Vehicle Navigation Routing Using Solar Illumination Maps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar-powered vehicle technologies fail to consider solar radiation that is proximate but not directly received by the vehicle's solar panel when determining navigation routes, leading to suboptimal energy generation and route planning.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing sensor data from cameras and illumination maps to estimate solar radiation values along a route, incorporating data from other vehicles and stationary sensors to generate an illumination map that identifies routes with the highest probability of solar radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vehicle uses only direct solar radiation received by the solar panel to determine navigation routes, then the route planning is simple, but the energy generation efficiency is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping of solar radiation characteristics for route segments before the vehicle actually traverses them. By pre-collecting and storing solar radiation data from multiple sources (satellite imagery, weather stations, historical vehicle data), the system prepares illumination maps in advance, allowing the vehicle to make informed routing decisions without real-time complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from considering only direct solar radiation (one-dimensional) to incorporating proximate solar radiation from surrounding areas (multi-dimensional). By mapping solar radiation values across route segments and considering three-dimensional spatial relationships, the system identifies routes that maximize solar exposure by traveling through or near high-radiation zones.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the vehicle travels through areas with higher solar radiation exposure, then the solar energy generation increases, but the travel time may increase due to route optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts routing parameters by incorporating solar radiation probability values into the route optimization calculation. Instead of using only traditional navigation parameters (distance, speed limits), the system adds solar radiation exposure as a weighted parameter, allowing it to balance energy generation goals with time efficiency by selecting routes that offer optimal solar exposure without excessive detours.
3Measurement precision
If the system collects solar radiation data from multiple sources including other vehicles and stationary sensors, then the accuracy of solar radiation estimation improves, but the data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges data from multiple sources (satellite imagery, weather stations, historical vehicle data, stationary sensors) into a unified illumination map database. By consolidating these diverse data sources and processing them through centralized servers rather than individual vehicles, the system achieves high measurement precision while distributing the computational complexity across the network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces illumination maps as an intermediary data structure that pre-processes and organizes solar radiation information from multiple sources. These maps serve as a中介 between raw data from various sources and the vehicle's routing decisions, simplifying the data processing burden on individual vehicles while maintaining high estimation accuracy through pre-computed solar radiation probability values.
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 probability of solar energy generation by optimizing navigation routes to maximize solar radiation exposure, thereby improving energy efficiency and route planning for solar-powered vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
A vehicle may include a solar panel that includes an array of photovoltaic (PV) cells. The PV cells may generate energy based on solar radiation received by the solar panel.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle navigation device may include a processor. The processor may receive an illumination map that includes route segments corresponding to an area. The illumination map may include a probability of solar radiation value for each of the route segments. The processor may receive a request to generate a navigation route from a start point to an end point within the area. The processor may determine navigable routes from the start point to the end point using the route segments. The processor may determine an overall probability of solar radiation value for each of the navigable routes based on the probability of solar radiation value for each route segment. The processor may identify a navigable route considering the overall probability of solar radiation values as an illumination route. The processor may generate an instruction to a display device to display the illumination route as a navigable route for the vehicle.