Vehicle Topography Prediction Using Cell-Based Data Assignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for predicting topographical information for vehicles are inefficient and lack simplicity, particularly in determining future driving positions, which affects the control of vehicle functions such as engine and drive train operation, leading to suboptimal fuel consumption and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A method that assigns topographical information to different driving positions, allowing for the prediction and querying of this information at determined future positions, using current and adjacent cell data, and updating records as the vehicle traverses cells, with data processed to optimize vehicle control units for efficient drive power management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If topographical information is predicted for future driving positions using conventional methods, then vehicle control functions can be optimized, but the complexity of data processing and determination of future positions increases system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control optimizationVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent determines future driving positions in advance before the vehicle actually reaches them. By calculating and storing topographical information for future cells ahead of time, the system prepares control data proactively, allowing the control unit to retrieve pre-computed information rather than processing it in real-time, thus reducing operational complexity during vehicle movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the driving path into discrete cells or grid positions, with each cell representing a specific geographic location. This segmentation allows the system to handle topographical data in manageable discrete units rather than as continuous complex data, simplifying storage, retrieval, and processing by the control unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If real-time topographical data processing is performed at current driving positions, then accurate vehicle control is achieved, but time delays occur in optimizing drive power for future positions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetopographical data accuracyVSAvoidcontrol response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates future driving positions and retrieves associated topographical information in advance, before the vehicle reaches those positions. This preliminary determination eliminates time delays during actual vehicle operation, as the control unit simply retrieves pre-computed data rather than processing it in real-time when the vehicle is moving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If comprehensive topographical information is collected and processed, then drive power optimization is improved, but the quantity of data to be managed increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive power efficiencyVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent assigns specific topographical properties to specific geographic cells along the driving path, rather than maintaining a single comprehensive dataset. Each cell contains only the topographical information relevant to that local area (e.g., gradient, surface type, traction coefficient), allowing the system to manage data efficiently by storing and processing only locally-relevant information rather than global datasets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3375683B1Method for predicting topography information
Publication Date: 2023.08.09 DEERE & CO
  • EP3375683B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3375683B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3375683B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for predicting topographic information for a vehicle (18). The following method steps are performed: - Assigning at least one piece of topographic information to different driving positions (P_akt, P_praed) of the vehicle (18), - Determining a future driving position (P_praed), - Querying at least one piece of topographic information which is assigned to the determined future driving position (P_praed).