Vehicle Door Warning Lights Based on Opening Probability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road vehicle safety systems are inadequate in effectively warning surrounding individuals, such as cyclists or pedestrians, of impending door openings, leading to potential accidents.
Innovation Solution
A road vehicle equipped with sensors and an optical signaling system that detects imminent door openings and adjusts warning light signals based on probability and rate of change, emitting customizable optical signals to alert approaching individuals, including using imaging devices, proximity sensors, and natural language processing to enhance warning timing and intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a basic warning signal system is used to alert road users of possible door opening, then the system complexity is low, but the reliability of warning delivery is insufficient to prevent accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of door opening intent using sensors (door handle sensors, seatbelt sensors, ignition sensors) before the actual door opening occurs. This allows the warning signal to be emitted in advance, giving road users sufficient time to react and avoid accidents, thereby improving reliability without requiring overly complex real-time intervention mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors multiple sensor inputs (door sensors, seatbelt sensors, ignition status, vehicle motion sensors) and dynamically adjusts the warning signal emission based on the detected situation. This feedback mechanism ensures the warning is emitted at the most critical moments, improving reliability while keeping the control logic manageable through sensor-based decision making
2Reliability
If the warning signal is emitted continuously or with high intensity to ensure visibility, then the reliability of warning delivery improves, but the loss of information about the specific warning level deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different warning signal intensities and patterns to different door openings based on their specific risk levels. Each door's warning signal characteristics (intensity, duration, pattern) are locally adjusted according to the detected opening probability and situation, allowing road users to perceive both the presence and the relative urgency of different door opening risks
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically changes the parameters of the optical warning signals (intensity, duration, emission pattern) as a function of the determined door opening probability. This allows the system to convey information about the likelihood and urgency of door opening through variations in signal parameters, maintaining information richness while ensuring visibility
3Reliability
If multiple sensors and imaging devices are added to improve detection accuracy and warning timing, then the reliability of accident prevention improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multi-functional sensors that serve multiple purposes: door handle sensors detect both door opening intent and handle position, seatbelt sensors monitor both seatbelt status and occupant presence, and imaging devices serve both as collision risk detectors and as indicators for warning signal emission. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated sensors for each function, managing complexity while maintaining high detection accuracy
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides timely and customizable warnings to approaching individuals, allowing them to take evasive action and reducing the risk of door-related accidents by improving the accuracy and speed of alert delivery.
Implementation Method 1
a signaling device comprising at least one optical transducer to emit optical light signals
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A road vehicle (1) is described, comprising: two or more ports (2, 3); a sensor device (10), the sensor device (10) being configured to detect for each port individually a non-finished or imminent opening event of the respective port (2, 3), the sensor device (10) also configured to output sensor signals representing the result of the detecting; a signaling device (20) comprising at least one optical transducer (21) to emit optical signals (23); a controller (30) controlling the signaling device (20) depending on the sensor signals so that the transducer (21) projects onto the surface near the vehicle a light signal (21) for each port (2, 3) for which a detected non-finished or imminent opening event is represented by sensor signals; the controller (30) further determining for each detected non-finished or imminent opening event a probability of an actual occurrence of such opening event and to modify the signal (21) for such port (2, 3) as a function of the determined probability.