Vehicle-Specific Road Condition Estimation Using Individualization Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to provide individualized road condition information to vehicles, leading to safety issues due to differences in vehicle characteristics and ambient conditions, as generic road condition data may not accurately reflect the specific vehicle's experience.

Innovation Solution

A method that receives generic road condition information and individualization data, such as vehicle characteristics and sensor data, to estimate individualized road conditions by applying an estimating method, which can include algorithms or neural networks, to compensate for differences between vehicles and ambient conditions, allowing for dynamic self-correction and refinement of data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If generic road condition information is transmitted to all vehicles, then communication efficiency is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates because the information does not account for individual vehicle characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidroad condition information accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments road condition information into two components: generic road condition data applicable to all vehicles, and vehicle-specific individualization information (such as tire type, vehicle mass, suspension characteristics) that is transmitted separately to each vehicle. This segmentation allows the system to maintain communication efficiency for the generic portion while providing precise individualized adjustments through the second component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the road condition information to specific vehicle characteristics. Each vehicle receives customized individualization information that accounts for its unique properties (tire type, mass, suspension), ensuring that the road condition data is locally optimized for each vehicle's specific needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If individualized road condition information is provided to each vehicle, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for additional data processing and transmission infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad condition information accuracyVSAvoiddata processing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the vehicle-specific individualization information as a separate component from the generic road condition data. By taking out the individualization parameters (tire type, vehicle mass, suspension characteristics) as distinct data elements, the system can process and transmit them efficiently without complicating the core road condition information transmission infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes to simplify the system by representing individualization information as a set of adjustable parameters rather than complex models. Each vehicle's characteristics are represented as discrete parameters (e.g., tire type categories, mass ranges) that can be easily transmitted and applied to adjust the generic road condition data without requiring sophisticated processing infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If road condition data is collected from multiple vehicles with different characteristics, then quantity of information is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inconsistencies caused by vehicle-specific effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad condition data volumeVSAvoiddata consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional approach by not trying to make all vehicles report data in the same way, but rather by providing each vehicle with customized individualization information that accounts for its unique characteristics. This inversion allows vehicles with different tire types, masses, and suspension systems to report data that is inherently comparable because each report is adjusted according to its vehicle's specific properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes to normalize data from different vehicles by adjusting for vehicle-specific parameters. Each vehicle's road condition measurements are modified based on its individualization information (tire type, mass, suspension), which transforms the data into a consistent reference frame that can be reliably aggregated and compared across the fleet.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4065438B1Methods, apparatuses, systems and computer program products for estimating road condition information
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 NIRA DYNAMICS AB
  • EP4065438B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4065438B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4065438B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, apparatuses, systems and computer program products for estimating individualized road condition information for a specific vehicle are disclosed. Generic road condition information is received, which is indicative of at least one condition of a road segment. Further, individualization information is received, which is representative of an estimating method to be performed on the generic road condition information to obtain individualized road condition information for the specific vehicle. Individualized road condition information are estimated for the vehicle, wherein the estimating method is applied to the received generic road condition information to obtain individualized road condition information.