Vehicle Rear End Location Using Multi-Sensor Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle systems rely on a single source of data, such as GNSS, to determine the rear end location, which leads to inaccuracies and safety uncertainties due to errors in data entry, vehicle dynamics, and other factors, resulting in a lack of confidence for safety functions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize multiple sensors, a leading sensor at the front end and a trailing sensor spaced away, to determine the location of a designated position, such as the rear end, by calculating overlapping range areas and responding to their degree of overlap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single source of data (GNSS) is used to determine rear end location, then the system complexity is low, but the measurement precision and reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (GNSS receiver at the head end, trailing sensor at the rear end, and intermediate sensors) to determine the location of the rear end of the vehicle system. This merging of multiple data sources improves measurement precision by cross-validating positions and reducing reliance on a single sensor, thereby resolving the contradiction between low system complexity and insufficient measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate sensors positioned between the head end and rear end of the vehicle system. These intermediate sensors act as mediators that provide additional positional data points, enabling more accurate calculation of the rear end location through triangulation or interpolation methods, thus improving measurement precision without requiring direct attachment of complex equipment to the rear end.
2Reliability
If a safety uncertainty margin is added behind the rear end, then safety is improved, but the loss of information about actual rear end location increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the trailing sensor continuously provides actual rear end position data back to the control system. This real-time feedback allows the system to adjust the safety uncertainty margin dynamically based on actual measured positions rather than using fixed conservative estimates, thereby maintaining safety reliability while reducing information loss about the actual rear end location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary determination of the rear end location using multiple sensors before making safety decisions. By proactively establishing an accurate baseline position through multi-sensor validation, the system can make more informed safety determinations without needing to add excessive uncertainty margins, thus preserving information about the actual rear end location while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided including obtaining a first range area in which a designated position of a vehicle system may be determined to be located based at least in part on a calculated distance from a known location at a front end of the vehicle system that has been determined by a leading sensor. The front end may be relative to a direction of travel. The method may include obtaining a second range area in which the designated position of the vehicle system may be determined to be located using a different, trailing sensor that is located spaced away from the front end of the vehicle system. The method may include determining a degree of overlap, or lack of overlap, of the first range area and the second range area and responding to a determined degree of overlap.