Vehicle Lane Offset Assignment for Distributed Roadway Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle sensing systems, particularly radar systems, are limited by their inability to provide a wide range of information for interpretation under adverse weather conditions and low light, and visual data may not be sufficient for detecting all relevant objects.
Innovation Solution
Implementing radar-based sensing systems using spatially-encoded markers that reflect unique radar signatures, allowing vehicles to interpret lane position, location, and environmental information through radar technology, even in impaired visual conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radar systems are used for autonomous vehicle navigation, then the system can operate in adverse weather conditions and low light, but the radar systems are limited in providing wide range of information for interpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radar detection task by introducing specialized markers that divide the environment into detectable segments. These markers are placed at specific locations (lane boundaries, intersections, hazards) to break down the continuous visual field into discrete, radar-detectable elements, enabling the radar system to gather comprehensive environmental information despite its inherent limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces radar-reflective markers as intermediary objects between the radar system and the environment. These markers act as mediators that enhance radar signal reflection from specific environmental features, allowing the radar system to detect and interpret lane boundaries, traffic signals, and road conditions that would otherwise be difficult to detect directly.
2Loss of information
If cameras are used for visual detection, then environmental details can be detected, but visual data is insufficient for detecting all relevant objects under adverse conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges camera-based visual detection with radar-based detection into a unified sensing system. The camera captures visual details of markers and environmental features, while the radar simultaneously detects the markers' radar signatures. By combining these two detection modalities, the system achieves reliable object detection and environmental interpretation under both normal and adverse weather conditions.
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 the ability of vehicles to accurately detect and respond to their environment by providing unambiguous information about lane position, traffic signals, and road conditions, improving safety and navigation under adverse conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Radar technology has been incorporated in many autonomous vehicles to aid in safe navigation. Generally, these radar systems include a transmitter that sends out radio waves and a receiver that detects the returning waves after they encounter an object.
Implementation Method 2
a transmitter that sends out radio waves and a receiver that detects the returning waves after they encounter an object
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes systems and methods for controlling the lane positions of a plurality of vehicles to reduce roadway wear. At least one controller is configured to receive information regarding a reference that may indicate a lane boundary. The controller determines a lane position offset from the reference, where the offset may be randomly selected or deterministically determined with an algorithm. The at least one controller is further configured to assign the lane position offset to one vehicle of a group of vehicles so that the assigned offset is different from the lane position offsets of the other vehicles. The assignment of different lane position offsets distributes wear across the lane of the roadway.