Vehicle Stop-Hold Control for Rail Crossing Exit Timing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle driving assistance systems fail to terminate stopped-state keeping control promptly when a vehicle is stopped in areas where prolonged stopping is undesirable, such as rail crossings, leading to potential damage from collisions with trains or other vehicles.

Innovation Solution

Implement an electronic control unit that executes stopped-state keeping control for a standard time if the vehicle is in a non-termination recommendation area and for a shorter time if in a termination recommendation area, using map information to determine the vehicle's location and adjust the control accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the stopped-state keeping control is executed for a standard time to prevent accidental entry into traffic intersections, then the safety at traffic intersections is improved, but the risk of collision with trains at rail crossings increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety at traffic intersectionVSAvoidcollision risk with train

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the stopped-state keeping control duration based on the specific location where the vehicle is stopped. The control execution time is set to a longer period for traffic intersections (to prevent accidental entry) and a shorter period for rail crossings (to prevent train collision), thereby optimizing safety for each specific location rather than applying a uniform time limit across all areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the control execution time adjustable and location-dependent. The electronic control unit dynamically determines the appropriate stopped-state keeping control duration based on the detected location type (traffic intersection or rail crossing), allowing the system to adapt its behavior to different operational contexts and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the stopped-state keeping control is terminated early at rail crossings to prevent train collision, then the collision risk with trains is reduced, but the vehicle may accidentally enter traffic intersections due to premature termination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision risk with trainVSAvoidsafety at traffic intersection

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the stopped-state keeping control duration based on the specific location where the vehicle is stopped. The control execution time is set to a longer period for traffic intersections (to prevent accidental entry) and a shorter period for rail crossings (to prevent train collision), thereby optimizing safety for each specific location rather than applying a uniform time limit across all areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the vehicle's location and adjusting the stopped-state keeping control termination timing accordingly. The electronic control unit receives location information, determines whether the vehicle is at a traffic intersection or rail crossing, and accordingly sets the control execution time to appropriate values, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If a fixed standard time is used for stopped-state keeping control, then the control logic is simple, but it cannot adapt to different locations such as traffic intersections and rail crossings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic simplicityVSAvoidlocation adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the control execution time adjustable and location-dependent. The electronic control unit dynamically determines the appropriate stopped-state keeping control duration based on the detected location type (traffic intersection or rail crossing), allowing the system to adapt its behavior to different operational contexts and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the stopped-state keeping control duration based on the specific location where the vehicle is stopped. The control execution time is set to a longer period for traffic intersections (to prevent accidental entry) and a shorter period for rail crossings (to prevent train collision), thereby optimizing safety for each specific location rather than applying a uniform time limit across all areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12503103B2Vehicle driving assistance apparatus, vehicle driving assistance method, and computer-readable storage medium storing vehicle driving assistance program

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle driving assistance apparatus executes a braking assistance control to forcibly stop an own vehicle when there is a probability that the own vehicle collides with an object, and executes a stopped-state keeping control to keep the own vehicle stopped when the own vehicle is stopped by the braking assistance control. The apparatus executes the stopped-state keeping control for a standard time when the own vehicle is stopped at a place in an area other than a termination recommendation area in which an execution of the stopped-state keeping control is recommended to be terminated. The apparatus executes the stopped-state keeping control for a time shorter than the standard time when the own vehicle is stopped at a place in the termination recommendation area.