Navigation System Environmental Route Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems primarily prioritize time or distance when selecting routes, failing to consider other important factors such as traffic congestion, number of intersections, and environmental impact, which may not align with users' priorities.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system that determines and presents environmentally preferred routes by applying heuristic functions to route and vehicular data, considering metrics like idling time, elevation changes, and traffic signal synchronization to minimize environmental impact, and includes a 'green coach' feature for suggesting environmentally friendly driving habits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If navigation systems select routes based on time or distance, then the routing process is simple and fast, but the environmental impact and other user priorities are ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for route selection from time or distance to environmental impact metrics. The system calculates environmental impact values for multiple routes and selects the route with the lowest environmental impact, thereby resolving the contradiction by prioritizing environmental considerations over traditional routing criteria while maintaining efficient processing through automated evaluation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If navigation systems consider multiple factors like traffic congestion, intersections, and environmental impact, then the route selection becomes more comprehensive, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the route evaluation process into distinct components: calculating environmental impact values for each route, comparing these values, and selecting the optimal route. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple factors (traffic congestion, intersections, environmental impact) systematically without overwhelming complexity, as each factor is evaluated independently and then integrated into the overall route selection.
3Ease of operation
If navigation systems prioritize time as the highest interest, then the routing decision is straightforward, but it fails to align with user priorities such as environmental concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic route selection by allowing users to specify their priorities (time, environmental impact, or other factors). The system adapts its routing algorithm based on user preferences, making the ease of operation flexible rather than fixed. This dynamic approach maintains simplicity in operation while significantly improving adaptability to different user priorities, including environmental concerns.
Data Source
AI summary
A method (500) and navigation system (100) are provided that generate a navigation route that is environmentally optimized between an origin and destination. Upon receiving an origination location and destination from a user or other source, such as a GPS satellite (104), a route determination module (302) determines multiple routes between the origination location and destination. An environmental analysis module (301) then processes each route to determine an environmental impact value. An evaluation module (303) then can selects a proposed route for presentation to the user via a presentation module (304). Alternatively, the evaluation module (303) may select two or more routes, which the presentation module (304) may present with corresponding environmental impact data such that the user may select a particular route. Additionally, a green coach module (306) may provide instructions to the user for more environmentally beneficial operation of a vehicle (102).