Vehicle Occupant Alert Routing When the Driver's Phone Is Left Inside
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle alert systems fail to effectively alert drivers about occupants left in the vehicle, especially when the driver's mobile terminal is left inside, leading to potential health risks for children or infants, and result in unnecessary emergency calls that burden service sectors.
Innovation Solution
An alert system that includes an in-vehicle object detector using a millimeter-wave sensor to detect occupants and control alert outputs to mobile terminals, adapting alert distribution based on whether the driver's mobile terminal is inside the vehicle, ensuring alerts reach the driver or alternate contacts as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alerts are always sent to the driver's mobile terminal, then the driver can be notified about occupants left in the vehicle, but the alert cannot reach the driver when the mobile terminal is left inside the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary detection mechanism (mobile terminal detector) that checks whether the driver's mobile terminal is present in the vehicle before sending alerts. When the terminal is detected as left inside, the system uses alternative notification channels such as other registered contacts or in-vehicle display devices, ensuring alert delivery without relying solely on the driver's terminal.
Solution Approach 2:
The alert notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the detected state of the mobile terminal. The system switches between different notification modes: using the driver's terminal when available, and switching to alternative contacts or in-vehicle displays when the terminal is detected as left inside, thereby maintaining notification effectiveness under varying conditions.
2Reliability
If emergency calls are made for every detected occupant left in vehicle, then all potential safety risks are addressed, but unnecessary emergency calls burden the service sector
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively triggering emergency calls only when necessary. Instead of calling emergency services for every detected occupant left in the vehicle, the system first attempts less intensive notification methods (alerting registered contacts, using in-vehicle displays). Emergency calls are reserved for cases where these initial attempts fail or when the situation clearly requires immediate emergency intervention, thereby reducing unnecessary service sector burden while maintaining adequate safety coverage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system detects whether the mobile terminal is left in the compartment, then alerts can be routed to appropriate contacts, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal detector is designed with multi-functionality, serving both to detect the presence/absence of the driver's terminal and to provide information for routing alerts to appropriate contacts. This universal component handles multiple tasks within a single detection system, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining alert routing flexibility.
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 effectively reduces the risk of occupants being left in vehicles by suitably alerting drivers or alternate contacts, minimizing unnecessary emergency calls and reducing the burden on service sectors.
Implementation Method 1
an in-vehicle object detector using a millimeter-wave sensor to detect occupants
Data Source
AI summary
An alert system outputs one or more alerts about an occupant being left in a vehicle. The alert system includes an in-vehicle object detector and an alert controller. The in-vehicle object detector detects objects in a vehicle compartment, including the occupant. If the occupant is left in the compartment after a driver has left the vehicle, the alert controller controls outputting of the one or more alerts to mobile terminals of persons including the driver. If the driver has left the vehicle, the alert controller causes the in-vehicle object detector to begin a detection processing for detecting the occupant being left in the compartment. If the occupant is left in the compartment, the alert controller determines whether the mobile terminal of the driver is left in the compartment. The alert controller switches outputting of the one or more alerts to among the mobile terminals of the persons in accordance with whether the mobile terminal of the driver is left in the compartment.