A method for generating a soothing surrounding for an infant inside a motor vehicle, a computer program product, a non-transitory computer-readable storage

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for generating soothing surroundings 14 for an infant 16 inside a motor vehicle 10 by a support system 12 of the motor vehicle 10, comprising the steps of determining a presence of the infant 16 inside the motor vehicle 10 by a presence detection device (18) of the support system 12; selecting a control signal for controlling a soothing device 22,24 of the support system 12 depending on the determined presence by an electronic computing device 20 of the support system 12; and generating the soothing surroundings 14 by controlling the soothing device 22, 24 depending on the control signal by the electronic computing device 20. The soothing device may be an audio speaker 24 or vibration device 22.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for generating a soothing surrounding for an infant inside a motor vehicle by a support system of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer program product, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as to a support system. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] A motor vehicle may impact on a soothing on an infant. Therefore, the motor vehicle can be seen as a safe place that can sooth their crying infants. Infants appear to be soothed by audio noise and haptic vibrations generated by the motor vehicle while driving. Therefore, to sooth their infant, some parents specifically choose routes that have been proven to be effective in the past. Others may start or continue a drive exclusively for this purpose.

[0003] Unfortunately, the conditions conductive to this remedy is often unclear. Many infants may be soothed by a particular stretch of highway at a particular speed. But any stop, slight variation in speed or change in the road texture could reset their soothing process. At best, parents can test all local roads and head to the most promising combination with high hopes. However, this is a widely impractical and inefficient use of their motor vehicle.

[0004] Furthermore, current automotive trends appear to reduce these remedies. Engineers often aim to reduce the noise, vibrations, and harshness (NVH) of motor vehicles. These efforts seem poised to benefit from a separate automotive trend. The transition to its battery electric vehicles. Internal combustion engines are often a large contributor to NVH levels. By replacing the internal combustion engines with smooth electrical motors, NVH levels are expected to decrease. Furthermore, the maximized vehicle’s driving range and efficiency, engineers are often focused on reducing the aerodynamic drag coefficient. This results in a more streamline motor vehicle that is less affected by air resistance and wind noise. These advancements should increase the comfort of most passengers. However, for infants, eliminating the engines’ vibrations, the engine’s audio noise and the wind’s audio noise may eliminate major contributors to the vehicle’s soothing effect. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method, a computer program product, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as a support system, by which an infant of a motor vehicle can be soothed in an improved manner.

[0006] This object is solved by a method, a computer program product, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as a support system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0007] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for generating soothing surroundings for an infant inside a motor vehicle by a support system of the motor vehicle. A presence of the infant inside the motor vehicle is determined by a presence detection device of the support system. A control signal for controlling a soothing device of the support system is selected depending on the determined presence of the infant by an electronic computing device of the support system. The soothing surroundings is generated by controlling the soothing device depending on the control signal by the electronic computing device.

[0008] Therefore, the invention aims to replicate, optimize, and personalize the in-vehicle soothing effect for infants. It may replicate the effect by artificially generating haptic vibrations and audio noise. It may optimize the effect by randomly testing different vibration and noise characteristics while observing which combinations are most effective. It may be personalized because it may be tailored for the infant’s unique preferences. This may ensure that the motor vehicle remains an effective soothing device despite its inner driving conditions and NVH characteristics. The main inputs may be, but are not limited to commands given via an infotainment device and audio signal from an in-vehicle microphone. The main outputs may be but are not limited to audio signals to speakers within the vehicle’s interior, which may be limited to speakers nearest to the infant’s seat. Furthermore, the vibration modus under or within an infant’s seat may be controlled. This vibration modus may be integrated for this purpose or could already be part of the seat’s massage function for adult passengers.

[0009] The main inputs could be, but are not limited to: Commands given via an infotainment device; and Audio signal from an in-vehicle microphone. The main outputs could be, but are not limited to: Audio signals to speakers within the vehicle’s interior, which may be limited to speakers nearest to the infant’s seat; Vibration motors under or within the infant’s seat. These vibration motors could be integrated for this purpose or could already be part of the seat’s massage function for adult passengers.

[0010] According to an embodiment, an audio speaker is provided as the soothing device.

[0011] In another embodiment a vibration device is provided as the soothing device.

[0012] In another embodiment for generating the soothing surroundings, at least one driving dynamic characteristic of a motor vehicle is imitated.

[0013] In another embodiment a behavior of the infant is monitored and depending on the behavior, the control signal is generated.

[0014] In another embodiment the presence of the infant is automatically detected inside the motor vehicle and / or the presence of the infant is detected depending on an input of a user of the motor vehicle.

[0015] In particular, the present invention is a computer-implemented method. Therefore, another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to the preceding aspect.

[0016] A still further aspect of the invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program product according to the preceding aspect.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a support system for generating soothing surroundings for an infant inside a motor vehicle, comprising at least one presence detection device, one electronic computing device and one soothing device, wherein the support system is configured for performing a method according to the preceding aspect. In particular, the method is performed by the support system.

[0018] A still further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least the support system according to the preceding aspect.

[0019] Advantageous embodiments of the method are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the computer program product, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the support system as well as the motor vehicle. Therefore, the support system as well as the motor vehicle comprise means for performing the method.

[0020] A computing unit may in particular be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The computing unit can therefore in particular process data to perform computing operations. This may also include operations to perform indexed accesses to a data structure, for example a look-up table, LUT.

[0021] In particular, the computing unit may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The computing unit may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The computing unit may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0022] In various embodiments, the computing unit includes one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units.

[0023] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0024] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0026] The drawings show in:

[0027] Fig. 1 a schematic side view according to an embodiment of a motor vehicle comprising an embodiment of the support system; and

[0028] Fig. 2 a schematic flow chart according to an embodiment of the method.

[0029] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0031] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0032] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0033] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view according to an embodiment of a motor vehicle 10. The motor vehicle 10 comprises at least a support system 12. The support system 12 is configured for generating soothing surroundings for an infant 16 inside the motor vehicle 10. The support system 12 comprises at least one presence detection device 18, one electronic computing device 20 and one soothing device 22, 24.

[0035] According to an embodiment, the presence of the infant 16 inside the motor vehicle 10 is determined by the presence detection device 18. A control signal for controlling a soothing device 22, 24 of the support system 12 is selected depending on the determined presence by the electronic computing device 20. The soothing surroundings 14 are generated by controlling the soothing device 22, 24 depending on the control signal by the electronic computing device 20.

[0036] In particular, as shown in Fig. 1, an audio speaker 24 is provided as the soothing device 22, 24. Alternatively or additionally, a vibration device 22 is provided as the soothing device 22, 24.

[0037] Furthermore, for generating the soothing surroundings 14 at least one driving dynamic characteristic of the motor vehicle 10 is imitated. Furthermore, a behavior of the infant is monitored, for example by a camera 26, and depending on the behavior, the control signal is generated. Furthermore, the presence of the infant 16 is automatically detected inside the motor vehicle 10 and / or the presence of the infant 16 is detected depending on an input of a user 28 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0038] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flow chart according to an embodiment of the method. In a first step S1, the support system 12 may be activated. This may be done manually, for example the user 28 starts the support system 12 using the vehicle’s infotainment device. The infant’s seat may be selected by the user 28. Alternatively, the system can be activated automatically, for example if the infant 16 cries and this is detected by using a detection software and audio signals from a microphone within the vehicle’s interior. The infant’s seat location would be preset or would be automatically detected.

[0039] In a second step S2, the characteristics of the audio noise and haptic vibrations may be selected. The selecting process may attempt to balance replicating previously successfully configurations versus random sampling to explore more optimal configurations. Configurations could include but are not limited to audio noise signals. For example, a loudness or a volume, or a power spectrum, for example its “color” may be adapted. For example, a white noise is a random signal that has a constant power spectrum density, for example power by frequency interval. In more colloquial terms, it is a signal that has equal intensity at different frequencies. In contrast, pink noise has a power spectrum density that is inversely proportional to frequency. Therefore, compared to white noise, humans often find pink noise and its lower pitch to be more relaxing. Other “colors” of noise, for example brownian, blue, violet or furthermore, have their own unique power spectrum density characteristics. Furthermore, haptic vibrations may be adapted in amplitude and vibration frequency.

[0040] The sampling algorithm may include but is not limited to a machine learning based technique or a classical random sampling technique, for example Monte Carlo method, particle filters or histogram filters. Samples may be randomly sampled with a likelihood proportional to their weights. These weights may be determined by an inversely proportional to the expected time it would take for that configuration to sooth the infant 16. In other words, a configuration with the quickest soothing time would be the most likely configuration selected. However, since this process is random with no 100% certainty, other configurations can be selected that may produce even quicker soothing results. Ineffective configurations may have very long soothing times and thus a very low likelihood of being selected. The number of independent variables and the audio and haptic configurations may determine the dimensionality of the sample space. The sample space could be clamped at reasonable boundaries to avoid ineffective or even dangerous configuration values.

[0041] Furthermore, classic convex optimization techniques may be used. For example, an optimization variable may be selected to be minimized, for example a time to sooth the infant 16. Furthermore, random or specific configurations may be used to be selected as inputs to be tested. Their corresponding outputs may be used to fit an objective convex function. Furthermore, based on the objective based function, the optimal input for minimizing the object function output can be mathematically calculated. Ideally, this may be the optimal configuration for soothing the infant 16.

[0042] In a third step S3, the selected characteristics may be carried out by the audio speakers and the vibrating motors. In particular, a timer may begin.

[0043] In a fourth step S4, an audio signal from the in-vehicle microphone may be analyzed to detect when the infant 16 stops crying. At this point, the timer may stop and the crying duration may be reported.

[0044] In a fifth step S5, the infant’s crying duration is recorded for the selected configuration. This feedback may be used to weight or influence future configurations when the support system 12 activates again. Based on this, the support system 12 may quickly learn the optimal and unique configuration for soothing the user’s infant 16. signs motor vehicle support system soothing surroundings infant presence detection device electronic computing device vibration device audio speaker camera user steps of the method Mercedes-Benz Group AG

Claims

1. A method for generating soothing surroundings (14) for an infant (16) inside a motor vehicle (10) by a support system (12) of the motor vehicle (10), comprising the steps of:- determining a presence of the infant (16) inside the motor vehicle (10) by a presence detection device (18) of the support system (12);- selecting a control signal for controlling a soothing device (22, 24) of the support system (12) depending on the determined presence by an electronic computing device (20) of the support system (12); and- generating the soothing surroundings (14) by controlling the soothing device (22, 24) depending on the control signal by the electronic computing device (20).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in thatan audio speaker (24) is provided as the soothing device (22, 24).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thata vibration device (22) is provided as the soothing device (22, 24).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in thatfor generating the soothing surroundings (14) at least one driving dynamic characteristic of a motor vehicle (10) is imitated.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in thata behavior of the infant (16) is monitored and depending on the behavior the control signal is generated.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in thatthe presence of the infant (16) is automatically detected inside the motor vehicle (10) and / or the presence of the infant (16) is detected depending on an input of a user (28) of the motor vehicle (10).

7. A computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program product according to claim 7.

9. A support system (12) for generating soothing surroundings (14) for an infant (16) inside a motor vehicle (10), comprising at least one presence detection device (18), one electronic computing device (20), and one soothing device (22, 24), wherein the support system (12) is configured for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.13

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