Vehicle Map Data Exchange via Quality Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Digital map data for vehicles, especially in areas frequently traveled or sporadically visited, can be incomplete, outdated, or of insufficient quality, which hampers the decision-making capabilities of driver assistance systems in vehicles with automation.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for exchanging digital map data between vehicles using V2X communication, where the quality of map data is evaluated based on criteria such as time since last travel, frequency of travel, and consensus among other vehicles, allowing for efficient data distribution and updating only when necessary, thereby improving the completeness and accuracy of map data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If vehicles only collect map data for areas they frequently travel, then data collection effort is reduced, but map data quality deteriorates in sporadically visited areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata collection effortVSAvoidmap data quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces V2X communication as an intermediary mechanism that allows vehicles to exchange map data quality information and requests. When a vehicle encounters poor map data quality in a sporadically visited area, it can request high-quality map data from other vehicles that have recently traversed that area, thereby obtaining reliable map data without having to collect it through extensive local driving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If vehicles exchange map data frequently, then map data quality improves, but communication bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemap data qualityVSAvoidcommunication bandwidth usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by having vehicles exchange only specific map data quality information and selective requests rather than continuously exchanging all map data. The communication occurs partially - only when quality thresholds are not met or when specific map sections need updating - thereby improving map data quality while minimizing unnecessary bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of communication frequency based on map data quality metrics. Instead of fixed periodic exchange, communication is triggered when quality parameters (such as time since last update or completeness metrics) fall below thresholds, dynamically adjusting bandwidth usage to match actual quality improvement needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If complete map data is transmitted whenever requested, then data completeness improves, but transmission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata completenessVSAvoidtransmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and transmits only the specific map data sections that are needed to address the quality deficiency, rather than transmitting complete map data sets. When a vehicle requests map data for a specific map section, only the relevant portions are exchanged, thereby achieving data completeness for the needed areas while minimizing transmission time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3371550B1Method and system for exchanging map data according to a quality measurement
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP3371550B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for exchanging digital map data between a plurality of vehicles, especially a first and a second vehicle, each vehicle comprising a communication unit for exchanging messages between vehicles, a positioning unit for detecting the position of the vehicle, a map unit for storing and processing a digital map, and an evaluation unit for defining a quality measurement for a map section of the digital map, said method comprising the following steps: definition of a quality measurement for map data of a map section of the digital map by the first vehicle; checking of whether the quality measurement for the map data of the map section is below a threshold value which defines a minimum quality; transmission of a request message with a request for the transmission of map data if the quality measurement is below the threshold value; reception of said message by a second vehicle; transmission of a message with map data to a map section by the second vehicle; and reception of the message with map data by the first vehicle; and processing of the received map data by the first vehicle.