Dynamic U-Turn Location Identification for Route Disruptions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current navigation systems provide little guidance on where to perform a U-turn in case of route disruptions, leading to safety, legal, and feasibility issues, which can result in traffic accidents or violations.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus equipped with a processor and memory, configured to receive disruption indications and dynamically identify U-turn locations based on contextual data such as manoeuvring space, obstruction, safety, convenience, and legality criteria, providing visual and audio guidance for safe and legal U-turn execution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the navigation system provides detailed U-turn guidance based on multiple contextual criteria, then the safety and legality of U-turns is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety and legality of U-turnsVSAvoidcomplexity of navigation system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system segments the U-turn decision-making process into distinct evaluation criteria: manoeuvring space assessment, obstruction detection, safety verification, convenience evaluation, and legality checking. Each criterion is evaluated independently using specific contextual data, allowing the system to provide comprehensive guidance without overwhelming complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessments of multiple contextual factors before recommending a U-turn location. By pre-evaluating manoeuvring space, obstructions, safety conditions, convenience factors, and legal restrictions, the system identifies suitable U-turn points in advance, ensuring reliable guidance while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured preprocessing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system dynamically identifies U-turn locations using real-time contextual data, then the adaptability to different road conditions is improved, but the loss of time for processing and analysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to road conditionsVSAvoidtime for processing contextual data

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessments of multiple contextual factors before recommending a U-turn location. By pre-evaluating manoeuvring space, obstructions, safety conditions, convenience factors, and legal restrictions, the system identifies suitable U-turn points in advance, ensuring reliable guidance while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured preprocessing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system autonomously collects and processes contextual data from multiple sources including map data, sensor data, and traffic information without requiring manual input from the user. The system self-evaluates manoeuvring space, detects obstructions, verifies safety conditions, and checks legal restrictions automatically, reducing the time burden on users while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If the apparatus provides comprehensive contextual analysis for U-turn identification, then the measurement precision of suitable locations is improved, but the quantity of data processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of U-turn location identificationVSAvoidquantity of contextual data

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system segments the U-turn decision-making process into distinct evaluation criteria: manoeuvring space assessment, obstruction detection, safety verification, convenience evaluation, and legality checking. Each criterion is evaluated independently using specific contextual data, allowing the system to provide comprehensive guidance without overwhelming complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessments of multiple contextual factors before recommending a U-turn location. By pre-evaluating manoeuvring space, obstructions, safety conditions, convenience factors, and legal restrictions, the system identifies suitable U-turn points in advance, ensuring reliable guidance while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured preprocessing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10234297B2Apparatus and associated method for providing U-turn guidance

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 HERE GLOBAL BV

AI summary

An apparatus comprising a processor and memory including computer program code, the memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, enable the apparatus at least to:receive an indication of disruption to a planned route of travel for a road vehicle following the planned route;based on consideration of contextual data in respect of a location in proximity to the current vehicle location against one or more predefined manoeuvering criteria, dynamically identify a U-turn location on the planned route of travel at which it is possible for the vehicle to perform a U-turn onto a different route of travel; andprovide an indication of the dynamically identified U-turn location for use in route navigation onto the different route of travel.