Remote Vehicle Maneuvering via Smart Infrastructure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous parking systems require vehicles to be self-propelled and equipped with advanced sensors for monitoring and analysis, which is computationally expensive and limited to newer vehicle models, making them complex and costly to implement.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing a vehicle-external infrastructure device, known as 'Smart Infrastructure,' that determines the vehicle's position and remotely controls its movement within a parking area through a communication channel, allowing for longitudinal and transverse guidance without the need for self-driving capabilities, using sensors and a control device to manage steering, acceleration, and braking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If the motor vehicle is equipped with autonomous driving capabilities including sensors and control units for monitoring and analyzing the surrounding area, then the vehicle can drive independently in the parking area, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous driving capabilityVSAvoidvehicle system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the autonomous driving functions from the motor vehicle and relocates them to the parking area infrastructure. The infrastructure device now performs monitoring, position determination, and maneuvering control, while the vehicle only needs basic remote control capability. This extraction resolves the contradiction by maintaining automation while reducing vehicle complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary infrastructure device that mediates between the vehicle and the parking area environment. This infrastructure device handles all complex sensing, analysis, and control tasks, acting as a mediator that enables autonomous operation without requiring the vehicle itself to be complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If the motor vehicle is equipped with advanced sensors and computational systems for autonomous operation, then the vehicle can monitor its surrounding area and analyze objects, but the computational cost and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurrounding area monitoring capabilityVSAvoidcomputational energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the computationally intensive monitoring and analysis functions from the moving vehicle and relocates them to the stationary infrastructure device. This eliminates the need for the vehicle to consume energy on complex computational tasks during movement, resolving the contradiction between automation and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Extent of automation

If the motor vehicle is designed as a self-propelled vehicle with autonomous driving technology, then the vehicle can maneuver independently, but the manufacturing cost increases and older vehicle models cannot be used

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent maneuvering capabilityVSAvoidvehicle manufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the autonomous maneuvering functionality from the vehicle and places it in the infrastructure device. This allows any vehicle with basic remote control capability to be used, eliminating the need for expensive autonomous driving hardware and making the system compatible with older and more affordable vehicle models.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The infrastructure device serves multiple functions: it monitors the parking area, determines vehicle position, analyzes environmental data, and controls vehicle maneuvering. This universal infrastructure solution enables independent maneuvering capability across different vehicle types without requiring each vehicle to be specially equipped.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Extent of automation

If the motor vehicle performs all monitoring and analysis tasks independently, then the vehicle can operate autonomously, but the system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous operation capabilityVSAvoidvehicle control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts all monitoring and analysis tasks from the vehicle and consolidates them in the infrastructure device. The vehicle's control system is simplified to only handle basic remote control commands, while the infrastructure device performs all complex environmental monitoring, position determination, and maneuvering planning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3388311B1Method for remote controlled manoeuvring of a motor vehicle on a parking lot, infrastructure device for a parking lot and parking lot communication system
Publication Date: 2021.09.08 VALEO SCHALTER & SENSOREN GMBH
  • EP3388311B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for remotely maneuvering a motor vehicle (2) in a parking area (4) by means of a vehicle-external, parking area-side infrastructure device (3), comprising the following steps: a) determining position data of the motor vehicle (2) in the parking area (4); b) establishing a communication channel (15) from the infrastructure device (3) towards the motor vehicle (2); c) assuming longitudinal and lateral control of the motor vehicle (2) via the communication channel (15) for remote control of the motor vehicle (2); d) maneuvering the motor vehicle (2) in the parking area (4) depending on the position data of the motor vehicle (2), wherein steps a) to d) are carried out by the parking area-side infrastructure device (3). The invention also relates to an infrastructure device (3) for a parking area (4) and a parking area communication system (1).