Vehicle Heading Detection Using Mirror-Excluded Virtual Boxes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems using LiDAR sensors often incorrectly identify the heading direction of external vehicles due to the inclusion of side mirrors in virtual boxes, leading to potential errors in route changes or speed adjustments.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus comprising a sensor and a processor that generates a first virtual box including an external vehicle and its side mirror, and a second virtual box excluding the side mirror. The processor determines the validity of the second virtual box based on various criteria and maps it onto the external vehicle if valid.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a virtual box includes side mirrors of external vehicles, then the virtual box covers the complete external vehicle, but the heading direction is incorrectly identified leading to control errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirtual box coverage areaVSAvoidheading direction identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the virtual box generation process into two stages: first generating a comprehensive virtual box including side mirrors, then generating a refined virtual box excluding side mirrors. This segmentation allows the system to maintain complete vehicle coverage while achieving accurate heading direction identification by using the refined box for measurement purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes side mirrors from the virtual box by generating a second virtual box that excludes these protruding objects. This extraction resolves the contradiction by eliminating the source of measurement error (side mirrors) while preserving the main vehicle body representation, thereby improving heading direction accuracy without losing complete vehicle coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the first virtual box including side mirrors is used, then complete vehicle coverage is achieved, but heading direction errors occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle coverage completenessVSAvoidheading direction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the virtual box representation into two types: a first virtual box for complete vehicle coverage and a second virtual box for accurate measurement. By validating and using the second virtual box for heading direction determination, the system achieves both complete coverage reliability and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the virtual box concept - the second virtual box is essentially a refined copy of the first one, specifically designed to exclude side mirrors. This copying approach allows the system to maintain the original comprehensive representation while creating a specialized version for accurate heading direction measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If side mirrors are excluded from the virtual box, then heading direction accuracy improves, but vehicle coverage may be incomplete

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheading direction identification accuracyVSAvoidvirtual box coverage area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the coverage and measurement functions into two separate virtual boxes. The first virtual box maintains complete vehicle coverage including side mirrors, while the second virtual box provides accurate measurement by excluding side mirrors. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different purposes to different representations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the advantages of both approaches by using the first virtual box for complete coverage and the second virtual box for accurate measurement. The system combines both representations, leveraging the comprehensive coverage of the first box and the measurement precision of the second box to resolve the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Accurately identifies the heading direction of external vehicles by excluding side mirrors from virtual boxes, thereby reducing errors in vehicle control systems and ensuring stable operation.

Implementation Method 1

identify an external object by using various sensors to assist a vehicle in driving. In particular, while the vehicle is driving in a driving assistance device activation mode or an autonomous driving mode, the external object may be identified by using LiDAR.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight detection and ranging (LiDAR): LIDAR

Data Source

PatentUS20250130068A1Apparatus For Controlling A Vehicle And Method Thereof

Publication Date: 2025.04.24 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure may relate to a vehicle control apparatus and a method thereof. The vehicle control apparatus with a sensor and processor may generate a first virtual box based on sensor data and first points representing an external vehicle and protruding object and create a second virtual box from second points excluding the object portion. Validity of the second virtual box is determined using criteria including location, angle, and distance relative to the first virtual box. If valid, the second virtual box is mapped onto the external vehicle, and a signal is generated indicating this mapping.