Ultrasonic Signal Object Encoding for Low-Bandwidth Obstacle Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic systems in vehicles face challenges in efficiently transmitting data due to limited data transmission rates, necessitating increased data compression without compromising obstacle recognition reliability, especially when integrating data from multiple sensors.
Innovation Solution
A method that extracts predetermined signal profile characteristics from echo signals, allocates them to classes, and transmits identifiers and object parameters, allowing for reconstruction of the echo signal in the data processing device, thereby reducing data transmission while maintaining recognition accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the quantity of data transmitted from the ultrasonic system to the data processing device is increased to improve obstacle recognition accuracy, then the recognition reliability is improved, but the data transmission rate exceeds the capacity of available vehicle data busses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the most relevant features from the complete echo signal data. Specifically, it identifies and transmits parameters such as time of flight, signal amplitude, and selected signal characteristics that are critical for obstacle recognition, while leaving out redundant information. This extraction approach maintains recognition reliability by preserving essential features while significantly reducing the total data quantity transmitted over the vehicle data bus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by selectively transmitting different types of data with different priorities. Critical safety-related signal characteristics are transmitted with higher priority and greater detail, while less critical information is either compressed or omitted. This allows the system to optimize data transmission by allocating bandwidth according to the importance of different signal features for obstacle recognition.
2Quantity of substance
If data compression is applied to reduce data transmission quantity, then the data transmission rate fits within bus capacity, but information content and relevance for obstacle recognition may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis and selection of relevant signal characteristics in the ultrasonic system before transmission. By pre-identifying and extracting the most informative features from the echo signals (such as time of flight, amplitude, and specific signal profile characteristics), the system prepares a compressed data set that retains maximum information content for obstacle recognition. This preliminary action ensures that compression does not result in information loss, as only essential data is selected for transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the raw echo signal data into a different parameter representation that is more suitable for transmission. Instead of transmitting the complete time-domain signal, the system converts and transmits key parameters such as time of flight, signal amplitude, and selected frequency characteristics. This parameter transformation maintains the essential information needed for obstacle recognition while significantly reducing data quantity, effectively managing the trade-off between compression and information retention.
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
This approach significantly reduces data transmission bandwidth, prioritizes safety-critical data, and enables efficient integration of data from multiple ultrasonic sensors with other systems like radar, enhancing obstacle recognition and reducing the risk of erroneous decisions.
Implementation Method 1
ultrasonic burst signals are emitted by at least one ultrasonic transmitter which are received by at least one ultrasonic receiver of the ultrasonic system after having been reflected from an obstacle
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transmitting data from an ultrasonic sensor to a computer system includes forming a feature vector signal from an electric reception signal; recognizing signal objects in the reception signal and classifying the signal objects according to predetermined signal object classes. The signal objects are forms or sequences of forms. At least one object parameter allocated to the signal object and one symbol for the signal object class are allocated to each signal object, or for each signal object, at least one signal object parameter and a symbol object are determined. The method further includes transmitting the symbol and the at least one signal object parameter to the computer system as data of a recognized signal object. One of the forms in the signal object belonging to the signal object class includes a peak, and one of the transmitted signal object parameters is an amplitude of the peak.