Signal Processing for Occupant Position Detection in Enclosed Spaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies struggle to accurately detect the presence and position of occupants within partially enclosed spaces, such as vehicles, using radio waves, which is crucial for applications like self-driving assistance and occupant monitoring.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device equipped with a signal processing unit that generates information on the velocity and position of detection subjects based on reflected radio waves, utilizing a spectrogram analysis and activation matrices to enhance detection accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If radio wave reflection is used to detect occupants in enclosed spaces, then detection capability is enabled, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to multipath interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the received signal into direct wave components and reflected wave components based on their arrival times. By separating these components temporally, the system can analyze the direct wave signal independently from multipath interference, thereby maintaining detection capability while improving detection accuracy in enclosed spaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary signal processing to identify and extract direct wave components before analyzing occupancy information. By preprocessing the signal to isolate direct waves from reflected waves, the system eliminates multipath interference early in the detection process, improving measurement precision while preserving detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If simple reflection detection is used, then device complexity is reduced, but detection precision deteriorates in enclosed spaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidposition detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic signal processing that adapts to the detection environment. The system dynamically separates direct and reflected waves based on signal characteristics and timing, allowing simple hardware to achieve high precision in enclosed spaces through intelligent, adaptive signal analysis rather than complex physical structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the temporal parameter of signal analysis by examining signals at different time points after transmission. By analyzing signal arrivals at specific time windows corresponding to direct wave versus reflected wave arrival, the system achieves high position detection accuracy using simple reflection detection principles enhanced by temporal parameter differentiation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution enables precise detection of occupants within enclosed spaces by minimizing errors in spectrogram calculations, thereby improving the accuracy of presence and position determination.

Implementation Method 1

a received signal received as a reflected wave resulting from the transmission wave being reflected by the subject

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP4700433A1Electronic device, method for controlling electronic device, and program
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP4700433A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4700433A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4700433A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device is provided with a signal processing unit. The signal processing unit is configured to generate information pertaining to the velocity of a first detection subject from a reflected wave resulting from a transmission wave being reflected. The signal processing unit is configured to generate information pertaining to the position of the first detection subject on the basis of the information pertaining to the velocity of the first detection subject and previously acquired predefined information pertaining to the velocity of a second detection subject corresponding to the presence position of the second detection subject.