Ground Penetrating Radar Vehicle Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles face challenges in accurately determining lane information and environmental features due to limitations in vision-based systems and GPS accuracy, especially in adverse weather conditions or urban canyons, where road markings and GPS signals can be obscured.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a ground penetrating radar system with antennas positioned below the vehicle to emit radio waves and detect reflectors embedded in the road surface, generating a signature based on radar cross-sections to determine environmental data and control vehicle navigation autonomously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vision-based systems (cameras) are used for lane tracking and environmental detection, then the system can provide visual information about the environment, but the system fails under low light conditions, deteriorating road markings, and environmental conditions like snow that obscure road markings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces ground penetrating radar (GPR) as an intermediary detection system that operates independently of visual conditions. The GPR system penetrates the road surface to detect embedded reflectors (transponders) that provide lane and environmental information, serving as a mediator that bypasses the limitations of vision-based systems in adverse weather and lighting conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces vision-based optical detection with radar-based electromagnetic wave detection. The GPR system uses electromagnetic waves to penetrate the road surface and detect metallic reflectors embedded in the pavement, substituting the optical mechanism with a radar mechanism that is immune to lighting and weather conditions
2Measurement precision
If GPS receivers are used for position determination, then the system can provide location data, but GPS signals become unreliable in urban canyons and cannot provide exact enough position on multi-lane roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces GPR detection of embedded road reflectors as an intermediary positioning system. By detecting the spatial relationship and signature of reflectors embedded in the road surface, the system provides precise lateral positioning information that complements GPS longitudinal positioning, enabling accurate lane identification in urban canyons where GPS signals are blocked
3Loss of information
If standard sensors (RADAR, LiDAR, cameras) are used for environmental detection, then the system can detect objects and features above the ground, but these sensors cannot detect information embedded in or below the road surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends detection from the surface dimension to the subsurface dimension by using ground penetrating radar. The GPR system transmits electromagnetic waves through the road surface to detect reflectors embedded at depth, adding a vertical penetration dimension to the traditional horizontal surface detection capability of standard sensors
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
Enhances navigation accuracy by providing robust lane identification and environmental data, supplementing existing sensor systems and improving vehicle control in challenging conditions, such as low light or snowy environments, and urban canyons.
Implementation Method 1
A vehicle includes an antenna positioned to broadcast radio waves below the vehicle, a ground penetrating radar system
Implementation Method 2
The ground penetrating radar system determines types of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus are disclosed for communication of infrastructure information to a vehicle via ground penetrating radar. A vehicle comprising an antenna positioned to broadcast radio waves below the vehicle, a ground penetrating radar system, and an active safety module. The ground penetrating radar system determines types of reflectors and a spatial relationship between the reflectors based on radar cross-sections detected by the antenna, and generates a signature based on the shapes and the spatial relationship. The active safety module determines environmental data based on the signature, and autonomously control the vehicle based on the environmental data.