METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE VENTILATION SYSTEM, CONTROL UNIT FOR A VEHICLE AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Method (10) for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system (110, 110-1, 110-2) of at least one vehicle (100, 100-1, 100-2), comprising: a capture (S1), by an image capture device (120), of an image of the face of a vehicle occupant (200) of a vehicle (100), an investigation (S2), by an investigative device (130), based on the image of the face of the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100), to determine whether the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) feels disgust or not, a control (S3), by a control device (140), of the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) to switch the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation, if the detection device (130) determines that the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) is experiencing disgust while the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) is set to the fresh air supply operation; and further showing: a determination (S4), by a position determination device (150), of a position of the vehicle (100), if the determination device (130) determines that the vehicle occupant (200) feels disgust, a transmission (S5), through a communication device (160) of the vehicle (100), of information that the vehicle occupant (200) is feeling disgust, together with the specific position of the vehicle (100), to a server facility (1000), a determination (S6), by the server facility (1000), as to whether at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is within a specified distance from the determined position of the vehicle (100) or not, and If the server (1000) determines that at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is within the specified distance of the specified position of vehicle (100), the server (1000) transmits (S7) a command to a vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) to switch the vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation, if the vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is set to fresh air supply operation.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle ventilation system of a vehicle, in particular a method for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle, a control unit for a vehicle and a system.

[0002] Vehicles such as passenger cars are typically equipped with a ventilation system. In a fresh air intake mode, the ventilation system can supply the vehicle interior with fresh air from outside the vehicle, for example, when the windows are closed. To prevent or at least reduce the ingress of unpleasant odors from outside the vehicle, such as when driving past fields freshly fertilized with manure or when passing through a poorly ventilated tunnel where a novice driver is slipping the clutch, the ventilation system can also be operated in recirculation mode. In this mode, the fresh air supply from outside the vehicle is interrupted, and the air already present inside the vehicle is recirculated.

[0003] Furthermore, methods and systems are known in which pollutant levels in the air outside the vehicle can be detected and the vehicle ventilation can be automatically switched to recirculation mode depending on the detected pollutant levels.

[0004] US 2020 / 0180396A1 comprehensively describes a vehicle comprising an air conditioning system, a temperature sensor configured to measure the vehicle's interior temperature, a camera configured to capture image data of a passenger, and a biosignal sensor configured to measure a passenger's biosignal. A controller is configured to, upon fulfillment of a predefined condition, control the air conditioning system to change the wind pattern at predefined time intervals, obtain emotional information about the changed wind pattern based on the image data and / or the biosignal, and blow a wind pattern where the positivity level of the emotional information is equal to or greater than a threshold.

[0005] DE 11 2018 007 454 T5 describes an occupant state determination device comprising an image data acquisition unit for acquiring image data displaying an image captured by a camera used for image capture in a vehicle cabin, an image recognition processing unit for performing image recognition processing on the captured image using the image data, an immobility state determination unit for determining whether an occupant is in an immobile state using a result of the image recognition processing, and an abnormal state determination unit for determining whether the occupant is in an abnormal state due to a decrease in the level of alertness by using a result of the determination by the immobility state determination unit, and the abnormal state determination unit determines that the occupant is in an abnormal state.when the duration of the motionless state exceeds a reference time.

[0006] One object of the present invention is to improve the operation of a vehicle ventilation system.

[0007] This problem is solved by the features of the independent patent claims. Further preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle comprises: a capture, by an image capture device, in some versions of the respective vehicle, of an image of the face of a vehicle occupant of a vehicle, an investigation, by an investigative device, in some versions of the vehicle, based on the image of the vehicle occupant's face, to determine whether the vehicle occupant feels disgust or not, and A control device, in some versions of the vehicle, to activate the vehicle's ventilation system to switch the vehicle's ventilation from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation when the detection device determines that the vehicle occupant is experiencing disgust while the vehicle's ventilation system is set to the fresh air supply operation.

[0009] The aforementioned procedure according to the first aspect is therefore based in particular on the fact that every subject or every person reacts when inhaling odors that are subjectively unpleasant to him or her by activating certain facial muscles, in particular by forming (pre-)determined facial expressions that can be assigned to a feeling of disgust, that is, one of several basic emotions (for example, seven basic emotions according to Paul Ekman (1992)).

[0010] In some versions, this allows the vehicle ventilation system to automatically switch to recirculation mode even if the air pollution level (detected, for example, by a sensor) is too low to trigger the automatic switch to recirculation mode in previously known vehicle ventilation systems. This can be achieved by automatically activating recirculation mode if a facial expression or gesture of the vehicle occupant indicates that the occupant is subjectively disgusted due to an odor that is particularly unpleasant for them.

[0011] The term "vehicle" used here refers in particular to a passenger car, including all types of motor vehicles, hybrid and battery-powered electric vehicles, as well as vehicles such as sedans, vans, buses, trucks, delivery vans and the like.

[0012] Any terms used herein, such as "comprises," "includes," "features," "has," "with," or any other variant thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a method or apparatus that includes or features a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such method or apparatus.

[0013] Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, "or" refers to an inclusive or and not an exclusive "or". For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

[0014] The terms "ein" or "eine," as used here, are defined as "one or more." The terms "ein anderer" and "ein Weitere," as well as any other variant thereof, are to be understood as "at least one more."

[0015] The term "plural", as used here, is to be understood in the sense of "two or more".

[0016] The terms "configured" or "set up" to perform a specific function (and their respective variations) are understood within the meaning of the invention to mean that the corresponding device or system already exists in a configuration or setting in which it can perform the function, or at least that it is adjustable—i.e., configurable—so that it can perform the function after appropriate adjustment. Configuration can be achieved, for example, by adjusting parameters of a process sequence or by using switches or similar devices to activate or deactivate functionalities or settings. In particular, the device or system can have several predetermined configurations or operating modes, so that configuration can be carried out by selecting one of these configurations or operating modes.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the invention and their further developments are described below, which, unless expressly excluded, can be combined with one another as desired.

[0018] In some versions, the investigative device determines that the vehicle occupant is experiencing disgust when, based on image processing of the vehicle occupant's face performed by the investigative device (in some versions by executing an image processing program stored in a memory device of the vehicle), it is recognized that the vehicle occupant's nose is wrinkled and / or their eyebrows are furrowed and / or their lower lip and / or chin is raised.

[0019] By running the image processing program, object recognition can be performed, for example, to identify the vehicle occupant's face in the captured image. An emotion analysis can then be conducted based on the image of the occupant's face, classifying it as an emotion such as joy, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, disgust, or contempt. This classification can be achieved, for example, by comparing the image of the occupant's face with a large number of different images of faces, each associated with a specific emotion, stored in the memory device.

[0020] In some versions, the procedure further indicates: Determining, by means of a positioning device, in some versions of the vehicle, a position of the vehicle, when the determining device determines that the vehicle occupant is experiencing disgust, a transmission, via a communication device of the vehicle, of information that the vehicle occupant is experiencing disgust, together with the specific position of the vehicle, to a server facility, in some versions to a communication device of the server facility, a determination, by the server device, in some embodiments by controlling the communication device by a control device of the server device, in order to retrieve from other vehicles, in particular from a respective communication device thereof, a respective position of the respective other vehicle, which is determined by a respective position determination device of the respective other vehicle, and by determining a respective distance, by the control device, between the respective position of the respective other vehicle and the position of the vehicle, whether at least one other vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the determined position of the vehicle or not, and If the server system determines that at least one other vehicle is within the specified distance of the vehicle's position, the server system, in some embodiments via the server system's communication device, transmits a command to a vehicle ventilation system, in some embodiments via the communication device of the at least one other vehicle, to switch the vehicle ventilation system of the at least one other vehicle from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation, if the vehicle ventilation system of the at least one other vehicle is set to the fresh air supply operation.

[0021] In some designs, this can prevent the unpleasant odor, which is at least perceptible at the specific position of the vehicle, from penetrating into another vehicle located within the specified distance from the specific position of the vehicle, since the vehicle ventilation of the other vehicle may be automatically switched to recirculation mode.

[0022] The term "communication device" or "communication equipment" used here refers specifically to a device or equipment for wireless communication. This can be a single unit or several interacting units. In particular, a communication device or communication equipment can comprise a control unit, transmitter and receiver, and at least one corresponding antenna. In a vehicle, a communication device or communication equipment can be distributed throughout the vehicle.

[0023] In some versions, the transmission by the server device of the command to the vehicle ventilation of at least one other vehicle involves the transmission by the server device of a command to the vehicle ventilation of at least one other vehicle to switch the vehicle ventilation of at least one other vehicle from fresh air supply operation to recirculation operation for a specified period of time, if the vehicle ventilation of at least one other vehicle is set to fresh air supply operation, and after the specified period of time has elapsed, switching the vehicle ventilation of at least one other vehicle back to fresh air supply operation.

[0024] In some versions, this makes it possible to automatically supply fresh air to the interior of at least one other vehicle after the specified time period has elapsed, in order to improve the air quality inside.

[0025] In some versions, if the server determines that several other vehicles are within a specified distance of the vehicle's position, the server transmits a command to the vehicle ventilation of at least one of the other vehicles to switch the ventilation of each of the other vehicles from fresh air supply mode to recirculation mode for a specified period of time, provided the ventilation of each of the other vehicles is set to fresh air supply mode, and after the specified period of time has elapsed, the ventilation of each of the other vehicles is switched back to fresh air supply mode.the respective specified time periods vary.

[0026] The smallest specified time duration can be, for example, 1 minute, and the next specified time durations can be, for example, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, etc.

[0027] In some versions, the procedure further indicates: a successive recording, after the respective predetermined time period has elapsed, by a respective further image recording device, of a respective image of a respective face of a respective vehicle occupant of a respective of the several further vehicles, and a determination, by a respective further investigation device, based on the respective image of the respective face of the respective vehicle occupant of a respective of the several further vehicles, as to whether the respective vehicle occupant feels disgust or not, whereby If one of the respective additional detection devices determines that the respective vehicle occupant does not feel disgust, the server device transmits a respective command to the other respective vehicle ventilation systems to set them to recirculation mode for a predetermined period of time, wherein the predetermined period is greater than or equal to a difference between that of the respective predetermined periods after which it was determined that the respective vehicle occupant feels disgust, and the respective predetermined period, if the difference is greater than 0 seconds, and otherwise the server device does not transmit a command to the relevant vehicle ventilation systems to set them to recirculation mode.

[0028] In some versions, this can prevent the unpleasant odor from entering the interior of at least some of the other vehicles because the corresponding vehicle ventilation system switched back to fresh air supply operation too early.

[0029] In some embodiments, the method further includes illuminating the face of the vehicle occupant with infrared light by a lighting device while capturing the image of the vehicle occupant's face by the image capture device.

[0030] In some versions, this makes it possible to recognize whether the vehicle occupant feels disgust or not, regardless of the brightness, i.e., even in darkness.

[0031] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a control unit for a vehicle, wherein the control unit is configured to execute a method described above for operating a vehicle ventilation system of a (single) vehicle.

[0032] In some versions, the control unit may include the image acquisition device, the detection device, the control device, and the storage device.

[0033] A third aspect of the present invention relates to a system comprising a server facility as well as a vehicle and several other vehicles, wherein the system is configured to carry out a method described above for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle.

[0034] The features and advantages explained in relation to the first aspect of the invention also apply accordingly to the other aspects of the invention.

[0035] Further advantageous developments result from the following description of preferred embodiments. This is shown, in part schematically: Fig. 1. A flowchart illustrating a method for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle according to one embodiment, and Fig. 2 a system designed to carry out the procedure for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0036] Fig. Figure 1 shows a flowchart illustrating a method for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle according to one embodiment, and Fig. Figure 2 shows a system designed to carry out the procedure for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system of at least one vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0037] With reference to Fig. 2 The system comprises a vehicle 100, several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 and a server facility 1000, which includes a communication device 1010, a control device 1020 and a storage device 1030 in which a program for operating the server facility 1000 is stored.

[0038] Vehicle 100 and the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 each have a vehicle ventilation system 110, 110-1, 110-2, which can each be operated in a fresh air supply mode and a recirculation mode.

[0039] The vehicle 100 and the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 each have a respective image capture device 120, 120-1, 120-2, for example in the form of a camera, in particular an infrared camera, for capturing a respective image of a respective face of a respective vehicle occupant 200, 200-1, 200-2 of a respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2.

[0040] Furthermore, vehicle 100 and the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 each have a respective detection device 130, 130-1, 130-2 for determining, based on the respective image of the respective face of the respective vehicle occupant of the respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2, whether the respective vehicle occupant 200, 200-1, 200-2 of a respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2 feels disgust or not, and a respective control device 140, 140-1, 140-2 for controlling the respective vehicle ventilation 110, 110-1, 110-2.

[0041] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 and the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 each have a respective position determination device 150, 150-1, 150-2 for determining a respective position of the respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2, a respective communication device 160, 160-1, 160-2 for communication with the server device 1000, in some versions with the communication device 1010 of the server device 1000, a respective storage device 180, 180-1, 180-2, and a respective lighting device 170, 170-1, 170-2, which may be configured to emit infrared light.

[0042] The respective positioning devices 150, 150-1, 150-2 can, for example, be designed as satellite navigation receivers which can autonomously determine the respective position of the respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2 in a satellite navigation system.

[0043] Each control unit of a respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2 can have a respective image acquisition device 120, 120-1, 120-2, a respective detection device 130, 130-1, 130-2, a respective control unit 140, 140-1, 140-2, a respective position determination device 150, 150-1, 150-2, a respective communication device 160, 160-1, 160-2, and a respective storage device 180, 180-1, 180-2.

[0044] With reference to Fig. 1 In step S1 of the procedure 10 for operating at least one vehicle ventilation 110, 110-1, 110-2 of at least one vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2, a capture is carried out by an image capture device 120 of an image of the face of a vehicle occupant 200 of a vehicle 100.

[0045] Then, in step S2, an investigation is carried out, by an investigation device 130, in some versions of the vehicle 100, based on the image of the face of the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100, to determine whether the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 feels disgust or not.

[0046] Subsequently, in step S3, a control device 140, in some versions of the vehicle 100, activates the vehicle ventilation 110 of the vehicle 100 to switch the vehicle ventilation 110 of the vehicle 100 from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation if the detection device 130 determines that the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 feels disgust while the vehicle ventilation 110 of the vehicle 100 is set to the fresh air supply operation.

[0047] The investigation device 130 can determine that the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 feels disgust if, based on image processing of the image of the face of the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 carried out by the investigation device 130, in some versions by executing an image processing program that is stored in a storage device 180 of the vehicle, it is recognized that the nose of the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 is wrinkled and / or the eyebrows of the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 are furrowed and / or the lower lip and / or chin of the vehicle occupant 200 of the vehicle 100 is raised.

[0048] In step S4, the position of the vehicle 100 is determined by a positioning device 150 if the detection device 130 determines that the vehicle occupant 200 is experiencing disgust. Subsequently, in step S5, information indicating that the vehicle occupant 200 is experiencing disgust, along with the determined position of the vehicle 100, is transmitted by a communication device 160 of the vehicle 100 to a server 1000, specifically to a communication device 1010 of the server 1000.

[0049] In step S6, the server facility 1000 determines whether at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 is within a specified distance of the determined position of vehicle 100 or not.

[0050] For this purpose, the server unit 1000 can, for example, communicate with the communication units 160 of the other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 via the communication device 1010 in order to retrieve from them the respective position of the respective other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 as determined by the respective position determination unit 150-1, 150-2, and to determine the respective distance of the respective other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 from the vehicle 100 based on the respective positions of the vehicle 100 and the other vehicles 100-1, 100-2.

[0051] If, in step S6, the server device 1000 determines that at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 is within the specified distance of the determined position of vehicle 100, then in step S7, the server device 1000 transmits a command to a vehicle ventilation system 110-1, 110-2 of the at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 to switch the vehicle ventilation system 110-1, 110-2 of the at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 from fresh air supply operation to recirculation operation, if the vehicle ventilation system 110-1, 110-2 of the at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 is set to fresh air supply operation.

[0052] In some versions, the transmission in step S7, by the server unit 1000, of the command to the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2, involves the transmission, by the server unit 1000, of a command to the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2, in order to switch the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 from fresh air supply operation to recirculation operation for a specified period of time, if the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 is set to fresh air supply operation, and after the specified period of time the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 is set to recirculation operation. To switch vehicle 100-1, 100-2 to fresh air supply operation.

[0053] In this process, if in step S6 the server device 1000 determines that several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 are within the specified distance from the determined position of vehicle 100, the transmission in step S7 by the server device 1000 to the vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of at least one other vehicle 100-1, 100-2 can include the transmission by the server device 1000 of a respective command to a respective vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of each of the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 in order to switch the respective vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of each of the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 from fresh air supply operation to recirculation operation for a respective specified period of time, if the respective vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of each of the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 is set to fresh air supply operation,and after the respective specified time period has elapsed, to switch the respective vehicle ventilation 110-1, 110-2 of the respective of the several further vehicles 100-1, 100-2 to fresh air supply operation, whereby the respective specified time periods are different.

[0054] In this process, in step S8, a successive image of the face of a vehicle occupant 200-1, 200-2 of one of the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2 can be successively captured by a respective further image capture device 120-1, 120-2 after the respective specified time period has elapsed, and a determination can be made by a respective further determination device 130-1, 130-2, based on the respective image of the face of the vehicle occupant 200-1, 200-2 of one of the several other vehicles 100-1, 100-2, as to whether the respective vehicle occupant 200-1, 200-2 feels disgust or not.

[0055] If, in this process, one of the respective further detection devices 130-1, 130-2 determines that the respective vehicle occupant 200-1, 200-2 does not feel disgust, the server device 1000 can transmit a respective command to the other of the respective vehicle ventilations 110-1, 110-2 in a step S9 to set them to recirculation mode for a predetermined period of time, wherein the predetermined period is greater than or equal to a difference between that of the respective predetermined periods after which it was determined that the respective vehicle occupant 200-1, 200-2 does not feel disgust, and the respective predetermined period if the difference is greater than 0 seconds, otherwise the server device 1000 does not transmit a command to the relevant vehicle ventilations 110-1, 110-2 to set them to recirculation mode.

[0056] In some embodiments, the method may further include a step S10 of illuminating, by a respective lighting device 170, 170-1, 170-2, the respective face of the respective vehicle occupant 200, 200-1, 200-2 of the respective vehicle 100, 100-1, 100-2, with infrared light, during the capture, by the respective image capture device 120, 120-1, 102-2, of the respective image of the respective face of the respective vehicle occupant 200, 200-1, 200-2.

Claims

[1] Method (10) for operating at least one vehicle ventilation system (110, 110-1, 110-2) of at least one vehicle (100, 100-1, 100-2), comprising: a capture (S1), by an image capture device (120), of an image of the face of a vehicle occupant (200) of a vehicle (100), an investigation (S2), by an investigative device (130), based on the image of the face of the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100), to determine whether the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) feels disgust or not, a control (S3), by a control device (140), of the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) to switch the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation, if the detection device (130) determines that the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) is experiencing disgust while the vehicle ventilation (110) of the vehicle (100) is set to the fresh air supply operation; and further showing: a determination (S4), by a position determination device (150), of a position of the vehicle (100), if the determination device (130) determines that the vehicle occupant (200) feels disgust, a transmission (S5), through a communication device (160) of the vehicle (100), of information that the vehicle occupant (200) is feeling disgust, together with the specific position of the vehicle (100), to a server facility (1000), a determination (S6), by the server facility (1000), as to whether at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is within a specified distance from the determined position of the vehicle (100) or not, and If the server (1000) determines that at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is within the specified distance of the specified position of vehicle (100), the server (1000) transmits (S7) a command to a vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) to switch the vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) from a fresh air supply operation to a recirculation operation, if the vehicle ventilation system (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is set to fresh air supply operation. [2] Method (10) according to claim 1, in which the detection device (130) determines that the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) feels disgust when, based on image processing of the image of the face of the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) carried out by the detection device (130), in particular by executing an image processing program which is stored in a storage device (180) of the vehicle (100), it is recognized that a nose of the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) is wrinkled and / or eyebrows of the vehicle occupant (200) of the vehicle (100) are drawn together and / or a lower lip and / or chin of the vehicle occupant (300) of the vehicle (100) is raised. [3] Method (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the transmission (S7) by the server device (1000) of the command to the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one further vehicle (100-1, 100-2) comprises a transmission by the server device (1000) of a command to the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one further vehicle (100-1, 100-2) to switch the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one further vehicle (100-1, 100-2) from fresh air supply operation to recirculation operation for a predetermined period of time, when the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of the at least one further vehicle (100-1, 100-2) is set to fresh air supply operation, and after the predetermined period of time the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) to switch to fresh air supply operation. [4] Method according to claim 3 in which, when the server device (1000) determines that several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2) are located within the specified distance from the specified position of the vehicle (100), the transmission (S7) by the server device (1000) of the command to the vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of at least one other vehicle (100-1, 100-2) comprises the transmission by the server device (1000) of a respective command to a respective vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of each of the several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2) in order to switch the respective vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of each of the several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2) from a fresh air supply operation to the recirculation operation for a respective specified period of time, when the respective vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of the respective of the several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2) is set to fresh air supply operation,and after the respective specified time period has elapsed, to switch the respective vehicle ventilation (110-1, 110-2) of each of the several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2) to fresh air supply operation, whereby the respective specified time periods are different. [5] Method according to the preceding claim, further comprising: a successive acquisition (S8), after the respective specified time period, by a respective further image acquisition device (120-1, 120-2), of a respective image of a respective face of a respective vehicle occupant (200-1, 200-2) of a respective of the several further vehicles (100-1, 100-2), and a determination, by a respective further determination device (130-1, 130-2), based on the respective image of the respective face of the respective vehicle occupant (200-1, 200-2) of a respective of the several further vehicles (100-1, 100-2), whether the respective vehicle occupant (200-1, 200-2) feels disgust or not, whereby If one of the respective further detection devices (130-1, 130-2) determines that the respective vehicle occupant (200-1, 200-2) does not feel disgust, the server device (1000) transmits a respective command to the other respective vehicle ventilation units (110-1, 110-2) (S9) to set them to recirculation mode for a predetermined period of time, wherein the predetermined period is greater than or equal to a difference between that of the respective predetermined periods after which it was determined that the respective vehicle occupant (200-1, 200-2) does not feel disgust, and the respective predetermined period if the difference is greater than 0 seconds, and otherwise the server device (1000) does not transmit a command to the relevant vehicle ventilation units (110-1, 110-2) to set them to recirculation mode. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising illuminating (S10) the face of the vehicle occupant (200) with infrared light by a lighting device (170) during the acquisition, by the image acquisition device (120), of the image of the face of the vehicle occupant (200). [7] Control unit for a vehicle (100, 100-1, 100-2), wherein the control unit is configured to perform a method according to claim 1 or 2 or according to claim 6 and claim 1 or claim 2. [8] Control unit according to claim 7, comprising the image acquisition device (120, 120-1, 120-2), the detection device (130, 130-1, 130-2), the control device (140, 140-1, 140-2), and the storage device (180, 180-1, 180-2). [9] System comprising a server facility (1000) as well as a vehicle (100) and several other vehicles (100-1, 100-2), wherein the system is configured to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images