Road Configuration Messaging for Accurate Lane-Level ITS Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) face challenges in accurately localizing objects or events on dynamic road structures, particularly due to limitations in precision GPS and evolving road conditions, which can lead to incorrect warnings or maneuvers by vehicles.

Innovation Solution

The method involves transmitting and receiving ITS messages that include a geometrical description of road sections and lane connections, allowing vehicles to compute multi-section lane structures, positions, and distances, enabling accurate event detection and driver alerts through improved Road Configuration Containers (RCC) in Decentralized Environmental Notification Messages (DENMs) and Collective Perception Messages (CPMs).

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If precision GPS is used for localization, then positioning accuracy is improved, but system cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces Road Configuration Containers (RCC) as an intermediary data structure that mediates between GPS coordinates and road infrastructure. The RCC contains geometrical descriptions of road sections, lanes, and connections that allow the system to interpret GPS positions in the context of road geometry without requiring enhanced GPS hardware, thus improving effective positioning accuracy while avoiding increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional GPS coordinates to a three-dimensional road space model by incorporating vertical lane information and road section geometry. This dimensional enhancement allows vehicles to be localized not just by coordinates but by their position within the structured road infrastructure, improving accuracy without relying on more complex positioning hardware

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If detailed geometrical descriptions of road sections are transmitted, then localization accuracy is improved, but communication data volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocalization accuracyVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the road infrastructure into discrete Road Configuration Containers representing individual road sections, each with its own geometrical description. This segmentation allows the system to transmit only the specific road section data relevant to the vehicle's current location rather than entire road networks, improving localization accuracy for relevant areas while minimizing overall data transmission volume

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing detailed geometrical descriptions only for the specific road sections where vehicles are located or likely to travel, rather than uniformly describing all road infrastructure. This targeted approach ensures high localization accuracy where needed while reducing the quantity of transmitted road configuration data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If lane connection information between sections is provided, then route determination accuracy is improved, but message complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute determination accuracyVSAvoidmessage complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining and storing lane connection relationships between road sections in the Road Configuration Containers during system setup or map creation phases. This preliminary structuring of connectivity information allows receiving vehicles to quickly determine routes by simple matching operations rather than performing complex real-time calculations, improving route determination accuracy while keeping message processing complexity low

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4465275A1Method, device, and computer program for improving localization of an object or event in intelligent transport systems
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 CANON KK
  • EP4465275A1 patent drawingFigure 1
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  • EP4465275A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, it is provided a method of communication in an intelligent transport system, ITS. After obtaining a geometrical description of a plurality of sections of a portion of a road infrastructure, each section of the plurality of sections comprising at least one lane and at least one section of the plurality of sections comprising a plurality of lanes, a connection between at least one lane of the at least one section of the plurality of sections comprising a plurality of lanes and at least one lane of another section of the plurality sections is determined and an ITS message comprising an item of information describing the determined connection is transmitted.