Parking Control Using Dynamic Speed and Sensor Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles face inefficiencies in locating and parking in parking lots due to the need to travel at slower speeds for obstacle detection, which affects both the vehicle seeking a parking space and other vehicles in the area.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that uses a combination of forward-facing cameras and proximity sensors (radar or ultrasonic) to identify available parking spaces, allowing the vehicle to travel at a faster speed when not detecting a space and reducing speed only when verifying the space is available, without the need for a LIDAR sensor or multiple cameras.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle travels at a slower speed to use proximity sensors for verifying parking space availability, then the parking safety and obstacle detection are improved, but the parking efficiency and vehicle throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control system dynamically adjusts its speed based on the operational phase: traveling at a first (higher) speed when searching for parking spaces and at a second (lower) speed when verifying availability using proximity sensors. This dynamic speed adjustment allows the system to maintain safety during sensor verification while improving overall parking efficiency through faster traversal during the search phase.
2Measurement precision
If the vehicle uses proximity sensors to verify parking space availability, then the obstacle detection accuracy is improved, but the time consumption and resource usage are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The proximity sensors are activated periodically only during the verification phase when the vehicle is approaching a potential parking space, rather than continuously during the entire parking search. This periodic activation maintains adequate obstacle detection accuracy while reducing overall time consumption and resource usage during the parking process.
3Productivity
If the vehicle travels at a faster speed when not detecting a parking space, then the parking search efficiency is improved, but the response time to obstacles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control system implements dynamic speed adjustment based on the detection state: traveling at a higher first speed during the parking search phase to improve efficiency, and automatically reducing to a lower second speed when proximity sensors detect potential obstacles or when verifying parking space availability, ensuring adequate response time when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency of the parking process by reducing resource consumption and allowing vehicles to locate and utilize parking spaces more quickly while maintaining adequate obstacle checks.
Implementation Method 1
identify a potentially available parking space in a vehicle direction of travel based on data received from at least one camera
Implementation Method 2
reducing speed only when verifying the space is available, without the need for a LIDAR sensor or multiple cameras
Data Source
AI summary
A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate movement of a vehicle at a first speed, identify a potentially available parking space in a vehicle direction of travel based on data received from at least one camera, then reduce a speed of the vehicle to a second speed that is less than the first speed while receiving data from at least one proximity sensor about the parking space, and actuate movement of the vehicle to a parking position in the parking space upon determining that the parking space is available based on the data from the at least one proximity sensor.