Wade Sensing Display Control System Using Sensor Fusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-vehicle HMI systems for wading information often misinterpret data from sensors, leading to inappropriate or inaccurate activation or termination of wading alerts, causing distraction and potential safety issues due to false positives or false negatives in low visibility conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize remote-ranging sensors on the same lateral axis to compare depth estimations and water contact sensor data to accurately determine when to activate or deactivate the HMI apparatus, considering threshold wading depths, lateral gradients, and sensor tolerances to prevent false alerts and ensure accurate wading information display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensor data is used to activate HMI wading alerts, then drivers receive water depth information, but false positives occur due to misinterpretation of sensor data from uneven terrain or localized puddles
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines data from multiple sensors (contact sensors, remote sensors, and additional remote sensors) to make a determination about wading conditions. By merging sensor inputs and requiring corroboration across multiple detection points, the system reduces false positives while maintaining reliable alert activation.
2Loss of information
If HMI provides continuous wading information, then drivers have constant awareness of water depth, but driver distraction increases in low visibility conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides wading information periodically or selectively based on actual wading conditions rather than continuously. The HMI activates to provide water depth information when wading is detected, and remains inactive otherwise, reducing driver distraction while maintaining necessary information availability.
3Reliability
If multiple remote-ranging sensors are added to verify wading conditions, then false positives are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the detection function across multiple sensor types and locations (contact sensors at different heights, remote sensors positioned at strategic locations). This segmentation allows verification of wading conditions through distributed detection points without requiring a single complex sensor system.
4Adaptability or versatility
If HMI activation threshold is lowered to detect shallow water, then more wading scenarios are captured, but false activations from puddles increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple sensors as intermediaries to verify wading conditions before activation. Contact sensors detect water presence at specific heights, while remote sensors provide additional verification. This multi-layered intermediary detection system allows the threshold to be lowered for versatility while maintaining reliability through cross-verification.
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 system effectively reduces false activations and deactivations of the HMI, providing reliable and timely wading information to the driver, enhancing safety by minimizing distractions and ensuring accurate representation of the vehicle's wading conditions.
Implementation Method 1
comparing range data from two or more remote-ranging sensors... comparing depth estimations
Implementation Method 2
capacitative sensors... capable of issuing data to a control system indicative of the presence of water about the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling an HMI-apparatus for providing information comprising comparing data from two or more remote-ranging sensors disposed at an elevation greater than the threshold wading depth of the vehicle.