Vehicle Direction Detection Using Unsigned Rotation Sensor Sequences

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for determining the direction of movement of a motor vehicle using unsigned rotation sensors are complex, require prior recording of sensor-specific irregularities, and result in late detection of direction changes, especially at low speeds, due to the need for multiple marker passes and higher costs associated with signed sensors.

Innovation Solution

A method that processes signals from multiple wheels jointly, recognizing a change in direction by a reversal in the chronological order of characteristic patterns from rotation sensors, allowing for earlier and simpler detection of direction changes by comparing sequences of signals against predetermined patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If signed rotation sensors are used to determine the direction of movement, then the direction detection accuracy is improved, but the sensor cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirection detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the signed sensor functionality by processing signals from multiple unsigned sensors in combination. Instead of using expensive signed sensors directly, the system replicates their directional detection capability through signal processing algorithms that analyze the temporal sequence of patterns from multiple unsigned sensors, thereby achieving the same measurement precision without the increased hardware cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If multiple marker passes are required to determine direction change, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the detection time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirection change detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of the temporal sequence of patterns from multiple unsigned sensors to detect direction changes. By continuously monitoring and analyzing the chronological order of pattern appearances in real-time, the system can detect direction changes with a single marker pass rather than requiring multiple passes, thereby reducing detection time while maintaining accuracy through the combined information from multiple sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If sensor-specific irregularities are recorded and used for detection, then the measurement precision is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirection detection precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent develops a universal signal processing method that works with standard unsigned rotation sensors without requiring sensor-specific calibration or recording of individual irregularities. The method uses the temporal sequence information from multiple sensors universally to detect direction changes, making the system applicable to any vehicle with unsigned sensors while avoiding the complexity of sensor-specific data recording and processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If joint processing of multiple sensor signals is performed, then the detection speed is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection speedVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the direction detection task by analyzing the temporal sequence of patterns from multiple sensors in a structured manner. Instead of performing complex simultaneous processing of all sensor signals, the system processes each sensor's pattern sequence individually and then combines the results by comparing the chronological orders, thereby achieving fast detection speed while keeping computational complexity manageable through divided processing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3833985B1Method for determining a change in the direction of travel of a vehicle and associated vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.04.19 RENAULT SA
  • EP3833985B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3833985B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for determining a change in the direction of travel of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising at least four wheels and at least four rotation sensors each associated, respectively, with one of said wheels, each rotation sensor comprising a detection element that outputs a signal (S1, S2, S3, S4) which, during a movement of the vehicle, repeatedly presents a characteristic pattern (P). According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps: • - acquiring the signals (S1, S2, S3, S4) output by the rotation sensors; • - determining, for several subsets each comprising three of said signals, a sequence of signals, sorted by the chronological order in which the characteristic patterns appear in the acquired signals; and • - detecting a change in the direction of travel of the vehicle as a function of said sequence of signals determined for the subset. The invention likewise relates to a vehicle configured to implement such a method.