Vehicle Position Capture Using Magnetic Marker Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional position capture systems lack sufficient accuracy in determining a vehicle's position.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that select the nearest laying position of magnetic markers to correct the actual measured position, using these markers to enhance positional accuracy by employing a combination of GPS and inertial navigation, with magnetic markers placed wider than the error circle radius to minimize errors and improve accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS-based position capture is used, then the system can measure absolute position through radio waves from satellites, but the position accuracy is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidposition capture reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines GPS position capture with magnetic marker detection to create a hybrid positioning system. The GPS provides coarse position information while magnetic markers provide fine-position correction, merging two different positioning methods to achieve both wide coverage and high accuracy simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Magnetic markers are introduced as intermediary reference points between the GPS satellite signals and the vehicle's position determination system. These markers serve as local reference landmarks that mediate the position correction process, enabling accurate position capture by comparing detected marker positions with pre-stored reference data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If magnetic markers are placed closer together, then position accuracy improves, but the complexity of marker deployment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition accuracyVSAvoidmarker deployment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of densely deploying markers throughout the entire area, the patent uses partial deployment by placing markers only at critical locations such as intersections, curve sections, and other key points where high position accuracy is most needed. This selective placement achieves sufficient positioning accuracy while minimizing the total number of markers and deployment complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

This approach enables high-accuracy position capture, improving vehicle control and navigation systems by reducing errors in vehicle speed, acceleration, and yaw rate measurements, and enhancing route-following capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of magnetic detecting elements which are aligned in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the vehicle... detected for several times at a predetermined timing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field detection: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

On receiving a radio wave from an artificial satellite by means of an antenna, the geographical position is calculated by means of a GPS receiver

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadio wave reception: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3467437B1Position capture method and system
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 AICHI STEEL CORP
  • EP3467437B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3467437B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3467437B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A position capture method for capturing an own vehicle position by using a positioning part that measures a position of a vehicle (4) and a plurality of magnetic markers (5) laid on a traveling path of the vehicle (4) with their laying positions specified includes: upon detection of any of the plurality of magnetic markers (5), selecting, from among the laying positions of the plurality of magnetic markers (5), the laying position located nearest to an actual measured position measured by the positioning part; and capturing, as the own vehicle position, a corrected position based on the laying position, thereby making high-accuracy position capture possible.