Vehicle Positioning Base Unit Accuracy via Portable Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for determining positional information in commercial motor vehicles often fail to meet the accuracy and availability requirements set by regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, particularly when using internal GPS antennas located near diagnostic ports, which can provide inaccurate or unreliable location data.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a base unit connected to a vehicle's diagnostic port and a portable communication device, where the base unit determines if it has a local source of positioning information meeting accuracy and availability thresholds; if not, it requests additional positioning information from the portable device, which may have a more accurate GPS antenna location, and combines measurements to generate positioning data using weighted averages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If internal GPS antenna is used near diagnostic port, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning accuracy and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a portable communication device as an intermediary to provide auxiliary positioning information. When the base unit's local GPS antenna cannot provide sufficient accuracy or availability, the system automatically requests positioning data from the portable device, which has a better-positioned GPS antenna. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple device architecture while achieving high positioning accuracy through external assistance.
2Measurement precision
If external positioning sources are integrated, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic positioning system that adaptively switches between different positioning sources based on real-time accuracy and availability conditions. The base unit continuously monitors the quality of positioning data from its local GPS antenna and dynamically requests supplemental data from the portable communication device only when needed. This dynamic approach improves positioning accuracy without permanently increasing device complexity, as the external positioning capability is activated conditionally rather than being permanently integrated.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining positioning information for driver compliance. The apparatus comprising a an electronic processor connected to an electronic control unit and a transceiver and configured to receive the vehicle data from the electronic control unit, determine whether the apparatus includes a local source of positioning information, determine whether a positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds an accuracy threshold and an availability threshold, if the apparatus includes the local source of positioning information, and send a request to the portable communication device for additional positioning information if the apparatus does not include the local source of positioning information, or the positioning information from the local source of positioning information does not meet or exceed the accuracy threshold, the availability threshold, or both.