Narrow Road Detection Using Relative Height Boundary Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face challenges in identifying narrow roads, which can lead to increased accident risks due to unclear road boundaries, especially when driving on protruding roads like cliffs or bridges without guardrails.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a distance measuring sensor to calculate relative heights and detect left and right boundary points, determining a road boundary line and width, and identifying roads as narrow based on reference values, with an apparatus comprising relative height calculation, protruding determination, road boundary line acquisition, and narrow road detection units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drivers rely on visual observation to identify road boundaries, then the system structure remains simple, but the detection precision and reliability deteriorate on narrow roads with unclear boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual observation with an automated distance measuring sensor system that uses optical/electromagnetic principles to detect road boundaries. The sensor measures distances to ground points and calculates relative heights to identify boundary points where height differences exceed a reference value, thereby improving detection precision without requiring complex mechanical structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a processing unit as an intermediary between the distance measuring sensor and the driver. This unit receives raw distance data, processes it through coordinate transformations and relative height calculations, and presents processed road boundary information to the driver, thereby improving measurement precision while keeping the overall system structure manageable.
2Reliability
If no road width detection system is implemented, then the device complexity remains low, but the safety and reliability deteriorate due to increased accident risk on narrow roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of road boundaries and width calculations before the vehicle reaches potentially dangerous narrow road sections. The distance measuring sensor continuously scans ahead, identifies boundary points in advance, and provides warning to the driver, enabling preventive action rather than reactive response to hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system uses the vehicle's own distance measuring sensor to detect road conditions and calculate width, making the vehicle self-diagnostic for safety-critical information without requiring external infrastructure or complex additional equipment.
3Measurement precision
If detailed road boundary analysis is performed to improve detection accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms raw distance measurements into relative height parameters through coordinate system transformations. By changing the parameter representation from absolute distances to relative height differences, the system can efficiently identify boundary points using a simple threshold comparison against a reference value, reducing processing complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the detection process into distinct segments: distance measurement, coordinate transformation, relative height calculation, and boundary identification. This segmentation allows each processing stage to be optimized independently, with the boundary identification stage using a simple reference value comparison that minimizes processing time while maintaining accuracy.
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
The system effectively detects narrow roads, reducing the risk of accidents by alerting drivers and enabling vehicle control systems to adjust speed or apply emergency braking, thereby enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
receiving, from a distance measuring sensor, distance information of points on a ground line
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting a narrow road includes calculating relative heights of points from a distance measuring sensor to a ground based on distance information. A left boundary point and a right boundary point, at which a difference in relative heights from adjacent points becomes maximal, are acquired. A road boundary line of a driving road is acquired based on the left boundary point and the right boundary point depending on a movement trajectory of the vehicle when a difference in relative heights at the left boundary point and the right boundary point is more than or equal to a reference value. A road width of the driving road is calculated based on the road boundary line. It is detected whether the driving road of the vehicle is a narrow road based on the road width.