RFID Pavement Markers for Lateral Positioning and Spoofing Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Self-driving vehicles face challenges in accurately determining their lateral position and navigating through adverse weather conditions and spoofing attacks due to limitations in GPS and computer vision systems.
Innovation Solution
A transit system that utilizes RFID devices embedded in pavement markers to transmit navigation signals, allowing vehicles to determine their lateral position and receive encoded road information, which can be used for real-time adjustments and navigation, even in obscured conditions, and mitigates spoofing attacks by providing local, redundant GPS information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS and computer vision systems are used for navigation, then vehicles can determine their position, but accuracy deteriorates in adverse weather conditions and certain locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces RFID tags embedded in pavement markers as an intermediary navigation infrastructure. These tags provide local position reference that vehicles can read to determine their lateral position within a lane, serving as a mediator between GPS satellite signals and the vehicle's navigation system. This intermediary system works reliably in adverse weather conditions where GPS and computer vision fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system is segmented into multiple independent components: GPS for global positioning, computer vision for local feature recognition, and RFID pavement markers for lateral lane position determination. Each component operates independently and can be used based on environmental conditions, with the RFID system providing segmented position information (lateral position within lane) that complements GPS (global position).
2Loss of information
If GPS signals are used for navigation, then vehicles can receive position information, but security deteriorates due to spoofing attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID pavement markers serve as a trusted intermediary that provides authenticated local position information. Since these tags are physically embedded in the road infrastructure, they cannot be remotely spoofed like GPS signals. The vehicle uses these physical markers to verify its position, creating a security layer that prevents spoofing attacks by providing unforgeable local reference points.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously reading RFID tags as the vehicle moves along the road. The sequence of read tags provides feedback on the vehicle's position and movement, allowing the navigation system to detect inconsistencies that would indicate spoofing attempts. The physical progression through known tag locations serves as a verification mechanism.
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
Enhances the safety and accuracy of self-driving vehicles by providing reliable lateral position data and road information, even in adverse weather, and prevents GPS spoofing, thereby improving navigation and security.
Implementation Method 1
The RFID devices 140 are configured to generate and transmit RFID navigation signals 150 to motor vehicles 100 traveling down the road 120
Data Source
AI summary
A transit system includes a road, a plurality of pavement markers spaced apart along a lane line of the road, and a plurality of RF devices carried by the pavement markers. The RF devices are configured to transmit RF navigation signals to motor vehicles traveling along the road.