In-Cabin Collision Event Classification Using Inertial Sensor AI

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems struggle to accurately detect and classify vehicle collision events, including differentiating between collision and non-collision events, leading to inefficiencies in driver alerts and data aggregation for hazardous area identification.

Innovation Solution

Implementing feature extraction techniques and artificial intelligence models trained on inertial sensor data to classify vehicle events into collision and non-collision types, with sub-classification capabilities, using wavelet transforms and clustering to enhance detection accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If traditional radar systems with separate transmit and receive antennas are used, then signal transmission and reception can be performed, but the system complexity increases and the aperture is limited by physical separation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidcollision detection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines transmit and receive functions into a single antenna element, eliminating the need for separate transmit and receive antennas. This merging reduces system complexity while maintaining full-duplex operation capability through electronic isolation techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Each antenna element serves multiple functions: it acts as both a transmit antenna and a receive antenna simultaneously. This multi-functionality increases the effective aperture without requiring additional physical antenna elements, thereby improving collision detection reliability while reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If full-duplex MIMO operation is implemented, then spectral efficiency and productivity are improved, but self-interference from co-channel signals becomes a harmful factor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidself-interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful self-interference into a manageable signal by using precise channel state information to calculate and apply cancellation weights. The self-interference, which initially degrades signal quality, is transformed into a predictable component that can be subtracted from the received signal, enabling full-duplex operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an interference cancellation mechanism as an intermediary between the transmit and receive paths. This intermediary processes the self-interference signal through channel estimation and weight calculation, then subtracts it from the received signal, allowing full-duplex MIMO operation to proceed without harmful interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If channel state information is accurately estimated, then interference cancellation precision is improved, but the time required for detection increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel state information accuracyVSAvoiddetection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs channel state information estimation and interference cancellation weight calculation in advance, before the actual collision detection is needed. This preliminary action allows the system to have accurate channel knowledge ready when detection is required, reducing the detection time while maintaining high precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuous channel state information updates and interference cancellation operations, ensuring that accurate channel knowledge is always available. This continuous operation eliminates the need for repeated estimation during detection, reducing detection time while preserving measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP4436840B1Systems and methods for collision detection and classification
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 NETRADYNE INC
  • EP4436840B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4436840B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4436840B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting a vehicle collision. A computing device can determine a vehicle event based on inertial sensor data and speed from at least one sensor in a housing inside a cabin of a vehicle, and classify the vehicle event as a collision event or a non-collision event based on the inertial sensor data, the speed, and vehicle class data of the vehicle. The computing device can classify an event subclass of the collision event or the non-collision event based on the inertial sensor data, the speed, and the vehicle class data of the vehicle. The computing device can generate a notification based on the event subclass.