Remote Vehicle Video Link Validation Using Visual Indicator Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote operation of vehicles faces challenges in ensuring dependability due to issues such as freezing, delay, and quality problems in sensor data streams, which can compromise the safety and efficiency of remote control systems.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a configurable visual indicator and a video sensor to generate a sensor data stream that is dependent on the indicator's state, allowing for the detection of malfunctions by comparing the indicator's state within the vehicle and at the remote driving station, and using checksums and nonces to verify communication integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor data stream is transmitted from the remotely operated vehicle to the remote driving station, then real-time monitoring and control are enabled, but malfunctions such as freezing, delay, and quality problems occur in the sensor data stream
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a configurable visual indicator in the remotely operated vehicle is captured in the sensor data stream, and its state is independently reported to the remote driving station. This allows the system to verify the integrity and real-time status of the sensor data stream by comparing the observed indicator state with the expected state, thereby detecting and addressing information loss or transmission issues.
2Productivity
If the sensor data stream is used for remote operation, then operational control is achieved, but freezing and delay issues compromise the real-time performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by including a configurable visual indicator that can be set to specific states before transmission. The remote driving station receives both the sensor data stream and the indicator state information in advance, allowing for proactive verification of data stream integrity and timely detection of freezing or delay issues before they compromise operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If a configurable visual indicator is added to the vehicle, then malfunction detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes color changes or visual state changes of a configurable visual indicator as a simple yet effective means to encode information about the vehicle's status and the sensor data stream's integrity. This approach improves malfunction detection capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity, as the visual indicator can be implemented using existing lighting or display components in the vehicle.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus including an indicator and a video sensor arranged to generate sensor data dependent on a state of the indicator, control circuitry configured to select the state of the indicator, to process instructions received in the apparatus from a remote driving station, to provide to the remote driving station the sensor data and to at least one of: provide to the remote driving station an indication of the indicator's selected state to enable the remote driving station to detect a malfunction in the sensor data, and obtain an observation of the state of the indicator, based on the sensor data, and determine whether the observation and the selected state of the indicator are consistent, to detect a malfunction in the sensor data, wherein the apparatus is a remotely operated vehicle, or configured to be installed in one.