Map Tile Loading Priority for Autonomous Driving Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for loading digital geographic map tiles in autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles face challenges at high speeds due to unstable data connections, leading to unreliable map tile reloading and potential data loss, as they continue to reload map data despite low connection quality or stop the process altogether, limiting automated driving functions.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically adjusts the area size of map tiles to be loaded based on vehicle speed and connection quality, prioritizing the most relevant tiles for immediate availability, and postponing less urgent data transfers until stable connections are re-established, minimizing unnecessary requests and data overload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If map tiles are continuously reloaded at high speeds, then the vehicle can maintain access to geographic data, but the unstable data connection causes unreliable reloading and data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the map tile loading strategy based on vehicle speed and connection quality. At high speeds, the prediction horizon is reduced and fewer tiles are requested, while at lower speeds, more comprehensive tile loading occurs. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining data availability and ensuring reliable transmission at varying speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key parameters including the prediction horizon distance, tile request quantity, and priority levels based on vehicle speed and connection quality metrics. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system maintains reliable map tile loading across different operating conditions without being constrained by fixed loading strategies.
2Reliability
If the vehicle reduces the area to be loaded at high speeds, then data transmission becomes more reliable, but less geographic data is available for autonomous driving functions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary loading of map tiles when connection quality is good and vehicle speed is low, storing tiles in advance for future use. This allows the vehicle to have geographic data available without requiring continuous high-speed data transmission, thus maintaining both reliability and data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The loading area and tile quantity are dynamically adjusted based on real-time speed and connection quality assessments. The system optimizes the balance between transmitting sufficient geographic data and maintaining reliable transmission by adapting the data volume to current operational conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If the vehicle maximizes the area to be loaded at low speeds, then more map tiles are available for autonomous driving, but unnecessary data requests overload the data channel
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different loading strategies to different spatial zones based on their relevance to the planned route. High-priority tiles along the direct route are loaded with higher priority, while peripheral tiles receive lower priority or are deferred. This localized quality differentiation ensures efficient data channel usage while maintaining necessary map tile availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system loads only the necessary portion of map tiles required for autonomous driving operations rather than loading entire predefined areas. By calculating the precise prediction horizon based on speed and route, the system avoids excessive data requests while ensuring sufficient tile availability for the driving function.
4Quantity of substance
If map tiles are loaded with equal priority, then all geographic data is made available, but critical tiles may be delayed during low bandwidth conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Different priority levels are assigned to different map tiles based on their spatial relationship to the planned route and vehicle position. Tiles directly on the route receive highest priority, while peripheral tiles receive lower priority. This ensures critical geographic data is loaded first during limited bandwidth conditions, preventing delays in autonomous driving functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system identifies and prioritizes critical map tiles that are immediately needed for autonomous driving operations, loading these tiles first before proceeding to less critical tiles. This preliminary identification and prioritization ensures that essential geographic data becomes available without delay even when complete data loading would take longer.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for loading digital geographical map tiles by an autonomous or partially autonomous vehicle from an external server unit, wherein a current speed of the vehicle and a connection quality of a data connection to an external server unit available at the time is determined. An area size to be loaded for a planned journey is calculated by the vehicle as a function of the speed of the vehicle and the quality of the connection between the vehicle and the at least one external server unit, and a list is compiled of the map tiles to be loaded using the area size to be loaded, excluding map tiles already stored in a control unit in the vehicle. A prioritized sequence of the listed map tiles to be loaded is then determined; this is followed by loading of the map tiles in the priority order. The invention further relates to a system for providing digital geographical map tiles and for executing a method.