Remote Vehicle Stop Position Prediction Under Network Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems fail to ensure safe emergency stops due to uncertainty about the vehicle's stopping position when remotely operated, as the operator cannot explicitly know where the vehicle will stop during an emergency stop.

Innovation Solution

An information processing method and apparatus that calculates and displays multiple stop positions based on different deceleration patterns and packet loss rates, allowing the operator to select the safest stop position and account for communication delays and potential collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the operator remotely operates the vehicle by checking images displayed on a display, then the operator can monitor the vehicle's surroundings, but the operator cannot explicitly know where the vehicle will stop during an emergency stop

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestop position informationVSAvoidemergency stop safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates and displays the stop position in advance before the emergency stop is executed. The stop position calculation unit computes where the vehicle will stop based on current speed, deceleration characteristics, and communication delay, then displays this information to the operator beforehand. This allows the operator to understand the consequences of initiating an emergency stop and make informed decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the operator about the predicted stop position by displaying it on the display device. This feedback loop allows the operator to see the relationship between their control inputs and the vehicle's stopping behavior, enabling better judgment and decision-making during emergency situations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the system calculates stop position based on communication delay time, then the stop position accuracy is improved, but the system complexity increases due to packet loss rate calculations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestop position accuracyVSAvoidcalculation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs calculations for multiple packet loss rates (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%) to ensure robustness, but in practice, the display shows a range of possible stop positions rather than requiring the operator to analyze each calculation. This partial action approach provides sufficient accuracy without overwhelming the operator with excessive detail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system varies the packet loss rate parameter to calculate different stop positions, then displays these as a range or expected position. By changing this parameter and showing the effect on stop position, the system accounts for communication uncertainty without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the actual emergency stop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If the operator initiates an emergency stop without knowing the stop position, then the response time is fast, but the vehicle may stop at an unsafe location causing collisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency stop response speedVSAvoidcollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stop position is calculated and displayed in advance before the emergency stop begins. This preliminary information provision allows the operator to initiate the emergency stop quickly while still having knowledge of where the vehicle will stop, thus maintaining fast response speed while avoiding collisions with obstacles that would be in the predicted stop path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By displaying the predicted stop position beforehand, the system enables the operator to take preliminary anti-action by deciding not to initiate the emergency stop if obstacles are detected in the predicted stop location, or by first maneuvering the vehicle to a safer position before applying emergency brakes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3608745B1Information processing method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.07.03 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA
  • EP3608745B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3608745B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3608745B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an information processing method of an information processing apparatus (140) for remotely operating a vehicle (200) via a communication network. The information processing method includes: obtaining vehicle information about the vehicle (200) (S10); obtaining a delay time of the communication network (S20); calculating, based on the vehicle information and the delay time, a stop position at which the vehicle (200) would stop if the vehicle (200) were caused to perform an emergency stop (S30); and outputting stop position information indicating the calculated stop position (S40).