Autonomous Vehicle Intersection Navigation with Merged Stop Signs

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous vehicles encountering intersections with multiple road signs facing the same direction can be instructed to stop twice, leading to hazardous situations due to unexpected driver maneuvers.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that identifies intersections with multiple road signs facing the same direction and updates map data to represent them as a single sign, preventing the vehicle from stopping within the intersection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If autonomous vehicles detect multiple stop signs facing the same direction at an intersection, then the vehicle adheres to traffic rules by stopping at each sign, but the vehicle stops twice within the intersection creating hazardous situations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadherence to traffic rulesVSAvoidcollision risk from unexpected stops

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple stop signs facing the same direction at an intersection into a single logical entity in the map data. When the autonomous vehicle detects that multiple stop signs are positioned at the same intersection and face the same direction, the system consolidates them into one representative stop sign, preventing the vehicle from stopping multiple times at the same location while maintaining proper traffic rule adherence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If the vehicle stops at every detected stop sign, then traffic rules are followed precisely, but unnecessary stops occur within the intersection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic stop decisionVSAvoidexcessive stopping time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary processing of stop sign data during map creation or map updates. By pre-identifying intersections with multiple stop signs facing the same direction and consolidating them into a single logical stop point, the autonomous vehicle receives prepared navigation instructions that eliminate the need for multiple stops, reducing unnecessary waiting time while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If multiple stop signs are present at an intersection, then drivers have redundant information for adherence, but autonomous vehicles receive conflicting stop instructions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroad sign informationVSAvoidnavigation decision logic

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential stop sign information needed for navigation decisions. When multiple stop signs are detected at an intersection facing the same direction, the system selects one representative stop sign and extracts its location and orientation data, discarding redundant duplicate information. This simplifies the navigation decision logic while preserving all necessary traffic rule adherence information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12467766B2Apparatus and methods for providing autonomous vehicle navigation at intersections

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 HERE GLOBAL BV

AI summary

An apparatus, method and computer program product are provided for providing autonomous vehicle navigation at intersections. In one example, the apparatus identifies an intersection associated with at least two road signs having the same sign type and facing the same direction. The apparatus updates map data to include a datapoint that provides a representation of a single road sign at the intersection instead of the at least two road signs, thereby enabling an autonomous vehicle relying on the map data to traverse the intersection to adhere to the single road sign in lieu of the at least two road signs.