Highway Assist Mode Inhibition via Multi-Source Location Verification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driver assist systems inaccurately identify vehicle location due to slow refresh rates and inaccuracies in GPS data, leading to inappropriate initiation of highway assist mode, which can result in unexpected acceleration and user dissatisfaction.

Innovation Solution

The system inhibits the initiation of highway assist mode by verifying vehicle location using additional data such as GPS correction data, cloud-map data, drive history data, and driver study data to confirm the vehicle's position on an expressway before initiating adaptive features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the system initiates highway assist mode based on GPS data, then the automation level increases and driver assistance improves, but measurement precision deteriorates due to GPS inaccuracies and slow refresh rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehighway assist mode initiationVSAvoidvehicle location accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces cloud-map data as an intermediary verification layer between GPS data and highway assist mode initiation. The system uses cloud-map data to verify whether the vehicle is actually on an expressway, mediating the decision process to filter out false positives from inaccurate GPS readings. This intermediary check resolves the contradiction by maintaining automation while improving location accuracy verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring multiple data sources (GPS, cloud-map data, drive history) and using this feedback to confirm or reject highway assist mode initiation. The feedback loop verifies vehicle location against multiple references before mode activation, resolving the precision-automation contradiction through iterative verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the system uses additional verification data to confirm vehicle location, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle location accuracyVSAvoiddata verification system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching and storing cloud-map data and drive history data before highway assist mode initiation is needed. This preliminary preparation allows the system to quickly verify GPS accuracy without adding complex real-time processing, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity through advance preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cloud-map data as a digital copy of the physical road network to verify vehicle location. Instead of complex geometric calculations, the system compares GPS coordinates against the copied map data structure, simplifying the verification process while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If the system requires multiple data sources for location verification, then reliability improves, but loss of time increases due to additional data processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode initiation accuracyVSAvoiddata verification time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary data gathering by continuously maintaining cloud-map data and drive history data in ready state before verification is needed. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming data retrieval during critical verification moments, resolving the contradiction between reliability and time loss through advance preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple data sources (GPS, cloud-map data, drive history) into a unified verification process that operates simultaneously rather than sequentially. By combining these data sources into a single integrated check, the system achieves high reliability without proportionally increasing verification time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10703366B2Inhibiting highway assist mode
Publication Date: 2020.07.07 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC
  • US10703366B2 patent drawing
  • US10703366B2 patent drawing
  • US10703366B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer for a vehicle is described. The computer includes a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The instructions include, to: determine a trigger to initiate a highway assist mode; based on the determined trigger, determine vehicle-location data; and based on the data, inhibit initiation of the mode.