In-Cabin Sleep Mode Control Using Video-Based Passenger Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to automatically determine the sleeping or drowsy state of a passenger in a vehicle and adjust the in-cabin environment accordingly, requiring manual intervention for comfortable sleep or rest.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a video sensor with convolutional neural networks to monitor passenger states, combined with biometric and illuminance sensors, automatically controls the seat, air conditioning, lighting, sound, and window tinting/sunroof to a sleep mode based on passenger drowsiness or sleepiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of in-cabin environment is required for passenger comfort, then passenger control capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects passenger state through video sensors and autonomously adjusts in-cabin environment parameters (lighting, temperature, seat position) without requiring manual passenger input. The passenger simply needs to indicate sleep mode activation, and the system handles all subsequent adjustments automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors passenger state through video sensors and uses this feedback to automatically adjust environmental parameters. The closed-loop control ensures the in-cabin environment adapts dynamically to passenger needs without manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If wearable devices are used to determine passenger state, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the state detection function from external wearable devices and integrates it into the vehicle's built-in video sensor system. This eliminates the need for passengers to wear separate devices while maintaining state detection capability through computer vision algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The video sensor system serves multiple functions: it monitors passenger state for sleep detection, tracks passenger position for safety, and provides visual data for environmental control. This multi-functionality replaces the need for specialized wearable devices.
3Ease of operation
If automated sleep mode control is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary state assessment through video analysis before activating sleep mode controls. It detects facial expressions, head position, and body posture in advance to accurately determine sleep state, ensuring precise measurement before automated adjustment begins.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for automatically controlling an in-cabin environment for a passenger in an autonomous vehicle includes monitoring a state of the passenger via a video sensor; determining whether the state of the passenger corresponds to one of preset states of a predetermined number; and adjusting, when the state corresponds to the one of the preset states, any one or any combination of any two or more of a seat, an air conditioning system, a lighting system, a sound system, a variable window tinting, and a variable sunroof of the autonomous vehicle based on the state. The determining of the state of the passenger includes detecting a plurality of determination target objects from a video of the video sensor, cropping an image of each of the plurality of determination target objects, and determining whether the state of the passenger corresponds to the one of the preset states.