Rear Vehicle Sound Visualization for Driver Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elderly drivers and those with poor sensory perception may struggle to quickly process important sounds around their vehicle due to hearing impairments or vehicle sound insulation, making it difficult to safely respond to sounds like horns or sirens without visual assistance.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that uses sound tracking information from multiple microphones to calculate the location of a rear vehicle and display this information visually on a display, including probability and angle data, to aid the driver in recognizing the location of nearby vehicles without hindering safe driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If sound insulation is improved to reduce external noise, then comfort is improved, but ability to hear external sounds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sound tracking information as an intermediary that bridges the gap between sound insulation and external sound perception. The system uses microphones to capture external sounds, tracks their locations, and displays this information visually, allowing drivers to benefit from both sound insulation and external sound awareness without compromising either.
2Measurement precision
If drivers look behind to confirm sounds, then accuracy of sound location confirmation is improved, but driving safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the sound location information by tracking the position of sound sources and displaying them on a screen. This copy allows drivers to confirm sound locations accurately without turning their heads or looking behind, thereby maintaining driving safety while achieving precise sound location confirmation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If visual information is provided to aid drivers with poor hearing, then accessibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sound tracking system universal by designing it to serve multiple functions: it assists drivers with poor hearing, provides additional information for all drivers, and integrates with existing vehicle systems. The system uses standard components like microphones, processors, and display screens that are commonly found in modern vehicles, thereby reducing overall complexity while enhancing adaptability.
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
Enhances driver awareness by converting auditory information into visual cues, improving visibility and aiding lane changes, especially in unclear camera image conditions, and providing location and type information of nearby vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
calculating, by a controller, a location of a sound source located behind a host vehicle, using a sound signal received by each of a plurality of microphones
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing visualization information of a rear vehicle includes calculating a location of a sound source located behind a host vehicle, using a sound signal received by each of a plurality of microphones, matching information about the location with an object displayed on image information generated by a rear camera, and displaying a first icon indicating the object on the image information, where the first icon includes information about a probability that the object is present in an area indicated by the location information.