Vehicle Grid Wireless Hazard Propagation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack a method to instantly communicate important information, such as sudden braking or stationary traffic, between vehicles, especially beyond immediate sight, which can lead to delayed reaction times and increased accident risk.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic vehicle grid system equipped with sensors, transmitters, receivers, and computers that detect events like hard braking or slow speed and broadcast warnings to adjacent vehicles via wireless communication, allowing for instant propagation of information across a network of vehicles without a central control point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If GPS-based navigation systems are used to detect traffic problems and send information to vehicles, then traffic information can be provided to drivers, but the system becomes expensive and requires third-party detection and communication infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
Vehicles detect traffic conditions and communicate with each other autonomously without requiring external GPS or third-party detection systems. Each vehicle uses its own sensors to detect hazards and broadcasts this information directly to other vehicles through wireless communication, eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure-based detection and communication systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses wireless communication signals as an intermediary to transfer hazard detection information between vehicles. Instead of requiring complex GPS or satellite-based communication infrastructure, the system uses simple wireless signals that vehicles can transmit and receive directly, reducing system complexity while maintaining information availability.
2Reliability
If drivers rely on visual detection of brake lights to know about emergency braking, then the immediate driver can react, but subsequent drivers multiple cars behind cannot detect the emergency braking situation
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a feedback loop where vehicles continuously monitor their own braking status and hazard conditions, then broadcast this information wirelessly to other vehicles. When a vehicle brakes suddenly or detects a hazard, this information is immediately fed back to subsequent vehicles through wireless signals, ensuring hazard information propagates through the entire traffic queue rather than being limited to visual detection of brake lights.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual detection system (relying on drivers seeing brake lights) with an electronic wireless communication system. Vehicles use sensors and wireless transmitters to detect and communicate hazard information, substituting the passive mechanical visual detection with an active electronic information transmission system that can reach multiple vehicles simultaneously.
3Loss of time
If a dynamic vehicle grid system with sensors and wireless communication is implemented, then hazard information can be instantly propagated to all vehicles, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the vehicle's existing computer and communication systems multi-functional by having them perform both standard vehicle operations and hazard detection/information broadcasting. The same computer that controls vehicle functions also processes sensor data for hazard detection and manages wireless communication for information propagation, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems and reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Vehicles use their own existing sensors, computers, and communication capabilities to detect and broadcast hazard information autonomously. The system leverages resources already present in vehicles rather than requiring additional specialized equipment, making the hazard communication system self-service and reducing the complexity increment.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic ‘vehicle grid’ system provides the ability for drivers to be automatically warned to the conditions of other vehicles in the vicinity. In this grid system, a motor vehicle would be equipped with a transmitter, receiver, computer and a selection of sensors. Other adjacent vehicles are also contain the same of equipment for transmitting and receiving signals. When the sensors in a vehicle detect a change such as hard braking (rapid deceleration) or very slow speed (blockages), it automatically sends this information via the transmitter over a wireless communication channel to any other receivers in the vicinity.