Vehicle-mounted Wrong-way Detection System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles traveling in the wrong direction on roadways pose a safety risk due to potential unawareness by human operators or the absence of operators, and existing solutions fail to effectively detect and address this issue.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-mounted system that uses a computer to detect when a vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction, actuating a light to provide a user-detectable pattern, controlling speed, and communicating with navigation and sensor systems to alert others and restrict vehicle movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vehicle-mounted detection system is implemented to detect wrong-way travel, then road safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple detection functions (GPS location tracking, navigation route comparison, speed sensing, and light pattern recognition) into a single multi-functional vehicle-mounted system. This universal approach allows one system to perform comprehensive wrong-way detection rather than requiring separate specialized devices for each function, thereby improving road safety while managing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If the system actuates lights to provide user-detectable patterns, then detection effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic light actuation in the form of flashing or blinking light patterns to signal wrong-way travel. This periodic action makes the light signals more noticeable and detectable by other road users compared to continuous illumination, thereby improving detection effectiveness while reducing overall energy consumption through intermittent operation rather than continuous light emission.
3Reliability
If the system controls vehicle speed upon wrong-way detection, then safety is improved, but loss of time occurs due to movement restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by automatically controlling the vehicle to slow down or stop upon detecting wrong-way travel. This preemptive speed control prevents the vehicle from continuing in the wrong direction and potentially causing accidents, thereby prioritizing safety over time loss. The system takes corrective action before harm can occur, accepting temporary movement restriction as necessary for preventing greater safety risks.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system including a computer programmed to determine that a vehicle is traveling in a wrong-way direction. Upon such determination, the computer is programmed to actuate a light of the vehicle to provide a user-detectable pattern external to the vehicle.