Road Surface Route Encoding for GPS-Independent Vehicle Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current road signage is inadequate for providing detailed and accurate information to both human drivers and autonomous vehicles, as it lacks precision and completeness, and electronic maps used by autonomous vehicles can be inaccurate or inaccessible due to network limitations.
Innovation Solution
A system where encoded route information is directly applied to road surfaces using combinations of symbols, which can be read by vehicles to determine route details, and supplemented with dynamic information from a network service using location identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic maps are stored locally in autonomous vehicles, then navigation can operate without network connectivity, but the maps may not reflect current road conditions or changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-applies encoded route information to road surfaces before vehicles need it. This preliminary encoding ensures that accurate road condition data is already available on the roadway itself, allowing vehicles to read current information without relying on outdated local maps or requiring network connectivity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoded symbols on the road surface act as an intermediary between the road condition data and the vehicle's navigation system. This intermediary provides a reliable, always-updated source of road information that vehicles can read directly, resolving the conflict between having static local maps and needing current road condition data.
2Loss of information
If navigation systems rely on remote servers for map information, then maps can be updated in real-time, but network connections may be limited or unavailable in remote areas
Solution Approach 1:
The encoded symbols on the road serve as an intermediary that carries map information directly to vehicles. This eliminates the need for vehicles to maintain continuous network connections to remote servers, as the information is physically present on the roadway itself and can be read at any time.
Solution Approach 2:
Route information is pre-encoded on the road surface in advance, so vehicles do not need to query remote servers during operation. This preliminary encoding ensures information availability in remote areas without network connectivity while maintaining currency of the data.
3Ease of operation
If traditional road signage is used, then information is provided to human drivers, but the information is sparse and lacks precision for autonomous navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments route information into discrete, encodable elements such as speed limits, curvature, grade, and amenities. Each element can be represented by specific symbol combinations, allowing precise encoding of detailed roadway data that goes far beyond traditional signage while maintaining readability for human drivers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of information density by encoding multiple precise roadway parameters (speed, curvature, grade, incline, amenities) into compact symbol sequences on the road surface. This transforms sparse traditional signage into a high-density information carrier that provides both human-readable and machine-parseable data.
4Measurement precision
If detailed route information is encoded on road surfaces, then navigation precision is improved, but the complexity of the encoding system increases
Solution Approach 1:
Complex route information is broken down into segmented, standardized symbol elements that can be systematically combined. This segmentation allows detailed precision information to be encoded using aĉé set of basic symbol types and combination rules, managing system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoded symbol system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides precise navigation data for autonomous vehicles, maintains readability for human drivers, and enables various levels of information density. This multi-functionality justifies the encoding complexity by delivering comprehensive value across different user needs.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, route information and/or location identifiers are directly encoded on a surface of a roadway. A route information service stores detailed route information that correspond with sections of a roadway and provides instructions to a road symbol application device to apply combinations of shapes to a surface of the roadway to encode the route information and/or location identifiers on the roadway. A sensor of a vehicle traversing the roadway detects the combination of symbols, decodes the combination of symbols to determine route information and/or location identifiers, and provides the route information to a control system of the vehicle for use in controlling the vehicle or displays the route information via a display of the vehicle.