Automated Vehicle Steering Straddling Low Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated vehicles often unnecessarily avoid objects that are low enough to be straddled, as existing systems fail to accurately determine whether an object's height and width allow it to pass underneath the vehicle without contact.
Innovation Solution
A steering system equipped with an object-detector and controller that assesses the height and width of objects using a combination of sensors like cameras, lidar, and ultrasonic transducers, allowing the vehicle to straddle objects when their dimensions are within the vehicle's ground-clearance and track-width, respectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the automated vehicle uses simple obstacle detection to avoid all detected objects, then collision safety is improved, but path efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary avoidance maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of obstacle assessment by evaluating multiple dimensions (height, width, length) rather than treating all obstacles uniformly. This allows the vehicle to distinguish between straddleable and non-straddleable obstacles, resolving the contradiction by enabling efficient path selection based on precise parameter measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple binary avoidance logic with a multi-sensor detection system (cameras, LIDAR, ultrasonic sensors) that provides precise spatial measurements. This substitution enables intelligent decision-making between straddling and avoiding obstacles, improving path efficiency while maintaining collision safety
2Measurement precision
If the automated vehicle uses multi-sensor detection to accurately measure object dimensions, then straddling decision accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it processes data from various sensor types (cameras, LIDAR, ultrasonic), performs geometric calculations, determines straddling feasibility, and controls vehicle execution. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating processing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that integrates data from multiple sensors and translates it into actionable decisions. It mediates between the raw sensor data and the vehicle execution system, simplifying the interface between detection and action while maintaining measurement precision
3Reliability
If the automated vehicle always steers around objects, then collision avoidance is improved, but travel time increases due to unnecessary detours
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of obstacle dimensions before executing avoidance maneuvers. By pre-evaluating whether an obstacle is straddleable based on measured dimensions against vehicle clearance parameters, the system可以避免 unnecessary detours and reduce travel time while maintaining collision avoidance
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of always avoiding obstacles, the system inverts the logic by considering straddling as the default option for small obstacles. This inversion enables the vehicle to maintain its current path and only deviate when absolutely necessary, reducing travel time while preserving collision avoidance through conditional straddling
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A steering-system (10) for an automated vehicle (12) is provided. The system (10)includes an object-detector (24) and a controller (26). The object-detector indicates a height (30) and/or a width (34) of an object (20) approached by a host-vehicle.The controller (26) is configured to steer the host-vehicle (12) and is in communication with the object-detector (24). The controller (26) steers the host-vehicle (12) to straddle (28) the object when the height (30) of the object isl ess than a ground-clearance of the host-vehicle (12), and/or the width (34) of the object is less than a track-width of the host-vehicle (12). (Figure 1)