Metallic Pattern Integration for Lidar Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicles face challenges in accurately detecting objects in challenging weather conditions and lack cost-effective, privacy-invasive solutions for improving environmental detection without relying on specialized maps or connectivity with other devices.
Innovation Solution
The integration of metallic materials with specific patterns or shapes in wearable objects, road markings, and transportation infrastructure to enhance detectability by lidar and other sensor systems, allowing for improved object recognition and orientation determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional lidar systems are used without enhanced detection materials, then the system structure remains simple and costs are controlled, but detection accuracy deteriorates in adverse weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using inexpensive metallic materials (such as aluminum) that can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure elements like road markings, signage, and transportation infrastructure. These materials provide enhanced detectability without requiring complex or expensive system modifications, effectively acting as disposable or easily replaceable enhancement elements that improve detection accuracy in adverse weather conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of existing objects by incorporating metallic materials with specific reflective properties. This modifies the optical characteristics of road markings, signage, and infrastructure elements to enhance their detectability by lidar systems in adverse weather, without changing the fundamental structure or operation of the lidar system itself.
2Reliability
If specialized maps or connectivity with other devices are used to improve detection, then detection capability is enhanced, but costs increase and privacy concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by enabling existing transportation infrastructure elements (road markings, signage, infrastructure) to serve the dual purpose of their original function plus enhanced detection function. The metallic materials integrated into these elements allow them to actively contribute to their own detectability by lidar systems, eliminating the need for external specialized systems, maps, or connectivity solutions that would increase costs and privacy concerns.
3Measurement precision
If metallic materials with specific patterns are integrated into objects, then object detectability and identification are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by merging the detection enhancement function with existing manufacturing processes for transportation infrastructure elements. The metallic materials are integrated into road markings, signage, and infrastructure during their normal manufacturing or application process, combining the original functional requirements with enhanced detectability without requiring separate manufacturing steps or complex assembly procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate detection and identification of objects by autonomous vehicles in adverse weather conditions without increasing costs or invading privacy, using embedded metallic patterns that are not visible to humans but detectable by sensors, thereby improving safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the light pulses emitted from the lidar system are partially reflected off of rain droplets which adds noise to the data
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method for providing improved detection and identification of objects (e.g. people, pets, bicycles or vehicles), by devices, such as autonomous vehicles, that rely on non-visible detection systems, such as lidar, for understanding their surrounding environment. Such objects having integrated or embedded materials of a predetermined shape or pattern that is readily detectable and identified by devices using such detection systems, such as autonomous vehicles. The predetermined shape or pattern is of a material, such as aluminum, that is more easily detectable by a non-visible detection system and allows the detection system to recognize and identify the type of object, even in challenging visibility conditions.