Vehicle Seat Haptic Rumble Strips for Clearer Driver Warnings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle warning systems struggle to provide intuitive and readily understandable warnings to operators, as they often generate excessive auditory and visual stimuli, making it difficult for operators to distinguish between relevant warnings and other environmental cues.
Innovation Solution
A rumble strip simulator system that uses sensor data to determine when a virtual boundary is crossed, activating a seat actuator to deliver haptic feedback mimicking the vibrations of driving over a real-world rumble strip, thereby providing intuitive warnings to the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional warning systems use multiple auditory and visual stimuli to alert operators, then the warning coverage is improved, but the distinguishability of important warnings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces auditory and visual warning systems with a haptic feedback system that uses tactile sensations through the seat. The actuator generates vibrations and pressure changes that mimic driving over rumble strips, providing intuitive warnings through the operator's sense of touch rather than through multiple auditory/visual channels, thus resolving the information overload problem
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of warning delivery from auditory/visual modalities to haptic/tactile modality. By transforming the type of sensory feedback and using parameters such as vibration frequency, amplitude, and duration to encode different warning states, the system achieves both comprehensive coverage and clear distinguishability
2Power
If auditory and visual warnings are used simultaneously, then the warning intensity is improved, but the operator's ability to process warnings deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the complex auditory-visual warning system with a haptic feedback system delivered through the seat. The actuator produces tactile sensations that are intuitively understood by operators based on their existing mental models of road conditions, thereby maintaining high warning intensity while significantly improving operator response capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system leverages the operator's existing mental models and learned behaviors regarding road conditions and vehicle dynamics. By mimicking the tactile sensation of driving over rumble strips, the warning system uses the operator's own knowledge and experience to interpret the feedback, eliminating the need for complex warning processing
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 system effectively leverages existing mental models and learned behaviors of operators to provide intuitive warnings, enhancing the operator's ability to react to potential hazards in a timely and appropriate manner.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator is configured to deliver haptic feedback to the seat, wherein the haptic feedback mimics a frequency and an amplitude that the seat would undergo if one or more tires of the vehicle made contact with a real-world rumble strip
Data Source
AI summary
System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to generating a response of a vehicle to a virtual rumble strip. In one embodiment, a method includes determine that a virtual boundary corresponding to a real-world location in proximity of a vehicle has been crossed as the vehicle travels based upon first sensor data generated by the vehicle. The method further includes determine information about an environment of the vehicle as the virtual boundary is crossed based upon second sensor data generated by the vehicle. The method also includes activate an actuator of a seat of the vehicle such that haptic feedback is delivered to the seat, wherein the haptic feedback is based upon the information about the environment and a type of a virtual rumble strip.