Vehicle Obstacle Compensation via Dynamic Motor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle systems face challenges in obstacle awareness, particularly in aerial vehicles where airflow changes from propellers lead to uneven load and torque distribution, resulting in potential collisions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system equipped with ranging sensors that detect obstacles within a threshold distance, adjusting propulsion motor output to prevent collisions by providing adaptive control and alerting operators, with multi-zone sensors enabling precise detection of curved and irregular obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ranging sensors and obstacle compensation system are added to the vehicle system, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The obstacle compensation system divides the detection space into multiple zones using multi-zone sensors, allowing different detection thresholds and responses for different spatial regions. This segmentation enables precise obstacle detection while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular zone-based control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of obstacles before they become critical threats by establishing threshold distances and alert zones in advance. The controller pre-configures compensation parameters and alert levels, enabling proactive collision avoidance rather than reactive responses, which improves reliability without requiring overly complex real-time decision-making.
2Measurement precision
If threshold distance is reduced to improve detection precision, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to more frequent alerts
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different detection threshold qualities to different zones and obstacle types. Critical zones near the vehicle use tighter thresholds for high precision, while distant zones use broader thresholds. The multi-zone sensors enable local quality adjustments in detection sensitivity, achieving high measurement precision where needed without triggering excessive alerts in less critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The threshold distance is made dynamic rather than fixed, adjusting based on vehicle speed, direction, and detected obstacle characteristics. When the vehicle is moving quickly or an obstacle is identified as low-risk, the effective threshold increases to reduce false alerts. This dynamic adjustment maintains high detection precision for critical threats while minimizing time loss from non-critical alerts.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors with overlapping fields of view are used to detect obstacles in all directions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor data streams are merged and processed together by the controller, which integrates information from overlapping fields of view to create a unified three-dimensional obstacle map. This merging approach achieves comprehensive directional coverage and high measurement precision while managing complexity through centralized data fusion rather than requiring completely independent sensor systems for each direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-zone sensors are designed to perform multiple functions: detecting obstacles at various distances, identifying different obstacle types (flat surfaces vs. irregular objects), and providing data for both alert generation and automatic compensation control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized sensors, achieving high detection accuracy across all directions with a unified sensor type.
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 prevents collisions by adjusting propulsion motor power based on obstacle proximity, ensuring safe operation and stable vehicle control in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
a first ranging sensor of the plurality of ranging sensors transmits a ranging signal and receives a reflected signal reflected from the obstruction
Implementation Method 2
the time of flight of the ranging signal is calculated
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to an obstacle awareness device for vehicle systems. A threshold distance is set that identifies the range at which an obstruction interferes with fluid dynamics around and through at least one propulsion motor. One or more ranging sensors on the vehicle system detect relative position information of the obstruction when it is within the threshold distance. The relative position information is communicated to a controller, which adjusts a motor control signal to compensate for the obstruction interfering with the fluid dynamics around the at least one propulsion motor. The threshold distance may be defined by a three dimensional shape that encapsulated the vehicle system 100, and the three dimensional shape may change in shape or size with movement of the vehicle system.