence, size, and movement of combination vehicles, particularly at high speeds or in noisy environments, leading to potential safety hazards due to unclear auditory cues and ambient noise interference.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with multiple alerting units on separate vehicle units of combination vehicles to emit sound and light alerts based on movement data, adapting volume and directionality to ensure clear and timely notification, enhancing auditory depth perception and reducing sound distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the volume of the sound alert is increased to improve notification range, then the alerting distance is extended, but the ambient noise around the quiet vehicle increases making it difficult for road users to hear other vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The alerting system is divided into multiple alerting units distributed across different vehicle units (tractor and trailers). Each unit emits sound alerts independently, creating a distributed notification system that covers a wider area without requiring excessive volume from any single source.
Solution Approach 2:
Different alerting units are positioned at specific locations on the combination vehicle to provide localized notification. The system adapts the volume and activation of individual units based on their local environment and distance from road users, optimizing notification effectiveness while minimizing overall ambient noise.
2Device complexity
If a single alerting unit is used on the quiet vehicle, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to convey information about vehicle size and composition is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple alerting units are placed on different vehicle units (tractor and one or more trailers) to physically segment the notification system across the entire combination vehicle. This segmentation allows road users to perceive the spatial extent of the vehicle through sound localization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to the sound alert by distributing alerting units across multiple locations. Road users can determine vehicle size and configuration by localizing sounds from different directions and distances, transforming a one-dimensional volume problem into a three-dimensional spatial information problem.
3Reliability
If the sound alert is triggered at high volume to ensure road users notice the quiet vehicle, then the notification effectiveness is improved, but the sound distortion increases and reaction time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The notification is segmented across multiple alerting units that can be activated at lower individual volumes. The combined effect of multiple low-volume sources provides sufficient overall notification effectiveness while avoiding the sound distortion and startle effect that would reduce reaction time.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed alerting units provide preliminary notification to road users at a distance, allowing them to begin their reaction process earlier. The sound propagates from multiple points, giving road users more time to perceive and respond to the approaching quiet vehicle.
4Measurement precision
If multiple alerting units are deployed on separate vehicle units, then the auditory depth perception and sound quality are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The combination vehicle's alerting system is segmented into multiple independent units placed on different vehicle components. This segmentation enables road users to perceive the spatial distribution and size of the vehicle through auditory depth cues, as sounds from different units arrive at different times and from different directions.
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
Improves road user safety by providing comprehensive and clear alerts from multiple directions, ensuring better sound quality and range, reducing reaction times, and allowing lower volume usage while maintaining effective notification.
Implementation Method 1
Triggering a sound alert on a plurality of alerting units
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method performed for alerting the presence of one or more combination vehicles. Each combination vehicle out of the one or more combination vehicles comprises a first vehicle unit and one or more second vehicle units. The one or more combination vehicles is provided with a plurality of alerting units. Each respective first vehicle unit and respective one or more second vehicle units comprises a respective alerting unit out of the plurality of alerting units. The method comprises obtaining (301) movement data from at least one data communicating unit comprised in any one of the one or more combination vehicles. The movement data is indicative of one or both of a current movement or an expected movement of the one or more combination vehicles. The method further comprises, based on the obtained movement data, determining the current movement and/or the expected movement of the one or more combination vehicles. The method further comprises, when any one or both of the current movement and the expected movement is non-zero, and when any one or both of the current movement and the expected movement of the one or more combination vehicles is/are less than at least one predetermined threshold, triggering a sound alert on the plurality of alerting units.