Vehicle Approach Detection Using Camera and Microphone Sensors

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle approach detection technologies require dedicated devices to be installed on roads, making them costly and impractical for widespread implementation.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle-mounted system that uses a camera and microphone to detect vehicle surrounding video and environmental sound, processing this information to determine if another vehicle is approaching, allowing for real-time warning and safety measures without the need for road-based devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dedicated devices are installed on roads to detect approaching vehicles, then detection reliability is improved, but implementation cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidimplementation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables vehicles to detect approaching vehicles autonomously using their own onboard sensors (camera and microphone) without requiring external road infrastructure. Each vehicle serves itself by processing its own sensor data to detect and respond to approaching vehicles, eliminating the need for costly road-based detection devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical infrastructure of road-based detection devices with an electronic sensor-based system mounted on vehicles. Instead of installing physical detection equipment on roads, the system uses electronic sensors (camera for visual detection, microphone for acoustic detection) already present on vehicles to achieve the same safety function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If road-based detection devices are deployed, then vehicle approach detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses multi-functional sensors already present on vehicles (camera for both navigation and approach detection, microphone for ambient sound and acoustic detection) to perform vehicle approach detection. This universal use of existing components avoids the need for specialized detection devices, reducing system complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple detection modalities (visual detection via camera, acoustic detection via microphone) into a single integrated vehicle approach detection system. By merging these sensing functions and processing them together in the control unit, the system achieves high detection accuracy without requiring separate complex infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9925984B2Vehicle approach detection device and vehicle approach detection method

Publication Date: 2018.03.27 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

Provided are a vehicle approach detection device and a vehicle approach detection method that are capable of detecting an approach of another vehicle without installing a dedicated device on a road. At least one of a vehicle surrounding video for showing an observed area (for example, road surface) used to observe irradiation light (for example, headlight beam emitted from a headlight of another vehicle) from another vehicle and a vehicle surrounding environmental sound is detected as vehicle external information, and it is determined based on the detected vehicle external information whether or not another vehicle is approaching an own vehicle.