Lane Positioning Control Using Lane Type Edge Offset
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for controlling the lateral positioning of self-driving vehicles in traffic lanes lead to anxiety due to continuous weaving and complexity, especially in dense traffic, as they rely on detecting surrounding objects and measuring vehicle parameters.
Innovation Solution
A method using a camera to detect ground marking lines, classify the lane type, and adjust vehicle positioning to maintain a consistent offset from the lane edge, allowing the vehicle to stay in its lane without frequent trajectory changes, utilizing existing camera technology and algorithmic signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle positioning system continuously adjusts the trajectory to maintain lateral safety distance from surrounding vehicles, then the safety distance is maintained, but the vehicle experiences continuous weaving and trajectory adjustments causing driver anxiety
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores optimal lateral positioning offsets for different lane types (leftmost, rightmost, central) before actual driving situations occur. When the vehicle is in autonomous mode, it directly applies these pre-determined offsets based on lane type identification, avoiding continuous real-time trajectory adjustments and resulting in smoother, more predictable vehicle behavior that reduces driver anxiety while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's own lane type classification to automatically determine appropriate positioning offsets without requiring continuous interaction with or reaction to surrounding vehicles. The vehicle serves itself by maintaining safety through pre-planned positioning strategies specific to its lane context, reducing the need for reactive weaving
2Reliability
If the system uses object detection and multiple vehicle parameter measurements to control positioning, then lateral safety is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and utilizes only the essential information needed for safe positioning: the vehicle's current lane type (leftmost, rightmost, or central). By filtering out unnecessary data from object detection and vehicle parameter measurements, the system achieves safe positioning using only camera-based lane marking detection and simple lane type classification, dramatically reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of implementing complex real-time object detection and parameter measurement systems, the patent copies the successful approach of using existing camera-based lane detection infrastructure already present in modern vehicles, adapting it for autonomous positioning by classifying lane types rather than detecting surrounding objects
3Ease of manufacture
If the vehicle positions itself in the middle of the lane, then the positioning strategy is simple, but the vehicle appears too close to adjacent vehicles causing user anxiety
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different lateral positioning offsets based on the specific local context of the lane type. Leftmost lanes receive one offset value, rightmost lanes receive another, and central lanes receive a third. This localized adaptation of positioning strategy maintains simplicity while improving user acceptance by creating appropriate visual clearance from adjacent vehicles in each specific lane context
Data Source
AI summary
A method is for controlling the positioning of a motor vehicle on a road including several traffic lanes defined laterally by road marking lines. The method includes receiving a signal originating from a camera equipping the vehicle, analyzing the signal in order to detect the road marking lines, identifying, according to a predefined classification of the types of road marking lines, the type of lines detected defining the vehicle's current traffic lane, determining characteristics of the current traffic lane depending on the type of road marking lines defining it and, if the current traffic lane is one of the left-most lane or the right-most lane in the vehicle's direction of travel, shifting the vehicle towards the distal edge of the road relative to the central axis of the current traffic lane.