Occupant Position Detection Using Infrared and Ultrasonic Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle systems lack the ability to accurately determine occupant size and seat position, which is crucial for optimizing the force of passive restraints such as seatbelts, leading to potential safety issues during unexpected maneuvers or crashes.
Innovation Solution
The system uses a combination of sensors, including infrared and ultrasonic waves, to measure occupant position and weight, matching it to anthropomorphic models of adult males and females to estimate seat position and adjust retractor force accordingly, ensuring optimal restraint deployment based on the occupant's size and seat configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle operates in autonomous mode allowing occupants to move seats freely, then occupant comfort and socialization ability are improved, but the ability to accurately determine occupant size and seat position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurements of occupant position and size using sensors before a crash or unexpected maneuver occurs. This preliminary detection allows the system to establish baseline data about occupant location and dimensions, which is then used to appropriately adjust retractor force when safety becomes critical.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors occupant position and size using sensors and uses this feedback information to dynamically adjust the retractor force. The feedback loop ensures that the restraint system adapts to the actual occupant configuration, maintaining measurement precision even when seats are moved freely during autonomous operation.
2Device complexity
If passive restraints use fixed retractor force, then device complexity is reduced, but safety effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to adapt to different occupant sizes and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor force is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system adjusts the retractor force based on real-time measurements of occupant size and seat position. This dynamic adjustment allows the restraint system to adapt to different occupant configurations while maintaining safety effectiveness without requiring overly complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of retractor force based on detected occupant characteristics. By measuring occupant size and position and then adjusting the retractor force parameter accordingly, the system achieves adaptive safety effectiveness without requiring complex mechanical structures, simply by varying the force parameter based on sensor data.
3Measurement precision
If the system uses multiple sensors and anthropomorphic models to estimate occupant size and position, then measurement precision and safety effectiveness are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses anthropomorphic models as intermediaries between the raw sensor data and the control system. These models provide a simplified representation of occupant characteristics that bridges the gap between complex sensor measurements and the straightforward control of retractor force, reducing the complexity of the processing required while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies or representations of occupant characteristics using anthropomorphic models. Instead of directly processing complex raw sensor data, the system uses these model copies to estimate occupant size and position, which reduces computational complexity while maintaining adequate measurement precision for safety purposes.
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
This approach enhances the safety and effectiveness of passive restraints by tailoring the retractor force to the specific occupant, improving the overall safety and comfort in both autonomous and occupant-piloted vehicle modes.
Implementation Method 1
The occupant position measurement can be determined based on transmitting infrared light
Implementation Method 2
The occupant position measurement can be determined based on transmitting ultrasonic waves
Implementation Method 3
transmitting infrared light or ultrasonic waves from a vehicle dashboard in a direction and with a field of view that intercepts the occupant
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor, determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight, estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement, and, control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.