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| Claims 2.1 Claim 1 Shortform description of This Invention: This Invention is a method to enable autonomous guidance of a vehicle, employing radio frequency identification (RFID) as the medium of communication and enabled by an apparatus of two- way RFID Transmitter- Receivers mounted on the vehicle, • a plurality of RFID Tags or Beacons in the environment, an onboard Processor to translate environmental data input into vehicle control output and ■ a Protocol for the formatting and transmission of system data. 2.2 Claim 2 The intended application of This Invention to vehicles: A method as claimed in Claim 1, which features two- way RFID Transmitter- Receivers mounted on a vehicle. Vehicle types may include (but are not limited to) freemoving land vehicles such as cars, buses, lorries or quadricycles, unmanned vehicles with autonomous functions, such as mobile robotics platforms, • autonomous, physically- guided land vehicles such as guided- buses or trams, railway rolling stock with autonomous functions (for example autonomous braking for object avoidance or autonomous alignment with platform screen doors), aircraft in proximity to or contact with the ground (for example autonomous taxi- ing, or autonomous alignment with passenger boarding bridges), or • ships in proximity to land or to objects at sea (for example autonomous navigation of a shipping lane marked by buoys, or autonomous alignment with automatic boat hooks). In future, autonomous guidance of vehicles will also facilitate the emergence of new vehicle types, which will transcend existing categories and for which there may be no present terminology. It is therefore proposed that this Invention as a method could be applied to any autonomous vehicle. As a secondary function, This Invention can also be used to provide a standalone proximity warning system for vehicles under manual control, such as bicycles, motorcycles or cars. This is a secondary function, because whilst it employs the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, the data is provided for interpretation by the rider or driver and not for autonomous guidance. As a secondary function, This Invention can also be used to provide a standalone proximity warning system for persons with impaired vision. This is a secondary function, because whilst it employs the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, the data is provided for interpretation by the individual and not for autonomous guidance. Using This Invention, data held on tags in the environment could be combined with direction and distance to provide aural information, directions or warnings. Because RFID tags are small, inexpensive and robust, it would be feasible to install them at a plurality of relevant locations in the public realm. ('Stairs to footbridge, ahead 5 , twenty two risers'). If vehicles are also fitted with tags or beacons, then they too can be identified to the pedestrian. ('Cycle approaching from rear left, 20m'). 2.3 Claim 3 The intended application of This Invention to the environment: A method as claimed in Claims 1 & 2, which features a plurality of Passive RFID Tags, Assisted- passive RFID Tags or Active RFID Beacons in the environment, 2.3.1 Application within the environment, for road vehicles For guidance of road vehicles, environmental elements could include (but are not limited to) RFID tags or beacons mounted at locations which inform onboard autonomous systems of the extent of the carriageway or lane, such as within road markings, kerbstones, crash barriers, bollards or gateposts, at locations which inform onboard autonomous systems of the extent of parking spaces, at locations which inform onboard autonomous systems of road features relating to navigation, such as road signs or traffic lights, at junctions or roundabouts • at locations which inform onboard autonomous systems of permanent road features which may require reduced vehicle speed, or atypically close physical proximity (such as cattle grids, stone road surfaces, narrow bridges or features defining the carriageway in historic town centres), at permanent road features which may warrant the resumption of driver control (such as single- lane roads, fords, swing bridges) and at locations which inform onboard autonomous systems of temporary road features which may require reduced vehicle speed, atypical physical proximity or variations to map data (such as temporary barriers at roadworks). Active RFID beacons could also be used to inform onboard control systems of special requirements (such as variable speed limits related to weather conditions). 3.3.2 Application within the environment, for other land vehicles Not all land vehicles use public roads. This Invention is especially suitable for closed environments, because single- ownership enables comprehensive provision of Tags or Beacons, together with co- ordination of data content to suit the autonomous guidance needs of intended vehicles. For example, there is an existing genre of guided- busways which use narrow concrete tracks with high kerbs, within which the bus is physically contained. Using This Invention instead, a narrow busway could be fitted with a plurality of Tags or Beacons, in order to provide data to onboard autonomous guidance systems without the need for contact with physical kerbs. Such a system could also ensure that buses open their doors at precise locations. If desired, a journey could combine autonomous travel on busways with manual control on conventional roads, for example in crowded city centres where drivers may have an advantage in predicting human behaviour. In other.cases, exclusive busways and unmanned vehicles might allow the operational principles of a railway to be applied, but with much cheaper infrastructure. Similarly in large industrial premises, products have been traditionally moved on production lines with physical guides. Using This Invention instead, manufacturing premises could be fitted with a plurality of Tags or Beacons, in order to identify workstations, storage areas, routes between them, waiting areas and more. This could enable autonomous robotic platforms to move products, without the expense of physical guides (and with real- time flexibility in cases where production is subject to multiple variables, or unexpected events). 2.3.3 Application to the environment, for aircraft Airports are not closed environments, but they are intensively managed. Using This Invention a plurality of tags or beacons could be provided iri order to communicate data enabling autonomous guidance for a variety of vehicles. The most important of these are aircraft on (or close to) the ground. A high density of Tags could be provided cost- effectively, to define the edges of runways and aprons, whilst Active Beacons could reinforce the visual and verbal signalling generated by Air Traffic Control to direct aircraft on the ground. This would differ from remote control, in the sense that autonomous vehicles also apply their own safety procedures and pilots would retain the capability to resume control, if they consider that systems are malfunctioning. Traditional responsibilities are maintained. Airports have multiple genres of specialist vehicles, all of which would read the same Tags or Beacons in the environment, but which would not necessarily act upon the data in the same way: A single Beacon could incorporate specific instructions or restrictions or exclusions for different vehicle types (where the vehicle type is defined in the Protocol). Active beacons can vary those restrictions in real time. However, most content will be far simpler. Vulnerable edges of buildings, other obstacles and temporary works can be tagged and there may be numerous other features in the environment of which it may be useful for onboard guidance systems to be aware. If aircraft are also fitted with tags or beacons, then ■ passenger boarding bridges could use This Invention to enable automated alignment of active elements for docking, ■ other autonomous vehicles can be programmed to keep a safe distance and ■ emergency vehicles could obtain direct from Tags or Beacons on the aircraft, information such as technical specifications, number of passengers or amount of fuel on board. These are secondary functions, because whilst they employ the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, in this case Tags or Beacons are installed on vehicles as well as in the environment. 3.3.4 Application to the environment, for ships For guidance of ships (especially when close to land), a plurality of RFID Tags or Beacons in the environment can be combined with traditional visual signals (such as flags and lights) and used to enable various levels of autonomy. This Invention might include (but is not limited to) use of Tags or Beacons ■ within buoys, to indicate location, • within buoys, to indicate safe shipping channels (fairways), • within buoys, to indicate obstacles (such as rocks and reefs), ■ at docksides, to indicate boundaries, levels, access features (such as stairs) and sen/ice locations, ■ within automatic boat hooks to enable autonomous docking, ■ within passenger gangways, for connection of services and at other points where ships need to be aligned with land based systems. Compared with land- based systems, water bodies provide a more dynamic context for transport. Tides, river flows and individual waves profoundly and rapidly affect the physical position of vessels, even under power. For small vessels it may be some time before autonomous guidance is able to cope with rough waters. However, larger vessels are less sensitive to individual waves and perhaps more suited to autonomous guidance. In particular, very large vessels may be difficult to navigate by visual means. Using This Invention, a plurality of RFID Tags or Beacons in the environment could enable autonomous guidance for ships approaching large ports; reducing the need for pilots. Active beacons could direct ships to particular wharves. If vessels are also tagged, or fitted with Active Beacons, then ■ passenger gangways could use This Invention to enable autonomous alignment ■ other autonomous vessels can be programmed for mutual avoidance and ■ emergency sen/ices could obtain information such as technical specifications, number of passengers or amount of fuel on board. These are secondary functions, because whilst they employ the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, in such cases tags or beacons are installed on vessels as well as in the environment. Also as a secondary function, This Invention could be used to provide a standalone warning system for vessels under manual control. This could combine data from tagged buoys, tagged land features or other tagged vessels, with information on distance and direction. It could also provide means to communicate local restrictions such as those in marine parks. This is a secondary function, because whilst it employs the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, in this case the data is provided for interpretation by the navigator and not for autonomous guidance. 3.3.5 Application within the environment, for pedestrians For guidance of road vehicles, environmental elements could include (but are not limited to) RFID Tags or Beacons carried by pedestrians as a safety precaution. These could be generic. ('Person'). In circumstances where the content might be relevant to predicting movement, then it might be more specific. (Elderly person, movement impaired1). Care would need to be taken to ensure that individuals do not compromise the system by carrying multiple tags. One option might be to incorporate RFID Tags into mobile phones. 2.4 Claim 4 The data Protocol as a technical feature of This Invention: A method as claimed in Claims 1, 2 & 3, which features a Protocol for RFID transmission and formatting of data relating to autonomous guidance. The data offered by Tags or Beacons in the environment is only useful if it can be read and interpreted by onboard autonomous guidance systems. Radio spectrum has been allocated by governments for the purposes of automotive communications but it is unfortunate that different frequencies have been allocated in various territories. It is envisaged as a function of the patentholder to propose standards where possible for the transmission of data and to maintain a Protocol for the formatting of data. The Protocol must be capable of expansion, because new types of vehicle and new circumstances will emerge over time. However existing tags must remain readable by processors running newer versions of the protocol. 2.5 Claim 5 Onboard data Processor as a technical feature of This Invention: A method as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3 & 4, which features onboard data processing. Some existing cars incorporate systems which enable limited aspects of automotive autonomy. These may collect data from 360° cameras, GPS, infrared cameras, laser scanners, radars, satellite navigation (satnav), specialist maps or ultrasonic detectors. Some of this hardware originated as part of functionally- distinct subsystems, such as Cruise Control. Diverse sensors have been retained as part of proto- autonomous guidance systems, probably in order to mitigate the limitations of individual types (such as the unreliability of lidar scanning in snow). In order to combine data from multiple sensors, it is fed into a single Processor (sometimes named a 'central processing unit' or 'central driver assistance controller') with the aim of defining a single interpretation of environmental conditions. This is challenging, not just because different data sources are describing the same objects in different ways, but because the system needs to categorise them, to relate them to historic data, to predict how they might behave in the immediate future and to decide upon vehicle control outputs, in real time. This constitutes processing at the level of Artificial Intelligence. An onboard Processor is one of the Technical Features of This Invention. In controlled environments, it may be possible to provide sufficient density of Tags or Beacons in the environment, so that no additional data from other sensors is required. In that case the Processor would be specific to This Invention. More usually however, This Invention will share a Processor with other autonomous guidance subsystems. This Invention is considered complementary to other autonomous guidance subsystems. Existing subsystems scan everything but may struggle to interpret what they scan. This Invention allows for objects to be labelled and for the labels to be read, but not everything can be labelled. Where Tags or Beacons do exist, This Invention enables scanned objects to be categorised reliably and for the object category to be compared with historic data. It also enables other types of useful data to be communicated to the Processor. For example, whilst existing systems can be developed to recognise traffic lights visually, they may be confused by multiple lights with lane- specific signals. In contrast, Active RFID Beacons can transmit lane- specific signals, even when visual signals are obscured. This Invention can also be used to communicate the presence of features in the driving environment which might not be identified by scanning (such as fords, single- lane, two- way roads, unmetalled roads, ice roads or routes for service vehicles in pedestrian environments) relevant policies (such as parking restrictions, weight restrictions or speed limits) and instructions (such as 'No Entry·). Communicating mandatory instructions in this way would differ from remote control. Autonomous vehicles also apply their own safety procedures and drivers would retain the capability to resume control, if they consider that systems are malfunctioning. Traditional responsibilities would be maintained. 2.6 Claim 6 The distinction between the use of radio for remote- control and its use for autonomous guidance: A method as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, which is configured to operate independently and without remote control. This distinction is made because both RFID and remote- control employ radio as the medium of communication. Remote- control has traditionally been conceived as a closed- system. As such, it requires perfect choreography to be generated at the control centre at all times. Remote- control becomes unstable if communication is interrupted and may be difficult to manage if there are instructions from more than one source (for example at the geographical boundary between two control zones). By contrast, This Invention maintains the open- system approach of autonomous guidance. Each vehicle can obtain data from the environment in its own way and can process that data in its own way. So long as the four technical features of This Invention exist and the Protocol between them is maintained, then individual component suppliers can develop new types of Tags or Beacons, more efficient Transmitter- Receivers or better Processors. So long as objects are accurately labelled, environmental agencies can install Tags or Beacons in whatever way and to whatever extent they consider beneficial. Automotive manufacturers can compete to develop the available components into more efficient models and into new types of vehicles. So long as the Processor is able to manage the data in real time, This Invention can be combined with any number of other autonomous subsystems. This provides multiple failsafes, because the functional limitations of one type of sensor, or problems with one subsystem need not prevent autonomous guidance from working as a whole. Nor would failure of autonomous guidance in one vehicle prevent others from avoiding it. So long as the Protocol covers their needs, other manufacturers can apply This Invention to other modes of transport, exploiting automotive expertise, wherever there is scope for autonomous guidance. This is broadly how the automotive industry has always worked and it has proved effective at maintaining technical development. Established relationships break down and little of the above remains possible if 'instructions' from the environment are turned directly into control outputs for remote control. 2.7 Claim 7 Supplementary Tags or Beacons on vehicles, for mutual recognition: A method as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6, where supplementary tags or beacons on vehicles can be used for mutual recognition, as a means to enable autonomous guidance. This is a secondary function, because whilst it employs the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, in this case Tags or Beacons are installed on vehicles as well as in the environment If vehicles are also fitted with Tags or Beacons, then the same onboard Transmitter- Receivers, the same Protocol and the same onboard Processor which constitute This Invention can be used for the purpose of mutual vehicle recognition (for example as part of an 'electronic handshake'). Electronic handshake capability using This Invention could also facilitate vehicle autonomy in situations where there are operable physical elements in the environment, such as when vehicles approach automated gates or automated garage doors, as part of the automated docking of ships or for the autonomous alignment of passenger boarding bridges at airports. The objective of recognising other vehicles is not new, but there can be practical advantages to the use of This Invention to achieve it. Existing systems for autonomous guidance have to scan the environment as a whole and then use processing analogous to artificial intelligence in order to identify objects as potential vehicles (rather than people, animals or fixed elements). Autonomous systems also need to distinguish between vehicles and representations of vehicles (for example on posters), between different types of vehicle (because a bus looks different and behaves differently to a bicycle) and between vehicles which are temporarily static and vehicles which are parked. This Invention removes the need for existential enquiry of this kind. RFID Tags or Beacons unambiguously indicate the presence of a vehicle. They can also announce vehicle type and can include other information relevant to autonomous guidance, such as (but not limited to) vehicle dimensions and performance characteristics. Those capabilities are useful, because autonomous guidance systems need to predict the future location of moving objects. To do that, it is necessary to categorise objects and to reference typical movement for their object- type. For example, a baby carriage rarely exceeds walking speed and may be liable to move across the flow of traffic. Active RFID Beacons on vehicles are capable of more. They could be used to communicate whether a vehicle is in motion and if so, in what direction and how fast. Easy access to such data potentially saves huge amounts of probability assessment in real time by adjacent vehicles. True 'electronic handshake' capability includes the ability of compatible vehicles not only to indicate a fixed course but to make provisional proposals and 'negotiate' mutually agreed outcomes, in circumstances where position on the road does not automatically determine right- of- way. Worldwide, a high proportion of roads are of historic origin, with poorly defined edges, complex junctions, informal usage of the carriageway, free- roaming animals and other challenges to autonomous guidance systems. Tagging using This Invention is potentially useful in enabling the 'electronic handshakes' necessary in complex circumstances. Such expertise may be transferable between transportation types. Mutual recognition using This Invention could be relevant to the refuelling of ships at sea, to the midair refuelling of aircraft, or to any circumstances where both vehicles are moving and need to exchange information. As a secondary function, This Invention offers potential to enable synchronised movements between compliant vehicles. 2.8 Claim 8 Supplementary Tags or Beacons on vehicles, for recognition in the environment: Claim 8 A method as claimed in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 where supplementary Tags or Beacons on vehicles provide data for supplementary Transmitter- Receivers in the environment, in order to enable autonomous guidance. This Invention offers the potential for the transmission of vehicle data using onboard Tags or Beacons, the system Protocol and Transmitter- Receivers in the environment. This is a secondary function, because whilst it employs the technical features of This Invention and cannot exist independently of it, in this case Tags or Beacons are installed on vehicles as well as in the environment. If vehicles are also fitted with Tags or Beacons, then the same Protocol and the same onboard Processor which constitute This Invention, together with Transmitter- Receivers in the environment, can be used for the purpose of vehicle recognition in the environment. This could enable autonomous vehicles to interact with moving elements in the environment, such as swing bridges, automated parking systems or car ferries. It could be used to deny access to vehicles whose tags indicate that they are too big, too heavy, or otherwise unsuitable for introduction into controlled environments. It could be used to retrieve vehicles stored in mechanised systems. As a secondary function, This Invention can also be used in circumstances where vehicle recognition in the environment does not enable autonomous guidance, but does provide other convenience for end- users. If vehicles are also fitted with Tags or Beacons, then the data gathered from vehicles is analogous to and could function in the same way as, existing systems which identify and scan the vehicle number plate (which is in the public realm). If drivers choose to participate, then the Tags or Beacons on their vehicles, in combination with an electronic wallet, could function much like a stored- value travel card. In that way, This Invention could enable payment of journey- related fees, without the need for the vehicle to halt, or join a queue. Conventional fees of this kind include parking, tunnel, road and ferry charges. - Onboard RFID Tags or Beacons would also enable emerging types of proportional payment, which may be convenient for end- users, such as automatic attribution of parking costs, usage- related insurance, usage- related taxes, congestion charges, or usage- related pollution charges. Even journey- related fines can be automatically attributed to the vehicle, if for example, the vehicle is parked longer than allowed. There may be other advantages to integration of such payments with the autonomous guidance system: If usage- related costs become more significant, then end- users may sometimes prefer to take a longer route in order to avoid certain tolls. Autonomous guidance systems could offer users a choice of criteria for the route, including manual route selection, shortest distance, shortest journey time or cheapest route. Tags or beacons could also be mounted on other types of vehicle for recognition purposes. This Invention could be used to provide Active Beacons to identify ships (or aircraft). Such tags could be used to direct vessels to predetermined wharves (stands) or to automate payment for harbour fees (landing fees). Equally important, the same beacons could be used to provide data for emergency purposes. If active beacons are used, then this could include the passenger and crew lists, or real- time information on how much fuel is onboard. |
1 Introduction
1.1 Technical Field
This Invention is a method to enable autonomous guidance of a vehicle, employing Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) as the medium of communication.
It is not a product, although it can lead to the definition of a large number of novel products.
It is not a process for the production of products.
It is not a new use because autonomous guidance has been partly enabled by other means.
It is a 'single general inventive concept' which enables the objective of autonomous guidance to be realised using a novel combination of technical features. These are:
■ two- way RFID Transmitter- Receivers mounted on the vehicle,
■ a plurality of RFID Tags or Beacons in the environment,
* an onboard Processor to translate environmental data input into vehicle control output and
■ a Protocol for the formatting and transmission of system data.
None of the technical features can achieve the objective in isolation.
Only when they are brought together as a method, can the objective be enabled.
Other means intended to enable autonomous guidance already exist, using various other types of sensor in combination. This Invention is considered complementary to those existing means, because it produces unambiguous data and types of data which are otherwise difficult to obtain.
1.2 Background Art
Existing patents cover the technology and use of RFID. However, it is considered novel to propose that RFID will be used to enable autonomous vehicle guidance.
Existing patents cover autonomous vehicle guidance. However, it is considered novel to propose that autonomous vehicle guidance will be enabled using RFID.
The use of RFID is established for the tracking of vehicles, through the application of tags to vehicles and using transponders in the environment. However, it is considered novel to propose that transponders should be mounted on vehicles, in order to collect data from a plurality of RFID tags or beacons in the environment. The use of radio signals to guide cars, planes and boats has been the subject of patents which envisaged that those vehicles would be guided from remote control rooms. It is however considered novel that data transmitted by radio is used for the autonomous operation of vehicles with independent, onboard data processing and without remote control.
The use of onboard data processing to enable autonomous guidance is not novel. However, it is considered novel to use it for the purpose of analysing data from a plurality of RFID tags or beacons in the environment.
The use of a data protocol to enable autonomous guidance is not novel. DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) and Cellular V2X (Cellular Vehicle To Everything) have been proposed for this purpose. However, it is considered novel to propose a protocol for the collection of data from a plurality of RFID tags or beacons in the environment.
Brief Description of Drawings
3.1 Figure 1: Use of Passive RFID tag, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The figure shows the outline of a car with a Transmitter- Receiver fitted to the nose, a Passive RFID Tag in the environment and a Processor located in the passenger compartment. Radio waves are indicated as radiating lines radiating from the Transmitter- receiver and as waveform line bouncing back to the vehicle from the tag.
A generic tag set into the road surface could carry data which is simple but useful, such as 'Road marker/ PEDESTRIAN CROSSING/ No traffic lights'.
3.2 Figure 2: Use of Active RFID Beacon, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The figure shows the outline of a car with a Transmitter- Receiver fitted to the nose, an Active RFID Tag in the environment and a Processor located in the passenger compartment. Radio waves are indicated as lines radiating from the Transmitter- receiver and as a waveform line bouncing back to the vehicle from the tag. Even simple data is useful, such as 'WALL'.
Active Beacons can be used to provide a stronger signal. This may be justifiable when are incurred to generate bespoke data; such as 'Italy, Liguria, City of Genova, Chiavari, Via Martin della Liberazioni/ wall marker/ ROADSIDE COLLONADE/ no waiting, no parking'.
Beacons can also transmit data which changes in real time, such as 'CAR PARK, Full'.
3.3 Figure 3: Use of Passive RFID Tag, Cast- into Adhesive Road Marking, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The upper part of the figure shows a sketch view of a generic road marking. Although these are typically painted, the same function could be achieved in thin adhesive plastic material. Because RFID tags are small and robust, they could be cast- into such a marking. In this example, a generic label might read no more than 'Road marker/ BEND TO RIGHT'.
The lower part of the figure shows a section through such a marking, with the tag cast- into it. The thickness of the plastic marking has been exaggerated for effect.
Figure 4: Use of Assisted- passive RFID Tag, Set- into Carriageway, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The upper part of the figure (4.1) shows a sketch view of a possible Assisted- passive Tag design, with cast- glass cover, metal case and outer grouting.
A product of this type might be equivalent in size, technology and cost to a waterproof, solar- powered watch.
The lower part of the figure (4.2) shows a section through such a beacon. In this illustration, the glass cover is shown as a screw- down element like the bottom of a jar, with pig- nose recesses for tightening or loosening it. (This facility would enable contents to be replaced). Under the cover is shown an inner case, containing a solar collector over batteries around an assisted RFID tag.
A Tag of this type does not broadcast continuously, but when activated by incoming radio waves, it amplifies the response. Because a product of this type is more expensive than a Passive Tag, the content might more often be bespoke, e.g. 'UK, M6 Westbound, between junctions 4-5/ Road Marker/ MIDDLE LANE 1 .
3.5 Figure 5: Use of Assisted- passive RFID Tag, Cast- into Kerbstone, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The upper part of the figure (5.1) shows a sketch view of a cast- concrete kerbstone, containing an Assisted- passive Tag of the same design as shown in Figure 4.
The lower part of the figure (5.2) shows a section through such a kerbstone.
The content might be 'Canada, Manitoba, Winnipeg, Oak Street, northbound/ KERB'.
3.6 Figure 6: Use of Assisted- passive RFID Tag, Cast- into Bollard, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The left part of the figure (6.1) shows a section through such a bollard, containing an Assisted- Passive Tag of the same design as shown in Figure 4.
The right part of the figure (6.2) shows a sketch view of such a bollard.
The content might be 'South Korea, Daegu, Jung- gu, Munhwa- dong, Gukchaebsang- ro, eastbound/ ROADSIDE BOLLARD'.
3.7 Figure 7: Use of Assisted- passive RFID Tag, Set- into Post at Road Sign, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The left part of the figure (7.1) shows a section through the supporting post of a roadsign, containing an Assisted- passive Tag of similar design to that shown in Figure 4. In this example, the outer case has been modified to cap the post.
The right part of the figure (7.2) shows a sketch view of a roadsign and post with RFID cap.
Example content might be 'Morocco, Route A7, northbound/ direction Casablanca and Rabat/ JUNCTION MARKER, leave road for Berrechid or route Nil to Khouribga'.
3.8 Figure 8: Use of Active RFID Beacon, Set- into Generic Electrical Box, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The figure is a transparent view showing how an Active RFID Beacon might be incorporated within a standard electrical box with an electrical supply in surface conduit. This example is also shown with a hard- wired telecomms connection and is suitable for transmission of data which changes in real time, such as 'UK, Liverpool, Georges Parade/ wall marker/ APPROACH TO CAR FERRY, direction Isle of Man/ Next sailing 2018,07,28, 07.30/ Boarding not suitable for autonomous guidance, DRIVER CONTROL REQUIRED'.
3.9 Figure 9: Use of Active RFID Beacon, Set- into Traffic Light, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The figure is a diagrammatic section, showing how an Active RFID Beacon might be incorporated within a Traffic Light. It shows the outline of a car with a Transmitter- Receiver fitted to the nose, an Active RFID Beacon located within the enclosure of the Traffic Light and a Processor located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Radio waves are indicated as lines radiating from the Active Beacon in the Traffic Light. This is data which changes in real time. It may also require complex locational data, because road lanes may have individual signals; such as 'Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong Island, Lung Wo Road, westbound, left hand lane/ TRAFFIC LIGHT marker/ left hand turn onto Man Yiu Street southbound is allowed, crossing Man Yiu Street westbound is prohibited'.
3.10 Figure 10: Use of Active RFID Beacon, Set- into Floor of Industrial Building, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control, for Mobile Robotic Platform
The figure is a diagrammatic section, indicating how a plurality of Active RFID Beacons could be used to guide the movement of goods within industrial or logistics sites or buildings. It shows an Active RFID Beacon located within the floor of the building, with radio waves indicated as lines radiating from it. A robotic platform (self- propelled and with autonomous guidance) is shown in outline, with a Transmitter- Receiver fitted to the nose, and a Processor located on the platform.
(With autonomous guidance, trucks and vans may no longer need drivers, so that they too begin to approximate to mobile robotic platforms). A grid of Active Beacons would be enough to define routes and destinations for the platforms, whilst onboard autonomous guidance would enable them to initiate movement and cope with object avoidance.
Content from Active Beacons can change in real time, such as 'UAE, Abu Dhabi, Airport, Business & Logistics Park, Warehouse 28, bay 3/ LOADING BAY marker/ allocated to job 2018/07/28,008, until 15.00'.
3.11 Figure 11: Use of Active RFID Beacons, Set- into Automatic Boat Hooks & Receivers, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
Water bodies are in constant motion and ships are heavy objects which move in three dimensions. Traditional mooring using ropes provides an ancient and well- judged compromise between restraint and adjustability but may be difficult to adapt to autonomous docking. The figure includes three views of two products proposed to enable the autonomous docking of ships:
The dockside element includes a tubular dockside Receiver mounted on bearings, which can be revolved autonomously to align with the nearest system- compatible Boathook.
The onboard element includes a coin- shaped head, which can be rotated by 90deg and is sprung to return to the horizontal. This is mounted on a motorised telescopic arm, with an inclineable bracket and a revolving base which together allow the Boathook to be aligned with the nearest system- compatible Receiver.
Active RFID Beacons, Processors and motors in both elements and a sequence of data exchange which can be characterised as an 'electronic handshake' would enable mutual automatic alignment of both elements. During engagement, the rotating head is electrically restrained so that it is presented vertically through the slot of the dockside Receiver. Once inside the Receiver, the head is allowed to rotate back to the horizontal. Once the Boathook is engaged in this way, a tensioned cable system running through the telescopic arm would allow whatever degree of restraint is possible in the prevailing conditions.
For disengagement, the head of the onboard element would be electronically rotated to the vertical and the telescopic arm retracted.
Because This Invention is an open- system, autonomous software in both products would apply independent safety criteria appropriate to each element. Ships vary in size, displacement and the strength of their structures. Docks vary in their dimensions and construction. So whilst This Invention could provide a method to enable autonomous docking, only the principles of engagement and certain dimensions need be defined.
One such dimension might be the internal diameter of the dockside Receiver. Another might be the interval between receivers, so that larger ships will be restrained by more Boathooks.
This system accommodates vertical movements (such as those generated by waves or tides) by allowing the head of the Boathook to slide freely within the tubular receiver and allowing free variation in the angle of the onboard bracket. It allows strong lateral movements (such as those generated by waves) to be accommodated by rotation of the dockside Receiver (on bearings) within fixed brackets.
The onboard processor can be used to monitor the dynamic forces exerted on the cable- tensioning system, so that in exceptional circumstances (such as very large waves), the system reduces cable tension and allows movement of the vessel sufficient to prevent structural damage.
Unlike traditional forms of automation, the elements in this system can be independently developed. Both are adjustable, both are subject to autonomous guidance and both can include safety procedures, They only need share key dimensions and the Protocol of This Invention.
Top left (11.1) is a diagrammatic section showing a vessel with system- compatible Boathooks, approaching a dockside with system- compatible dockside Receivers.
Active onboard data could include the name of the ship, port of registration, port of origin, destination, dimensions, displacement, cargo, connection points, number of crew, elements related to risk and communications data. There is also a dimension between waterline and deck which varies in real time but is relevant to docking.
Active dockside data could include the name of the port, wharf dimensions, connection points, average water level in real time, elements related to risk and communications data.
Top right (11.2) is a diagrammatic section showing a vessel with Boathooks engaged by Receivers.
The bottom part of the figure (11.3) is a diagram on plan, showing how Boathooks are engaged by Receivers.
3.12 Figure 12: Use of Active RFID Beacons, Set- into Boarding Bridge and Aircraft, for
Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
Aircraft on the ground are required to halt at marked stands for engagement with Boarding Bridges. Specific locations are marked for each aircraft type and the plane is also required to be on axis. At the time of writing, various technologies are in use to partly- automate this process.
These include infrared laser and camera scans linked to visual displays in the environment (for use by pilots), but guidance is manual and the ground system has no direct means to confirm the identity of a plane. Although information on aircraft location is already available, it may be difficult to develop any of the existing methods (VDGS, A-VDGS) towards autonomy, because they gather data in the environment, whereas responsibility for guidance of the aircraft remains with the airline and staff onboard. There are also risks attached to the exercise of remote control.
Using This Invention, with tags or beacons in the environment, with transmitter-receivers mounted on the plane and with an onboard processor, the process of taxi- ing to a stand could be made autonomous.
As a secondary function of This Invention, with Active RFID Beacons on aircraft, with Processors mounted on passenger boarding bridges and with both sides running autonomous guidance safety systems, it would become possible further to automate the docking process. Boarding Bridges are adjustable to suit aircraft floor level, to suit lateral location of aircraft doors and to suit the radius of the Aircraft body. This Invention makes it possible to automate those adjustments; using Transmitter- Receivers and a Processor on the boarding bridge, together with Active Beacons on the plane.
Top left (12.1) is a diagrammatic section showing an aircraft in position but the boarding bridge prior to adjustment.
Top right (12.2) is a diagrammatic section showing the boarding bridge adjusted to suit the floor level and fuselage radius of the aircraft. Bottom left (12.3) is a diagrammatic plan showing an aircraft in position but the boarding bridge prior to adjustment.
Bottom right (12.4) is a diagrammatic plan showing the boarding bridge adjusted to suit the lateral location of the aircraft doors. 3.13 Figure 13: Use of Assisted- passive RFID beacon within Traffic Cone, for Transmission of Data from the Environment, as part of Autonomous Vehicle Control
The figure shows the sketch view of a traffic cone, incorporating an Assisted- passive RFID Beacon. Generic content might read 'Traffic Con el Likely ROAD WORKS/ Reduce speed'. The product is a simple one but it is also important. One of the proposed data sources for autonomous guidance is stored maps. That is potentially problematic, because such data cannot be updated in real time. So, whenever there are roadworks, every autonomous vehicle has to come to a decision: Does it believe the map, or the evidence of its scanners, which will be indicating that the edge of the road is not be where it supposed to be? There is no safe default, because slowing suddenly and changing lanes on an expressway is dangerous in itself.
This product offers potential to clarify that particular decisionmaking process: Firstly, This Invention allows the product to be unambiguously labelled as a Traffic Cone. Secondly, once primed with this data, the Processor can test the assumption that the cone occupies part of the roadway. In any case, it needs to be avoided and this probably requires a reduction in speed and merging into another lane.
When equipped with a Beacon, a cone functions as a communication device as well as a visual barrier around the work area and it can fulfil a worthwhile function hundreds of metres from the roadworks, perhaps with distance markers allowing drivers plenty of time to change lanes.
3.14 Figure 14: Use of This Invention to provide Proximity Warning System, for Cyclists, Motorcyclists or Manual Drivers
The upper part of the figure shows the outline of a cycle fitted with a Transmitter- Receiver and followed by a vehicle fitted with an Assisted- passive Tag. Radio waves are indicated as radiating lines radiating from the Transmitter- receiver and as waveform line bouncing back to the vehicle from the tag.
Content might be no more than 'TRUCK'.
In this case, the processor is shown combined in a compact unit with the display.
On cycles and motorcycles, where space is limited, such a display might resemble a compass, where the core information from the tag or beacon can be combined with distance and direction.
This is a secondary function of This Invention, because whilst it uses the same technical features and cannot exist without This Invention, it enables proximity warnings for active riders or drivers, rather than autonomous guidance.
The lower part of the figure shows the screen of the display divided into segments, so that tagged features are shown in relation to the rider at the centre. More distant objects are shown in the outer part of the screen, with closer objects towards the centre.
Much of the same information could also be transmitted aurally to an earpiece, so the rider might hear, 'Road junction ahead 55 ml Car ahead 3 m, braking from 20 kph/ Truck 45 m to rear, braking from 35 kph/ Pedestrian to left, stationary. (Beware possible intention to cross)/ Cycle to right, approaching at 10 kph'.
All this information could be obtained from tagged objects, using This Invention. It is potentially useful, because riders are partly insulated from their surroundings by their helmets. There might also be scope to project the data onto the rider's visor.
Similarly formatted, onscreen or aural data could also be made available to car drivers, when their autonomous guidance is switched- off.
This product always fulfils a safety function, but it could also appeal to enthusiastic drivers in certain circumstances. For them it may resemble the aural information provided by navigators to rally drivers. Simplified content might be in the nature of, 'Bend right, severity 3, downhill, with drystone wall to right/ car approaching in opposite lane at 75kph, braking'.
The product is capable of continuous development, but there will also be a need to prioritise: Not every tagged object can be described aurally in real time but drivers could be offered a choice of content. Description
4.1 Modes for carrying out the Invention
Because This Invention is a method, it can generate products wherever there is a vehicle and potential for autonomous guidance. That technology is developing most rapidly in the automotive industry and that is envisaged as the primary application of This Invention. However, autonomy is capable of blurring distinctions between vehicle types, or enabling the definition of new vehicle types and This Invention can be applied to almost any form of transport.
This Invention is defined by the combination of five technical elements.
4.1.1 Transmitter- Receivers mounted on a vehicle
Two- way RFID Transmitter- Receivers (transponders) mounted on a vehicle constitute one of the technical features of This Invention as listed in Claim 1.
Existing hardware of this kind is varied in function and performance. Some has already been adapted to monitor cars travelling at high speed and at a distance. In that application however, the Transmitter- Receivers were used in the environment, rather than being mounted on the vehicle. New types of Transmitter- Receivers will need to be developed for incorporation on vehicles, where they will be subject to continuous use, in varied and sometimes extreme conditions. They will also need to be compatible with vehicle electrical systems
4.1.2 Tags or Beacons in the environment
RFID Tags or Beacons in the environment are one of the elements listed in Claim 1.
These technical features are potentially varied in location, function and the amount of data carried.
a Passive Tags are small, robust, inexpensive and require no power source. They are also inexpensive. (Similar technology is used to label goods in shops). Passive Tags only reflect radio waves from Transmitter- Receivers and therefore have limitations in terms of range. However, they may be suitable for applications where data is generic, where there are large numbers of objects to be tagged, where vehicle speeds are low or where distances are short. Potentially every kerbstone, lamppost, gatepost and bollard could include generic Tags.
In that case, onboard systems would no longer have to estimate the edge of the road from scans and would no longer have to distinguish between what might be a bush and what might be a vehicle. Instead, they could be presented with lines of labelled objects; defining the carriageway.
Other tags could be cast into adhesive road markings, so that onboard systems can read lane boundaries even when they are covered with snow.
In addition to objects in the environment and other vehicles, moveable objects constitute a third category of moveable objects which might be tagged. These range from bicycles and baby carriages to trolleys.
It could even be considered as a safety precaution for pedestrians to carry generic RFID tags in the public realm.
b Assisted- passive Tags use external power sources, such as solar cells or batteries, in order to send amplified signals over longer distances. As part of This Invention, Assisted- passive tags might be manifest as componentts with technologies analogous to those of an inexpensive watch.
c Active RFID Beacons include antennae. They use more power than tags and they require bigger solar cells and bigger batteries or mains supplies. They may also need telecomms connections when required to transmit data which is variable, such as speed limits on expressways. Other variable data could include notice of lane closures, or advice to maintain longer distances between vehicles, when road conditions are dangerous (for example when there is of fog or black ice).
This Invention allows variable data to be communicated directly to autonomous guidance systems. However, onboard systems still need to interpret the data, even when it is 'mandatory·. It is important to observe that this should not operate as remote control. Any system is fallible and autonomous guidance provides an important additional level of validation, in the even that roadside systems propose nonsense. It would also remain an option for the driver to retake control.
4.1.3 Onboard processor
A data Processor, mounted on the vehicle, constitutes one of the technical features of This Invention as listed in Claim 1. Existing autonomous guidance systems typically scan the whole environment and then process vast amounts of data in order to interpret it in real time. The autonomous guidance system needs
firstly to recognise that objects are present,
secondly to categorise them,
thirdly to predict the likely behaviour of moving objects and
fourthly to generate vehicle control outputs appropriate to the circumstances.
This Invention is complementary to existing autonomous guidance systems because it is intended to provide a different type of data. Scans can only identify the presence of objects in the environment. This Invention offers means to label objects or to transmit functional data about them, so that onboard processors have unambiguous information and (unlike scanned data) no complex interpretation is required.
This Invention can also include data which is not available by other means. For example, any road sign can be tagged with the information on the sign, but the tag can also include site- specific data for navigation purposes, such as road designation and junction number, GPS location or other map references.
As a secondary feature, vehicles can be tagged for the purpose of mutual recognition.
Other moving objects can be tagged. (Some of these may be difficult to recognise by scanning).
A baby carriage is small, complex in form and easily obscured by other objects. However, if it is tagged as a 'baby carriage' then its status is clear and its potential for movement is much easier to predict.
Existing autonomous guidance systems function best in simple environments. This Invention is widely applicable, but it may be most advantageous in complex environments, where numerous or exceptional features can be clearly, simply and quickly identified.
At the time of writing, autonomous guidance systems consult multiple data sources provide plural views of the environment, to be reconciled and interpreted by a shared processor. Processing at this level in real time is a challenge (for example, Tesla's proto- autonomous 'Autopilot' system is co- ordinated by chipmaker Nvidia) and it is envisaged that in most circumstances This Invention will act as a subsystem to the co- ordinating autonomous guidance system.
In specialised circumstances however, where both vehicles and the environment are highly controlled, then This Invention could act as the sole data source for autonomous guidance. In that case, a dedicated processor is required.
4.1.4 Data Protocol
A Data Protocol constitutes one of the technical features of This Invention, as listed in Claim 1.
Data cannot be processed unless it is consistently formatted and has consistent meaning. That's important to the functioning of This Invention because the technical features may be developed by unrelated parties. A Data Protocol therefore functions at two levels:
a Level One of the protocol is technical: It is necessary for all Tags or Beacons to be readable by all
Transmitter- Receivers. For example, if a car is being driven across international borders, the driver cannot be expected to understand where and when certain autonomous functions will stop working. Yet, at the time of writing, different radio spectrum had been allocated by governments to intelligent transportation systems. RFID for autonomous guidance will be feasible in major markets, but it will be a function of the patentholder to represent the stakeholders, to ensure that technical specifications are as consistent as possible internationally and that they make best use of the technology.
It's also necessary for the Transmitter- Receiver to be able to communicate with the Processor, b Level two of the protocol is the classification of objects in the environment and (as a secondary function) the classification of other vehicles.
This is important, because co- ordinating guidance systems need to relate recognised objects (as identified by scans) to the object- categories communicated to them by tags or beacons. They then need to relate the labelled objects to generic data for those object- types. That can help the co- ordinating guidance system to fir
assess if or how the objects will move (with degrees of probability). Bicycles have a maximum speed. Lamp posts do not move. Buses often stop at bus stops.
Over time, ongoing research will build that data. It might be found that certain types of bike are ridden in different ways. It might be found that certain types of bus only stop at certain bus stops. The Protocol must be adaptable, so that categories are available as the data becomes available with which to populate them.
However, the Protocol also needs to remain backwards- compatible: New vehicles must always recognise old tags.
It is envisaged as a function of the patentholder to define and develop both aspects of the Protocol.
It is desirable that the Protocol supports text versions of all data. For example, it is helpful if workmen (fitting tags with bespoke content in the environment) can check the content of what they are installing.
This Invention also lends itself to secondary functions.
For example in vehicles, when autonomous guidance is switched- off, This Invention could be used as the means to a standalone safety system, whereby the presence of tagged objects is registered onscreen, together with their direction and distance.
It has also been proposed that This Invention could be used as the means to an aural safety system for cyclists or the blind (Bus approaching from rear, 75 m').
This Invention lends itself to the inclusion of data not directly related to autonomous guidance. In the docking of aircraft, tagging has potential to eliminate manual replication of data, as an aid to speed and accuracy. The tag on an aircraft is useful, even if it just says 'plane'. However, it becomes exponentially valuable if it also includes aircraft type, flight/ codeshare number, registration number, origin/ destination and arrival/ departure times (ETA/ EIBT/ ETD/ TOBT/ TSAT), or more. Because it is object- related, reliable and easily- read, tagged data can be used directly by apron management systems to alert service providers, to update pubic information systems, to initiate automatic payments or to provide data to emergency services. Each application requires different information to be extracted from the tag and it is foreseeable that new applications will arise in future.
This example may be extreme and most applications of This Invention would be simpler, but it is assumed that in all cases the data on each tag needs to be considered as a list, which is searchable and to which information can be added, without compromising the ability of older processors to read the core data.
4.2 Industrial Applicability
None of (he four technical features of This Invention functions in isolation, but only as part of the method. The technical features are separate products which may be developed and manufactured by different entities and for different buyers at different times and in different places. All they share is the protocol.
4.2.1 Current status of autonomous guidance
Autonomous guidance is emerging most rapidly in the automotive industry, although full autonomy at an acceptable level of safety may not be possible for some years. Motivation is provided by automotive manufacturers, who manage a spectrum of relationships from consumers to investors.
This is a very large industry, which sells very large numbers of products at very high prices. It invests heavily and continuously in new technology, so that regular functional progress has been achieved for over a century.
In 2017 global sales of all vehicles numbered around 97m (www.oica.net), worth around€ 1,889b. Around€ 84b is invested annually by the automotive industry, which is equivalent to an average of more than€ 800 for each car sold. That's around 4% of the cost of the average car. Not all models however carry the same development costs. In some territories, vehicle cost is much higher and the importance of technology to buyers is much greater.
The average price of vehicles in the US may be around US$ 35,000 but the average purchase price of a Tesla model S (which features electric propulsion and proto- autonomous driving aids) may be approaching US$ 100,000.
Full autonomy will change the nature of automotive products and the public has expressed great interest, but that functional level has yet to be achieved. Task- specific packages of hardware and software are available on premium products and it is the capability of these products which has inspired the expectation that full autonomy is achievable. These packages include blindspot monitoring, driver condition monitoring, traffic sign recognition, cruise control, lane- centring, lane changing without steering, autonomous parking and autonomous summoning. These are individually impressive technologies, but they do not remove the need for a driver who is ready to resume control.
The claims relating to autonomy are increasing, but significant obstacles remain.
One is cost. Manufacturers are currently testing autonomous guidance systems which combine lidar (light detection and ranging), radar, inertial assessment, 360 deg cameras and ultrasonic detectors. Supplier Delphi has estimated that the cost of components for systems currently under test is US$ 70,000- 140,000. Consumers are enthusiastic, but have limited budgets and are on average unwilling to spend more than an extra US$ 10,000. That s a significant 29% premium on the cost of an average US vehicle but nowhere near enough to pay for current technology. So, there is a problem.
Another barrier is safety. It has been proposed that 5 m miles between accidents might be a level of danger for autonomous travel which would be acceptable to consumers. Yet in testing on the car- friendly roads of California, Waymo currently achieves 5,596 miles between disengagements and Mercedes only 1.3 miles.
That suggests a big discrepancy between performance and expectation at a time when there is a need to reduce guidance system costs by 86- 93% and prototypes are being shown which depend upon the capability.
So, it seems possible that there is scope for new technologies in the field of autonomous guidance and money to invest in developing them, so long as they offer potential to improve autonomous system reliability at reasonable cost.
It should also be noted that many governments and agencies have shown enthusiasm for the prospect of autonomous guidance. There may be two reasons for this: One may the longterm potential for autonomous guidance to improve road safety. The industry is making great claims for this, although the published rate of 'disconnections' in California suggests that practise is lagging behind theory. Another reason for enthusiasm may be the increasing tendency for states and cities to promote themselves, both to their own citizens and to the outside world. Modernity is one of the characteristics believed to support investment, jobs and quality of life. The idea of 'smart cities' is widely expressed, but there are few ways in which agencies can support this at a practical level. Investment in projects enabling autonomous guidance can provide expression for the intent to modernise.
4.2.2 Potential of This Invention as an automotive subsystem
This Invention differs conceptually from existing technologies for autonomous guidance. They scan the environment and then seek to interpret the basic data. This Invention provides reliable labels but cannot label everything. However, the technology underpinning This Invention is also proven and inexpensive (for example in comparison with the suggested current US$ 85,000 cost of a lidar array), so that it is considered complementary to existing subsystems.
This Invention can be installed on almost any vehicle, has a very wide range of potential applications in the environment and could be applied at various levels of development, in order to generate a series of products.
4.2.3 Technical features of This Invention
The technical features of This Invention lend themselves to separate products, likely to developed by different companies and bought at different times, for different reasons, by different customers.
4.2.4 Development, manufacture and sales, of RFID Transmitter- Receivers, to be mounted on the vehicle
Like other autonomous guidance subsystems, the exact specification of RFID Transmitter- Receivers is likely to be ruggedised, cost- engineered and calibrated by automotive manufacturers as an integral part of vehicle development. Manufacturers are unlikely to make the hardware inhouse, if the need for investment can be shifted to a supplier.
There are RFID specialists who already supply products which are technically similar to what would be needed for automotive autonomous guidance. The car industry is however both distinctive in its operations and demanding of its suppliers. Orders are large, unit costs are low, end- users expect decades of reliability in extreme environments and manufacturers demand just- intime delivery, or even on-site manufacture. So, it is possible that design, development and manufacture will migrate to experienced automotive component suppliers.
That likelihood may be increased by the tendency for automotive component suppliers to take responsibility for bigger elements and whole systems. For example, the chipmaker Nvidia developed and supplies the whole 'Autopilot' proto- autonomous guidance system to Tesla.
RFID Transmitter- Receivers utilise antennae. As such, they are compact, unobtrusive and inexpensive; certainly when compared with the large, visible and expensive hardware associated with lidar.
When incorporated as a subsystem, This Invention offers the prospect of quick and reliable recognition of tagged objects by the autonomous guidance system, with consequent potential for longer distances between 'disengagements'. That is considered to be of value to component suppliers, manufacturers, end users, infrastructure owners, operators and statutory agencies.
4.2.5 Development, manufacture and sales, of RFID Tags or Beacons, to be mounted in the environment
Almost any roadside object can be usefully tagged, as can many others. Generic Passive Tags can be provided at negligible cost and there is no reason why all kerbstones, lamp posts and bollards should not be tagged in this way; offering a high level of guidance to vehicles with even rudimentary autonomous systems.
Infrastructure owners and operators would need to pay for tagged products and perhaps even initially to commission environmental products This is not however out of the question. Authorities sometimes spend lavishly on infrastructure or the built environment for other reasons.
For the additional cost of programming, bespoke tags potentially provide means for infrastructure owners to include additional data relating to autonomous guidance. The message 'kerbstone' is already useful data, because the object defines the edge of the carriageway. However, bespoke chips can easily accommodate information such as the street name, the distance to the next junction, GPS location reference and more.
If they pay to include a second chip in the tag, then infrastructure owners can include their own data for maintenance purposes, using a frequency which cannot be read by autonomous guidance systems.
Retailers already use similar technology, but before it can be applied to the built environment there will be a need to identify subcontractors able to input bespoke data according to the Protocol and to ensure that the physical product finds its way to the correct place.
Assisted- Passive Tags have similar chips, but the addition of solar collectors and batteries makes them suitable for applications where they can be read over longer distances. This will add cost, but not at a level which is significant in the context of infrastructure.
Active Beacons with fixed content, further increase the range of transmission but also increase electrical consumption. Solar collectors and batteries may still be enough, but some may need a hard- wired electrical supply. That may not be an issue on products which already require a supply, like lamp posts, or signs with built- in lighting.
Active beacons with variable content will require both an electrical supply and a telecommunications connection. The real cosf of such installations is however likely to be at the other end of the line; where someone skilled needs to be generating content. Where such content is already generated (such as for traffic lights, or the gantry messages over expressways) then active beacons with variable content, potentially provide a low cost method of transmission.
This Invention has wide potential because it can be used to generate products at different price points, at different output levels, appropriate to different types of data and suitable for different levels of autonomous guidance.
Specialist manufacturers of RFID equipment may supply generic chips, equipment to programme bespoke chips, or readymade weather- resistant tags or beacons (with solar cells, batteries and chips) for incorporation into environmental products. They are however unlikely to involve themselves in manufacture of environmental products, which have their own technologies, cost structures, supply systems and markets.
Inversely, the makers of environmental products are unlikely to develop their own electronic skills.
There is however, good reason for the two to collaborate: Tagged products can have significant added value for owners, operators and regulators of infrastructure, to whom they can be presented as both a safety feature and a characteristic of 'smart cities'. For end- users, comprehensive tagging offers potential for reliable autonomous guidance in controlled environments, such as expressways.
Once cars are fitted with Transmitter- Receivers and Processors, there is also potential for retail products. In some territories it is common for homeowners to have gates and driveways, garages and workshops, together with multiple vehicles. This Invention can be applied to cost- effective retail products which enable autonomy from the garage, but as a secondary function, the same hardware can also work as a proximity warning system, when autonomous guidance is switched- off.
Two, low- cost adhesive tags are enough to define a gateway for autonomous guidance purposes. Four, low- cost adhesive tags should be enough to define a parking space within a larger garage which may be used for other cars, for workshop purposes or for general storage. This Invention offers retail- buyers a reason and a means to future- proof their home environments, even before tags become the norm in the public realm.
There are also a number of secondary applications of This Invention, with useful benefits for particular users; such as aural warning systems for the visually impaired (when combined with an earpiece).
Different products will have relevance in different places at various times and there is scope for development. Once the Protocol is established, features can continue to be added.
4.2.6 Development, manufacture and sales of onboard processors
Neither the specification of the processor, nor the nature of its operations is limited by This Invention.
In vehicles, the Protocol of This Invention is most likely to be installed as an application on processors already configured to deal with autonomous guidance. The latter already aim to recognise objects in the environment, to predict their likely behaviour and to generate vehicle control outputs. This Invention can contribute to that decisionmaking process by reliably categorising objects which might otherwise be ambiguous.
However, in circumstances where RFID Tags are the sole source of data from the environment, or where This Invention is used as the basis of a standalone safety system, a dedicated Processor would be required. That should not be expensive or difficult to develop, because RFID is already used to track moving objects, because there would be no environmental scans to analyse and because there would be no plurality of data inputs to reconcile.
4.2.7 Development and sales of data protocol
All products deriving from This Invention would use the system Protocol and would not function without it, but the Protocol cannot exist in isolation and is unlikely to be sold as a product. It can however be licensed and this is necessary to ensuring that its integrity is maintained while it develops.
It would be an ongoing function of the patentholder to institute and maintain the classification of objects in the environment. There are simple and obvious aspects to this: The Protocol needs to enable categorisation of the carriageway, so that the Processor understands how many lanes there are, which lane the host vehicle is in and territorial factors such as whether cars drive on the right or the left. None of this can be easily understood by scanning.
As with any classification system there are also more existential aspects:
To a scanning system, the worldview starts as undifferentiated surfaces at different distances from the scanner. An autonomous guidance system needs to identify parts of those surfaces as three dimensional objects and This Invention is useful because it takes much of the conjecture out of labelling objects in the environment.
An electric scooter may be difficult to distinguish from the person riding it, but the combination may move more like a vehicle.
It is a secondary function of This Invention to label moving objects, because it is assumed that this is not so difficult to achieve by scanning: Even here however, This Invention offers potential to provide more precision.
For example, using This Invention and a Beacon with variable content, it is possible for a vehicle not only to identify itself as an object, but to distinguish between the status of 'parked' and that of 'en route but stationary'. That is a number of levels of sophistication above scanning, which might even struggle to identify a stationary vehicle as an object independent of others in a row.
The Protocol of This Invention can also categorise moving objects in ways which help the Processor to predict their behaviour and the level of risk associated with them. This will be a creative process, which needs to identify potential uses for information before the technology exists to apply it. The Protocol also needs to maintain a global viewpoint.
Autonomous guidance systems developed in North America may be already capable of recognising the presence of cattle and horses on the road. A Protocol applicable to all territories also needs categories for kangaroos in Australia, elephants in Thailand, elks in Sweden and sheep In Wales. (Some of those animals will already be RFID tagged at other frequencies, but could be double- tagged as part of This Invention).
It is also likely that in certain respects the Protocol will need to integrate with, or build- upon, work already done for other reasons.
For example, visual scanning of roadsigns is already offered as an autonomous guidance subsystem. That is an achievement, because graphic standards in the environment vary globally. However, it is a strength of This Invention that the messages portrayed by roadsigns can be conveyed directly to the Processor, together with their status as danger, priority, restrictive, mandatory, special regulatory, service, direction or other signs (defined under the Vienna convention). Here again, This Invention potentially removes the need for complex interpretation.
However, although the Protocol has creative potential, it may need to accommodate work already done.
Manufacturers and suppliers have already invested heavily in autonomous systems which categorise objects in the environment. Even if those systems are not yet commercially available, it may be necessary to convince their developers to adopt one classification, rather than another.
The Protocol will also need to develop.
There will be new vehicle types, which will behave in new ways, not least because of autonomous guidance. A lorry with autonomous guidance no long needs a driver. A driverless lorry no longer needs a cab. A cabless lorry would no longer look like a lorry and would not necessarily be subject to the same conventions.
This Invention is focussed on autonomous guidance, but once the protocol is established, there are secondary functions to which it may be applied.
For example, when autonomous guidance is switched- off, the same hardware and software could deliver onscreen proximity information for drivers.
This may be an important capability in the early stages of adoption, because other autonomous guidance technologies are currently extremely costly and uncompromising, but are not yet at the stage where they are reliable. That This Invention can be used as a low- cost, standalone driver- safety aid gives buyers a reason to invest in the onboard technology and gives infrastructure owners reason to invest in tagging the environment.
This Invention creates potential for novel new products which is not limited to roads or road vehicles. This Invention can be applied to ships approaching land, to aircraft at airports, or to any place where potentially autonomous vehicles interact with the environment. By reducing the need for manual control inputs in such circumstances, This Invention has potential to increase convenience whilst also reducing human error.