Portable Audio Sensor for Vehicle Crash Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle safety systems are proprietary and vehicle-specific, limiting the ability to integrate additional sensors and adapt functionality, such as monitoring barriers, and are confined to a single vehicle, making it difficult for users to enhance safety features.
Innovation Solution
A portable audible sensor system that can be integrated with mobile computing devices, capable of detecting various sounds indicative of events like crashes, and transmitting information to central monitoring services for appropriate action, allowing for universal use across different vehicles and environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary vehicle-specific sensors are used, then vehicle safety monitoring is achieved, but adaptability to different vehicles and environments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a sensor system that can function across multiple vehicle types and environments. The portable sensor device incorporates multiple sensing capabilities (accelerometer, microphone, GPS, barometer) that can detect various events (crashes, glass breaking, falls, environmental changes) and communicate with different vehicle systems through standardized interfaces, making it adaptable to diverse vehicles rather than being confined to a single proprietary system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sensor system portable and reconfigurable. The device can be moved between vehicles, adjusted to different monitoring needs, and its functionality can be modified through software updates. The dynamic nature of the system allows it to adapt to different operational contexts and vehicle types, rather than being a fixed, vehicle-specific installation
2Reliability
If additional sensors are integrated to enhance safety functionality, then event detection capability is improved, but device complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by consolidating multiple sensing functions (acceleration detection, audio monitoring, location tracking, pressure sensing) into a single portable device. This integration reduces the number of separate components that need to be installed and configured, simplifying the overall system while maintaining comprehensive event detection capabilities across multiple modalities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing a multi-functional sensor device that can detect various event types (crashes, glass breaking, falls, environmental changes) using different sensing mechanisms. This single device replaces the need for multiple specialized sensors, reducing integration complexity while enhancing overall detection capability through the synergistic combination of multiple sensing approaches
3Reliability
If proprietary codes and manufacturer-specific protocols are used, then system operation is maintained, but ease of operation and compatibility across vehicles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the sensor device to support multiple communication protocols and interfaces. The system can operate with different vehicle manufacturers' systems through standardized connectivity options (wireless communication, multiple interface types), eliminating the need for proprietary codes and making the device easy to integrate across different vehicle platforms while maintaining reliable operation
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
Enables enhanced vehicle safety without the need for additional hardware, allowing users to detect and respond to events like crashes with existing mobile devices, providing an 'always-on' low-energy operation and compatibility across various vehicles and environments.
Implementation Method 1
the listening component may then monitor the sound proximate thereto (e.g., within the vehicle in which the mobile computing device is disposed)
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and approaches for detecting an event, such as a crash involving a motorized and/or non-motorized vehicle, are described. In one approach, a listening component of a mobile computing device is first activated. This listening component may then monitor the sound proximate thereto (e.g., within the vehicle in which the mobile computing device is disposed). Using one or more processors, an audio source may be detected which was generated by an event (such as, for example, a crash involving the vehicle and/or an alerting triggering phrase) and was sensed by the listening component. Using an audio recognition technique, the detected audio source is processed to determine a severity of the event which generated the audio signal. This detection step may include identifying a type and magnitude of the detected audio signal using audio signal identification data. An information signal based on the severity of the event is then transmitted.