Vehicle-to-External-Sensor Communication for Bandwidth-Efficient Perception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous vehicle systems face challenges in efficiently sharing sensor data among vehicles due to limited bandwidth and unreliable high-frequency communication, leading to incomplete environmental perception and increased costs from installing multiple sensors.
Innovation Solution
A method and system enabling direct communication between vehicles and external sensors using a virtual bus architecture, allowing vehicles to request and receive data from external sensors based on selection criteria without additional processing, optimizing on-board fusion through high-data-rate radio links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vehicles equip more sensors to improve environmental perception, then detection accuracy is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system that allows vehicles to access sensor data from other vehicles and infrastructure. Instead of each vehicle equipping itself with multiple sensors, the system enables data sharing through wireless communication, acting as a mediator that provides enhanced perception capabilities without requiring additional physical sensors on each vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system serves multiple functions: it enables vehicles to access sensor data from various sources (other vehicles, road surveillance devices), supports both unicast and multicast communication modes, and provides a unified interface for environmental perception enhancement without requiring vehicle-specific sensor installations.
2Measurement precision
If vehicles share voluminous sensor data through communication, then environmental perception is enhanced, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary sensor data features and parameters for environmental perception sharing. Instead of transmitting complete voluminous sensor datasets, the system extracts and shares only the essential information (object detection results, position, speed, category) that is needed for cooperative perception, significantly reducing bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor data sharing is segmented into different communication modes (unicast for targeted data, multicast for broadcast data) and the data itself is segmented into essential features versus complete datasets. This segmentation allows flexible bandwidth utilization based on the specific perception needs of the receiving vehicle.
3Quantity of substance
If local pre-classification of objects is performed to reduce data volume, then data exchange is reduced, but detection reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing qualities at different locations: vehicles perform local pre-classification to reduce data volume for general sharing, but maintain the capability to access raw sensor data or enhanced processed data from other vehicles when higher reliability is needed. The system quality varies locally based on the specific detection task and confidence requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of communication between two agents, at least one of which is a mobile vehicle, where a first agent includes at least one sensor and a second agent includes a second sensor. The second agent sends to the first agent, via a radio link, features and control parameters of the second sensor necessary to directly query the second sensor. The first agent sends to the second sensor a request for data selected by the first agent on the basis of a selection criterion dependent on the features of the second sensor, the request generated using the control parameters of the second sensor. The second agent sends to the first agent the second sensor's data requested with said data request. Several agents adapted to implement the method are also described.