Roadside Camera Rotation Guided by Circular Radar Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number and types of sensors on intelligent roadside units lead to higher costs and increased data computation, particularly on roads with low traffic volume, where deploying cameras in each direction is costly and computationally intensive.

Innovation Solution

The intelligent roadside unit employs a circular track with a movable camera and a circular radar array to detect the approach direction of vehicles, allowing a single camera to cover multiple directions, reducing the need for multiple cameras and minimizing data processing while maintaining measurement accuracy through the use of millimeter-wave or laser radars.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple cameras are deployed to cover each direction on roads with low traffic volume, then the sensing capability and coverage are improved, but the costs and data computation increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensing capabilityVSAvoidnumber of cameras
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the camera rotatable to change its detection direction dynamically. The camera can rotate to face different directions based on detected vehicle approaches, transforming a static multi-camera system into a dynamic single-camera system that achieves the same coverage adaptively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by enabling a single camera to perform multiple directional detection functions through rotation. Instead of requiring separate cameras for each direction, one camera can universally cover multiple directions sequentially, reducing the total number of cameras while maintaining comprehensive sensing capability.

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

2Device complexity

If a single camera is used to reduce costs, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect vehicles from multiple directions is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of camerasVSAvoidmulti-directional detection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is mounted on a rotatable mechanism that allows it to dynamically change its detection direction. This dynamic adjustment enables a single camera to adaptively target different directions based on vehicle detection by the radar array, maintaining multi-directional detection capability without requiring multiple fixed cameras.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the radar array to control camera rotation. When the radar detects a vehicle approach from a specific direction, it provides feedback to the controller, which then rotates the camera to face that direction, ensuring the camera always monitors the relevant direction with feedback-driven adaptive adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the camera rotates to track vehicle approach direction, then the data computation is reduced, but the response time and tracking accuracy may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata computation efficiencyVSAvoidcamera response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The radar array continuously scans and detects vehicle approaches in advance, providing early warning of vehicle directions. This preliminary detection allows the camera to rotate to the correct direction before the vehicle reaches the intersection, ensuring timely capture without compromising response speed despite the rotation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical multi-camera systems with a combination of radar detection and mechanical camera rotation. The radar provides rapid electronic detection of vehicle directions, substituting the need for multiple mechanical cameras, while the single camera's rotation is controlled based on this electronic feedback, achieving fast response through sensor substitution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 configuration significantly reduces costs and data computation while ensuring accurate obstacle detection and imaging resolution, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of autonomous driving support by enabling efficient data processing and real-time traffic control.

Implementation Method 1

a circular radar array including a plurality of radars detecting obstacle information in different directions of a road respectively

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Data Source

PatentEP3618035B1Intelligent roadside unit, control method and storage medium
Publication Date: 2024.01.24 APOLLO INTELLIGENT DRIVING (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP3618035B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3618035B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present disclosure proposes an intelligent roadside unit and a control method. The intelligent roadside unit includes: a circular track (110); a camera (120) disposed on the circular track and movable along the circular track; a driver (130) for driving the camera (120); a circular radar array (140), wherein the circular radar array (140) includes a plurality of radars detecting obstacle information in different directions of a road respectively; and a controller (150) configured to judge whether there is a vehicle approaching and to acquire an approach direction of the vehicle according to the obstacle information detected by the radar, and to control the driver (130) to drive the camera (120) toward the approach direction for shooting. By setting the circular track and disposing the camera on the circular track, the measurement accuracy can be guaranteed.