Vehicle Obstacle Detection via Roadside Unit Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Many vehicles lack the necessary sensor technology for reliable obstacle detection, limiting the practicality of autonomous driving and increasing the risk of collisions, especially in environments where continuous operation is hindered by driver time regulations.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that utilizes roadside units with multiple sensors to detect obstacles and calculate reliability values based on sensor consistency and detection accuracy, transmitting this information to the vehicle to control speed and steering through an automated driving module, allowing for safe navigation without the need for robust on-board sensor technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicles are equipped with multiple ADAS sensors for full periphery monitoring, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces roadside units as intermediary devices that perform obstacle detection externally. These roadside units include sensors and processors that detect obstacles and communicate their locations to vehicles, allowing vehicles to obtain obstacle information without carrying extensive sensor arrays themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of the obstacle detection environment by having roadside units detect obstacles and transmit this information to vehicles. Instead of each vehicle needing its own complete sensor suite, the detection data is copied and shared across the network, reducing individual vehicle sensor requirements.
2Device complexity
If vehicles use infrastructure-based obstacle detection, then cost of sensor equipment is reduced, but reliability of obstacle detection may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple detection sources by combining data from multiple roadside units and multiple sensors within each roadside unit. The processor integrates obstacle information from these distributed sources, using sensor fusion techniques to improve overall detection reliability and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the processor evaluates the reliability of received obstacle information and adjusts its use accordingly. When reliability is insufficient, the system can request additional verification or switch to alternative detection methods, ensuring reliable obstacle detection is maintained.
3Productivity
If automated driving is implemented without reliable obstacle detection, then productivity through continuous operation is improved, but safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary obstacle detection and evaluation before automated driving actions are executed. The processor continuously assesses obstacle information reliability in advance, ensuring that automated driving only proceeds when reliable detection confirms safety, thus maintaining both productivity and collision avoidance.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an apparatus for providing obstacle information and reliability information to vehicle based on information received from roadside units. The apparatus includes a communication module that receives obstacle information from multiple roadside units, each roadside unit including multiple sensors for detecting obstacles within a predetermined field of view. A reliability judgement unit in the apparatus determines a reliability of the received obstacle information to output a reliability value based on a number of roadside units detecting a same obstacle, a number of sensor of one roadside unit detecting a same obstacle, and a difference value of detection of the same obstacle between different roadside units or different sensors.