In-Vehicle Level Detection for GPS-Denied Parking Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems, such as GPS, are unreliable for determining the location of a vehicle within a multi-level structure like a parking garage, especially when views to satellites are obstructed, leading to difficulties in identifying the exact level of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A location system that infers the vertical location of a vehicle within a structure by analyzing sensor data from available sensors in the vehicle, such as brake and accelerator pedal sensors, to estimate accelerations and identify gradients, which correlate with ramps between levels, allowing the system to determine the traversed levels and direction of travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS satellite signals are used to determine vehicle location, then location accuracy is improved when signals are unobstructed, but location determination becomes unreliable when views to satellites are obstructed by buildings or structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of ground-based transmitters and receivers that mediate location determination when GPS signals are unavailable. These ground-based systems transmit electromagnetic signals that bounces off the vehicle and are received by fixed receivers, providing location information in obstructed environments where GPS cannot function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the satellite-based electromagnetic signal system with a ground-based acoustic or electromagnetic signal system. Instead of relying on weak electromagnetic signals from satellites, the system uses stronger ground-based signals that can penetrate and reflect within urban canyons and structures, substituting one physical mechanism for another better suited to the problem.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors such as altimeters or gradient sensors are installed to determine vertical location, then measurement precision for vertical position is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing vehicle sensors serve multiple functions. Sensors originally designed for other purposes (such as accelerometers for motion detection, microphones for audio, or cameras for vision) are repurposed to also determine vertical location and elevation changes, eliminating the need for dedicated altimeters or gradient sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's own existing sensors and components to determine vertical location rather than requiring external specialized equipment. The vehicle's onboard sensors serve the additional function of elevation measurement, making the system self-sufficient and avoiding additional hardware complexity.
3Measurement precision
If GPS resolution is improved to provide rough location within 10m, then location precision is improved, but the ability to determine specific level within a structure is still lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location determination problem into horizontal and vertical components. While GPS provides horizontal location, the ground-based signal reflection system independently determines vertical level by analyzing signal path characteristics, effectively dividing the overall location problem into solvable parts that can be addressed by different methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a vertical dimension to location determination by analyzing the temporal and spatial characteristics of signal reflections. By measuring the time of flight and reflection patterns of ground-based signals, the system extracts elevation information that complements the horizontal GPS data, transitioning from two-dimensional to three-dimensional location awareness.
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
The system effectively resolves the vertical location of a vehicle within a structure, improving the ability to locate the vehicle and receive location-sensitive services, even in areas where satellite signals are weak or obstructed, without the need for additional sensors like altimeters or gradient sensors.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor data characterizes, for example, accelerations of the vehicle when traveling through the structure and up and/or down ramps between levels of the structure
Data Source
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AI summary
System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to determining a location of a vehicle within a structure. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting, from at least one sensor in the vehicle, sensor data that indicates information associated with control of the vehicle in the structure. The method includes classifying gradients along a path of the vehicle through the structure according to the sensor data. The method includes identifying traversed levels of the structure along the path according to the gradients. The method includes providing the location including at least an indicator of the traversed levels as an electronic output.