Vehicle Clearance Height Detection Using Roadway Profile Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting a vehicle's passage possibility fail to reliably recognize the risk of collision when the roadway is curved or uneven, as they do not accurately determine the increased passage height required in such scenarios, leading to potential collisions despite sufficient clearance height at the passage level.
Innovation Solution
A method where the data processing device links the clearance height at the passage with the roadway course in a distance range in front of and behind the passage plane to derive an effective clearance height available for the vehicle, using the vehicle's geometric dimensions to compare and issue warnings only when the effective clearance height is lower than the detected clearance height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the known method uses maximum vehicle height between axles to determine passage height, then the method works accurately on flat roadways, but it fails to recognize increased passage height requirements on curved or uneven roadways
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the passage height determination adaptive to different roadway profiles. Instead of using a fixed measurement method (maximum height between axles), the system dynamically adjusts the evaluation based on detected roadway geometry - flat, concave, or convex - selecting appropriate calculation methods for each scenario to ensure accurate collision risk assessment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for passage height determination based on roadway profile detection. For flat roadways, it uses maximum vehicle height between axles; for concave roadways, it accounts for increased required passage height; for convex roadways, it adjusts accordingly. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between reliability on flat roads and adaptability to curved roadways
2Device complexity
If the system only measures clearance height at passage level, then the detection is simple, but it cannot identify collision risks caused by roadway curvature in front of or behind the passage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting and evaluating roadway profile characteristics in advance - specifically examining the roadway geometry in front of and behind the passage level. This preliminary detection of concave or convex sections allows the system to predict increased passage height requirements before the vehicle reaches the passage, enabling timely collision risk identification without overly complex additional sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from measuring only the vertical clearance at passage level (one dimension) to evaluating the three-dimensional roadway profile including sections before and after the passage. By incorporating longitudinal roadway geometry into the assessment, the system identifies collision risks that would be invisible to simple clearance measurements while avoiding excessive complexity through efficient use of existing sensor data
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for detecting the passageability of a vehicle (1), in which an environmental detection system (10) detects the roadway area ahead of the vehicle (1) in the direction of travel, as well as the clearance height (HD) of a passage (5) ahead in the direction of travel, and transmits this information to a data processing unit (50). The data processing unit (50) generates a warning message if the clearance height (HD) is insufficient due to the maximum vehicle height (Hmax). According to the invention, the data processing unit (50) combines the clearance height (HD) in the area of the passage (5) with data on the roadway profile in a distance range (a) in front of and behind the plane (4) of the passage (5) and thereby determines an effective clearance height (Heff) in a driving corridor (20) in the direction of travel of the vehicle (1), which is available to the vehicle (1).