Road Segment Emission Data Calculation via Frequency Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for reducing vehicle emissions and fuel consumption are limited by the inability to effectively account for road conditions in route planning, as they do not accurately assess the impact of acceleration and velocity on emissions and fuel usage across different road segments.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that determine average emission and fuel consumption data for road segments by analyzing vehicle position data, velocity, and acceleration, using frequency distributions to calculate expected emissions or fuel consumption, which can then be used to optimize route planning and minimize total emissions or fuel consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If route planning is performed without considering road-specific emission and fuel consumption data, then route planning is simple and fast, but the total emissions and fuel consumption cannot be minimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemissions and fuel consumptionVSAvoidroute planning system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The method segments the route into multiple road segments and calculates emission and fuel consumption data for each segment separately based on specific road conditions (traffic lights, slopes, curves). This allows the system to handle complexity in a modular way while achieving accurate total emission and fuel consumption calculations for the complete route.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-calculates and stores emission and fuel consumption parameters for different road segment types before route planning is performed. These pre-computed parameters (based on typical vehicle behavior patterns for each road segment type) are then quickly retrieved and summed during route planning, avoiding the need for complex real-time calculations while still minimizing total emissions and fuel consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If average emission and fuel consumption data are calculated for each road segment, then route optimization becomes possible, but data collection and processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute optimization efficiencyVSAvoiddata collection and processing system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The method uses feedback from actual vehicle measurements (position, velocity, acceleration) to determine typical vehicle behavior patterns for each road segment type. This feedback is used to calculate and store average emission and fuel consumption parameters that are then applied to optimize route selection, creating a closed-loop system that improves route optimization efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing complex real-time calculations for each vehicle on each road segment, the system creates simplified copies or representations of road segments with pre-calculated emission and fuel consumption parameters. These parameter copies can be quickly retrieved and used for route optimization without repeating the full measurement and calculation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If vehicle position data is continuously monitored to determine movement parameters, then accurate emission data can be obtained, but energy consumption for data collection increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemission and fuel consumption measurement accuracyVSAvoidenergy for data collection and processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs continuous monitoring of vehicle position data and calculation of movement parameters (velocity, acceleration) only when needed to update or refine the emission and fuel consumption models for specific road segments. For routine route planning, the system uses previously calculated average parameters, thereby reducing the frequency of energy-intensive measurements and calculations while maintaining sufficient measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2756266B1Method and system for obtaining emission and fuel consumption data
Publication Date: 2018.02.21 NEDERLANDSE ORG VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
  • EP2756266B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2756266B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2756266B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method is presented for obtaining emission and/or fuel consumption data associated with a road segment. The method comprises the steps of - receiving (S1) at least position data from a vehicle, - determining (S2) a respective value for at least a first and a second parameter indicative for a movement of the vehicle, - storing (S3) a frequency distribution having classes for combinations of value ranges for said at least a first and a second parameter, - updating (S4) a frequency count for a class of said frequency distribution corresponding to the determined values for said at least a first and a second parameter, - repeating (S5) the previous steps - calculating (S6) an expected emission and/or fuel consumption for a typical vehicle on said road segment on the basis of an emission or fuel consumption model that indicates the emission or fuel consumption as a function of the value of the at least a first and a second parameter weighted by the relative frequencies with which said values occur in the frequency distribution.