Vehicle Door Notification System for Pedestrian Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a technology that can effectively caution individuals passing by a car and alert drivers to uncompleted functions, such as failing to recognize pedestrians or unattended vehicle functions, to prevent accidents.
Innovation Solution
A notification system for cars that includes a sensing unit to detect objects within a predetermined distance and uncompleted functions, with an output unit to display warning messages, such as text, images, or guidelines, and a controller to manage the sensing and output units, allowing for adjustments based on distance and object proximity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a notification system is added to warn pedestrians and alert drivers, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system is integrated into the existing car door structure, combining the door handle, sensing unit, and output unit into a single multi-functional assembly. The door serves multiple purposes: as a structural component, a sensing surface for detecting touches, and a notification surface for displaying messages to pedestrians and drivers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sensing unit and output unit directly into the door structure, eliminating the need for separate external notification devices. The controller integrates the logic for detecting door touches, sensing objects, and controlling notifications into a single control module.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensing and output units are deployed to cover all directions, then notification coverage is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system dynamically activates only the door on which a touch is detected and the sensing unit directed toward the touched door. This dynamic activation reduces the number of simultaneously active components, lowering complexity and energy consumption while maintaining comprehensive coverage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each door is equipped with sensing and output units specifically positioned to serve its local area. The sensing unit senses objects in front of its door, and the output unit displays notifications on the same door surface, creating localized notification zones that collectively cover the entire vehicle.
3Measurement precision
If the sensing unit continuously monitors all directions, then object detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing unit operates periodically based on trigger events rather than continuously. It activates when a door touch is detected, senses objects in the relevant direction, and deactivates after completing the notification sequence. This event-driven periodic operation maintains detection accuracy while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A notification system of a vehicle includes a sensing unit that detects an object outside the vehicle or detects an operational status of a function of the vehicle; an output unit; and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a touch has been detected on an interior handle of a door of the vehicle. If a touch is detected on the interior handle, the controller determines that an object outside the vehicle detected by the sensor is within a predetermined distance in a rearward direction from the door on which the touch was detected, or determines that an operational status of a function of the vehicle detected by the sensor indicates that the function is not yet complete; and controls the output unit to output a notification corresponding to the detected object outside the vehicle or the detected operational status of the function of the vehicle.