Occupant Identification for Automatic Vehicle Profile Settings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles often require users to navigate through menus to configure settings each time they are used, which can be inconvenient, especially when multiple occupants have different preferences, leading to a lack of personalized and efficient setting customization.
Innovation Solution
A networked environment using sensors, facial recognition, RFID tags, voice recognition, and cloud-connected user identities to determine occupant identities and positions, allowing for personalized vehicle settings to be automatically applied based on user profiles, with mobile devices and vehicle systems communicating to adjust settings such as temperature, entertainment, and privacy controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual menu navigation is used to configure vehicle settings, then users can control vehicle settings, but the process is time-consuming and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures multiple user profiles with customized settings stored in the vehicle's memory. When a user enters the vehicle, sensors automatically identify the user and retrieve their pre-saved preferences, eliminating the need for manual menu navigation during each use.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle system automatically performs the setting configuration process without user intervention. Sensors detect user presence and characteristics, the processor automatically matches the user to a profile, and the system self-adjusts settings based on stored preferences, making the system serve itself rather than requiring manual control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If generic vehicle settings are used for all occupants, then the system is simple to operate, but personalized preferences cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the user population into distinct segments through multiple user profiles, each containing customized settings. Sensors identify which segment (user) is present and apply the corresponding profile, enabling personalization while keeping the underlying system structure organized and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle system incorporates multiple sensing capabilities (biometric sensors, cameras, RFID readers) and communication interfaces (mobile device connectivity) to universally accommodate different users and their diverse preferences, making the system adaptable to various occupants without requiring separate systems for each user.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple user profiles are stored and automatically applied, then personalized settings are provided, but the system requires complex sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses intermediate sensing technologies such as cameras capturing images, RFID readers detecting tags, or mobile device communications as mediators between the user and the vehicle system. These intermediaries translate physical user characteristics into identifiable data that can be matched to stored profiles, enabling identification without requiring overly complex direct sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified digital representations (copies) of user characteristics through sensors and stores them as user profiles. Instead of requiring complex real-time analysis of user features, the system captures essential identifying information once, stores it as a profile copy, and uses this copy for rapid automatic recognition and setting application during subsequent uses.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed to system and methods for determining the user identity of a vehicle occupant and identifying a corresponding user profile to provide customer settings for the user. In some embodiments, the seat or position of the user is determined and settings are applied depending on the which seat is occupied by the user. In some embodiments, vehicle settings are updated as additional vehicle occupants enter the vehicle.