Vehicle Camera Frames With Encoded Patterns for Remote Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

In remote-operated vehicle systems, inadequate representations of a vehicle's surroundings can occur due to high image-to-image latency, incorrect transmission, or erroneous rendering of sensory data, posing safety and security risks, and existing solutions are complex and costly without adequately addressing these issues.

Innovation Solution

A method and system where an encoded pattern representing predetermined information is embedded in image frames captured by a vehicle's sensors, transmitted to a remote terminal, and decoded to verify the accuracy of the sensory data, allowing for safer operation by detecting errors in transmission or rendering and ensuring the representation is adequate for vehicle control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If communication systems with sufficient speed and redundancy are implemented, then the reliability of sensory data transmission is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of sensory data transmissionVSAvoidcomplexity of communication system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A light emitting device serves as an intermediary component that visually encodes predetermined information (such as timestamps or data integrity indicators) directly onto the image frames captured by the imaging device. This intermediary encoding mechanism provides a simple, low-cost verification method that does not require complex communication protocols or redundant transmission systems, thereby improving reliability while maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If communication systems with sufficient speed and redundancy are implemented, then the reliability of sensory data transmission is improved, but the cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of sensory data transmissionVSAvoidcost of communication system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The solution employs inexpensive, simple components such as a light emitting device (LED) and basic imaging capabilities already present in the vehicle. Rather than investing in expensive, high-speed redundant communication infrastructure, the patent uses low-cost visual encoding that can be implemented with minimal additional hardware, making the system economically viable while still providing verification of data integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Speed

If image-to-image latency is reduced for timely vehicle operation, then the responsiveness of remote control is improved, but the risk of transmission errors and rendering issues increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage-to-image latencyVSAvoidaccuracy of representation
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The light emitting device provides visual feedback information (encoded pattern) that allows the remote operator to verify whether the captured image frame accurately represents the current vehicle surroundings. This feedback mechanism enables real-time verification of data integrity without requiring slower, more reliable communication protocols, thus maintaining high speed while improving reliability through verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

This approach reduces the risk of inadequate representations at the remote terminal, enhancing safety and security by verifying the accuracy of sensory data and preventing vehicle operation based on incorrect data, thereby improving the reliability of remote-operated vehicle systems.

Implementation Method 1

an encoded pattern representing predetermined information to be transmitted to the remote terminal is visible on the at least one image frame, the encoded pattern being generated by a light emitting device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emitting diode: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3910937B1Method and system for monitoring communication between vehicle and remote terminal
Publication Date: 2024.03.27 VOYSYS AB
  • EP3910937B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3910937B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3910937B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

This disclosure relates to a method (S0) for communicating information between a vehicle (20) and a remote terminal (10), the method comprising the steps of: providing (S1) at least one image frame (11) representing at least a portion of the vehicle's surrounding; wherein an encoded pattern (ENP1) representing predetermined information to be transmitted to the remote terminal (10) is visible on the at least one image frame (11); transmitting (S2) the at least one image frame from the vehicle (20) to the remote terminal (10); reading (S3), at the remote terminal (10), the encoded pattern (ENP2) visible on the at least one image frame (11); decoding (S4) the predetermined information from the encoded pattern (ENP2) read at the remote terminal. A system for carrying out the method is provided also.