Dashboard Emergency Vehicle Detection Using Camera and Audio Cues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency vehicle detection devices do not provide visual alerts on automobile dashboards and lack the use of cameras to identify nearby emergency vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A dashboard-mounted device with a camera and microphone that detects emergency vehicles using audio and visual cues, activating a visual indicator to alert the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dashboard-mounted device with camera and microphone is used to detect emergency vehicles, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection functions (audio detection via microphone, visual detection via camera, and wireless signal detection via transceiver) into a single integrated dashboard device. This merging approach improves overall detection accuracy by utilizing multiple sensing modalities simultaneously while consolidating the system into one unit, thereby managing complexity through integration rather than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The dashboard device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as audio detector, visual detector, wireless signal receiver, and alert system all in one unit. This universal design allows the single device to perform multiple detection tasks that would otherwise require separate systems, improving detection accuracy across different emergency vehicle types while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent devices.
2Reliability
If visual indicator is activated to alert driver of emergency vehicle, then safety is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The visual indicator operates periodically rather than continuously - it activates only when the processor detects emergency vehicle signals through the sensor assembly, and remains inactive during normal conditions. This periodic activation pattern maintains high safety reliability by providing alerts when needed while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control where the processor continuously monitors sensor inputs (audio, visual, wireless signals) and activates the visual indicator only when detection thresholds are met. This feedback mechanism ensures safety by responding to actual emergency conditions while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during normal driving conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency vehicle detection device for visually alerting a driver of an automobile of a nearby emergency vehicle includes a housing, a processor, a sensor assembly, and an indicator. The processor is mounted in the housing and is operatively coupled to the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to detect an emergency vehicle nearby. The indicator is mounted on the housing and is operatively coupled to the processor. The processor is programmed to activate the indicator to emit an alert signal when the sensor assembly detects the emergency vehicle.