Vehicle Obstacle Avoidance Control With Deployable Edge Mechanisms

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional autonomous driving vehicles struggle with accurate cornering control in units of nanoseconds, leading to potential accidents due to insufficient friction consideration and unpredictable road conditions.

Innovation Solution

An information processing device with a central brain that utilizes a combination of sensors to detect obstacles in nanoseconds, calculates control variables for speed and edge manipulation, enabling the vehicle to jump over obstacles using edges or elastic bodies to enhance safety and precision in autonomous driving.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional autonomous driving control is used, then the vehicle can operate autonomously, but the cornering control precision is insufficient leading to potential accidents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous driving safetyVSAvoidcornering control precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control of edge protrusions that can extend and retract based on real-time driving conditions. The edge protrusion mechanism allows the vehicle to dynamically adjust its cornering behavior by protruding edges during turns to increase friction with the road surface, thereby improving cornering control precision and safety during autonomous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the vehicle increases friction consideration for accurate cornering, then cornering precision improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecornering control precisionVSAvoidedge control mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the vehicle body into modular sections with independent edge protrusion mechanisms at different locations. Each edge protrusion unit can be controlled independently, allowing the system to achieve complex cornering control functions through simple, standardized modular components, thereby managing device complexity while improving cornering precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle uses edges to jump over obstacles, then obstacle avoidance capability improves, but the vehicle stability during normal operation may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle avoidance capabilityVSAvoidvehicle stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by detecting obstacles in advance and pre-positioning the edge protrusions before the vehicle reaches the obstacle. The control unit calculates the optimal timing and position for edge protrusion based on obstacle detection data, allowing the vehicle to jump over obstacles efficiently while maintaining stability during normal operation through timely retraction of edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 safety and precision in autonomous driving by allowing vehicles to avoid obstacles with nanosecond-level control, reducing the probability of accidents and improving cornering performance.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic body having an elasticity higher than an elasticity of the edge and configured to be pushed out from the bottom surface of the vehicle body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4606659A1Information processing device, vehicle, and program
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 SOFTBANK GROUP CORP
  • EP4606659A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4606659A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4606659A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An information processing device includes an information acquisition unit that acquires plurality of sensor information including information regarding an obstacle, and a control unit that controls a speed of a vehicle to avoid the obstacle in a case in which the information acquisition unit acquires the information regarding the obstacle.