Teleoperation Link-Adaptive Sensor Abstraction for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional driverless vehicles are sub-optimally designed, inefficient in inventory management, and lack the ability to effectively navigate social interactions, leading to safety and utilization issues.
Innovation Solution
A system for autonomous vehicles that includes bidirectional design, sensor redundancy, and teleoperation capabilities to enhance navigation and safety, allowing for efficient fleet management and interaction with dynamic environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional driverless vehicles are designed to accommodate a licensed driver with a reserved seat, then the vehicle can be operated with manual control capability, but the vehicle design becomes sub-optimal and resources are not conserved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the driver's seat and manual control mechanisms from the vehicle design, extracting only the essential autonomous driving functions while eliminating unnecessary components. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational capability through autonomous systems while simplifying the physical vehicle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical manual control systems with electronic and software-based autonomous driving systems. Sensors, processors, and control algorithms substitute for steering wheels, pedals, and manual intervention, achieving the same operational versatility without the physical complexity of human-operated mechanisms.
2Reliability
If conventional transportation services use privately-owned vehicles with human drivers, then individual vehicle ownership is maintained, but inventory management becomes inefficient and vehicles are under-utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal fleet management system where autonomous vehicles can serve multiple purposes and multiple users sequentially. The same vehicle can transport different passengers on different routes, perform maintenance tasks, or relocate to high-demand areas, maximizing utilization without sacrificing reliability through centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the centralized system continuously monitors vehicle locations, passenger requests, and traffic conditions to dynamically adjust fleet allocation. This feedback loop ensures vehicles are deployed where most needed, maintaining high availability while maximizing productivity through data-driven decision-making.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ride-sharing services require drivers to pick up and drop off vehicles at specific locations, then vehicle sharing is enabled, but access to expensive real estate is required and convenience is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables autonomous vehicles to perform self-service functions including self-parking, self-charging, and self-maintenance without requiring human drivers to access specific locations. The vehicles can autonomously navigate to and from any pickup or drop-off point, eliminating the need for expensive dedicated parking facilities and improving operational convenience.
4Extent of automation
If conventional approaches focus on automating existing vehicles with manual control, then driverless capability is achieved, but design optimization and resource conservation opportunities are foregone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the vehicle system into distinct functional modules: autonomous driving control, passenger accommodation, cargo storage, and communication systems. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently for its specific function, achieving driverless capability while reducing overall design complexity through modular architecture and specialized component design.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method comprising: receiving sensor data from a sensor on a vehicle; generating a first abstraction of the sensor data having a first level of abstraction detail and a second abstraction of the sensor data having a second level of abstraction detail; determining an attribute of a communications link between the vehicle and a remote system; transmitting, based at least in part on the attribute of the communications link and to the remote system, one of the sensor data, the first abstraction, or the second abstraction; receiving, from the remote system, a command; and controlling, based at least in part on the command, the vehicle.