Autonomous Vehicle Path Overlay Interface for Obstacle-Aware Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous vehicle systems lack effective representation of vehicles and external objects in their environment, leading to inefficient and unsafe operation, particularly in scenarios like construction zones where human operators are needed to guide the vehicle through complex conditions.

Innovation Solution

A solution path overlay system that receives vehicle and external data to determine a safe path for the vehicle, generating an interface that displays the vehicle's path and external objects, allowing operators to update the path in real-time for efficient navigation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If verbal descriptions or positional information are provided to human operators, then operators can understand the environment to some extent, but such information does not provide an adequate representation of the many factors that could have an impact on the efficient and safe operation of the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidinformation representation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a simplified virtual copy of the physical environment that includes only the most relevant elements (vehicle, obstacles, path) and their relationships. This virtual representation is transmitted to the operator, providing adequate environmental information without overwhelming complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The environmental information is segmented into discrete, meaningful components: vehicle position, obstacle positions, solution path, and intersection points. This segmentation allows the operator to process information in manageable units rather than receiving an undifferentiated mass of data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a detailed representation of the environment including multiple external objects and their movement paths is provided, then operators can make better decisions, but the complexity of the interface increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational safetyVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface provides detailed information locally at critical points (such as intersection points where the vehicle path meets obstacle paths) while keeping other areas simpler. This allows the operator to see detailed environmental factors only where they are most relevant to decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds a temporal dimension to the representation by showing movement paths and predicting future positions of external objects. This allows the operator to understand not just current states but also future interactions, improving safety decisions without requiring an overly complex static representation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the solution path overlay interface is updated in real-time based on operator commands, then the vehicle can navigate efficiently through changing conditions, but the system requires continuous data processing and transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle transit efficiencyVSAvoidsystem processing energy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates solution paths and identifies intersection points with external object paths before the vehicle reaches those points. This preliminary processing allows for efficient real-time updates without requiring intensive continuous computation, reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3551966B1Solution path overlay interfaces for autonomous vehicles
Publication Date: 2021.03.03 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC
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AI summary

Methods and systems for generating a solution path overlay interface to transmit a solution path are described. The disclosed technology includes receiving vehicle data and external data from a vehicle. The vehicle data includes a vehicle location and a vehicle destination, and the external data includes a location and a movement path for each of a plurality of external objects. A solution path is determined between the vehicle location and the vehicle destination, wherein the solution path does not intersect with the plurality of external objects. A solution path overlay interface is generated that includes the vehicle traveling the solution path and at least some of the plurality of external objects. The solution path overlay interface is outputted for display that is configured to receive a command from an operator which results in an updated solution path that is transmitted to the vehicle for execution.