Overtaking Assistance Using Lead Vehicle Route Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to effectively prevent risky overtaking maneuvers, particularly on country and federal roads, as they do not account for the intentions of the lead vehicle to change lanes or routes, leading to potential traffic accidents.

Innovation Solution

A method and driver assistance device that utilize route information from the lead vehicle to recommend or advise against overtaking maneuvers based on its expected route changes, using wireless communication and self-learning observation modules to determine if the lead vehicle intends to leave the route, thereby avoiding unnecessary and dangerous overtaking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing overtaking assistance systems provide recommendations based only on road geometry and static map data, then the system complexity remains low, but the reliability of overtaking recommendations deteriorates because the systems cannot detect lead vehicle intentions to change lanes or routes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of overtaking recommendationsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces route information from the lead vehicle's navigation system as an intermediary element that mediates between the follower vehicle's overtaking decision and the lead vehicle's actual behavior. This route information serves as a predictor of the lead vehicle's future lane changes or route deviations, allowing the overtaking assistance system to make more reliable recommendations without directly monitoring the lead vehicle's sensors or communication systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the lead vehicle's planned route before an overtaking maneuver is initiated. By evaluating the route information in advance, the system can predict whether the lead vehicle will change lanes or deviate from the current route, allowing the follower vehicle's driver to make informed overtaking decisions before committing to the maneuver, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex real-time monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the system continuously monitors and processes route information from the lead vehicle to provide accurate overtaking recommendations, then the reliability improves, but the loss of time for processing information and providing recommendations increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of overtaking recommendationsVSAvoidtime for processing route information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial monitoring by selectively evaluating route information based on specific trigger conditions rather than continuously processing all data. The overtaking assistance system activates detailed route analysis only when the follower vehicle approaches within a certain distance of the lead vehicle and when an overtaking maneuver is being considered, reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy for critical decision moments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of route information in advance when the follower vehicle is still at a distance from the lead vehicle. By assessing the lead vehicle's planned route early, the system prepares overtaking recommendations ahead of time, reducing the processing time required when the actual overtaking decision needs to be made, thus balancing accuracy with response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the system provides detailed route information and overtaking recommendations to the follower vehicle driver, then the productivity of traffic flow improves by reducing unnecessary overtaking attempts, but the device complexity increases due to additional communication and processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic flow efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication and processing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential route information needed for overtaking decisions from the lead vehicle's navigation system, rather than transmitting or processing complete navigation data. The overtaking assistance system selectively extracts relevant parameters such as planned lane changes, route deviations, and timing information, reducing communication and processing requirements while maintaining the ability to improve traffic flow efficiency by preventing unnecessary overtaking attempts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2169649B1Method for providing a recommendation for carrying out an overtaking manoeuvre
Publication Date: 2011.06.01 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2169649B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2169649B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The method involves utilizing route information of a vehicle (6) for providing a recommendation for carrying out an overtaking manoeuvre for another vehicle (10). The route information of the latter vehicle is transmitted from the former vehicle by wireless communication (12). Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a driver assistance device for providing a recommendation for carrying out an overtaking manoeuvre; (2) a computer program, which has a program code unit; and (3) a computer program product, which has a program code unit.