Fleet Vehicle Communication for Fresh Data With Lower Network Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-driving vehicles face challenges in managing data communication due to infrastructure limitations, communication overhead, and latency, making it difficult for them to share updated information effectively with each other and a central authority, especially in dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A communication system and method where a fleet management system receives operating data from self-driving vehicles, determines communication conditions, and selectively transmits stored data portions to vehicles based on their characteristics, such as position, velocity, and functionality, optimizing data transfer and minimizing resource strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If self-driving vehicles constantly transfer all data to each other and central authority, then information freshness and completeness is improved, but communication overhead and network resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively transmitting different types of data (critical vs. non-critical) with different frequencies and priorities based on local vehicle conditions and environmental context, rather than uniformly transmitting all data at all times
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments data into critical and non-critical categories, transmitting only essential data continuously while deferring or compressing non-essential data, thereby reducing overall communication overhead while maintaining information freshness for safety-critical parameters
2Loss of information
If data transmission frequency is increased, then information currency is improved, but communication latency and network congestion worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by transmitting critical data continuously at high frequency while using periodic updates for non-critical data, adjusting transmission intervals based on vehicle state changes and environmental factors to minimize latency for important information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by adaptively adjusting transmission frequency based on real-time conditions such as vehicle proximity, environmental complexity, and data criticality, increasing frequency when needed and reducing it when conditions are stable
3Loss of information
If all vehicles transmit data simultaneously, then data availability for decision-making is improved, but network congestion and resource strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where vehicles and the central authority adjust transmission behavior based on network conditions, receiving acknowledgments and quality indicators that inform future transmission decisions to maintain data availability while preventing congestion
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing inter-vehicle communication are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a fleet management system, operating data from one or more self-driving vehicles via a communication network, and operating the fleet management system to determine a characteristic of a set of vehicles of one or more self-driving vehicles satisfies at least one communication condition. In response to determining the set of vehicles satisfies the at least one communication condition, the fleet management system can operate to select a stored data portion from a manager storage unit based at least on the characteristic of the set of vehicles; and transmit the data portion to the set of vehicles via the communication network. A method of providing inter-vehicle communication between one or more self-driving vehicles is also disclosed.