Onboard Vehicle Detection System for Continuous Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle safety systems face challenges in detecting and tracking vehicles that move out of the sensor's detectable range, leading to delayed collision avoidance due to differences in detection device characteristics and positional accuracy issues between sensor and communication-based data.

Innovation Solution

An onboard device with multiple detector devices (communication, sensor, and GPS) that determine and assign driving status information based on predetermined threshold values and detection durations to ensure continuous tracking and control, even when vehicles move out of sensor range.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If sensor detection is used to ensure high measurement precision, then positional accuracy is improved, but detectable range is reduced causing vehicles to be lost when moving out of sensor range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositional accuracyVSAvoiddetectable range
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines sensor detection and communication detection into a unified detection system. The controller integrates detection results from both the sensor (for high precision when in range) and the communication device (for broader coverage), allowing continuous tracking of vehicles whether they are within sensor range or have moved beyond it.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If continuous detection by sensor is required to avoid erroneous detection, then reliability is improved, but response time increases when vehicles reappear in detectable range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection using the communication device before the vehicle enters sensor range. When a vehicle is detected by communication, the controller prepares tracking data in advance. When the vehicle subsequently enters sensor range, the system can immediately confirm and continue tracking without requiring the full continuous detection period, thus reducing response time while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Area of stationary object

If multiple detection devices are used to expand detectable range, then coverage is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to data integration complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetectable rangeVSAvoiddata integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The controller applies different processing strategies based on the detection source and situation. When a vehicle is detected by the sensor, the system uses high-precision sensor data for tracking. When detected only by communication, the system uses communication data with appropriate threshold comparisons. This localized processing approach simplifies data integration by treating different detection sources according to their specific characteristics rather than requiring uniform complex processing for all data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2637149B1Onboard device and control method
Publication Date: 2018.10.24 HITACHI LTD
  • EP2637149B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2637149B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2637149B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

The present invention uses another detection device to reduce the time needed for travel motion information about another vehicle obtained by a highly accurate detector device to be used for warning and control purposes, and to continue to supplement for the other vehicle in the event that detection is lost. All onboard controller is connected to a communication device as a first detector device for outputting the travel motion information about another vehicle, and a sensor as a second detector device. When the difference between first travel motion information from the first detection device and second travel motion information from the second detection device is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, and the period of continuous detection of the second travel motion information from the second detection device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value that has been established as a continuous period for identification, the controller determines the first travel motion information and the second travel motion information to be travel motion information for the same other vehicle, and makes it possible to use the second travel motion information from the second detector device.