Vehicle Occupant Classification Using Multi-Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current occupant classification systems in vehicles are inadequate in distinguishing between small adults and children, leading to grey zones that compromise safety protocols, as they fail to accurately classify occupants between traditional small and large categories, resulting in unreliable safety features and air bag deployment.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sensor control system that combines multiple sensors, including capacitive and weight sensors, with image sensors to classify occupants based on physical characteristics, providing higher resolution thresholds and minimizing confusion between small adults and children, using a digital control sequence to activate alerts when a child is present and unable to exit the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional occupant classification systems use simple weight or capacitive sensors, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates resulting in inability to distinguish between small adults and children
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing technologies (capacitive sensors, weight sensors, and image sensors) into an integrated occupant classification system. This merging of different sensor types enables accurate differentiation between small adults and children by cross-referencing multiple data sources, thereby resolving the measurement precision issue without relying on a single complex sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces image sensors that capture visual information as an additional dimension of data beyond traditional weight and capacitance measurements. This dimensional addition allows the system to analyze physical characteristics such as height, body shape, and posture, significantly improving occupant classification accuracy and eliminating the grey zone between small adults and children.
2Reliability
If the system provides continuous monitoring and warning alerts, then the safety reliability is improved, but the loss of time for normal vehicle operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring cycles rather than continuous operation, checking for child presence at intervals during vehicle operation. Warning alerts are triggered only when specific conditions are detected (child present + driver exit attempt), allowing normal vehicle operation to proceed uninterrupted while maintaining reliable safety monitoring through these periodic checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects child presence and triggers warnings without requiring manual intervention or continuous driver attention. The automated nature of the monitoring and alert system ensures reliable child presence detection while minimizing impact on vehicle operation, as the system serves itself by autonomously managing the safety monitoring function.
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 prevents children from being left unattended by accurately identifying and classifying occupants, reducing the risk of accidental abandonment and enhancing vehicle safety by providing audible, visible, and haptic alerts when a child is detected in the vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
The capacitive sensor is operable to generate a capacitance signal responsive to a change in capacitance in response to a presence of an occupant on a vehicle seat
Implementation Method 2
The seat weight sensor is adapted to generate a measure of weight upon the vehicle seat
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger protection system for a vehicle includes a vehicle sensor control system having at least one processor and computerized memory storing vehicle control software therein, wherein the vehicle control software receives input data from a plurality of vehicle sensors. A digital control sequence is triggered in the software by a presence of at least one occupant other than a driver in the vehicle, with the digital control sequence activating and de-activating an alert system on a door of the vehicle. The alert system includes at least one of an audible alert and/or a visible alert and/or haptic alert on the door of the vehicle.