Navigation System Freeway Junction Avoidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigation systems often calculate routes that require drivers to navigate complex freeway junctions soon after entering a freeway, leading to stressful and difficult maneuvers, especially when the junction is encountered promptly after entry or exit.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for a navigation system that detects undesired freeway junctions based on the number of entries, distance to the junction, or distance from the junction to the exit, allowing for recalculation of a route to avoid such junctions, thereby reducing the need for prompt driving maneuvers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the navigation system selects a freeway route to reduce travel time, then the productivity is improved, but the driver encounters stressful freeway junctions requiring prompt maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation system performs preliminary analysis of the route to identify freeway junctions that require prompt maneuvers soon after entry. By detecting the number of entries to the freeway and the distance to the nearest junction, the system proactively identifies problematic routes before presenting them to the driver, allowing recalculation of alternative routes that avoid these stressful conditions.
2Productivity
If the navigation system calculates a route with minimal distance and time, then the productivity is improved, but the route complexity increases due to frequent freeway junctions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces new evaluation parameters beyond simple distance and time, specifically the number of freeway entries and the distance to the nearest freeway junction. These parameters are integrated into the route calculation algorithm to modify the overall cost function, allowing the system to balance route efficiency with operational simplicity by penalizing routes with frequent or closely-spaced junctions.
3Loss of time
If the navigation system provides direct routing through freeway junctions, then the loss of time is reduced, but the safety is compromised due to complex maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary evaluation layer between route calculation and route presentation. This intermediary analyzes the calculated route for safety-critical conditions such as freeway junctions requiring prompt maneuvers, and if such conditions are detected, triggers recalculation of alternative routes. This intermediary layer acts as a safety filter that prevents time-optimized but unsafe routes from being presented to the driver.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus of calculating a route involving a freeway junction determines an undesired freeway junction that can pose a driving difficulty, and performs route recalculation that avoids the undesired freeway junction. A distance from a freeway entry to a freeway junction, or a number of freeway entries up to the freeway junction are used to determine the undesired freeway junction. A distance from the freeway junction to a freeway exit is also used to determine the undesired freeway junction. An intermediate point is set to recalculate a route that does not involve the freeway junction to create an overall route.