Vehicle Rule Chart Matching for Consistent Traffic Rule Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for handling traffic rules in vehicles are prone to human error, leading to accidents due to incorrect interpretation or disregard, and existing systems fail to prevent collisions in complex or technical error situations.

Innovation Solution

A procedure that uses environmental sensors to recognize ambient states, derive traffic rules, and generate a standard card for communication with external units, enabling vehicles to share and compare traffic rules to ensure consistency and reduce accident risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traffic rules are manually recorded by the driver, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but human error leads to incorrect recording and high accident risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of traffic rule recordingVSAvoidcomplexity of traffic rule handling system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of reading and recording traffic rules with an automated optical recognition system. Environmental sensors (cameras) detect traffic signs, lights, and police officers, while a processor automatically interprets these visual inputs to determine applicable traffic rules, eliminating human error in rule recording while maintaining system simplicity through software-based automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting environmental conditions, deriving traffic rules, and storing them in a control map without requiring driver intervention. The vehicle's own sensors and processing units handle the entire traffic rule acquisition process autonomously, improving reliability while keeping the user interface simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If existing camera-based systems are used to record traffic rules, then automatic recording is achieved, but inconsistencies between vehicles cannot be detected and accidents cannot be prevented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsistency of traffic rule interpretationVSAvoidloss of traffic rule consistency information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where vehicles exchange their control maps (stored traffic rules) with each other via communication units. Each vehicle compares its locally derived traffic rules with those received from other vehicles, providing feedback on inconsistencies. This cross-verification process ensures consistent traffic rule interpretation across the vehicle network and prevents accidents caused by divergent rule understanding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If vehicles operate independently with their own traffic rule interpretation, then each vehicle has autonomy, but discrepancies in traffic rules lead to increased accident risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomy of individual vehicleVSAvoidsafety in traffic rule compliance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the autonomous traffic rule interpretation capabilities of individual vehicles with a collaborative verification system. Each vehicle maintains its own control map and operational autonomy, but simultaneously combines this with exchanged control maps from other vehicles to verify consistency. This merging of independent operations with collective verification preserves vehicle autonomy while ensuring safety through coordinated traffic rule compliance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3204926B1Method for handling a rule chart
Publication Date: 2025.01.29 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP3204926B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3204926B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for handling a rule chart, a rule chart being established in a vehicle and being transmitted to an external unit such as for example another vehicle or a central server. This allows a matching of rule charts.