Lane Change Control System Driver Awareness Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drivers often fail to recognize when a lane change control system is deactivated when transitioning between limited-access roads, leading to potential safety issues during lane changes.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method for lane change control that includes a determination device to assess predetermined operation conditions, such as turn signal operation, steering torque, and collision risk, to determine the driver's intention for using the lane change control function, and a guide device to display an information screen for approval, ensuring the system is activated only when conditions are met and the driver confirms usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the lane change control system operates automatically on limited-access roads, then lane change safety is improved, but driver awareness of system status deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelane change safetyVSAvoiddriver awareness of system status
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism by displaying system status information on a user interface. When the determination device detects that operation conditions are met, the guide device presents information to the driver through the interface, creating a feedback loop that restores driver awareness while maintaining automated operation. This resolves the contradiction by providing information feedback without requiring manual system control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary information display system between the automated lane change control system and the driver. The guide device and user interface act as intermediaries that convey system status and operational readiness to the driver, bridging the information gap created by automated operation while preserving the benefits of automatic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system deactivates when leaving limited-access roads, then system adaptability to road type is improved, but operational convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem adaptability to road typeVSAvoidoperational convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the system's operational state adaptive rather than static. The determination device dynamically assesses whether operation conditions are met based on current road context, allowing the system to transition between activated and deactivated states based on real-time conditions. This enables the system to adapt to different road types while maintaining operational convenience through automatic condition assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the system requires driver confirmation for lane changes, then lane change safety is improved, but response time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelane change safetyVSAvoidlane change response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the determination device assess operation conditions in advance before executing the lane change. The system proactively determines whether conditions are suitable for lane changing and presents information to the driver beforehand, allowing the driver to confirm or deny the operation with a single action rather than requiring continuous monitoring or last-minute decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3628560B1Apparatus and method for lane change control
Publication Date: 2021.06.16 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3628560B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3628560B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3628560B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus and a method for lane change control. The apparatus includes: a determination device to determine whether a plurality of predetermined operation conditions are met when a vehicle enters a lane change control section and to determine an intention for a driver of the vehicle to use a lane change control function; a guide device to configure an information screen for the lane change control function based on the determined intention of the driver; and an interface to display the configured information screen.