Safe Navigation Path Generation for Autonomous Vehicles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles often generate navigation paths close to dividers or walls, leading to difficulties in maneuvering obstacles and navigating steep curves, as they do not efficiently utilize the center of the road, resulting in inefficient path planning.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generate safe navigation paths by creating scan lines and segments along the boundaries of a reference path, projecting perpendicular stretches from the center of these segments to determine center points, and constructing the navigation path based on these points to ensure the vehicle travels along the center of the road, thereby improving path efficiency and maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the path planning module generates a path close to dividers or walls, then the path can be generated within the road boundaries, but the vehicle experiences difficulty in maneuvering obstacles and navigating steep curves due to insufficient space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the 1D reference path into a 2D navigable corridor by generating perpendicular scan lines that extend to road boundaries. This dimensional expansion creates a safety buffer zone that provides lateral space for maneuvering while maintaining confinement within road boundaries, resolving the contradiction between boundary adherence and maneuverability
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle travels along a path with steep curves that is not generated along the centre of the road, then the path can follow the road layout, but the vehicle cannot traverse the curve easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary expansion of the reference path into a corridor with scan lines extending to boundaries before the vehicle reaches curves. This advance preparation creates pre-computed safe zones that provide lateral clearance for curve traversal, enabling the vehicle to follow road layouts while maintaining curve navigation capability
3Productivity
If the path is generated close to obstacles, then the path can be generated within available road space, but there is not enough space for the vehicle to maneuver obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the road space by generating multiple perpendicular scan lines from the reference path to boundaries, dividing the continuous road into discrete measurable zones. This segmentation enables systematic calculation of safe corridors that maintain efficient path generation while ensuring adequate maneuvering space near obstacles through structured spatial analysis
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to generation of a safe navigation path for a vehicle. The safe navigation path is generated by a navigation path generation system. The navigation path generation system receives a reference path from a source location to a destination location. Further, generates scan lines from the reference path to the boundaries present on either side of the reference path. Further, the navigation path generation system generates segment along the boundaries. Further, using the generated segments the navigation path generation system generates a safe navigation path along the centre, between the boundaries present on either side of the reference path. Navigation of the vehicle along the safe path ensures the safety of the vehicle and the people in the vehicle especially when the vehicle is an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle.