V2I Roadside Infrastructure Dynamic Power Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Roadside infrastructure, such as streetlights and traffic lights, consume significant energy due to inefficient operation modes, particularly in low-traffic areas where lights remain on for extended periods.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication system that uses communication nodes equipped with sensors and wireless transceivers to detect vehicle presence and location, allowing for dynamic activation and deactivation of infrastructure units based on vehicle proximity, thereby optimizing power usage by only energizing lights when vehicles are approaching.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If roadside infrastructure units (street lights, traffic lights) remain continuously operational to ensure availability, then service reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfrastructure availabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic operation modes for roadside infrastructure units, allowing them to switch between active, standby, and sleep states based on real-time vehicle presence detection. Communication nodes continuously monitor vehicle proximity and adjust infrastructure operational state accordingly, enabling the system to adapt its energy consumption profile to actual service demands rather than maintaining fixed continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting vehicle presence in advance and pre-activating infrastructure units before vehicles actually need them. Communication nodes detect approaching vehicles and trigger infrastructure activation proactively, ensuring immediate service availability when needed while avoiding continuous operation during idle periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If infrastructure units are activated only when vehicles are detected, then energy consumption is reduced, but response time and service availability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidservice availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The communication nodes continuously monitor vehicle presence and trigger infrastructure activation in advance before vehicles actually reach the infrastructure. This preliminary detection and pre-activation ensures that when vehicles arrive, the infrastructure is already operational, maintaining immediate service availability while avoiding continuous operation during idle periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where communication nodes monitor vehicle presence, transmit this information to infrastructure controllers, and receive confirmation of operational state changes. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures rapid response to vehicle arrival while allowing infrastructure to remain in low-power states during idle periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Speed

If multiple communication nodes continuously transmit and receive data to maintain system coordination, then system responsiveness is improved, but overall energy consumption of the communication network increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidcommunication network energy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Communication nodes employ periodic transmission and reception cycles rather than continuous operation. Nodes wake up at scheduled intervals to exchange data with other nodes and infrastructure units, then return to sleep mode. This periodic communication pattern maintains system coordination and responsiveness while dramatically reducing the energy consumption of the communication network compared to continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20210027621A1Vehicle to infrastructure power saving system

Publication Date: 2021.01.28 DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA INC

AI summary

A system and method is disclosed for communicating data and transmitting information between roadside infrastructure units regarding vehicle data, in some embodiments, the roadside infrastructure units have one or more communication nodes equipped with a wireless transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with a vehicle such as a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) or cellular system. Each communication node can also wirelessly communicate with one or more of the other remaining communication nodes in, for example, a mesh network. One of the communication nodes can establish a connection with the vehicle via DSRC, obtain vehicle-specific data, and transmit at least a portion of this vehicle-specific data to one or more other communication nodes in other roadside infrastructure units. The roadside units can change operation state (e.g., illuminate) in response to receive the vehicle-specific data indicating the vehicle approaching that roadside unit,