Virtual Ramp Preview for Vehicle Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers of vehicles with deployable ramps face challenges in determining suitable parking spaces due to obstacles that interfere with ramp deployment and passenger safety, requiring manual checks that are inefficient and risky.
Innovation Solution
A virtual ramp preview system using cameras and sensors to generate composite images with a virtual ramp overlay, providing real-time visual assistance for safe ramp deployment by integrating cameras, sensors, and an electronic control unit to assess surrounding space and obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a driver manually checks the surrounding area for ramp deployment safety, then the driver can identify obstacles and potential hazards, but the process is time-consuming and requires the driver to physically exit the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the physical ramp and surrounding environment using camera feeds and 3D modeling. This virtual ramp preview allows the driver to assess deployment safety without physically exiting the vehicle or manually checking the area, thereby maintaining reliability while eliminating time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical inspection process is replaced with an automated electronic system comprising cameras, processors, and display units. The system automatically captures images, generates 3D models, and presents virtual ramp previews, substituting the driver's manual inspection with an automated optical and computational system.
2Loss of information
If the driver physically exits the vehicle to check for obstacles, then the driver can directly observe the deployment area, but this exposes the driver to potential hazards and reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the driver directly observing the physical environment, the system captures images through cameras and creates a virtual representation. This virtual copy provides complete visual information about obstacles and hazards while keeping the driver safely inside the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces cameras, processors, and display units as intermediaries between the driver and the physical environment. These intermediaries capture and transmit visual information about obstacles, allowing the driver to assess safety without direct exposure to potential hazards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle is equipped with a deployable ramp for passenger accessibility, then passengers using wheelchairs can enter or exit safely, but the vehicle requires additional space for ramp deployment that may not be available in all parking locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of the parking location by generating virtual ramp previews before actual ramp deployment. This allows the driver to determine in advance whether sufficient space is available, preventing attempts to deploy the ramp in unsuitable locations and ensuring accessibility only when space conditions are appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback through the display unit showing the virtual ramp overlay on captured images. This feedback mechanism allows the driver to assess whether the parking location accommodates the ramp deployment requirements, enabling informed decisions about vehicle positioning to ensure both accessibility and spatial feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for a virtual ramp preview system for a vehicle. The system may include a deployable ramp that may deploy from the vehicle. The system may further include one or more cameras that may provide one or more fields of view of a surrounding area of the vehicle. The system may further include an electronic control unit (ECU) electrically connected to the one or more cameras and a user interface. The ECU may display, via the user interface, a composite image of the one or more fields of view and a virtual vehicle that is a virtual representation of the vehicle. The ECU may augment the composite image to include a virtual ramp extending from the virtual vehicle to assist a driver of the vehicle with determining an amount of space that is required to deploy the deployable ramp.