Automatic Garage Door Closing Using Occupant Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing garage door systems require manual operation after users exit the vehicle, leading to inconvenience and safety risks as the door cannot be closed once the user is outside.
Innovation Solution
An automatic garage door system for vehicles equipped with occupant sensors and cameras that detect and track occupants, using an electronic control unit to determine when all occupants have entered the garage before closing the door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the garage door is opened automatically when the vehicle approaches, then the convenience of operation is improved, but the safety risk increases if occupants are not properly tracked
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors occupant presence using sensors and cameras, providing real-time feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism ensures the door only closes when confirmed that all occupants have safely entered the garage, resolving the safety concern while maintaining automatic operation convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary tracking and verification of occupant entry before executing the door closing action. By advance monitoring of occupant movement and confirming entry status, the system ensures safety conditions are met before the critical closing operation occurs
2Reliability
If manual operation is required after exiting the vehicle, then the safety control is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the door closing operation automatically based on sensor and camera data without requiring manual intervention from occupants. The control unit independently monitors occupant status and executes closing when safety conditions are satisfied, eliminating the need for users to return inside to manually close the door
3Productivity
If the garage door closes immediately after vehicle arrival, then the productivity is improved, but the safety risk increases due to potential trapped occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses continuous feedback from occupant detection sensors and cameras to monitor whether occupants are still present or in the process of entering. This feedback loop prevents premature door closing by detecting occupied status, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of trapping occupants while maintaining efficient operation
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the automatic door opening system and the closing mechanism. It intermediates the closing action by verifying occupant status through sensor data before permitting closure, preventing harmful effects while enabling productive operation
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for an automatic garage door system for a vehicle. The system may include one or more occupant sensors configured to detect or determine occupant data indicating a number of occupants within the vehicle. The system may further include one or more cameras configured to capture video data of a surrounding area of the vehicle. The system may further include an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive the occupant data from the one or more occupant sensors and the video data from the one or more cameras. The ECU may be further configured to determine whether each of the number of occupants have entered a garage based on the received video data. The ECU may be further configured to transmit, via a network access device, one or more signals to a garage door transceiver of the garage to close a garage door of the garage.