Vehicle Location Identification Using Manual and Automatic Modules
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle location systems, such as ITCS, face challenges in accurately determining a vehicle's position on multiple parallel routes, leading to increased risk of accidents and maintenance costs due to insufficient GPS accuracy, which prevents the system from functioning effectively until the vehicle enters a single-track area.
Innovation Solution
A system combining manual and automatic location modules, where manual location information is input by an operator using visual cues like position identification signs, and automatically obtained location information from detectors like GPS, is used to determine the vehicle's position, enabling accurate identification of the route and direction, even in multi-track areas, and updating the position in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If GPS data is used to identify vehicle location, then automatic location detection is achieved, but accuracy is insufficient to identify particular route among multiple parallel tracks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces position identification signs as intermediary objects that provide additional routing information. These signs are disposed at specific locations along tracks and contain information that helps disambiguate which of multiple parallel tracks the vehicle is on, supplementing the GPS data which alone is insufficient for precise route identification among parallel tracks.
2Measurement precision
If control system waits for vehicle to enter single-track area, then accurate position determination is achieved, but system functionality is restricted and safety risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of vehicle position by combining GPS data with position identification sign information before the vehicle reaches single-track areas. This allows the control system to be fully functional in multi-track environments from the outset, rather than waiting for conditions that guarantee accurate positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal positioning system that works in both multi-track and single-track environments. By combining GPS detection with position identification signs, the system achieves accurate position determination universally across different track configurations, eliminating the need to restrict operation to single-track areas only.
3Measurement precision
If manual location information is combined with automatic detection, then positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The position identification signs are passive objects that provide information without requiring active processing or complex interpretation systems. The vehicle's detection system simply reads the sign information and combines it with GPS data, allowing the system to achieve improved accuracy through a relatively simple integration approach rather than complex algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an automatic control module, an automatic location module, and a manual location module. The automatic location module is configured to obtain, without operator intervention, first location information corresponding to a location of the vehicle. The manual location module is configured to obtain second location information via an operator input. The manually entered location information may include information corresponding to a first route on which the vehicle is disposed, where the first route is one of a plurality of routes located proximately to each other in a territory. The automatic control module is configured to control the vehicle to conform to a set of location-based regulations during a mission using location information including the first location information and the second location information.