Vehicle Occupant Warning Detection With Sensor and Question Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupant-left-unattended warning systems erroneously assess whether a warning is necessary or unnecessary, leading to incorrect warnings being output, as they fail to accurately differentiate between adults and infants.
Innovation Solution
An occupant-left-unattended warning device that uses electromagnetic waves to estimate occupant attributes, supplemented by user input through questions, to reduce erroneous assessments by confirming the necessity of warnings through multiple methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single sensor-based method is used to detect occupants, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of occupant classification deteriorates leading to erroneous warnings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection methods (sensor-based detection and question-answering interaction) into a unified occupant classification system. The processing circuitry integrates results from both methods to determine whether an occupant is present, achieving accurate classification without requiring a single complex detection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The question-answering interaction serves as an intermediary verification mechanism. When sensor-based detection is inconclusive or potentially erroneous, the system uses interactive questions to confirm occupant presence, thereby improving measurement precision without directly complicating the primary sensor system.
2Reliability
If multiple assessment methods are used to confirm occupant status, then the reliability of warning determination is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its assessment approach based on sensor data quality and context. The processing circuitry determines when supplementary question-answering is necessary versus when sensor data alone suffices, creating a flexible, adaptive system that maintains reliability without consistent high complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The question-answering mechanism provides feedback verification of sensor-based occupant detection. This feedback loop allows the system to confirm or correct initial sensor assessments, improving reliability while keeping the additional complexity limited to only when verification is needed.
3Ease of operation
If sensor-based detection alone is used, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the loss of information about occupant characteristics increases leading to false assessments
Solution Approach 1:
The question-answering interaction acts as an intermediary that retrieves additional occupant characteristic information without complicating the primary sensor-based detection system. This supplementary information channel reduces information loss while maintaining the simplicity of the core operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary sensor-based detection to identify potential occupants, then uses question-answering only when necessary to obtain additional characteristic information. This preliminary action approach maintains ease of operation for clear cases while reducing information loss for ambiguous cases.
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
Reduces erroneous warnings by accurately identifying whether an occupant requires a warning through a combination of electromagnetic wave analysis and user interaction, ensuring appropriate warnings are given.
Implementation Method 1
control transmission by a sensor to transmit an electromagnetic wave in an interior, and receive a reception signal based on a reflection wave of the electromagnetic wave received by the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant-left-unattended warning device includes: a transmitter/receiver to transmit an electromagnetic wave in an interior, and receive a reception signal; an estimating unit to estimate whether an occupant in the interior is a warning-necessitating occupant using a first method, assess whether it is possible to confirm that the occupant is a warning-necessitating occupant; a supplementary assessing unit to supplementarily assess whether the occupant is a warning-necessitating occupant using a second method in a case where it is not possible to confirm that the occupant is a warning-necessitating occupant; a warning necessity/unnecessity assessing unit to assess whether an occupant-left-unattended warning is necessary or unnecessary on a basis of the assessment or supplementary assessment result; and a control unit to control an output device to give a warning in a case where it is assessed that the occupant-left-unattended warning is necessary.