Vehicle Control Device Arrival Time Estimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control methods fail to accurately estimate the timing of a tracked target's approach when its speed changes in a hidden area, leading to potential inaccuracies in vehicle control.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control device equipped with sensors, map data storage, self-position estimation, and a control circuit that detects and tracks surrounding objects, estimates arrival times, and adjusts vehicle control to account for the behavior of both visible and hidden vehicles, using a combination of sensors and map data to predict the behavior of the tracked vehicle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the estimated hiding time is calculated using the speed at the time when the tracked target is hidden, then the calculation is simple, but the timing at which the tracked target will come close may not be estimated accurately when the speed of the tracked target changes in the hidden area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalculation complexityVSAvoidarrival time estimation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting speed changes of the tracked target before it enters the hidden area, stores this speed information, and uses it to calculate revised arrival time estimates. This preliminary detection and storage of speed data enables accurate arrival time prediction even when the target's speed changes during the hidden period, resolving the contradiction between simple calculation and accurate estimation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the vehicle control system waits for the tracked target to become visible again to detect speed changes, then the detection is reliable, but the vehicle control may not respond timely to speed changes occurring in the hidden area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed detection reliabilityVSAvoidresponse time delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the tracked target's speed while the target is still visible and has not yet entered the hidden area. This speed information is stored and then used to calculate revised arrival time estimates during the hidden period. This preliminary action enables the system to respond timely to speed changes without waiting for the target to become visible again, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable detection and timely response.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the vehicle control system continuously monitors the tracked target to detect speed changes, then the accuracy is high, but the system complexity and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed change detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial monitoring by focusing computational resources on detecting speed changes only during the critical period when the tracked target is approaching and about to enter the hidden area. Once the target enters the hidden area, the system uses the previously detected speed information for arrival time calculations without requiring continuous monitoring. This partial action approach maintains high detection accuracy for critical events while reducing overall system complexity and computational load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3477614B1Vehicle control method and vehicle control device
Publication Date: 2021.01.06 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3477614B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3477614B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3477614B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle control method includes: detecting a blocking object that is at a position at which the blocking object obstructs travel of the tracked vehicle in a traffic lane in which the tracked vehicle is traveling and that hides at least part of the traffic lane from the sensor, and an oncoming vehicle traveling in a direction toward the tracked vehicle in an oncoming lane opposite from the traffic lane; and slowing down the vehicle when the oncoming vehicle slows down.