Terrain Mapping Database for Human-Scale Vehicle Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation systems inadequately address the unique challenges of navigating human-scale vehicles through diverse off-road terrains, failing to provide tailored navigation directives based on vehicle type, terrain characteristics, and user skills.
Innovation Solution
A database and method for mapping off-road terrain in three-dimensional terms, utilizing sensors and user data to define and update navigation directives for specific terrain conditions, considering vehicle type, terrain characteristics, and user skills, and dynamically adjusting route segments based on real-time sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If current navigation systems treat human-scale vehicles as small automotive vehicles or pedestrians, then the system complexity is reduced, but the navigation accuracy and suitability for specific terrain conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation system into multiple components: terrain database module, vehicle profile module, route planning module, and real-time tracking module. Each component handles specific aspects of navigation, allowing the system to process terrain characteristics, vehicle capabilities, and user preferences separately while integrating them for comprehensive navigation guidance suited to human-scale vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating terrain-specific navigation directives that vary by location. The system divides terrain into segments with unique characteristics (e.g., rocky, sandy, muddy) and generates customized navigation instructions for each segment based on the vehicle type and terrain difficulty, rather than applying uniform navigation rules across all areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the database includes detailed terrain characteristics and navigation directives for multiple vehicle types, then the adaptability to different terrains and vehicles improves, but the database complexity and size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal terrain database structure that can serve multiple vehicle types through a standardized framework. The database uses a common data model with terrain segments, characteristics, and directives that can be queried and applied across different vehicle profiles (mountain bikes, road bikes, e-bikes, scooters), allowing one database to support multiple functions and vehicle types without requiring separate databases for each.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent manages database complexity by parameterizing terrain characteristics and vehicle capabilities. Instead of storing exhaustive detailed information for every possible terrain-vehicle combination, the system uses key parameters (terrain difficulty level, vehicle capability ratings, speed limits) that can be combined through algorithms to generate appropriate navigation directives, reducing redundant data storage while maintaining comprehensive adaptability.
3Reliability
If navigation directives are continuously updated using sensor data from travelers, then the reliability and current accuracy of terrain information improves, but the data processing requirements and system resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing and filtering sensor data before it requires intensive computation. The system establishes baseline terrain characteristics from historical data and pre-defines terrain segments and characteristics. When new sensor data arrives, the system compares it against these pre-established frameworks rather than processing from scratch, significantly reducing real-time computational requirements while maintaining accurate updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where sensor data from travelers continuously updates the terrain database. The system collects data from multiple sources (accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPS, user inputs), validates it against existing terrain models, and progressively refines terrain characteristics. This feedback loop improves reliability over time while the validation process filters out erroneous data, reducing the need for intensive processing of invalid information.
4Ease of operation
If the system provides customized navigation directives based on vehicle type, terrain characteristics, and user skills, then the ease of operation and user satisfaction improves, but the computational complexity for generating directives increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing navigation directives for common terrain-vehicle combinations. The system pre-processes terrain data into standardized segments with associated difficulty ratings and recommended vehicle capabilities. When generating navigation routes, the system retrieves and combines these pre-computed directives rather than calculating everything in real-time, reducing computational complexity while still providing customized guidance based on the specific vehicle type and terrain conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method of navigating through a terrain using a human-scale vehicle, the method including: receiving an origin point and one or more destination points in the terrain; selecting route segments of a plurality of predefined route segments to navigate a user from the origin point to the one or more destination points in the terrain using the human-scale vehicle; obtaining motion data from one or more motion sensors disposed on at least one of the user and the human-scale vehicle during traveling of the human-scale vehicle along the selected route segments; and determining, based on at least a portion of the obtained motion data, terrain characteristics of the selected route segments.