Vehicle Control Device Position Error Detection Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems face challenges in accurately estimating vehicle position due to shielding objects, which can cause errors in radio wave reception and orientation, and require pre-measurement of radio waves from multiple transmitters, making them cumbersome and prone to detection errors.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that includes a radio position estimation unit, an own vehicle position estimation unit, and a vehicle sensor error determination unit, which compare calculated vehicle positions from radio transmitter information and sensor data to detect errors caused by shielding objects, allowing for robustness against failures without pre-measuring radio waves from multiple transmitters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If position is measured using radio transmitter distance and orientation information, then position estimation is achieved, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to shielding objects causing apparent position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sensor-mounted-on-vehicle (such as GPS, inertial sensors, or other positioning sensors) as an intermediary to obtain a second own vehicle position that is not affected by radio wave shielding. This intermediary measurement method provides an alternative reference that bypasses the shielding problem, allowing the system to compare and identify errors in the radio-based position measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously comparing the first own vehicle position (from radio transmitter) with the second own vehicle position (from sensor). When a discrepancy exceeds a threshold, the system generates error information and can correct the position estimate or switch to using the sensor-based position, creating a closed-loop error correction mechanism that maintains accuracy despite shielding conditions.
2Measurement precision
If combination of received radio waves from two or more radio transmitters is measured in advance, then position measurement is possible, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the position measurement function from the complex pre-measured combination of multiple radio transmitters and implements it using a single radio transmitter combined with sensor data. By separating the position estimation into radio-based relative position and sensor-based absolute position components, the system eliminates the need for complex pre-measurement of multiple transmitter combinations while maintaining measurement capability.
3Loss of information
If radio receiver is used for position estimation, then position information is obtained, but reliability decreases due to communication failure with radio transmitter
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters by switching between two different position estimation methods (radio-based and sensor-based) depending on the communication condition. When radio communication fails or shows errors, the system transitions to using the sensor-mounted-on-vehicle for position estimation, thereby maintaining reliability across different communication scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares a backup position estimation method (sensor-based) in advance that can be activated when radio communication fails. This beforehand cushioning ensures that position information continues to be available even when the primary radio-based method fails, preventing complete loss of position information during communication failures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances robustness against shielding objects and sensor failures by determining detection errors and selecting accurate sensor data, enabling continuous automatic driving control using standard vehicle sensors without external recognition systems like cameras or sonars.
Implementation Method 1
distance information based on reception intensity of a received radio wave from a radio transmitter
Implementation Method 2
orientation information based on a phase difference
Implementation Method 3
signal intensity of a radio wave transmitted from a radio receiver decreases due to a shielding object on a communication path
Implementation Method 4
a traveling direction of the radio wave changes by diffraction
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device is provided which has enhanced robustness against a shielding object, further, which does not measure a received radio wave from a radio transmitter and which can continue, for example, automatic driving control by comparing two types of vehicle positions calculated using the radio transmitter installed outside a vehicle and a sensor mounted on the vehicle and detecting an error in order to reduce a detection error of the radio transmitter due to a failure in communication of the radio transmitter. Two types of vehicle positions calculated using the sensor mounted on the vehicle and the radio transmitter are compared, and it is determined that the radio transmitter is affected by a shielding object in a case where a temporal change of a vehicle position deviation and/or a behavior change of a vehicle position (first own vehicle position) based on the radio transmitter is detected.