Thermal Wheel Profile Tracking for Autonomous Vehicle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle systems face challenges in predicting the future motion of nearby vehicles, especially before a change in their mass shift, which limits their ability to make timely adjustments to avoid collisions or maintain safe distances.
Innovation Solution
A control system equipped with a thermal imaging sensor to track the thermal profile of a nearby vehicle's front wheel, determining a wheel angle parameter, and generating commands to adjust the vehicle's direction or acceleration based on this data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermal imaging sensors are used to track wheel thermal profiles, then the ability to detect wheel angle changes before mass shift is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical tracking systems (cameras, LIDAR) with thermal imaging sensors to detect wheel angle changes. The thermal sensor captures heat patterns emitted by rotating wheels, allowing the system to determine wheel orientation and vehicle trajectory intentions without complex mechanical or optical tracking apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in thermal parameters (temperature distribution, heat pattern orientation) of the wheel to infer wheel angle changes. By tracking how the thermal signature rotates and shifts, the system can detect steering inputs before they translate into visible vehicle movement or mass shift.
2Loss of time
If the vehicle reacts only after mass shift is detected, then the control system simplicity is maintained, but the response time is insufficient for collision avoidance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of wheel angle changes by monitoring thermal patterns before the vehicle actually changes direction or position. This early warning capability allows the autonomous vehicle to prepare evasive maneuvers in advance, significantly reducing reaction time and improving collision avoidance reliability.
3Loss of information
If traditional vehicle tracking methods are used, then the system complexity is low, but the ability to predict future vehicle motion is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal imaging sensor acts as an intermediary that captures indirect information (heat patterns from wheels) to infer the driver's steering intentions. This intermediary measurement provides earlier and more accurate prediction of vehicle motion compared to direct tracking methods that only observe vehicle position and orientation.
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
Enables the vehicle to anticipate and react to the motion of nearby vehicles more effectively by detecting changes in wheel angle before the vehicle's mass has shifted, thereby enhancing safety and avoiding collisions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one thermal imaging sensor configured to track a thermal profile of a wheel of a nearby vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A control system has at least one thermal imaging sensor configured to track a thermal profile of a wheel of a nearby vehicle and provide data indicative of the thermal profile. The control system also has a computing device including a processor and a memory. The computing device is configured to receive the data from the at least one thermal imaging sensor, determine a wheel angle parameter of the front wheel of the nearby vehicle based on the data, and generate a control command to change at least one of a direction or an acceleration of the vehicle based on the determined wheel angle parameter.