Vehicle Control with Auxiliary Sensors and Actuators for Autonomous Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems fail to continue autonomous driving or driver assistance when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle's sensors or actuators, preventing the vehicle from functioning independently.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system comprising a vehicle and an auxiliary vehicle equipped with sensors and actuators, which can be connected to facilitate continued autonomous driving or driver assistance by switching control to the auxiliary vehicle's systems when abnormalities are detected in the primary vehicle's sensors or actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle relies solely on its own sensors and actuators for autonomous driving, then the system structure is simple, but the system cannot continue autonomous driving when an abnormality occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the auxiliary vehicle's sensors and actuators with the subject vehicle's control system, allowing the subject vehicle to access and utilize the auxiliary vehicle's sensing and actuation capabilities through the connection unit, thereby enhancing reliability without requiring the subject vehicle to have complete redundant systems
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary vehicle's sensors and actuators are designed to serve multiple purposes: they function as part of the auxiliary vehicle's own systems and can simultaneously be utilized by the subject vehicle when abnormalities occur, enabling multi-functional use of the same components
2Reliability
If the vehicle switches to using auxiliary vehicle's sensors and actuators when abnormality occurs, then the reliability is improved, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection unit acts as an intermediary that facilitates communication and control between the subject vehicle and auxiliary vehicle, enabling the subject vehicle's processor to control the auxiliary vehicle's actuators and receive data from its sensors without requiring complex direct integration
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between using the subject vehicle's own sensors/actuators and the auxiliary vehicle's sensors/actuators based on the detection of abnormalities, allowing the control configuration to adapt to operational conditions and maintain autonomous driving capability
3Duration of action of moving object
If the vehicle connects to an auxiliary vehicle to continue autonomous driving, then the operational continuity is maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection unit and communication protocols are established in advance between the subject and auxiliary vehicles, allowing them to be ready for immediate cooperation when an abnormality occurs, rather than requiring complex real-time negotiation and system configuration
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle system (1) includes an auxiliary vehicle (3) that includes an auxiliary sensor (110A) and an auxiliary actuator (300A), and a vehicle (2) that communicates with the auxiliary vehicle (3). The vehicle (2) includes an in-vehicle sensor (110) that acquires information of an external environment of the vehicle (2), an in-vehicle actuator (300) used in traveling of the vehicle (2), a vehicle control device (11) that controls driving of the in-vehicle actuator (300) using an input from the in-vehicle sensor (110), and a communicator (10) that communicates with the auxiliary vehicle (3). The vehicle control device (11) implement, upon detecting an abnormality in the in-vehicle sensor (110), one of the first switching control that controls the driving of the in-vehicle actuator (300) based on an input from the auxiliary sensor (110A), and a second switching control that causes the vehicle (2) to travel using the auxiliary actuator (300A).