Vehicle interior personalization based on emotional state

Abstract

A vehicle interior personalization system includes one or more vehicle sensors. The system may also include one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. The system may also include a controller in electrical communication with the one or more vehicle sensors and the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. The controller is programmed to perform one or more measurements using one or more vehicle sensors. The controller is further programmed to identify an emotional state of the vehicle occupant based at least in part on the one or more measurements. The controller is further programmed to adjust one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices based at least in part on the emotional state of the occupant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an internal control system for a vehicle, and more particularly to an internal control setting system that actuates vehicle components based on the emotional state of an occupant within the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Modern vehicles include a human-machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a central instrument panel touchscreen) that an occupant can manually operate to adjust the settings of one or more in-vehicle systems. For example, an occupant can operate a touchscreen display to access a menu that has internal control settings for an automatic door lock system (based on vehicle speed, park shift, etc.), an automatic door unlock system (based on vehicle speed, park shift, etc.), remote key operation (e.g., pressing unlock once unlocks only the driver's door, pressing twice unlocks all doors, etc.), an automatic re-lock timer, a lock / unlock feedback tone, an automatic seat temperature, a headlight auto-on sensitivity, a headlight auto-off timer, a daytime running light activation, an in-vehicle light auto-off timer, an exterior light auto-off timer, etc. Although these vehicles allow an occupant to manually customize various vehicle control settings, these vehicles do not automatically adjust these settings based on any criteria or conditions.

[0003] Thus, while existing vehicle systems with control settings achieve their intended purpose, there is still a need for a new and improved system and method for vehicle interior personalization. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to several aspects, the present disclosure provides an interior personalization system for a vehicle. The system can include one or more vehicle sensors. The system can also include one or more in-vehicle environmental control devices. The system can also include a controller that communicates electrically with the one or more vehicle sensors and the one or more in-vehicle environmental control devices. The controller is programmed to perform one or more measurements using the one or more vehicle sensors. The controller is also programmed to identify the emotional state of a vehicle occupant at least in part based on the one or more measurements. The controller is also programmed to adjust one or more operating parameters of the one or more in-vehicle environmental control devices at least in part based on the emotional state of the occupant.

[0005] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the one or more vehicle sensors include at least one interior camera. To perform the one or more measurements, the controller is also programmed to capture one or more images of the occupant's face using the interior camera.

[0006] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the one or more vehicle sensors include at least one interior microphone. To perform the one or more measurements, the controller is also programmed to capture one or more voice recordings of the occupant using the interior microphone.

[0007] In another aspect of the present disclosure, one or more vehicle sensors include at least one biometric sensor. To perform one or more measurements, the controller is further programmed to perform one or more biometric measurements on an occupant using the biometric sensor. The biometric sensor includes at least one of the following: a respiration rate sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a galvanic skin response sensor.

[0008] In another aspect of the present disclosure, to identify the emotional state of an occupant, the controller is further programmed to execute an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm. The emotion recognition machine learning algorithm is configured to receive one or more images, one or more voice recordings, and one or more biometric measurements as inputs and provide the emotional state of the occupant as an output. The emotional state of the occupant includes one of the following: a negative occupant emotional state and a positive occupant emotional state.

[0009] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the controller is further programmed to identify a positive occupant emotional state based on one or more measurements using the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm. The controller is further programmed to, in response to identifying a positive occupant emotional state, determine the current state of one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. The controller is further programmed to store an emotion matching state of one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices in the non-transitory memory of the controller. The emotion matching state is equal to the current state of one or more operating parameters.

[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, one or more vehicle interior environment control devices further include an interior environment lighting system. To adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to, in response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is a negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system to improve the emotional state of the occupant. To adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to, in response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is a positive occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system at least partially based on the emotion matching state to match the emotional state of the occupant.

[0011] In another aspect of the present disclosure, one or more vehicle interior environment control devices further include an infotainment system. To adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to, in response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is a negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system to improve the emotional state of the occupant. One or more operating parameters of the infotainment system include at least one of the following: music playback volume and music playback type. To adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to, in response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is a positive occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system at least partially based on the emotion matching state to match the emotional state of the occupant.

[0012] In another aspect of the present disclosure, to adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state, so as to improve the occupant's emotional state. One or more operating parameters of the infotainment system include at least one of the following: the navigation system selects a route and the navigation system selects a destination.

[0013] In another aspect of the present disclosure, to adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to: in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of at least one of the following: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, seat massage system, and interior fragrance system, so as to improve the occupant's emotional state. To adjust one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to, in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a positive occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the HVAC system, seat massage system, and interior fragrance system at least partially based on an emotion matching state to match the occupant's emotional state.

[0014] According to several aspects, the present disclosure provides a method for personalizing a vehicle interior. The method may include performing one or more measurements using one or more vehicle sensors. The method may further include identifying the emotional state of a vehicle occupant at least partially based on the one or more measurements. The method may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices at least partially based on the occupant's emotional state.

[0015] In another aspect of the present disclosure, performing one or more measurements may further include capturing one or more images of the occupant's face using an interior camera. Performing one or more measurements may further include capturing one or more voice recordings of the occupant using an interior microphone. Performing one or more measurements may further include performing one or more biometric measurements on the occupant using a biometric sensor. The biometric sensor includes at least one of the following: a respiration rate sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a skin conductance response sensor.

[0016] In another aspect of the present disclosure, identifying the occupant's emotional state may further include performing an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm. The emotion recognition machine learning algorithm is configured to receive one or more images, one or more voice recordings, and one or more biometric measurements as inputs and provide the occupant's emotional state as an output. The occupant's emotional state includes one of the following: a negative occupant emotional state and a positive occupant emotional state.

[0017] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the method further includes using an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm to identify a positive occupant emotional state based on one or more measurements. The method further includes determining an emotion matching state of one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices in response to identifying the positive occupant emotional state.

[0018] In another aspect of the present disclosure, adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system to improve the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state. Adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system at least partially based on the emotion matching state to match the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a positive occupant emotional state.

[0019] In another aspect of the present disclosure, adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system to improve the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state. One or more operating parameters of the infotainment system include at least one of the following: music playback volume, music playback type, navigation system selected route, and navigation system selected destination. Adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system at least partially based on the emotion matching state to match the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a positive occupant emotional state.

[0020] In another aspect of the present disclosure, adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of at least one of the following: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, seat massage system, and interior fragrance system to improve the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state. Adjusting one or more operating parameters may further include adjusting one or more operating parameters of the HVAC system, seat massage system, and interior fragrance system at least partially based on the emotion matching state to match the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a positive occupant emotional state.

[0021] In accordance with several aspects, the present disclosure provides a vehicle interior personalization system. The system may include one or more vehicle sensors. The one or more vehicle sensors include at least one of the following: an interior camera, an interior microphone, and a biometric sensor. The system may also include one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. The one or more vehicle interior environment control devices include at least one of the following: an interior environment lighting system, an infotainment system, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a seat massage system, and an interior aroma system. The system may also include a controller that is in electrical communication with the one or more vehicle sensors and the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. The controller is programmed to perform one or more measurements using the one or more vehicle sensors. The one or more measurements include at least one of the following: one or more images of an occupant's face, one or more voice recordings of the occupant, and one or more biometric measurements of the occupant. The controller is also programmed to execute an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm. The emotion recognition machine learning algorithm is configured to receive one or more images, one or more voice recordings, and one or more biometric measurements as inputs and provide the occupant's emotional state as an output. The occupant's emotional state includes one of the following: a negative occupant emotional state and a positive occupant emotional state. The controller is also programmed to adjust one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices at least in part based on the occupant's emotional state.

[0022] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the controller is also programmed to identify a positive occupant emotional state based on one or more measurements using the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm. The controller is also programmed to determine a current state of one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices in response to identifying the positive occupant emotional state. The controller is also programmed to store an emotion matching state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices in a non-transitory memory of the controller. The emotion matching state is equal to the current state of the one or more operating parameters.

[0023] In another aspect of the present disclosure, to adjust one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices, the controller is also programmed to adjust the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices to improve the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a negative occupant emotional state. To adjust one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices, the controller is also programmed to adjust the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices at least in part based on the emotion matching state to match the occupant's emotional state in response to determining that the occupant's emotional state is a positive occupant emotional state.

[0024] Further application areas will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that these descriptions and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior personalization system according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0027] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a vehicle interior personalization method according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

[0029] In aspects of the present disclosure, an occupant's emotional state (i.e., mood) may affect the comfort and enjoyment of the occupant while operating and / or riding in a vehicle. Additionally, negative emotions may be associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents. In various aspects of the present disclosure, a vehicle may include a system operable to increase comfort and improve the emotional state of an occupant. However, such systems must be manually initiated by the occupant. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a new and improved system and method for vehicle interior personalization, including automatic recognition of an occupant's emotional state and adjustment of one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environmental control devices.

[0030] REFERENCE Figure 1 , a vehicle interior personalization system is shown and generally designated by reference numeral 10. System 10 is shown in conjunction with an exemplary vehicle 12. Although a passenger vehicle is shown, it should be understood that vehicle 12 can be any type of vehicle without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. System 10 generally includes a controller 14, one or more vehicle sensors 16, and one or more vehicle interior environmental control devices 18.

[0031] The controller 14 is configured to implement a vehicle interior personalization method 100, as described below. The controller 14 includes at least one processor 20 and a non-transitory computer-readable storage device or medium 22. The processor 20 can be a custom or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the controller 14, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, a combination thereof, or generally a device for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or medium 22 can include, for example, volatile and non-volatile storage devices such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). KAM is a persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables when the processor 20 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device or medium 22 can be implemented using multiple storage devices, such as PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (electrically programmable read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage devices capable of storing data, some of which represents executable instructions that the controller 14 uses to control various systems of the vehicle 12. The controller 14 can also include multiple controllers that communicate electrically with each other. The controller 14 can be interconnected with additional systems and / or controllers of the vehicle 12, thereby allowing the controller 14 to access data such as the speed, acceleration, braking, and steering angle of the vehicle 12.

[0032] The controller 14 communicates electrically with one or more vehicle sensors 16 and one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrical communication is established using, for example, a CAN network, a FLEXRAY network, a local area network (e.g., WiFi, Ethernet, etc.), a serial peripheral interface (SPI) network, and the like. It should be understood that various additional wired and wireless technologies and communication protocols for communicating with the controller 14 are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] One or more vehicle sensors 16 are configured to obtain information about the occupants of the vehicle 12. Within the scope of the present disclosure, in non-limiting examples, occupants include the driver, passengers, and / or any other person in the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more vehicle sensors 16 include an interior camera 24, an interior microphone 26, and a biometric sensor 28.

[0034] In another exemplary embodiment, one or more vehicle sensors 16 also include sensors for determining information about the environment within the vehicle 12. In a non-limiting example, one or more vehicle sensors 16 also include seat occupancy sensors, interior air temperature sensors, interior motion detection sensors, and the like. It should be understood that one or more vehicle sensors 16 may include various additional sensors operable to determine information about the occupants and / or the environment within the vehicle 12.

[0035] The interior camera 24 is used to capture images and / or videos of the occupants within the vehicle 12. In a non-limiting example, the interior camera 24 is used to capture one or more images of the occupant's face, as will be discussed in more detail below. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior camera 24 is a camera and / or a camera positioned to view the interior cabin of the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior camera 24 is located in the roof lining or dashboard of the vehicle 12 and has a view of one or more of the front seats of the vehicle 12. In another exemplary embodiment, the interior camera 24 is fixed in the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle 12 and has a view of one or more of the rear seats of the vehicle 12. In another exemplary embodiment, the interior camera 24 includes a plurality of cameras distributed throughout the entire interior cabin of the vehicle 12. In another exemplary embodiment, the interior camera 24 is part of a driver monitoring system (DMS) operable to monitor the attention level of the occupant. It should be understood that cameras having various sensor types (including, for example, charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors, complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors, and / or high dynamic range (HDR) sensors) are within the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, cameras having various lens types (including, for example, wide-angle lenses and / or narrow-angle lenses) are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0036] The interior microphone 26 is used to capture voice recordings of the occupants within the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior microphone 26 includes a unidirectional dynamic microphone (i.e., a microphone that uses electromagnetic induction to convert sound waves into electrical signals), which is configured to capture voice recordings from a specific occupant within the vehicle 12. In another exemplary embodiment, the interior microphone 26 includes a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones (e.g., microphones having a piezoresistive diaphragm directly etched into a silicon wafer), which are arranged throughout the entire interior cabin of the vehicle 12 and are configured to capture voice recordings. It should be understood that additional types of microphones configured to convert sound waves into electrical signals (e.g., digital and / or analog electrical signals) are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0037] The biometric sensor 28 is used to perform biometric measurements of the occupant. Within the scope of the present disclosure, biometric measurements include, for example, respiratory rate, heart rate, skin conductance response, blood oxygen, body temperature, pupil dilation, brain activity, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the biometric sensor 28 includes at least one of the following: a respiratory rate sensor, a heart rate sensor, a skin conductance response sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, and / or a similar sensor, and the like.

[0038] In a non-limiting example, the respiratory rate sensor is used to measure the respiratory (i.e., ventilation) rate of the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the respiratory rate sensor is a respirometer fixed to the occupant's chest or abdomen. In another exemplary embodiment, the respiratory rate sensor is a non-contact infrared respiratory rate sensor fixed within the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, a change in the respiratory rate may be associated with the emotional state of the occupant. For example, an increased respiratory rate may indicate negative emotions such as stress or anger.

[0039] In a non-limiting example, the heart rate sensor is used to measure the heart rate of the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the heart rate sensor is an electrical sensor operable to detect the bioelectric potential generated by the electrical signals that control the expansion and contraction of the ventricles. In another exemplary embodiment, the heart rate sensor is an optical sensor that uses light-based technology to measure the volume of blood transmitted by the pumping action of the heart. In a non-limiting example, the heart rate sensor is disposed within a seat, an armrest, a steering wheel, and / or other surfaces that typically come into contact with a passenger within the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, a change in the heart rate may be associated with the emotional state of the passenger. For example, an increased heart rate may indicate negative emotions such as stress or anger.

[0040] In a non-limiting example, the skin conductance response sensor is used to measure the skin conductivity of the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the skin conductance response sensor is an electrical sensor operable to measure the conductivity between a plurality of electrodes in contact with the occupant's skin. In a non-limiting example, the skin conductance response sensor is disposed within a seat, an armrest, a steering wheel, and / or other surfaces that typically come into contact with an occupant within the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, a change in the skin conductivity (i.e., skin conductance response) may be associated with the emotional state of the occupant. For example, an increased skin conductivity may indicate negative emotions such as stress, anger, or anxiety.

[0041] In a non-limiting example, the EEG sensor is used to measure the brain wave activity of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the EEG sensor is disposed within the headrest of the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, different patterns of brain waves may be associated with the emotional state of the occupant.

[0042] One or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 are used to regulate the environment within the passenger compartment of vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 are controlled by one or more operating parameters. Within the scope of the present disclosure, an operating parameter is a setting that controls the operation of a device, including, for example, the enabled state of the device. In a non-limiting example, the operating parameters of each vehicle interior environment control device among one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 can be controlled by controller 14. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 include an interior environment lighting system 30, an infotainment system 32, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 34, a seat massage system 36, and an interior fragrance system 38.

[0043] The interior environment lighting system 30 is used to provide illumination within the passenger compartment of vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior environment lighting system 30 includes one or more light sources (e.g., light-emitting diodes, incandescent lamps, electroluminescent lamps, and / or similar light emitters, etc.) disposed within the passenger compartment of vehicle 12. In a non-limiting example, the light sources are disposed on the door panels of vehicle 12, the footwell of vehicle 12, the seats of vehicle 12, within and / or on the instrument panel of vehicle 12, and / or similar locations. In an exemplary embodiment, the light sources are operable to provide illumination of one or more colors. In an exemplary embodiment, controller 14 can control one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system 30, including, for example, the activation state, brightness, color, animation, and / or the position of the lighting light sources of the interior environment lighting system 30.

[0044] The infotainment system 32 is used to provide information and entertainment to the occupants and / or provide vehicle control capabilities to the occupants. In an exemplary embodiment, the infotainment system 32 includes a human-machine interface (HMI), an audio system, and a navigation system. The HMI is used to provide information to the occupants of vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the HMI is a display that is within the field of view of the occupants and is capable of displaying text, graphics, and / or images. It should be understood that HMI display systems including LCD displays, LED displays, etc. are within the scope of the present disclosure. Further exemplary embodiments in which the HMI is disposed in the rearview mirror are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] In another exemplary embodiment, the HMI includes a head-up display (HUD) configured to provide information to an occupant by projecting text, graphics, and / or images onto the windshield of the vehicle 12. The text, graphics, and / or images are reflected by the windshield of the vehicle 12 and are visible to the occupant without having to shift their line of sight away from the road ahead of the vehicle 12. In another exemplary embodiment, the HMI includes an augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD). An AR-HUD is a type of HUD configured to enhance the occupant's vision of the road ahead of the vehicle 12 by overlaying text, graphics, and / or images on physical objects in the vehicle 12's surrounding environment within the occupant's field of view. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 may control one or more operating parameters of the HMI, including, for example, display brightness, display color, display notifications, and the like.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, an occupant may interact with the infotainment system 32 using a human-machine interface device (HID) that includes, for example, a touchscreen, electromechanical switches, capacitive switches, knobs, and the like. It should be understood that additional systems for displaying information to the occupants of the vehicle 12 are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] The audio system is used to provide entertainment for the occupants within the passenger compartment of the vehicle 12. In a non-limiting example, the audio system includes an amplifier and one or more speakers. The audio system is operable to play sounds such as music for the entertainment of the occupants. In a non-limiting example, the sounds are provided to the amplifier from various sources, including, for example, portable media devices, MP3 players, smartphones, internet connections, AM / FM radio receivers, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the audio system may be controlled by the occupant via the infotainment system 32, for example, by interacting with the HID as described above. Additionally, the controller 14 may adjust one or more operating parameters of the audio system (e.g., music playback volume, music playback type, etc.) via electrical communication with the infotainment system 32, as will be discussed in further detail below.

[0048] The navigation system is used to provide information about the navigation route and destination to the occupants when operating the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the navigation system includes a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The GNSS is used to determine the geographical location of the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the GNSS is the Global Positioning System (GPS). In a non-limiting example, the GPS includes a GPS receiver antenna (not shown) and a GPS controller (not shown) that communicates electrically with the GPS receiver antenna. The GPS receiver antenna receives signals from multiple satellites, and the GPS controller calculates the geographical location of the vehicle 12 based on the signals received by the GPS receiver antenna. In an exemplary embodiment, the GNSS also includes a map. The map includes information about infrastructure, such as municipal boundaries, roads, railways, sidewalks, buildings, etc. Thus, the geographical location of the vehicle 12 is contextualized using the map information. In a non-limiting example, the map is retrieved from a remote source using a wireless connection. In another non-limiting example, the map is stored in the database of the GNSS. It should be understood that various additional types of satellite-based radio navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo, GLONASS (Russian satellite navigation system), and the Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] Based on the geographical location of the vehicle and the map information obtained from the GNSS, the navigation system calculates the best route to the destination selected by the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the navigation system can be controlled by the occupant to select the destination and route parameters via the infotainment system 32, for example, by interacting with the HID as described above. Additionally, the controller 14 can adjust one or more operating parameters (e.g., destination and / or route parameters) of the navigation system by communicating electrically with the infotainment system 32, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0050] The HVAC system 34 is used to control the airflow within the passenger compartment of the vehicle 12. The HVAC system 34 is used to improve driver comfort by regulating the temperature and humidity within the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the HVAC system 34 includes a blower, air dampers, a temperature controller, and HVAC outlets. The blower is an electrically driven fan that generates an airflow within the HVAC system 34. The air dampers are electrically actuated surfaces within the HVAC system 34 that are used to direct the airflow within the HVAC system 34. By moving the air dampers, the HVAC system 34 can control the proportion of the total volume of airflow generated by the blower that is directed to each HVAC outlet. The temperature controller allows the HVAC system 34 to control the temperature of the airflow throughout the HVAC system 34. The HVAC outlets provide an airflow to the passenger compartment of the vehicle 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the HVAC outlets are configured to provide an airflow to the occupants of the vehicle 12 to improve occupant comfort. The HVAC system 34 is in electrical communication with the controller 14, as described above. One or more operating parameters of the HVAC system 34 (e.g., activation status, blower speed, airflow temperature, enabled HVAC outlets, etc.) can be controlled by the controller 14 or in response to an input from an occupant of the vehicle 12 to the HID of the infotainment system 32, as described above.

[0051] The seat massage system 36 is used to increase occupant comfort. In an exemplary embodiment, the seat massage system 36 includes one or more massage actuators disposed within one or more seats of the vehicle. In a non-limiting example, the one or more massage actuators are electromechanical actuators operable to provide vibration, massage, heating, etc. In a non-limiting example, the massage actuators are disposed within the seatback of the seat and are arranged to provide manual stimulation to the back muscles of the occupant during operation. In a non-limiting example, the massage actuators are disposed within the seat, armrests, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the seat massage system 36 can be controlled by an occupant via the infotainment system 32, such as by interacting with the HID, as described above. Additionally, the controller 14 can adjust one or more operating parameters of the seat massage system 36 (e.g., activation status, massage intensity, massage temperature, etc.) via electrical communication, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0052] The interior fragrance system 38 is used to increase the comfort of the occupants. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior fragrance system 38 includes one or more fragrance dispensers disposed within the vehicle 12. In a non-limiting example, the one or more fragrance dispensers are electromechanical devices operable to atomize a fragrance liquid (e.g., essential oil, perfume, air freshener, etc.). In a non-limiting example, the one or more fragrance dispensers are distributed throughout the vehicle 12 to enable uniform distribution of the atomized fragrance liquid. In another non-limiting example, the one or more fragrance dispensers are integrated with the HVAC system 34, such as by injecting the atomized fragrance liquid into the air stream directed to one or more HVAC outlets. In an exemplary embodiment, the interior fragrance system 38 can be controlled by the occupants via the infotainment system 32, such as by interacting with the HID, as described above. Additionally, the controller 14 can adjust one or more operating parameters (e.g., activation state, odor intensity, odor selection, etc.) of the interior fragrance system 38 via electrical communication, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0053] Reference Figure 2 , a flowchart of a vehicle interior personalization method 100 is shown. Method 100 begins at block 102 and proceeds to blocks 104, 106, and 108. At block 104, the controller 14 uses the interior camera 24 to capture one or more images of the occupant's face. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more images of the occupant's face will be used to identify the emotional state of the occupant based on facial expressions, as will be discussed in more detail below. After block 104, method 100 proceeds to block 110, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0054] At block 106, the controller 14 uses the interior microphone 26 to capture one or more voice recordings of the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more voice recordings of the occupant will be used to identify the emotional state of the occupant based on word selection, pitch, intonation, speaking volume, etc., as will be discussed in more detail below. After block 106, method 100 proceeds to block 110, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0055] At block 108, the controller 14 uses the biometric sensor 28 to perform one or more biometric measurements of the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the biometric measurements include, for example, respiratory rate, heart rate, skin conductance response, blood oxygen, body temperature, pupil dilation, brain activity, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the one or more biometric measurements of the occupant will be used to identify the emotional state of the occupant, as discussed above and as will be discussed in more detail below. After block 108, method 100 proceeds to block 110.

[0056] At block 110, the controller 14 identifies the emotional state of the occupant. Within the scope of the present disclosure, the emotional state of the occupant includes one of the following: a negative occupant emotional state (e.g., sad, angry, anxious, tense, etc.) and a positive occupant emotional state (e.g., happy, relaxed, excited, etc.). In an exemplary embodiment, to identify the emotional state of the occupant, the controller 14 executes an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm.

[0057] In a non - limiting example, the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm includes multiple layers, including an input layer and an output layer, and one or more hidden layers. The input layer receives one or more images, one or more voice recordings, and one or more biometric measurements as input. The input is then passed to the hidden layer. Each hidden layer applies a transformation (e.g., a non - linear transformation) to the data and passes the result to the next hidden layer until the last hidden layer. The output layer produces the emotional state of the occupant.

[0058] To train the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm, an input data set and its corresponding occupant emotional states are used. The algorithm is trained by adjusting the internal weights between the nodes in each hidden layer to minimize the prediction error. During the training process, optimization techniques (e.g., gradient descent) are used to adjust the internal weights to reduce the prediction error. The training process is repeated for the entire data set until the prediction error is minimized, and then the generated trained model is used to classify new input data.

[0059] After the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm has been sufficiently trained, the algorithm is able to accurately and precisely determine the emotional state of the occupant based on one or more images, one or more voice recordings, and one or more biometric measurements. By adjusting the weights between the nodes in each hidden layer during training, the algorithm "learns" to recognize patterns (e.g., facial expressions, intonation, biometric measurements, etc.) in the data that indicate the emotional state of the occupant. After block 110, method 100 proceeds to block 112.

[0060] At block 112, if the occupant emotional state determined at block 110 is a positive occupant emotional state, method 100 proceeds to block 114. If the occupant emotional state determined at block 110 is a negative occupant emotional state, method 100 proceeds to block 116, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0061] At block 114, the controller 14 determines the current state of one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18. It should be understood that the one or more operating parameters can include any of the operating parameters discussed above with respect to any one of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18. The controller 14 stores the mood matching state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 in the medium 22 of the controller 14. The mood matching state is equal to the current state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, during subsequent execution of the method 100, the mood matching state is updated by averaging the mood matching state and the current state. For example, if the mood matching state previously stored in the medium 22 includes a blower speed of 10 for the HVAC system 34 and the current state includes a blower speed of 8 for the HVAC system 34, the mood matching state stored in the medium 22 can be updated to include a blower speed of 9 for the HVAC system 34.

[0063] In another exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 utilizes a mood matching machine learning algorithm to determine the optimal mood matching state. When the occupant's mood state is a positive occupant mood state, by repeatedly observing the current state, the mood matching machine learning algorithm "learns" which state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 corresponds to the positive occupant mood state. It should be understood that any mathematical, statistical, and / or machine learning-based method for coordinating different operating parameters in the mood matching state during subsequent execution of the method 100 is within the scope of the present disclosure. After block 114, the method 100 proceeds to block 118.

[0064] At block 118, the controller 14 adjusts one or more operating parameters of one or more of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 at least partially based on the mood matching state. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, brightness, color, animation, and / or position of the lighting source of the interior environment lighting system 30 to correspond to the mood matching state. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the display brightness, display color, display notifications, etc. of the HMI to correspond to the mood matching state.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the music playback volume, music playback type, etc. of the audio system to correspond to the mood matching state. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the route parameters of the destination and / or navigation system to correspond to the mood matching state. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HMI of the infotainment system 32 to suggest alternative navigation routes and / or navigation destinations to the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, blower speed, air flow temperature, enabled HVAC outlets, etc. of the HVAC system 34 to correspond to the mood matching state.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, massage intensity, massage temperature, etc. of the seat massage system 36 to correspond to the mood matching state. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, odor intensity, odor selection, etc. of the interior fragrance system 38 to correspond to the mood matching state.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, before adjusting one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 among the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices, the controller 14 uses the HMI of the infotainment system 32 to provide a notification to the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the notification includes a prompt asking the occupant to consent to using the HID to adjust one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 among the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices. After block 118, the method 100 proceeds to the standby state at block 120.

[0068] At block 116, the controller 14 adjusts one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 among the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices to improve the mood state of the occupant. Within the scope of the present disclosure, improving the mood state of the occupant means changing the mood state of the occupant from a negative occupant mood state to a positive occupant mood state. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, brightness, color, animation, and / or position of the lighting source of the interior environment lighting system 30 to improve the mood state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the interior environment lighting system 30 to provide cool colors in the blue spectrum, such as blue, purple, violet-blue, green, and / or similar colors, to evoke a sense of calm in the occupant. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the display brightness, display color, display notifications, etc. of the HMI to improve the mood state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HMI to provide a notification to the occupant suggesting that the occupant temporarily stop driving. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HMI to provide a notification to the driver about the mood state of one or more other occupants of the vehicle 12.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the music playback volume, music playback type, etc. of the audio system to improve the emotional state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the audio system to suggest calming sounds and / or music for playback. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the audio system to play music that the occupant typically plays (e.g., favorite songs).

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the destination and / or route parameters of the navigation system to improve the emotional state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HMI of the infotainment system 32 to suggest alternative navigation routes and / or navigation destinations to the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 adjusts the route selected by the navigation system to include routes with less traffic congestion, less stressful driving maneuvers, more scenic environments, etc. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the navigation system to adjust the navigation system selected destination to include destinations such as coffee shops, spas, masseurs, etc.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, blower speed, airflow temperature, enabled HVAC outlets, etc. of the HVAC system 34 to improve the emotional state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HVAC system 34 to lower the temperature set point inside the vehicle 12 in response to determining that the occupant is stressed. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the HVAC system 34 to increase the temperature set point inside the vehicle 12 in response to determining that the occupant is drowsy.

[0072] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, massage intensity, massage temperature, etc. of the seat massage system 36 to improve the emotional state of the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the seat massage system 36 to provide a back massage to the occupant to relieve stress. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 uses the seat massage system 36 to activate the anti-fatigue feature of the seat massage system 36 to keep the occupant alert. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 adjusts the ergonomic position of the vehicle seat to improve the emotional state of the occupant.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 adjusts the activation state, odor intensity, odor selection, etc. of the internal aroma system 38 to improve the emotional state of the occupant.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, before adjusting one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18, the controller 14 uses the HMI of the infotainment system 32 to provide a notification to the occupant. In a non-limiting example, the notification includes a prompt asking the occupant to consent to using the HID to adjust one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18. After block 116, the method 100 continues to a standby state at block 120.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 14 repeatedly exits the standby state 120 and restarts the method 100 at block 102. In a non-limiting example, the controller 14 exits the standby state 120 and restarts the method 100 on a timer, for example, every three hundred milliseconds.

[0076] The system 10 and method 100 of the present disclosure have several advantages. By performing emotion matching, the system 10 and method 100 can be used to enhance a positive occupant emotional state by adjusting one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 based on the calculated and / or learned emotion matching state. Additionally, the system 10 and method 100 can be used to improve the emotional state of the occupant. Improving the emotional state of the occupant can reduce the risk of motor vehicle accidents. Further, the system 10 and method 100 can be used in scenarios with multiple occupants, including, for example, rideshare scenarios. For example, the system 10 and method 100 can be used to identify the emotional state of each of the multiple occupants of the vehicle 12 and adjust one or more operating parameters of one or more vehicle interior environment control devices 18 to improve the emotional state of each of the multiple occupants.

[0077] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and changes that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. These changes should not be regarded as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior personalization system, the system comprising: One or more vehicle sensors; One or more vehicle interior environment control devices; A controller in electrical communication with the one or more vehicle sensors and the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices, wherein the controller is programmed to: Use the one or more vehicle sensors to perform one or more measurements; Identify the emotional state of the vehicle occupant at least in part based on the one or more measurements; And Adjust one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices at least in part based on the emotional state of the occupant.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more vehicle sensors include at least one interior camera, and wherein, to perform the one or more measurements, the controller is further programmed to: Use the interior camera to capture one or more images of the occupant's face.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The one or more vehicle sensors include at least one interior microphone, and wherein, to perform the one or more measurements, the controller is further programmed to: Use the interior microphone to capture one or more voice recordings of the occupant.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein, The one or more vehicle sensors include at least one biometric sensor, and wherein, to perform the one or more measurements, the controller is further programmed to: Use the biometric sensor to perform one or more biometric measurements on the occupant, wherein the biometric sensor includes at least one of the following: a respiratory rate sensor, a heart rate sensor, and a skin conductance response sensor.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein, To identify the emotional state of the occupant, the controller is further programmed to: Execute an emotion recognition machine learning algorithm, wherein the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm is configured to receive the one or more images, the one or more voice recordings, and the one or more biometric measurements as inputs and provide the emotional state of the occupant as an output, wherein the emotional state of the occupant includes one of the following: a negative occupant emotional state and a positive occupant emotional state.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The controller is further programmed to: Use the emotion recognition machine learning algorithm to identify the positive occupant emotional state based on the one or more measurements; In response to identifying the positive occupant emotional state, determine the current state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices; And Save the emotion matching state of the one or more operating parameters of the one or more vehicle interior environment control devices in the non-transitory memory of the controller, wherein the emotion matching state is equal to the current state of the one or more operating parameters.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein The one or more vehicle interior environment control devices further include an interior environment lighting system, and wherein, to adjust the one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to: In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the interior environment lighting system to improve the emotional state of the occupant; and In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the positive occupant emotional state, at least partially based on the emotion matching state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the interior environmental lighting system to match the emotional state of the occupant.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The one or more vehicle interior environmental control devices further include an infotainment system, and wherein, to adjust the one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to: In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system to improve the emotional state of the occupant, wherein the one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system include at least one of the following: music playback volume and music playback type; and In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the positive occupant emotional state, at least partially based on the emotion matching state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system to match the emotional state of the occupant.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, To adjust the one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to: In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system to improve the emotional state of the occupant, wherein the one or more operating parameters of the infotainment system include at least one of the following: navigation system selected route and navigation system selected destination.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein, To adjust the one or more operating parameters, the controller is further programmed to: In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the negative occupant emotional state, adjust one or more operating parameters of at least one of the following: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC system, seat massage system, and interior fragrance system to improve the emotional state of the occupant; and In response to determining that the emotional state of the occupant is the positive occupant emotional state, at least partially based on the emotion matching state, adjust one or more operating parameters of the HVAC system, the seat massage system, and the interior fragrance system to match the emotional state of the occupant.

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