Vehicle control method, system, storage medium, program product, and vehicle

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle control technology, providing a vehicle control method, system, storage medium, program product, and vehicle. The vehicle control method includes: acquiring the position information of a target body part of a driver or passenger in the vehicle; and controlling an ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves towards the target body part based on the position information, thereby creating a virtual tactile sensation at the target body part. First, the position information of the target body part of the driver or passenger is acquired; then, the ultrasonic transmitter is dynamically controlled to emit ultrasonic waves and precisely focus them on the target body part, forming a perceptible virtual tactile stimulus. Compared to traditional visual or auditory warning methods, this method can quickly attract attention through direct and immediate tactile feedback, and is unaffected by environmental noise or visual obstruction, significantly reducing information transmission delay and misjudgment rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle control technology, specifically to a vehicle control method, system, storage medium, program product, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, users of new energy vehicles are increasingly demanding immersive experiences. In the vehicle's driver status monitoring system, information feedback methods such as fatigue driving and lane driving warning include auditory and visual feedback. However, the human-computer interaction effect is limited, especially when the driver is fatigued. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a vehicle control method, system, vehicle, storage medium, and program product to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a vehicle control method, comprising: Obtain the location information of target body parts of occupants in the vehicle; Based on the location information, the ultrasonic transmitting device is controlled to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0005] Optionally, before acquiring the location information of the target body part of the occupant in the vehicle, the method further includes: The vehicle is confirmed to be in a warning state; The warning status is generated according to any one or more of the following methods: The driver monitoring system detected that the driver was fatigued or inattentive; The autonomous driving system detects one or more of the following: a malfunction in the vehicle, the vehicle enters an area that does not support autonomous driving, severe weather reduces visibility, an impending collision is detected, or the autonomous driving system is unable to continue autonomous driving and requires driver intervention. The driver assistance system detects that the vehicle has deviated from its lane, braked suddenly, or entered one or more of the following complex road conditions.

[0006] Optionally, the method further includes obtaining a tactile intensity parameter, the tactile intensity parameter being determined based on the warning status level; The step of controlling the ultrasonic transmitting device to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information includes: The ultrasonic transmitter is controlled to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and the tactile intensity parameter.

[0007] Optionally, the tactile intensity parameter is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the enable signal used to drive the ultrasonic transmitter.

[0008] Optionally, the location information of the target body part is obtained by identifying and locating the driver's target body part through the vehicle's driver monitoring system.

[0009] Optionally, the target body part includes at least one of the following: face, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, arms, legs, and shoulders.

[0010] Optionally, the ultrasonic transmitting device includes multiple transmitting elements; controlling the ultrasonic transmitting device to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part according to the position information includes: Calculate the position difference between each of the transmitting array elements and the position information; The transmission delay parameters of each transmitting element are determined based on all position differences, and the ultrasonic transmitting device is controlled to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target body part according to the delay parameters.

[0011] Optionally, the vehicle control method further includes: In response to the command to activate the massage function; The target body part and tactile intensity parameters are input through a human-computer interaction device.

[0012] This disclosure also provides a vehicle control system, including: The control module is used to acquire the position information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle; An ultrasonic transmitting device is used to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information, so as to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0013] Optionally, the control module is further configured to determine the tactile intensity parameter based on the warning state level of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is in a warning state; The ultrasonic transmitter is also used to control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and the tactile intensity parameter.

[0014] Optionally, the control module is further configured to obtain massage parameters in response to a massage function activation command, the massage parameters including massage area information and massage intensity parameters; The ultrasonic transmitting device is also used to send ultrasonic waves to the massage area according to the massage parameters, so as to create a virtual tactile sensation on the massage area.

[0015] Optionally, the ultrasonic transmitter is positioned around the driver's seat in the vehicle's cockpit and facing the driver's perceptible area.

[0016] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle control method described above.

[0017] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle control method described above.

[0018] This disclosure also provides a vehicle, including: The aforementioned vehicle control system.

[0019] The above technical solution first acquires the location information of the target body part of the driver or passenger, then dynamically controls the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves, precisely focusing them on the target body part (such as the face, hands, shoulders, etc.) to form a perceptible virtual tactile stimulus. Compared with traditional visual or auditory warning methods, this method can quickly attract attention through direct and immediate tactile feedback, and is not affected by environmental noise or visual obstruction, significantly reducing the delay and misjudgment rate of information transmission. At the same time, the non-contact ultrasonic action does not require wearable devices, taking into account both comfort and safety, and effectively avoiding the discomfort or interference that may be caused by traditional vibration reminders. It can not only enhance the intuitiveness and reliability of warnings such as fatigue driving and lane departure, but also provide a new perceptual dimension for the immersive interactive experience of new energy vehicles, helping to improve driving safety and the synergy of human-machine co-driving.

[0020] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating another vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle control system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating another vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5This is a flowchart illustrating a sub-step of step S2 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle control device according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0029] In the following description, the words "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish the purpose of the description and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance or order.

[0030] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, users of new energy vehicles are increasingly demanding immersive experiences. In the vehicle's driver status monitoring system, information feedback methods such as fatigue driving and lane driving warning include auditory and visual feedback. However, the human-computer interaction effect is limited, especially when the driver is fatigued.

[0031] The inventors discovered that in current vehicle status monitoring systems, drivers primarily receive warning prompts through auditory and visual signals. However, when attention is diminished or drivers are fatigued, the effectiveness of these traditional interaction methods is significantly reduced, making it difficult to attract the driver's attention promptly and effectively. In particular, existing systems lack effective real-time tactile feedback mechanisms, resulting in insufficient penetration and warning intensity in emergency or fatigue scenarios, which to some extent affects driving safety and the overall immersive experience. Therefore, in the technical path to improve the immediacy and perceptual intensity of human-computer interaction, a location-based and controllable virtual tactile feedback is introduced.

[0032] By first acquiring the location information of the target body parts of the driver and passengers, the ultrasonic transmitter is dynamically controlled to emit ultrasonic waves, which are then precisely focused on the target body parts (such as the face, hands, and shoulders) to form a perceptible virtual tactile stimulus. Compared with traditional visual or auditory warning methods, this method can quickly attract attention through direct and immediate tactile feedback, and is not affected by environmental noise or visual obstruction, significantly reducing information transmission delays and misjudgment rates. Simultaneously, the non-contact ultrasonic action eliminates the need for wearable devices, balancing comfort and safety, and effectively avoiding the discomfort or interference that may be caused by traditional vibration alerts. This not only enhances the intuitiveness and reliability of warnings such as driver fatigue and lane departure, but also provides a new perceptual dimension for the immersive interactive experience of new energy vehicles, contributing to improved driving safety and human-machine collaboration.

[0033] This disclosure provides a vehicle control method that can be applied to a vehicle, for example, the control module of a vehicle control system. (See also...) Figure 1 The vehicle control method may include steps S1 and S2.

[0034] Step S1: Obtain the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle.

[0035] The target body part can refer to a human body part that is pre-set or selected according to the interaction scenario and is suitable for receiving tactile feedback. The target body part can be, but is not limited to, at least one of the driver's face, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, arms, legs, and shoulders.

[0036] Location information can be the three-dimensional coordinates or orientation data of the target body part in the vehicle cockpit system.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the location information of the target body part is obtained by the vehicle's driver monitoring system, which identifies and locates the driver's target body part. The driver monitoring system can be a sensing module installed in the vehicle (such as a camera, millimeter-wave radar, infrared sensor or a combination thereof), which monitors and identifies the body posture of the driver and passengers, and then extracts and outputs the dynamic location information of the selected target body part.

[0038] In one embodiment, when it is determined that the driver is fatigued, the back of his / her dominant left hand can be set as the target body part, and the spatial position of the back of the hand can be tracked in real time by a visual sensor.

[0039] Step S2: Based on the location information, control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0040] An ultrasonic transmitting device can refer to a transmitting device composed of multiple transmitting elements arranged in a specific pattern. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic transmitting device can be composed of a 15*15 square array of transmitting elements, with a resonant frequency of 40KHz and a spacing of 10 mm between the elements.

[0041] By controlling the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information, the ultrasonic waves can be focused on the target body part. Focusing can refer to adjusting the phase and amplitude of the sound waves emitted by each transmitting element in the ultrasonic transmitter so that they coherently superimpose at a specific point in space, thereby forming a sound pressure (tactile stimulation) peak at that point.

[0042] Controlling the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves towards the target body part based on the location information can be understood as follows: based on the location information obtained in step S1, the focus of the emission beam of each emission element in the ultrasonic transmitter is adjusted accordingly. The ultrasonic transmitter emits an ultrasonic beam under the control parameters. During the propagation process, the beam is focused at the spatial point corresponding to the target body part. The focused sound pressure field acts on the surface of human skin, thereby producing a local, perceptible pressure or vibration sensation, i.e., forming a virtual touch sensation.

[0043] By acquiring the location information of the target body parts of the driver and passengers, the ultrasonic transmitter is dynamically controlled to emit ultrasonic waves, which are then precisely focused on the target body parts (such as the face, hands, and shoulders) to form a perceptible virtual tactile stimulus. Compared with traditional visual or auditory warning methods, this method can quickly attract attention through direct and immediate tactile feedback, and is not affected by environmental noise or visual obstruction, significantly reducing information transmission delays and misjudgment rates. At the same time, the non-contact ultrasonic action does not require wearable devices, balancing comfort and safety, and effectively avoiding the discomfort or interference that may be caused by traditional vibration alerts. This not only enhances the intuitiveness and reliability of warnings such as fatigue driving and lane departure, but also provides a new perceptual dimension for the immersive interactive experience of new energy vehicles, helping to improve driving safety and the synergy of human-machine co-driving.

[0044] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The vehicle control method may include steps S201 to S203.

[0045] Step S201: Determine that the vehicle is in a warning state.

[0046] A warning status can be a specific driving condition or driver status that the vehicle determines needs to immediately or preferentially attract the attention of the driver and passengers.

[0047] In one embodiment, the warning status may include, but is not limited to, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, driver fatigue warning, or blind spot risk warning.

[0048] Warning status is generated according to any one or more of the following methods: The driver monitoring system detected that the driver was fatigued or inattentive; The autonomous driving system detects a vehicle malfunction, or the vehicle enters an area that does not support autonomous driving, or severe weather reduces visibility, or an impending collision is detected, or the autonomous driving system is unable to continue autonomous driving and requires driver intervention or one or more of the following: The driver assistance system detects that the vehicle has deviated from its lane, braked suddenly, or entered one or more of the following complex road conditions.

[0049] Please see Figure 3 When the vehicle is fully controlled by the driver, the driver's status can be monitored in real time through a driver monitoring system (such as a facial recognition camera facing the driver, a steering wheel grip force sensor, and a behavior analysis system). If the analyzed data (such as eyelid closure duration, abnormal head posture, and reduced operation frequency) meets the preset model threshold, it is determined that the vehicle has entered a warning state due to driver fatigue or lack of concentration.

[0050] In one embodiment, the driver monitoring system monitors the driver's status in real time, performs facial recognition and key point localization (such as face, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, arms, etc.), tracks the position of the driver's face in real time, and analyzes the key point data and real-time tracking. Based on the algorithm, it analyzes the driver's attention, fatigue, or distraction state. When the driver's attention, fatigue, or distraction state is detected, the driver monitoring system sends a warning message to the control module through a CAN message, and at the same time sends the coordinate position of the driver's face to the control module in real time.

[0051] When a vehicle is in highly or fully automated driving mode, the automated driving system compares the current vehicle environment (perceived through radar, lidar, and cameras) with a preset automated driving operating domain. The operating domain defines the boundary conditions under which the system can safely and effectively perform automated driving functions (such as specific road types, speed ranges, weather conditions, and visibility conditions). If the system detects that the vehicle is about to or has already exceeded the operating domain (for example, entering a road section not covered by high-precision maps or encountering extreme weather), the vehicle enters a warning state due to exceeding the boundary of the automated driving operating domain.

[0052] In one embodiment, when the autonomous driving system detects one or more of the following: a malfunction in the vehicle's sensors, cameras, control modules, or other devices; the vehicle enters an area that does not support autonomous driving; severe weather reduces visibility; an impending collision is detected; or the autonomous driving system is unable to continue autonomous driving and requires driver intervention, the autonomous driving system sends a warning message to the control module via a CAN message.

[0053] When a vehicle is in assisted driving mode (such as adaptive cruise control or lane centering assist), the built-in warnings of the assisted driving system can be triggered during operation. For example, the forward collision warning system may issue a braking warning, the lane departure warning system may issue a correction prompt, or the blind spot monitoring system may issue a lateral risk warning. These high-level warning signals issued by such assisted driving systems can be used directly as the basis for determining that the vehicle has entered a warning state, thereby activating the corresponding tactile feedback.

[0054] In one embodiment, when the driver assistance system detects that the vehicle is experiencing one or more of the following: lane departure, emergency braking, or entering a complex road condition, the driver assistance system sends a warning message to the control module via a CAN message.

[0055] Step S202: Obtain the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle.

[0056] Data from vehicle sensor networks (such as cameras, radar, steering wheel / seat sensors) is analyzed and judged in real time using preset algorithm models (such as attention models, lane line recognition models, and distance calculation models). Once a situation that meets the warning conditions is identified, the vehicle is determined to be in a warning state, thereby initiating or preparing the haptic feedback program.

[0057] Step S203: Control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part according to the location information, so as to form a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0058] The ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter is focused on the target body part to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0059] By deeply integrating tactile feedback into the vehicle's active safety closed loop, a direct and penetrating alarm channel is provided when the driver's perception ability declines, significantly improving the delivery rate of critical warnings and the overall reliability of the system.

[0060] It should be noted that the specific processes of steps S202 and S203 can be referred to steps S1 and S2, and are not limited in this embodiment.

[0061] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 4The vehicle control method may include steps S301 to S304.

[0062] Step S301: Determine that the vehicle is in a warning state.

[0063] Step S302: Obtain the tactile intensity parameters.

[0064] The tactile intensity parameter is determined based on the warning status level.

[0065] The tactile intensity parameter can be a set of control variables or instructions used to control the emission characteristics of an ultrasonic transmitter, thereby generating a preset intensity level of tactile perception.

[0066] Based on the tactile intensity parameters obtained in step S302, the sound pressure level of each transmitting element is adjusted accordingly, so that virtual tactile sensations of different intensities are formed on the target body parts.

[0067] Warning levels can refer to the quantitative classification of warning status based on the urgency and danger of potential risks or abnormal states. For example, they can be divided into "Attention Level" (Level 1), "Warning Level" (Level 2), and "Emergency Level" (Level 3).

[0068] After the warning state is triggered, the tactile intensity parameter is further determined based on the warning state level of the vehicle. The higher the warning level (the larger the level), the larger the value of the generated tactile intensity parameter, which in turn controls the ultrasonic transmitter to generate a stronger virtual tactile sensation.

[0069] In one embodiment, the intensity of the virtual tactile sensation generated by the ultrasound on the target body part is positively correlated with the level of the warning. Each transmitting element in the ultrasound transmitting device is precisely driven so that the sound wave is precisely focused on the target body part. The intensity of the tactile perception (such as pressure sensation and vibration amplitude) generated is designed to be positively correlated with the value of the warning level, that is, the higher the level, the stronger the tactile sensation generated by the focus.

[0070] For example, if a vehicle is determined to have deviated from its lane, specifically due to a slow crossing of the line caused by slight distraction (corresponding to a "Caution" warning), the determined tactile intensity parameter will drive the ultrasonic transmitter to produce a gentle, continuous pressing sensation on the driver's arm as a reminder. If the deviation is rapid due to inattention on a curve (corresponding to a "Warning" warning), the determined tactile intensity parameter will cause the array to produce a short, powerful pulse-like slapping sensation. If the vehicle rapidly veers towards the edge of the lane due to driver fatigue at high speed (corresponding to an "Emergency" warning), the determined tactile intensity parameter will drive the array to produce a strong, repetitive vibration at maximum power and a specific high-frequency waveform on the driver's shoulder to implement the highest intensity emergency warning.

[0071] By positively correlating warning levels with tactile feedback intensity, precise hierarchical transmission of tactile information is achieved. This allows drivers to intuitively judge the urgency of a risk (e.g., attention, warning, emergency) through tactile intensity (e.g., gentle press, forceful tap, strong vibration) without visual confirmation, greatly shortening cognition and response time. In critical scenarios, it avoids misjudgments or delays that may be caused by warnings of a single intensity. Furthermore, it intelligently matches the most appropriate tactile stimulation intensity according to the risk level, ensuring the necessary warning effect while avoiding excessive interference from low-level warnings or insufficient intensity of high-level warnings, thus achieving a balance between safety and driving comfort.

[0072] Step S303: Obtain the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle.

[0073] Step S304: Control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and tactile intensity parameters.

[0074] Location information can be used to ensure the accuracy of focusing, while the haptic intensity parameter can be used to determine the base value of the virtual haptic intensity at the focal point.

[0075] Multiple judgment methods ensure that, under different technical levels and scenarios, once a critical situation requiring driver attention or takeover occurs, a warning state can be reliably and promptly triggered, and then the matching tactile interaction can be initiated, achieving full-mode coverage of safety redundancy interaction.

[0076] It should be noted that the specific processes of steps S301, S303 and S304 can be referred to steps S201, S202 and S203, and are not limited in this embodiment.

[0077] In one possible implementation, the tactile intensity parameter is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the enable signal used to drive the ultrasonic transmitter.

[0078] For ultrasonic transmitters, adjusting the duty cycle of their drive signal directly changes the average energy output per unit time. The larger the duty cycle, the higher the average output energy; the smaller the duty cycle, the lower the average output energy.

[0079] In warning mode, the ultrasonic transmitter receives tactile intensity parameters from the control module and controls the enable signal driving the ultrasonic transmitter. The enable signal can be a square wave control signal with a frequency of 40kHz. Depending on the warning level, the duty cycle of the square wave is 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%, controlling the ultrasonic transmitter from low to high. The ultrasonic sound pressure is strongest at a duty cycle of 50%, indicating an emergency warning. To ensure the ultrasonic waves are felt by the driver's skin, the 100Hz square wave enable signal modulates the square wave control signal, resulting in a modulated square wave signal that is focused on the target body part, producing tactile sensations of varying intensity.

[0080] In one possible implementation, the ultrasonic transmitting device may include multiple transmitting array elements, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 Step S2 may include steps S21 and S22.

[0081] Step S21: Calculate the position difference between each transmitting array element and the position information.

[0082] For each transmitting element, the difference between the position of each transmitting element and the position information is calculated to obtain the position difference between each transmitting element and the position information.

[0083] The location of the transmitting array element represents the fixed installation coordinates of each transmitting array element constituting the ultrasonic transmitting device in the vehicle coordinate system.

[0084] The real-time position coordinates of the target body parts are obtained, and the geometric position coordinates of each pre-stored transmitting element are read. The difference between the geometric position coordinates of the transmitting element and the position information is calculated to obtain the corresponding position difference.

[0085] Step S22: Determine the transmission delay parameters of each transmitting element based on all position differences, and control the ultrasonic transmitting device to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target body part according to the delay parameters.

[0086] Based on the positional difference between each transmitting element and the target body part calculated in step S21, it is ensured that the sound waves emitted by all elements can reach the target body part simultaneously and achieve coherent superposition (focusing). Elements that are farther away from the target body part need to emit sound waves earlier, while elements that are closer need to emit them later. It can be set that the larger the positional difference of the transmitting elements, the earlier their emission time should be, and the smaller the positional difference of the transmitting elements, the later their emission time should be.

[0087] First, the maximum value is determined from all position differences. Then, the difference between the position difference of each other transmitting element from the target body part and the above maximum value is calculated. This difference reflects the difference in the length of the sound wave propagation path. Next, each difference is divided by the speed of ultrasonic wave propagation in the medium to obtain the required transmission delay time for the corresponding element, i.e., the transmission delay parameter. The closer the transmitting element is to the target body part, the longer its calculated delay time. Finally, based on the calculated transmission delay times, the transmission time of each element is precisely controlled. Specifically, the transmitting element with the farthest distance is transmitted first, and the other transmitting elements are transmitted sequentially according to their respective transmission delay parameters.

[0088] Through the above timing control, it is ensured that the sound waves emitted by all transmitting array elements can arrive at the target point simultaneously and coherently superimpose there to form a high sound pressure focusing area to generate tactile sensation.

[0089] In one possible implementation, please refer to Figure 6 The vehicle control method may include steps S401 to S403.

[0090] Step S401, in response to the instruction to activate the massage function.

[0091] Step S402: Obtain the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle.

[0092] Step S403: Based on the location information and tactile intensity parameters, control the ultrasonic transmitting device to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0093] The massage function can be activated by receiving user-initiated commands through human-computer interaction devices (such as voice commands, central control screen touch, physical buttons, or mobile terminal applications).

[0094] Receiving the massage function activation command signifies entering service mode from standby mode, and executing corresponding haptic feedback tasks according to user settings or default programs.

[0095] When the massage function is activated and the target body part is locked, the emitted ultrasonic beam is focused on the surface or superficial tissue of the target body part according to the target body part. By adjusting the intensity, frequency, and action mode of the ultrasonic waves (such as continuous, pulse, sweep), a variety of virtual tactile sensations such as kneading, vibration, and pressing can be generated on the target body part, thereby achieving a non-contact, precise massage effect.

[0096] In one embodiment, when the driver issues the command "turn on shoulder massage" via voice, the camera determines the real-time position of both shoulders. Then, it controls the ultrasonic transmitter installed in the headrest or ceiling of the seat to alternately focus ultrasonic waves on the muscles of the driver's left and right shoulders, producing a rhythmic pulse-like tactile sensation similar to acupressure, achieving a comfortable experience of relaxing muscles and relieving fatigue, and enhancing the pleasure and immersion during the driving process.

[0097] By combining vehicle sensors with an ultrasonic array, contactless air massage can be achieved, relieving driver fatigue and improving driving safety.

[0098] It should be noted that the specific processes of steps S402 and S403 can be referred to steps S1 and S2, and are not limited in this embodiment.

[0099] In one embodiment, during massage mode, massage parameters can be set via a human-computer interaction device. The target body part and tactile intensity parameters can be input through the human-computer interaction device. That is, the user can input the target body part and tactile intensity parameters via the human-computer interaction device; the target body part is the massage area, and the tactile intensity parameters are the massage intensity parameters.

[0100] The preset massage parameters can be configuration data used to define massage modes, intensity, rhythm and duration. They can come from system default settings, user history preferences or real-time personalized selections, such as modes such as "gentle relaxation", "deep kneading" and "circular pulse" and their corresponding intensity levels, frequency of action and time sequence.

[0101] Once the massage function is activated and the target body part is determined, the control module calls the preset massage parameters corresponding to the selected massage mode and performs comprehensive calculations based on the real-time spatial location information of the part to obtain the corresponding control parameters. This transforms abstract massage requirements (such as "deep kneading - intensity level 3") into executable ultrasonic drive commands that can accurately generate the corresponding physical tactile sensation at a specific spatial location.

[0102] The ultrasonic transmitter uses a complexly modulated ultrasonic beam that dynamically focuses on the target body part during propagation (for example, the focal point can move along a preset path to simulate massage techniques). By adjusting the sound pressure intensity, frequency, and residence time at the focal point, it produces a variety of comfortable tactile sensations on the skin and superficial tissues that match preset massage parameters.

[0103] Massage areas can refer to body regions that are specified by user input or system presets and are expected to receive massage functions, such as shoulders, waist, face, and hands.

[0104] The target body part can refer to the actual physiological area that corresponds to the massage area in terms of anatomical location and needs to be focused by the ultrasound transmitting device.

[0105] In one embodiment, the user selects a lumbar massage via the central control screen and sets the intensity to level 4 (strong). The sensor determines the real-time precise location of the area on both sides of the user's lumbar spine. The control module controls the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves based on the intensity level 4 (corresponding to higher energy output) and the coordinates of the location, producing a deep, powerful, and continuous pressing sensation on both sides of the user's waist, accurately achieving the high-intensity relaxation massage effect required by the user.

[0106] In massage mode, the driver inputs parameters such as massage intensity and massage area via a human-machine interface device. This information is then transmitted to the control module via a bus. The control module, based on the coordinate information of the driver's face, nose, arms, and other relevant body parts provided by the driver monitoring system, as well as the input parameters from the human-machine interface device, transmits the information to the ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic transmitter sets the duty cycle of the ultrasonic enable pulse and the pulse width of the modulation signal according to the received command parameters, and controls the enable delay of the phased array, enabling ultrasonic waves to massage the body parts input by the driver, thus relieving muscle fatigue.

[0107] Based on the same inventive concept, and to implement the above-described method embodiments, this disclosure also provides a vehicle control device, which can be applied to a vehicle, for example, the control module of a vehicle control system, such as... Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle control device 600 according to an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle control device 600 may include: The first processing module 601 is configured to acquire the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle. The second processing module 602 is configured to control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information, so as to form a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0108] Optionally, the vehicle control device 600 may also include: The third processing module is configured to determine that the vehicle is in a warning state; Warning status is generated according to any one or more of the following methods: The driver monitoring system detected that the driver was fatigued or inattentive; The autonomous driving system detects a vehicle malfunction, or the vehicle enters an area that does not support autonomous driving, or severe weather reduces visibility, or an impending collision is detected, or the autonomous driving system is unable to continue autonomous driving and requires driver intervention or one or more of the following: The driver assistance system detects that the vehicle has deviated from its lane, braked suddenly, or entered one or more of the following complex road conditions.

[0109] Optionally, the vehicle control device 600 may also include: The fourth processing module is configured to acquire tactile intensity parameters, which are determined based on the warning status level. The second processing module 602 is specifically configured to control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and tactile intensity parameters.

[0110] Optionally, the tactile intensity parameter is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the enable signal used to drive the ultrasonic transmitter.

[0111] Optionally, the location information of the target body part is obtained by identifying and locating the driver's target body part through the vehicle's driver monitoring system.

[0112] Optionally, the target body part includes at least one of the following: face, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, arms, legs, and shoulders.

[0113] Optionally, the ultrasonic transmitting device includes multiple transmitting array elements; the second processing module 602 is specifically configured as follows: Calculate the position difference between each transmitting array element and its position information; The transmission delay parameters of each transmitting element are determined based on all position differences, and the ultrasonic transmitting device is controlled to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target body part according to the delay parameters.

[0114] Optionally, the vehicle control device 600 may also include: The fifth processing module is configured to respond to a massage function activation command; The target body part and tactile intensity parameters are input through a human-computer interaction device.

[0115] Regarding the vehicle control device in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the vehicle control method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0116] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a vehicle control system, please continue reading. Figure 3 The vehicle control system may include a control module 10 and an ultrasonic transmitter 20.

[0117] Control module 10 is used to acquire the position information of target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle; The ultrasonic transmitter 20 is used to emit ultrasonic waves to the target body part based on the location information, so as to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

[0118] The control module 10 can connect to the sensing module already installed in the vehicle to determine the location information of the target body parts of the driver and passengers in the vehicle. The sensing module already installed in the vehicle can be, but is not limited to, a camera, millimeter-wave radar, infrared sensor or a combination thereof.

[0119] In addition to reusing the existing sensing modules in the vehicle, in other embodiments, the control module 10 can also determine the position information of the target body parts of the driver and passengers in the vehicle by connecting to separately added sensors.

[0120] In one possible implementation, the control module 10 is further configured to determine the tactile intensity parameter based on the warning level of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is in a warning state. The ultrasonic transmitter 20 is also used to control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and tactile intensity parameters.

[0121] In one possible implementation, the control module 10 is further configured to acquire massage parameters in response to a massage function activation command, the massage parameters including massage area information and massage intensity parameters; The ultrasonic transmitter 20 is also used to send ultrasonic waves to the massage area according to the massage parameters to create a virtual tactile sensation at the massage area.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the ultrasonic transmitter 20 may be positioned around the driver's seat in the vehicle's cockpit and directed toward the driver's perceptible area.

[0123] The ultrasonic transmitter 20 can be located inside the steering wheel or outside the airbag.

[0124] In one embodiment, multiple transmitting elements can be arranged in a circular pattern to achieve focusing.

[0125] In other embodiments, the ultrasonic transmitter 20 may also be located on the center console, door, roof, in front of the windshield, sun visor, driver's dashboard, etc.

[0126] By enabling drivers to operate with their eyes on the road, active safety is enhanced. Furthermore, reliable feedback that resists obstruction prevents driver misjudgment and distraction caused by feedback failure, thereby improving functional safety at the system level.

[0127] In one possible implementation, the vehicle control system may also include an amplifier circuit, and the ultrasonic transmitter 20 may include multiple transmitter array elements. The input terminal of the amplifier circuit is connected to the control module 10, and the output terminal of the amplifier circuit is connected to multiple transmitting array elements.

[0128] The amplifier circuit is used to amplify the control signal sent by the control module 10 into an electrical signal that can drive multiple transmitting array elements to work. Under the excitation of the high voltage electrical signal, the transmitting array elements convert electrical energy into mechanical vibration and emit a set of ultrasonic pulses of a specific frequency to the target body part to form a virtual touch.

[0129] By integrating the complex high-voltage power amplification required to drive multiple transmitter array elements into a dedicated amplifier circuit, the burden on the controller and peripheral design is simplified, and system reliability is improved.

[0130] In one possible implementation, the transmitting element can be a piezoelectric ultrasonic transmitting element.

[0131] The resonant frequency of the piezoelectric ultrasonic transmitting array element is determined by its physical size and material, and is very stable, ensuring that the emitted ultrasonic frequency is highly concentrated and precise, achieving efficient spatial focusing, and thus guaranteeing the positioning accuracy and intensity consistency of the tactile focus. This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described vehicle control method.

[0132] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle control method described above.

[0133] This disclosure also provides a vehicle including the vehicle control system described above.

[0134] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0135] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0136] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, characterized in that, include: Obtain the location information of target body parts of occupants in the vehicle; Based on the location information, the ultrasonic transmitting device is controlled to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

2. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before acquiring the location information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle, the method further includes: The vehicle is confirmed to be in a warning state; The warning status is generated according to any one or more of the following methods: The driver monitoring system detected that the driver was fatigued or inattentive; The autonomous driving system detects one or more of the following: a malfunction in the vehicle, the vehicle enters an area that does not support autonomous driving, severe weather reduces visibility, an impending collision is detected, or the autonomous driving system is unable to continue autonomous driving and requires driver intervention. The driver assistance system detects that the vehicle has deviated from its lane, braked suddenly, or entered one or more of the following complex road conditions.

3. The vehicle control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes acquiring a tactile intensity parameter, which is determined based on the warning status level; The step of controlling the ultrasonic transmitting device to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information includes: The ultrasonic transmitter is controlled to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and the tactile intensity parameter.

4. The vehicle control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tactile intensity parameter is achieved by adjusting the duty cycle of the enable signal used to drive the ultrasonic transmitter.

5. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The location information of the target body part is obtained by identifying and locating the driver's target body part through the vehicle's driver monitoring system.

6. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The target body part includes at least one of the following: face, eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, arms, legs, and shoulders.

7. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transmitting device includes multiple transmitting array elements; controlling the ultrasonic transmitting device to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part according to the position information includes: Calculate the position difference between each of the transmitting array elements and the position information; The transmission delay parameters of each transmitting element are determined based on all position differences, and the ultrasonic transmitting device is controlled to transmit ultrasonic waves to the target body part according to the delay parameters.

8. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle control method further includes: In response to the command to activate the massage function; The target body part and tactile intensity parameters are input through a human-computer interaction device.

9. A vehicle control system, characterized in that, include: The control module is used to acquire the position information of the target body parts of the occupants in the vehicle; An ultrasonic transmitting device is used to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information, so as to create a virtual tactile sensation on the target body part.

10. The vehicle control system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control module is also used to determine the tactile intensity parameter based on the warning level of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is in a warning state. The ultrasonic transmitter is also used to control the ultrasonic transmitter to emit ultrasonic waves toward the target body part based on the location information and the tactile intensity parameter.

11. The vehicle control system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control module is also used to obtain massage parameters in response to the massage function activation command, the massage parameters including massage area information and massage intensity parameters; The ultrasonic transmitting device is also used to send ultrasonic waves to the massage area according to the massage parameters, so as to create a virtual tactile sensation on the massage area.

12. The vehicle control system according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transmitter is positioned around the driver's seat in the vehicle's cockpit, facing the area that the driver can feel.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the steps of the vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

14. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The vehicle control system according to any one of claims 9-12.

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