Autonomous Vehicle Communication Diagnostics Using SDTL Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles face challenges in ensuring optimal communication transmission and reception capabilities, which can lead to reduced performance or navigational failures due to interruptions or inability to process data in a timely manner, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a standard data transmission location network device, a receiver assembly, and a vehicle controller that receives an evaluation data packet, initiates diagnostic tests, measures communication performance, and generates a transformed evaluation data packet for transmission, enabling continuous assessment and optimization of data transmission capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If autonomous vehicles transmit and receive large volumes of sensor data continuously, then navigation accuracy and safety are improved, but communication bandwidth requirements and data processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing communication protocols, pre-mapping geographic areas with SDTLs, and pre-configuring data transmission parameters before the vehicle begins its journey. This allows the vehicle to quickly execute diagnostic tests and transmit data without extensive real-time processing delays, thus improving navigation safety while reducing data processing time.
2Reliability
If autonomous vehicles maintain continuous communication with central servers, then operational safety is improved, but communication interruptions may occur and reduce performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces SDTLs as intermediary devices that act as local communication nodes between autonomous vehicles and central servers. These SDTLs store diagnostic test results locally and can communicate with vehicles even when central server connection is interrupted. The SDTL serves as a mediator that maintains communication reliability while simplifying the overall system architecture by distributing communication functions across multiple local nodes rather than requiring constant central server connectivity.
3Measurement precision
If diagnostic tests are performed frequently to assess communication performance, then transmission capability assessment is improved, but vehicle operational time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic diagnostic testing where SDTLs transmit evaluation data packets to vehicles at regular intervals or at predetermined geographic locations. This periodic approach allows for accurate assessment of communication performance over time and space without requiring continuous testing that would reduce vehicle operational time. The system balances measurement precision with productivity by conducting tests periodically rather than continuously.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system for evaluating the communication performance of an autonomous vehicle is provided. The vehicle may have a vehicle controller including at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The processor may be programmed to receive, from a standard data transmission location network device, an evaluation data packet. The processor may be programmed to decode the evaluation data packet and initiate a diagnostic test of the vehicle based upon the decoded evaluation data packet. The processor may also be programmed to record measurements of the vehicle during the diagnostic test, and transmit the measurements to the standard data transmission location network device.