Autonomous Convoy Rendezvous Planning After Communication Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack the capability to reunite stranded autonomous vehicles with the lead vehicle after communication loss, particularly in scenarios like explosions or calamities, and do not provide specific rendezvous locations for the entire convoy to meet.
Innovation Solution
A message conveying system utilizing camera, LADAR, and acoustic sensors to detect road features, with a Road Network Definition File (RNDF) that allows the lead autonomous vehicle to pre-define and constantly send rendezvous plans to other vehicles, ensuring they meet at chosen locations that may offer tactical advantages or follow the original route, even after communication breakdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If autonomous vehicles use standard communication systems, then normal convoy operation is maintained, but the system fails when communication is lost due to disasters
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores multiple rendezvous locations along the route before communication loss occurs. When communication is lost, these pre-determined locations serve as meeting points, allowing the convoy to reunite without real-time communication. This preliminary preparation resolves the contradiction by ensuring both normal operation during communication and providing a fallback mechanism when communication fails.
2Reliability
If the system pre-defines multiple rendezvous locations, then the convoy can reunite after communication loss, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lead autonomous vehicle pre-calculates rendezvous locations using existing route data and shares them with following vehicles before communication loss. This approach avoids the need for complex real-time calculation systems in each vehicle, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reconnection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rendezvous location information is copied from the lead vehicle's route data and distributed to following vehicles. This copying mechanism simplifies the system by avoiding the need for each vehicle to independently calculate rendezvous points, reducing computational complexity while ensuring all vehicles have the necessary reconnection information.
3Reliability
If the lead vehicle constantly sends rendezvous plans, then following vehicles can navigate to meeting points, but communication bandwidth and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of constant transmission, the lead vehicle sends rendezvous plan updates at periodic intervals or only when changes occur. This periodic communication approach reduces energy consumption and bandwidth usage while still ensuring that following vehicles receive necessary updates to reach rendezvous points, resolving the contradiction between reliable information delivery and energy efficiency.
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 the successful reconnection of autonomous vehicle convoys at predetermined rendezvous points, ensuring safety and tactical advantage, even in the event of communication loss due to disasters, by using sensor data and pre-defined road network information.
Implementation Method 1
a set of sensors that can detect features such as a camera
Implementation Method 2
a set of sensors that can detect features such as a camera, LADAR
Implementation Method 3
a set of sensors that can detect features such as a camera, LADAR, ranging sensors, or acoustic sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A message conveying system comprising a set of sensors that can detect features such as a camera, LADAR, ranging sensors, or acoustic sensors in which the lead autonomous vehicle conveys messages to the other autonomous vehicles that follow behind of rendezvous locations for the entire convoy to meet when they get separated from the lead autonomous vehicle. The rendezvous locations are derived from paths entered by the operator, by using the general direction of travel, or by using the old route. In addition, different rendezvous points can be chosen based on exactly where the loss of communication occurs. These rendezvous points may or may not lead to the final destination dictated by the lead autonomous vehicle.