Vehicle Manufacturing Position Tracking With Sensor Source Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle manufacturing systems struggle to accurately determine the positions and attitudes of vehicles within a manufacturing facility, especially in challenging environments where internal sensors fail or provide inaccurate data.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle manufacturing system that utilizes external information acquisition means, such as LiDAR and cameras, to determine vehicle positions and attitudes when internal sensors are unavailable or unreliable, and switches between internal and external data sources based on vehicle location and environmental conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If internal sensors (second information acquisition means) are used to acquire vehicle position and attitude information, then the system can obtain data from within the vehicles, but the system fails when internal sensors are unavailable or provide inaccurate data in challenging environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of vehicle position and attitude information acquisitionVSAvoidcomplexity of dual information acquisition system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination to check whether internal sensors are available and functioning before relying on them. By anticipating potential sensor failures and preparing external information acquisition means in advance, the system ensures continuous operation even when internal sensors fail, thereby improving reliability without requiring permanent complex dual-system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary that coordinates between internal and external information acquisition means. It determines sensor availability, switches between data sources, and integrates information from both internal sensors and external acquisition means, resolving the contradiction by managing system complexity through intelligent mediation rather than permanent dual-system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If external information acquisition means (first information acquisition means) are used to acquire vehicle position and attitude information, then the system can operate when internal sensors fail, but the system cannot acquire information inside the vehicles when they are in certain sections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of vehicle position and attitude information acquisitionVSAvoidprecision of vehicle position and attitude information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the control device continuously monitors the availability and quality of both internal and external sensor data. Based on this feedback, it dynamically switches between information sources and applies appropriate correction algorithms, ensuring high measurement precision by using the most reliable data source available for each specific situation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters based on environmental conditions and sensor availability. When internal sensors are unavailable, it adjusts acquisition parameters of external means and applies correction algorithms specific to external measurement characteristics, maintaining precision by adapting to different operational contexts rather than using a fixed measurement approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If the system switches between internal and external information acquisition means based on vehicle location and environmental conditions, then the system can maintain accurate information acquisition, but the system requires complex determination logic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of vehicle position and attitude informationVSAvoidcomplexity of determination logic
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The determination logic is segmented into distinct functional modules within the control device: availability determination means, section determination means, and information acquisition means. Each module handles a specific aspect of the switching logic, making the overall complex system manageable through modular design while maintaining high measurement precision through coordinated operation of these segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4607304A1Vehicle manufacturing system, vehicle manufacturing method, and program
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4607304A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4607304A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4607304A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle manufacturing system (50) includes: first information acquisition means (1111) for acquiring first information indicating positions and attitudes of a plurality of vehicles from outside of the plurality of vehicles, the plurality of vehicles being manufactured step by step while they are continuously moving; first determination means (1125) for determining whether or not second information acquisition means (1113, 1115) for acquiring second information indicating a position and an attitude of a vehicle in front of or behind at least one of the vehicles is available; and position and attitude acquisition means (1127) for acquiring the positions and attitudes of the vehicles by using the first information when the first determination means determines that the second information acquisition means (1113, 1115) is not available.