Vehicle Sign Prioritization System for Driver Distraction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers face distractions and information overload when encountering multiple road signs on highways and motorways, as existing systems do not effectively prioritize and present relevant sign information in a timely and relevant manner.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that captures image data, processes signs, assigns priority based on orientation, type, and relevance, and communicates information to the driver through visual or auditory means, including translation services for foreign languages, to provide a clear and focused sequence of announcements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the system presents all detected road sign information to the driver, then complete information is provided, but driver distraction and information overload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments road sign information by spatial location (left, center, right regions) and assigns different priority levels based on the vehicle's lane position and the sign's relevance to the current driving context. This segmentation allows the system to present only the most relevant information segments to the driver, reducing overall information load while maintaining completeness of critical data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different quality filters to different regions of the road scene. Signs in the driver's current lane or adjacent lanes receive higher priority and more detailed presentation, while signs in distant or irrelevant regions are filtered out or presented with lower priority. This local quality approach ensures that information completeness is maintained where it matters most while reducing distraction from peripheral information.
2Productivity
If the system processes and presents multiple road signs in quick succession, then all sign information is communicated, but decision-making time for the driver is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing of road signs by pre-categorizing them according to their spatial location, orientation, and relevance to the vehicle's current lane. Signs are pre-ranked by priority before being presented to the driver, allowing the most critical information to be communicated first. This preliminary action ensures that decision-making time is not compromised while maintaining efficient information communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the presentation rate and priority of road signs based on the vehicle's current speed, lane position, and the temporal urgency of each sign. At higher speeds, fewer but more critical signs are presented with longer intervals. The system dynamically re-ranks signs as the vehicle progresses, ensuring that decision-making time is adequate while maintaining high information communication efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system includes signs oriented at various angles, then all visible signs are detected, but irrelevant signs increase information overload
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of filtering signs by orientation thresholds (excluding signs that don't meet a minimum orientation criterion), the system inverts the approach by calculating the relevance of each sign based on its orientation relative to the vehicle's direction and the driver's field of view. Signs are included or excluded based on their angular relationship to the vehicle's path, with oblique signs automatically assigned lower priority. This inversion maintains comprehensive detection capability while intelligently managing information volume.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for use in a vehicle; the system comprising; image capture means for capturing an image scene external to the vehicle, wherein the image scene includes a plurality of information indicators, each of which occurs in a corresponding region of the image scene and each of which includes text and/or a symbol. An image processing means is provided for generating multiple information outputs, each of which corresponds with one of the plurality of information indicators. A means is provided for assigning a priority to the multiple information outputs according to at least one pre-determined criterion. A means is provided for communicating the multiple information outputs to the user in dependence on the assigned priority.