Virtual Lane And Stop-Line Control for Automated Driving

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current automated driving systems lack effective management capabilities to efficiently control and navigate automated vehicles on diverse road types and conditions, particularly in the presence of obstacles or varying speed limits, which can lead to safety issues and inefficiencies in transportation.

Innovation Solution

An automated driving vehicle management system that includes an imaginary line management unit and an imaginary stop line management unit, capable of generating and adjusting virtual boundaries and stop lines based on vehicle types, speed limits, and obstacles, to guide and control vehicles safely and efficiently across different road types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated driving vehicles navigate diverse road types and conditions without virtual boundaries, then vehicles have greater freedom of movement, but safety issues and navigation inefficiencies occur

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of physical road boundaries and stop lines as imaginary lines in the map information. These imaginary lines replicate the function of physical road markings without requiring physical infrastructure, enabling automated vehicles to navigate safely through digital representations of road rules and boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from physical road boundaries to digital/virtual imaginary lines in the information space. By managing boundaries as data rather than physical objects, the system achieves flexible, dynamic boundary management that adapts to changing road conditions without physical modifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system dynamically adjusts imaginary lines and stop lines to accommodate obstacles and varying conditions, then navigation adaptability improves, but computational complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation adaptabilityVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic imaginary lines that automatically adjust their positions and configurations in response to changing road conditions, obstacles, and traffic situations. The imaginary stop lines are generated and repositioned dynamically based on obstacle detection and road layout changes, enabling real-time adaptation without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-generates imaginary lines and imaginary stop lines based on map information before vehicles encounter obstacles or complex situations. By having these virtual boundaries prepared in advance, the system reduces real-time computational burden while maintaining high adaptability when vehicles need to respond to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If imaginary stop lines are generated to intersect imaginary lines and surround parking areas, then vehicle control precision improves, but the complexity of line management and coordination increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle control precisionVSAvoidline management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the road environment into distinct virtual zones defined by imaginary lines and imaginary stop lines. By dividing the navigation space into manageable segments with clear boundaries and stop points, the system achieves precise vehicle control at critical locations while maintaining organized, modular line management that reduces overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4057253B1System, management method, automated driving vehicle, and program
Publication Date: 2024.04.17 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4057253B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4057253B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4057253B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an automated driving vehicle management system, a management method, an automated driving vehicle, and a program that are capable of appropriately managing the automated driving vehicle. The automated driving vehicle management system including: a map information storage unit (201) that stores map information; an imaginary line management unit (202) that manages an imaginary line imaginarily generated for a road included in the map information; and a communication unit (204) that transmits imaginary line information about the imaginary line to a plurality of automated driving vehicles traveling along the imaginary line.