Virtual Approved Pathways for Shared Automated Vehicle Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for navigating and controlling automated vehicles or persons (VOPs) lack comprehensive situational awareness, leading to inefficiencies and safety hazards due to reliance on self-contained location tracking and sensor-based approaches that are inflexible and computationally intensive, failing to account for the presence and movement of other VOPs in shared environments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize virtual approved pathways (VAPs) dynamically configured based on real-time data from various sources, including sensor data and user-defined requirements, to guide VOPs safely and efficiently through environments by determining optimal navigation plans that consider the presence of other objects and environmental conditions, using a processor to continuously update navigation paths as conditions change.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vision cameras and LiDAR are used for path following, then navigation capability is improved, but programming complexity and training requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual approved pathways (VAPs) as an intermediary layer between the navigation system and the physical environment. VAPs are pre-defined digital paths that encode approved routes, obstacles, and operational parameters. The automated vehicle consumes these VAPs without requiring complex sensor processing or machine learning training, thereby simplifying the navigation system while maintaining safety and adaptability through centralized VAP management
2Measurement precision
If sensor-based approaches with vision cameras and LiDAR are used, then navigation accuracy is improved, but computing power requirements and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs navigation planning and path validation in advance by pre-defining virtual approved pathways (VAPs) that encode optimal routes, obstacles, and operational constraints. During actual vehicle operation, the system simply consumes these pre-processed VAPs rather than performing complex real-time sensor processing, thereby maintaining navigation accuracy while dramatically reducing computing power requirements and battery consumption during movement
3Device complexity
If self-contained location tracking is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but situational awareness and safety in shared environments deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual approved pathways (VAPs) as a centralized intermediary that provides comprehensive environmental information to all automated vehicles. VAPs encode knowledge about obstacles, approved routes, and operational constraints derived from environmental sensors and maps. Individual vehicles maintain simplicity by consuming VAPs rather than processing sensor data independently, while gaining enhanced situational awareness through the centralized environmental model embedded in VAPs
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for controlling or guiding one or more automated vehicles and/or people (VOP) in an environment using virtual approved pathways (VAPs). Methods include determining a set of parameters associated with automated vehicles and/or people operating within an environment, including periodically obtaining a first set of parameters from a plurality of data sources deployed within an environment, in real-time.