Seat Belt Webbing Pattern Detection for Correct Passenger Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat belt monitoring systems in autonomous vehicles fail to accurately detect whether a passenger is wearing the seat belt correctly, as they cannot differentiate between normal and fake fastening or abnormal seat belt usage.
Innovation Solution
A seat belt device equipped with a webbing coated in a detectable material or paint pattern, combined with a vision sensor and monitoring system that captures images and determines the correct or incorrect wearing of the seat belt based on the detected pattern and length of the webbing, using infrared reflectance and image processing algorithms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an on/off switch embedded in a buckle is used to detect seat belt wearing status, then the detection system is simple, but it cannot differentiate between normal and fake fastening or abnormal seat belt usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a detectable material or paint in at least one pattern on the seat belt webbing. The vision sensor captures images of this pattern, and the monitoring system analyzes the pattern's position, orientation, and visibility to determine correct wearing. This visual pattern approach enables differentiation between normal and abnormal fastening without requiring complex mechanical sensors, thus improving detection accuracy while maintaining relatively simple system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical on/off switch detection system with an optical vision-based detection system. Instead of using mechanical buckles with electrical switches, the system uses a vision sensor to capture images of the seat belt webbing's detectable material pattern. This substitution allows for more nuanced detection of wearing status, including differentiation between correct and incorrect fastening, by analyzing the visual pattern rather than relying on simple mechanical contact detection.
2Measurement precision
If a vision sensor and pattern detection system are used to accurately determine correct seat belt wearing, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a detectable material or paint in at least one pattern on the seat belt webbing that can be captured by a vision sensor. The monitoring system processes the captured image to detect the pattern's characteristics (position, orientation, visibility) to determine correct wearing. This approach achieves high detection accuracy through relatively simple visual pattern recognition algorithms, avoiding the need for complex multi-sensor systems or advanced mechanical detection mechanisms.
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
Effectively differentiates between normal and abnormal seat belt usage, providing accurate alerts to passengers when the seat belt is not worn correctly, enhancing safety in autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The webbing may include a webbing having a regular order with area and length information, and implemented in a paint coating pattern having an infrared reflectance equal to or greater than a predetermined range.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat belt apparatus of a vehicle described in the present disclosure includes a seat belt coupled to a seat and including a webbing comprising a detectable material; a vision sensor configured to generate an image by capturing a field of view region including the seat; and a monitoring system configured to detect a length of the webbing e.g., based on the pattern coated with the at least one paint in the image, and determine whether a user wears the seat belt as desired or erroneously wears the seat belt based on the detected length of the webbing.