Vehicle Tracking Control Apparatus for Smooth Sensor Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle convoy tracking systems face issues with driver annoyance due to sudden changes in speed caused by radical changes in target inter-vehicle distance when switching between different distance measurement devices, particularly when one device fails, leading to measurement errors and incomplete detection of preceding vehicles at tight curves.
Innovation Solution
A tracking running control apparatus that uses multiple distance measurement devices (laser radar and GPS) to sequentially measure inter-vehicle distance, predicts potential failures, and gradually changes the target inter-vehicle distance and measurement device before reaching a failure-predicted segment, ensuring smooth transition and minimizing driver discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the target inter-vehicle distance is immediately changed when switching distance measurement devices, then the measurement reliability is improved, but the speed changes radically causing driver annoyance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by gradually changing the target inter-vehicle distance before actually switching distance measurement devices. This prevents sudden speed changes and driver annoyance while ensuring measurement reliability is maintained through the transition process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes the target inter-vehicle distance dynamically adjustable during the device switching process. By allowing gradual modification of the target distance parameter, the system balances measurement reliability with driver comfort, avoiding radical speed changes.
2Reliability
If multiple distance measurement devices are used to ensure continuous tracking, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple distance measurement devices (laser radar and GPS) into a unified tracking system with a single controller that manages device switching. This combination ensures continuous tracking reliability while managing system complexity through centralized control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (which distance measurement device is active) based on predicted failure conditions. By dynamically adjusting which device is used for measurement, the system maintains reliability without requiring both devices to operate simultaneously, thus managing complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the target inter-vehicle distance is set in accordance with distance measurement device type, then the measurement precision is improved, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically changes the target inter-vehicle distance parameter based on which distance measurement device is being used. When switching from laser radar to GPS (or vice versa), the controller adjusts the target distance to match the characteristics of the active device, maintaining measurement precision through parameter adaptation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents inconvenience and annoyance to the driver by ensuring continuous tracking of preceding vehicles even when one measurement device fails, by gradually adjusting the target inter-vehicle distance and switching to an alternative measurement device before entering a failure-predicted segment, thus maintaining stable convoy running.
Implementation Method 1
a first distance measurement device...measuring the inter-vehicle distance from a time period between transmission of transmission light and reception of reflected light of the transmission light
Implementation Method 2
a second distance measurement device...measuring the inter-vehicle distance based on a distance between a current position of the vehicle and a current position of the preceding vehicle, which are detected with a GPS reception unit
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking running control apparatus determines a failure-predicted segment where distance measurement using a laser radar is predicted to undergo a failure. Upon reaching the failure-predicted segment, a distance measurement device used in tracking running control is changed from the distance measurement device using the laser radar to a distance measurement device using a GPS receiver. Before the change of the distance measurement devices, a target inter-vehicle distance is gradually changed to a GPS-utilized target inter-vehicle distance through changing a vehicle speed with an acceleration equal to or less than a predetermined value. Under the configuration, it is possible to suppress annoyance for a driver of the vehicle because of the change of the target inter-vehicle distances accompanying the change of the distance measurement devices.