Lane Change Control Using Minimum Speed Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lane change control systems face challenges when vehicle speed is lower than the minimum operation speed, leading to increased computational burden and safety risks, requiring high-performance processors to manage various factors and external environments.

Innovation Solution

A control strategy that calculates a minimum operation speed for lane change using simple calculations, allowing the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate based on the presence and speed of surrounding vehicles to ensure safe lane changes when the vehicle's speed is below the minimum operation speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle travels at a speed lower than the minimum operation speed and a lane change command is generated, then a control strategy to accelerate the vehicle is required, but the amount of calculation increases and a high performance processor is needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafe lane change controlVSAvoidprocessor performance requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the control parameter from complex multi-factor calculations to simple speed threshold comparison. When vehicle speed is below the minimum operation speed, the system simply compares current speed with the threshold and activates lane change control only when speed exceeds the threshold, avoiding complex real-time calculations and reducing processor requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the lane change control into two distinct speed conditions: below minimum operation speed and at or above minimum operation speed. This segmentation allows the system to apply different control strategies for each condition, using simple threshold-based control for low speeds and standard lane change control for adequate speeds, thereby reducing overall computational burden

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the vehicle travels at a speed lower than the minimum operation speed, then lane change control may put the driver in danger, but setting a minimum operation speed requires complex calculation strategies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver safetyVSAvoidcontrol strategy complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the vehicle's own speed sensor data to automatically determine whether to activate lane change control, without requiring complex external environment analysis. The speed threshold comparison is self-contained within the vehicle's control system, using internally generated speed information to make safety decisions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the safety assessment from complex multi-variable analysis to a simple speed parameter threshold comparison. By monitoring only the vehicle's own speed against a predetermined minimum operation speed, the system achieves safety assurance without complex calculations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3552899B1Apparatus and method for controlling lane change in vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3552899B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3552899B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3552899B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus for controlling a lane change of a vehicle includes: a sensor to sense an external vehicle, an input device to receive a lane change command from a driver of the vehicle, and a control circuit to be electrically connected with the sensor and the input device. The control circuit may receive the lane change command using the input device, calculate a minimum operation speed for lane change control, and determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a distance between a preceding vehicle which is traveling on the same lane as the vehicle and the vehicle, when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed when receiving the lane change command.