Vehicle Floor Weight Sensing for Passenger and Package Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack the ability to contextualize and monitor the presence and status of passengers or packages, which is essential for safe and accurate delivery, as they cannot naturally understand human-like contextual information like human drivers do.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system of force sensing devices within the vehicle that allow the AV computer to identify the location and type of objects based on weight distribution, combined with other sensor data like camera and LIDAR information, to track the movement and status of passengers or packages, ensuring compliance with driving rules and secure delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If fixed-location sensors (camera, LIDAR, RADAR) are mounted on the autonomous vehicle, then the vehicle can collect data for navigation operations, but the vehicle cannot identify contextual information about objects (passengers or packages) inside the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The floor of the vehicle is divided into multiple sensor tiles, each capable of independently measuring weight and location. This segmentation allows the system to track objects at different positions throughout the vehicle floor area, providing comprehensive contextual information about passengers or packages without requiring a single complex sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight sensing tiles serve multiple functions: they detect the presence of objects, determine object location, measure object weight, and track object movement throughout the vehicle. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sensor systems for each detection task, reducing overall system complexity while improving information gathering capabilities.
2Reliability
If the AV computer is programmed to monitor passenger or package status, then the vehicle can ensure safe delivery, but the computer cannot naturally understand contextual information like human drivers do
Solution Approach 1:
The weight sensing tiles continuously provide feedback to the AV computer about object presence, location, and weight. This continuous data stream allows the computer to monitor the status of passengers or packages throughout the journey, enabling reliable detection of events such as package removal or passenger movement, and triggering appropriate safety responses.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system automatically detects and reports object status changes without requiring human intervention or complex programming. The tiles self-monitor weight and location, and the system automatically processes this information to ensure safe delivery, making the monitoring process straightforward and reliable.
3Measurement precision
If force sensing devices are implemented to identify object location and weight, then the vehicle can track object movement and enforce driving rules, but the system requires integration of multiple sensor types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines weight sensing tiles with existing camera and LIDAR sensors to create an integrated monitoring system. The weight tiles provide precise location and weight data, while camera and LIDAR sensors provide visual confirmation and additional contextual information. This merging of sensor types enhances measurement precision while leveraging existing vehicle sensor infrastructure.
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
Enables the AV to accurately identify and track objects, ensuring passenger safety, enforcing driving rules, and validating the secure delivery of packages by utilizing force sensing tiles and integrating data from various sensors, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency and safety of autonomous vehicle services.
Implementation Method 1
one or more floor weight sensors of a vehicle configured to gather sensor data
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus consistent with the present disclosure may use a plurality of force sensing devices that allow a computer of an autonomous vehicle (AV) to identify locations within the AV where particular objects reside. These force sensing devices may allow the AV computer to identify how much a particular object weights and identify whether an object has moved based on a location where a particular amount of weight currently resides versus a location where that weight previously resided in the AV. Weight information combined with other sensor data (e.g. camera or LIDAR data) may allow the AV computer to identify whether a particular object is a person or a package. The AV computer may also validate that certain driving rules are enforced, such that persons or packages are being moved safely and correctly in the AV.