Vehicle Projection Unit Road Marking Safety

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle operation systems lack safety measures for occupants, particularly in scenarios where passengers disembark, and do not provide flexible operation on general roads, leading to potential accidents and reduced convenience.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle equipped with a control unit and a projection unit to project road markings, such as bus lanes or crosswalks, and a traffic signal unit that outputs different colors to alert following drivers of pedestrians, enhancing safety and convenience by reducing collision risks and improving road awareness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vehicle operates on general roads without special markings, then the vehicle can access more destinations and provide flexible service, but the safety of occupants is compromised due to lack of visibility and awareness from other drivers

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The projection unit projects road markings (bus lane markings, crosswalk markings) onto the general road surface in advance before the vehicle reaches those locations. This preliminary action creates visible warnings for other drivers ahead of time, allowing them to prepare and avoid accidents, thus improving occupant safety while maintaining flexible operation on general roads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The projection unit acts as an intermediary between the vehicle and other road users. It projects visual markers onto the road surface that mediate communication with other drivers, making the vehicle's presence and intentions visible without requiring physical infrastructure modifications, thereby enabling safe flexible operation on general roads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the vehicle projects road markings continuously, then the visibility and safety awareness is maximized, but the energy consumption and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The projection unit operates periodically rather than continuously. It projects road markings at specific intervals and locations based on the vehicle's position and detected environmental conditions. This periodic operation maintains necessary visibility and safety awareness while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous projection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensors to detect environmental conditions (light levels, presence of other vehicles, pedestrian activity) and adjusts the projection unit's operation accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures projections are made only when necessary for safety, optimizing the balance between visibility and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11454986B2Vehicle, operation management device, operation management method, and computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2022.09.27

AI summary

A vehicle is configured to be capable of traveling on a road, and includes: a control unit that controls each unit constituting the vehicle; and a projection unit that is capable of projecting an image on the road by control from the control unit, and the projection unit projects a road marking on the road. The road marking is a crosswalk or a marking for traveling of a particular vehicle. The vehicle further includes a traffic signal unit that selectively outputs a color of at least two different colors by control from the control unit.