Mobile Body Road Type Recognition Using Bicycle Marks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor-driven vehicle traveling support devices cannot accurately recognize the type of road in a region of interest, which prevents them from controlling the vehicle accordingly.

Innovation Solution

A control device for a mobile object that includes a road type recognition unit capable of identifying whether a region of interest is a roadway or a sidewalk based on detected bicycle marks, directions, signs, and road widths, and a control unit that adjusts the mobile object's mode and speed accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a motor-driven vehicle traveling support device uses basic image detection to identify roads, then the device structure remains simple, but the device cannot recognize road types (roadway or sidewalk) accurately

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad type recognition accuracyVSAvoiddetection and recognition system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the road recognition task into multiple components: detecting bicycle marks, identifying boundary objects (curbstones, fences, guardrails, plantings, marking lines), measuring road widths, and determining directions. Each component is processed separately and then integrated to achieve accurate road type classification without requiring a single complex recognition system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The detection device performs multiple functions using the same hardware: it detects bicycle marks, identifies boundary objects, measures road widths, and determines directions simultaneously. This multi-functional approach improves road type recognition accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If the device uses multiple parameters (bicycle mark direction, signs, road widths) to recognize road types, then recognition accuracy improves, but the processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad type recognition accuracyVSAvoiddetection and processing difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary detection of all relevant parameters (bicycle marks, boundary objects, road widths, directions) before making the road type classification decision. By gathering all necessary information in advance, the system simplifies the final classification process and improves accuracy without excessive processing complexity during decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses boundary objects (curbstones, fences, guardrails, plantings, marking lines) as intermediary elements to distinguish between roadways and sidewalks. These physical intermediaries provide clear visual cues that simplify the recognition process and improve accuracy without requiring complex analysis of all road parameters simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If the mobile object travels at high speed on roadways, then productivity is high, but safety is compromised when mistakenly entering sidewalks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraveling speedVSAvoidtraveling safety
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device continuously monitors detected parameters (bicycle marks, boundary objects, road widths) and provides feedback to adjust the mobile object's speed. When the system identifies a sidewalk or uncertain road type, it automatically reduces speed to ensure safety, while maintaining higher speeds on confirmed roadways, thus balancing productivity and safety dynamically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4502979A1Mobile body control apparatus, mobile body control method, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.02.05 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4502979A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4502979A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4502979A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control device for a mobile object includes: a road type recognition unit configured to recognize whether a region of interest is a roadway or a sidewalk based on a bicycle mark used for guiding a passage of a bicycle and detected by a detection device that detects an external situation of a mobile object that is able to move in both the roadway and the sidewalk; and a control unit configured to control the mobile object based on a result of the recognition of the road type recognition unit.