Vehicle Cabin Air Quality Estimation Using External Sensor Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining air quality in a motor vehicle's passenger compartment are limited by the high cost and low accuracy of air pollutant sensors, and the lack of suitable sensors for pollutants like pollen, making it difficult to effectively inform drivers and passengers about the air quality and the protective effect of cabin filters.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses external air quality sensors and public measuring stations to collect data, which is then processed with a model that considers vehicle-specific parameters to estimate and display the air quality inside the vehicle, using visual, auditory, or tactile signals to inform occupants about pollutant levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If air quality sensors are installed inside the passenger compartment to measure pollutant concentration, then air quality can be directly monitored, but the cost becomes very high and measurement accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses external air quality sensors positioned outside the vehicle as intermediaries to measure ambient pollutant concentrations. These external measurements serve as input data for a computational model that predicts the actual air quality inside the passenger compartment, avoiding the need for expensive and inaccurate internal sensors while still providing accurate air quality information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the air quality measurement system by using a computational model that simulates internal passenger compartment air quality based on external sensor data. This model copy allows accurate air quality assessment without physically installing sophisticated sensors inside the vehicle, thereby reducing cost and complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are used to detect all types of air pollutants including pollen, then complete air quality information can be obtained, but suitable sensors for many pollutants do not exist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal computational model that can process and evaluate multiple types of air quality data (including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, and pollen concentrations) from external sensors. This single multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple specialized sensors, enabling comprehensive air quality monitoring while reducing device complexity and leveraging readily available external measurement data.
3Device complexity
If external air quality data is used to estimate internal air quality, then system cost is reduced, but accuracy may be compromised without proper modeling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms external air quality measurement data into internal passenger compartment air quality estimates by applying a computational model that incorporates vehicle-specific parameters such as ventilation rates, filter efficiency, and cabin volume. This parameter transformation process maintains measurement precision while using cost-effective external sensors, as the model accounts for the differences between external and internal air quality conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method determines air quality in a passenger compartment (4) of a motor vehicle (2) based on measured data representative of outside air quality and an evaluation model for extrapolating interior air quality. Measured data (MD) is collected by at least one sensor (6) arranged outside the passenger compartment. The measured data is evaluated using a model (12) for the air quality in the passenger compartment (4) in order to determine output data (AD) indicative of the air quality in the passenger compartment (4). Then the output data is output to the occupants of the passenger compartment.