RFID Roadway Markers for Autonomous Vehicle Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current GPS systems used for driverless vehicles are not accurate enough to provide precise location information, making it difficult for them to navigate and maintain lane position, especially in multilane traffic zones and during changes in traffic or inclement weather.
Innovation Solution
The SEE ID roadway system uses vehicle-mounted RFID readers to triangulate position with millimeter accuracy by reading RFID tags on roadway markers, combined with LIDAR sensors and a database for precise placement and communication, allowing for real-time adjustments in vehicle position and lane management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS systems are used for driverless vehicles, then location information can be obtained, but the accuracy is insufficient for precise navigation and lane position maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces RFID tags embedded in roadway markers as an intermediary reference system. These tags serve as fixed, known-position intermediaries between the vehicle's GPS system and the actual roadway geometry, enabling precise relative position calculation that compensates for GPS inaccuracies and maintains reliable navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from relying solely on satellite-based three-dimensional positioning to incorporating two-dimensional roadway plane reference through RFID tags. By adding this additional dimensional reference layer embedded in the roadway surface, the system achieves more precise horizontal position determination for navigation and lane maintenance.
2Measurement precision
If multiple RFID readers are mounted on the vehicle to read roadway tags, then position triangulation accuracy improves to millimeter level, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the positioning function into separate modular components: multiple RFID readers are distributed at different locations on the vehicle, each independently reading roadway tags. This segmentation enables triangulation through spatial distribution of sensors, achieving millimeter-level position accuracy while maintaining modular system architecture that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID readers serve multiple functions: they read RFID tags for position triangulation, detect LIDAR identifier markings for additional positioning verification, and provide data for both navigation and safety functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems, managing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
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 system enables driverless vehicles to accurately determine their position and adjust lane position in real-time, improving navigation and safety by providing precise location data, even in complex traffic conditions and construction zones.
Implementation Method 1
The SEE ID reader then sends out a signal using a secured broadcast wavelength radio frequency that powers up the passive RFID in the SRRM
Implementation Method 2
a possible secondary subsystem LIDAR (light detecting and ranging) that calculates current vehicle position
Data Source
AI summary
One of the major issues with adding a driverless vehicle to a roadway, populated or not, is how that vehicle is able to keep its location in the required lane of the roadway in which it is operating. Current GPS systems that provide information to autonomous vehicles are not accurate enough for those vehicles to keep their operating positions in a lane on roadways. In inclement weather the GPS system is even less accurate and may not even function. In alternate embodiments the system can be utilized for equipment and personnel identification, such as identifying the location of construction workers and equipment at a construction site in relation to the system. This will provide benefits including, but not limited to, increasing the safety of a construction site, ensuring that only authorized personnel are present on the site and/or within a given area of the site.