Networked Road Lights for Directional Pedestrian-Vehicle Alerts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to provide timely and appropriate notifications to vehicles regarding road situations, such as the presence of pedestrians or vehicles, which can lead to unsafe conditions.
Innovation Solution
A notification system comprising a network of road lights that communicate directly with each other to detect the presence of pedestrians and vehicles using image processing, and generate and transmit detection signals to form road markings or alerts based on these detections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If road lights transmit detection signals to all other road lights, then notification coverage is improved, but communication load and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing detection signals only to road lights in the vehicle's traveling direction rather than all road lights uniformly. This localized signal transmission reduces unnecessary communication load and power consumption while maintaining effective notification coverage for the specific scenario of alerting approaching vehicles to pedestrians.
2Reliability
If notification is provided continuously, then safety monitoring is improved, but false alerts and driver distraction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by providing notifications only at specific moments when both a pedestrian is detected and a vehicle is approaching in the relevant direction, rather than continuous notification. This conditional, event-driven approach reduces false alerts and driver distraction while maintaining effective safety monitoring when actually needed.
3Measurement precision
If road lights are installed densely, then detection coverage is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the road monitoring function into distributed road light units that independently detect pedestrians and vehicles in their local areas. Each road light segment handles its own detection and selectively communicates with neighboring segments, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive detection coverage through the networked arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
To form road markings for traveling vehicles at appropriate timing according to road situation.A notification system including road lights installed along a road which are directly connected to each other, where each road light includes: an image processing unit that detects a crosser and a vehicle traveling on the road, based on image data obtained by photographing the road; a first signal processing unit that generates a crosser detection signal when the crosser is present and transmits the crosser detection signal to the other road lights; a second signal processing unit that generates a vehicle detection signal when the vehicle is present and transmits the vehicle detection signal to the other road lights which exist in the traveling direction of the vehicle; and a notification execution unit that performs notification when both the crosser detection signal and the vehicle detection signal transmitted from the other road lights are received.