Autonomous Parking Controller Relocation for Obstruction Alleviation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In urban and restricted areas, autonomous vehicles face challenges in relocating from parking locations that violate parking restrictions, leading to active obstructions, which existing technologies fail to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous parking controller system equipped with sensors and processors that monitor ambient conditions and compare parking restrictions with thresholds, autonomously relocating the vehicle when an obstruction is detected and communicating the new location to the user via a wireless interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle parks at a restricted location, then parking availability is improved, but parking restriction compliance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking availabilityVSAvoidparking restriction compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors ambient conditions and compares them against stored parking restriction data for the current location. When a violation is detected or conditions change to indicate potential violation, the system provides feedback by triggering autonomous relocation to a compliant parking location, thus resolving the contradiction between parking availability and restriction compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of time

If the vehicle remains at a restricted parking location, then relocation time is reduced, but obstruction creation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelocation timeVSAvoidactive obstruction

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring of ambient conditions even while the vehicle is parked. By detecting changes in ambient conditions that indicate potential obstruction creation before they fully manifest, the system can initiate relocation proactively, minimizing both relocation time and the duration of active obstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system monitors ambient conditions continuously, then obstruction detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobstruction detection accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic monitoring of ambient conditions at predetermined intervals rather than continuous monitoring. This approach maintains adequate obstruction detection accuracy by sampling conditions regularly while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring, thus resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS9884621B2Autonomous parking controller and method based on ambient conditions relating to a vehicle parking location

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

Devices and methods in an autonomous parking controller for a vehicle are disclosed. When the vehicle is located at a parking location, the method determines whether the parking location includes a parking restriction. When the parking location includes the parking restriction, the example method compares the parking restriction with at least one restriction threshold. When the parking restriction compares unfavorably with the at least one restriction threshold, the example method, while at the parking location, monitors for a change in at least one of a plurality of ambient conditions relative to the vehicle. When the example method detects the change, the vehicle is autonomously relocated to another location to alleviate the active obstruction.