AR Overlay of Concealed Vehicle Hazard Components for Emergency Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Emergency response guides for vehicles, typically in flat formats like PDF, are not easily accessible or usable by first responders in emergency situations, especially when dealing with new hazardous components like those in battery electric vehicles, leading to potential personal injuries and inefficiencies in rescue operations.

Innovation Solution

The use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to overlay digital representations of high-risk components onto the physical vehicle, allowing responders to visualize concealed hazardous components as if the vehicle were transparent, thereby reducing the risk of injury and improving response efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If flat format emergency response guides (PDF) are used, then information can be stored and transmitted, but first responders cannot easily access or use the information during emergencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusability of emergency response guideVSAvoidaccessibility of hazardous component information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of flat PDF documents with an optical-digital augmented reality system. The AR device overlays digital representations of hazardous components directly onto the physical vehicle, transforming static information into dynamic visual guidance that responders can access instantly during emergencies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies of hazardous components and overlays them onto the physical vehicle. These digital representations serve as virtual copies that provide detailed information about component locations, types, and risks without requiring responders to search through flat documents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If traditional emergency response guides are used, then generic vehicle information is provided, but concealed hazardous components cannot be precisely identified

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation about hazardous componentsVSAvoidlocation accuracy of hazardous components
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an augmented reality interface as an intermediary between the responder and the vehicle. This intermediary layer displays digital representations of hazardous components overlaid on the physical vehicle, providing precise location information that bridges the gap between generic guides and specific component identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat PDF guides to three-dimensional augmented reality overlays. By projecting digital representations into the physical space around the vehicle, the system provides spatially-accurate information about hazardous component locations that cannot be conveyed in flat format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of time

If responders manually search for hazardous components, then they can find information, but response time increases and personal injury risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse timeVSAvoidpersonal injury risk to responders
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-mapping and displaying all hazardous components before responders need to search for them. The AR system automatically identifies and overlays information about fuel tanks, batteries, airbags, and other dangerous components, allowing responders to immediately avoid hazards rather than searching for them during the emergency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by providing real-time visual information about hazardous components as responders approach the vehicle. The AR device continuously updates the display of dangerous components based on the responder's location and orientation, enabling dynamic risk assessment and immediate behavioral adjustment to avoid injuries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4336429A1Displaying concealed high-risk level components inside a vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4336429A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4336429A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4336429A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An AR device (110) and method therein for identifying and displaying one or more high-risk level components (160) inside a vehicle (150) are disclosed. The AR device (110) obtains a digital representation of the vehicle (110), digital representations of one or more high-risk level components (160), and locations of one or more high-risk level components (160) relative to the digital representation of the vehicle (150). The AR device (110) corresponds the digital representation of the vehicle (150) to the vehicle (150) in a field of view of the AR device (110) and displays the digital representations of the one or more high-risk level components (160) on a display (114) of the AR device (110). The digital representations of the one or more high-risk level components (160) are aligned with and overlaying on the vehicle (150) in the field of view of the AR device (110) to identify the locations of the one or more high-risk level components (160) inside the vehicle (150).