Handheld Remote Calibration for Consistent Vehicle Command Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inconsistent performance of handheld devices running different operating systems (iOS and Android) leads to varying time delays in sending control commands to vehicles, causing undesirable vehicle responses during remote control operations.

Innovation Solution

A calibration method that measures time delays in handheld devices and conveys this data to a cloud computing device for evaluation against crowdsourced data, allowing for diagnostic results to be used for calibration, which can modify operating characteristics or software to standardize response times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If different types of handheld devices (iOS and Android) are used for remote control, then user choice and compatibility are improved, but timing consistency and vehicle response reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandheld device compatibilityVSAvoidvehicle response consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system measures timing parameters (time delays) for each handheld device type and adjusts calibration parameters accordingly. Different device types receive different calibration values to compensate for their inherent timing characteristics, ensuring consistent vehicle response across all device platforms while maintaining compatibility with various operating systems and hardware configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If handheld devices with different operating systems are supported, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision of control timing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote control accessibilityVSAvoidtime delay measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where timing data from multiple handheld devices is collected, measured, and analyzed. The cloud computing device processes this feedback information and generates diagnostic results that identify timing variations across different device types. This feedback loop enables continuous refinement of calibration parameters to improve measurement precision while maintaining broad device compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

A cloud computing device serves as an intermediary between diverse handheld devices and the vehicle control system. It collects timing data from various device types, performs centralized analysis, and provides calibrated timing parameters back to the devices. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of device-specific timing variations, enabling precise measurement and consistent control across all platforms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If calibration data is collected from multiple devices, then reliability of timing measurements is improved, but loss of time for data collection and processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming data accuracyVSAvoidcalibration process duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calibration actions by collecting timing data from multiple handheld devices in advance and processing it through the cloud computing device. Diagnostic results and calibration parameters are prepared beforehand and stored for future use. This preliminary action ensures reliable timing measurements are established before actual vehicle operation, reducing time loss during critical driving scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11568685B2Systems and methods to calibrate a handheld device used for remotely controlling a vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for calibrating a handheld device used for controlling a partially autonomous vehicle. An example method to calibrate the handheld device may include entering a remote-control command into the handheld device for controlling a first action performed by the partially autonomous vehicle. A time-delay associated with one or more operations executed in the handheld device in response to entering the remote-control command are then measured. The time-delay is conveyed to a cloud computing device, which evaluates the time-delay and returns a diagnostic result to the handheld device. Evaluation of the time-delay by the cloud computing device may be carried out by comparing the time-delay in the handheld device to time-delay values obtained via crowdsourcing from other handheld devices. The diagnostic result provided by the cloud computing device may be used by the handheld device for calibration purposes.