Vehicle Periphery Alert Device Using Dynamic Virtual Alert Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle periphery alert devices face inaccuracies in calculating the parking angle due to sampling errors and require non-volatile memory for data storage, leading to increased cost and weight.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle periphery alert device that sets a virtual alert area or line based on the angle formed by the movement directions of the vehicle and another vehicle, using a millimeter-wave radar to detect the position and movement direction of the other vehicle, and activates an alert operation when the vehicle enters or crosses this area/line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the parking angle is calculated by sampling yaw rate and steering angle until the parked state is reached, then the alert area can be set based on the parking angle, but the starting time point of sampling may not be accurate and errors may occur due to the sampling cycle, leading to inaccurate parking angle calculation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sampling method (sampling yaw rate and steering angle at discrete time intervals) with a mathematical calculation method based on vehicle movement geometry. The control unit calculates the parking angle by determining the angle between the vehicle's movement direction and the driving lane direction using position information from the detecting unit, eliminating sampling cycle errors and starting time point issues.
2Reliability
If a non-volatile memory is used to save the calculated parking angle data when the vehicle system is shut down, then the data can be preserved, but the cost and weight of the system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the control unit continuously recalculates the parking angle using current position and movement direction data from the detecting unit when the vehicle starts to reverse. This eliminates the need to store parking angle data in non-volatile memory, as the system generates the necessary information on-demand without requiring additional memory components.
3Reliability
If a non-volatile memory is used to save the calculated parking angle data when the vehicle system is shut down, then the data can be preserved, but the cost of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously recalculates the parking angle using current position and movement direction data from the detecting unit when the vehicle starts to reverse. This eliminates the need to store parking angle data in non-volatile memory, as the system generates the necessary information on-demand without requiring additional memory components, thereby reducing system cost.
4Device complexity
If a uniform alert area is set regardless of the parking angle, then the device complexity is reduced, but the alert area may deviate from the area that is supposed to be alerted when the vehicle is parked at a slanted or near-parallel angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic alert area setting mechanism where the alert area is automatically adjusted based on the calculated parking angle. The control unit determines the angle between the vehicle's movement direction and the driving lane direction, and uses this angle to dynamically position and orient the alert area, ensuring it accurately covers the intended region regardless of the parking angle, while maintaining manageable system complexity.
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 solution provides accurate alerts to vehicles behind the alert device without the need for pre-calculating parking angles or using non-volatile memory, thus reducing cost and weight while ensuring effective alert functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a millimeter-wave radar to detect the position and movement direction of the other vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Means to Solve the ProblemA vehicle periphery alert device is installed in a vehicle that operates when the vehicle starts to reverse from a parked state. The vehicle periphery alert device includes a detecting unit configured to detect a position and a movement direction of another vehicle behind the vehicle; an alert operation activating unit configured to perform a predetermined alert operation in the vehicle; and a control unit configured to set a virtual alert area behind the vehicle according to an angle formed by a movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle, and to activate the alert operation activating unit when a condition, including that the position of the another vehicle is in the alert area that has been set, is satisfied.