Roadside Sensor Markers for Autonomous Driving Condition Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sensor data are limited in providing information about upcoming construction zones, accident zones, changes in speed limits, and changes in available roadway lanes, which can affect autonomous vehicle operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of sensor markers proximate to the roadway, which provide information via various mechanisms such as patterns, RF signals, and camera detection, allowing vehicles to collect and process data to adjust their operations accordingly, including speed, lane changes, and autonomous control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If vehicle sensors are used to collect data, then basic environmental information can be obtained, but information about construction zones, accident zones, speed limit changes, and lane changes cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensor markers as intermediary objects placed along the roadway that actively transmit information about construction zones, accident zones, speed limits, and lane changes. These markers serve as mediators between the road infrastructure and vehicle sensors, enabling the detection of information that standard vehicle sensors cannot obtain on their own.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor markers are placed in advance at specific locations along the roadway where construction zones, accident zones, speed limit changes, or lane changes occur. This preliminary placement ensures that vehicles receive critical road condition information before reaching these areas, allowing for proactive adjustments to speed and routing.
2Measurement precision
If sensor markers are deployed to provide road condition information, then detection accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor markers use camera data collectors that capture images of the markers and process them to extract road condition information. This copying approach allows the system to obtain precise information about construction zones, accident zones, speed limits, and lane changes by creating digital representations of the physical marker data, thereby improving detection accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity.
3Loss of information
If multiple data collection mechanisms are used, then information completeness improves, but processing requirements and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor marker system is designed to provide multiple types of road condition information (construction zones, accident zones, speed limits, lane changes) through a single unified marker infrastructure. This multi-functional approach allows the system to collect comprehensive road information without requiring separate specialized sensors for each type of information, thereby reducing overall system complexity while improving information completeness.
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
Enhances the accuracy and safety of autonomous vehicle operations by providing critical information about road conditions and restrictions, enabling vehicles to make informed decisions and adjust their behavior to navigate safely through complex scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
Markers 160 may provide information via a variety of mechanisms, such as a pattern of blocks, dots, letters, numbers, etc., detectable by a camera data collectors 110
Implementation Method 2
by a radio frequency (RF) signal detectable by a radio data collector 110
Data Source
AI summary
A computer in a vehicle is configured to operate the vehicle in at least one of an autonomous and a semi-autonomous mode. The computer is further configured to detect at least one condition of a roadway being traveled by the vehicle, the condition comprising at least one of a restricted lane, a restricted zone, a construction zone, and accident area, an incline, a hazardous road surface. The computer is further configured to determine at least one autonomous action based on the condition, the at least one autonomous action including at least one of altering a speed of the vehicle, controlling vehicle steering, controlling vehicle lighting, transitioning the vehicle to manual control, and controlling a distance of the vehicle from an object.