Roadway Projection System for Driver Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional driving assistance systems fail to provide support for specific driving actions, such as turning, merging, and navigating through traffic, falling short of addressing the medium-time frame needs of drivers.
Innovation Solution
A roadway projection system integrated into vehicles, comprising a sensor array, image projector, and computing device, which gathers data, identifies driving actions, and projects guidance images directly onto the roadway to assist drivers without requiring them to look away, while avoiding non-projectable objects and accounting for terrain variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional driving assistance systems (speedometer, navigation) are used, then immediate vehicle control and long-term navigation are provided, but assistance with specific driving actions (turning, merging) is missing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines sensor array, image projector, and computing device into an integrated roadway projection system that merges immediate vehicle control information with specific driving action guidance, eliminating the gap between speedometer/tachometer data and navigation instructions
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary roadway projection system that acts as a mediator between conventional instruments and navigation, providing real-time guidance for specific driving actions through projected images on the roadway surface
2Ease of operation
If images are projected onto the roadway to assist drivers, then driving assistance is provided, but the driver may be required to look away from the roadway
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a copy of the roadway surface as a projection canvas, displaying guidance images directly on the roadway itself rather than on separate displays, allowing drivers to maintain their natural focus on the road while receiving assistance information
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional dashboard displays to the three-dimensional roadway surface, projecting images onto the actual driving path to provide assistance without requiring drivers to shift their visual attention to separate instruments
3Productivity
If sensor data is processed to identify driving actions, then real-time assistance is provided, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device pre-processes sensor data to identify potential driving actions and prepares corresponding guidance images in advance, enabling real-time assistance without excessive processing delays during critical driving moments
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the complex driving environment into distinct actionable elements (turning, merging, lane changes) that can be independently identified and addressed through specific projected guidance images, simplifying the overall processing task
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
The system effectively provides real-time driving assistance for specific actions, enhancing safety and efficiency by projecting relevant information directly onto the road, thus bridging the gap between immediate vehicle control and long-term navigation.
Implementation Method 1
an image projector configured to project images onto a projectable area associated with the roadway
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A roadway projection system integrated into a vehicle is configured to identify a specific driving scenario encountered by a driver of the vehicle, and to then project an image onto a roadway along which the vehicle travels based on that scenario. The image is intended to provide guidance to the driver in negotiating the identified scenario and/or to visualize potential driving actions of the driver for the benefit of others. The image could be, for example, and without limitation, an indicator that the driver should follow to perform a specific driving or navigation action, or a preference that the driver wishes to share with other drivers. In addition, the roadway projection system may detect images projected by other roadway projection systems in other vehicles and to determine mutual preferences shared between drivers. When a shared preference is violated, the roadway projection system may alert the driver of the vehicle.