Smart temperature-controlled beverage cupholder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cupholders require significant user interaction to activate and adjust temperature control, leading to abandonment due to burdensome requirements, especially when objects other than beverages are placed inside.
Innovation Solution
A smart temperature-controlled cupholder system that automatically detects the presence and type of an object, determines if it's a beverage container, and adjusts heating or cooling based on its temperature and user input, using sensors and image recognition to optimize temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional temperature-controlled cupholder systems are implemented, then temperature control functionality is provided, but user interaction complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects objects in the cupholder using sensors and image recognition, identifies beverage containers, determines their temperature, and activates appropriate heating or cooling without requiring user selection or manual control input. The system serves itself by autonomously managing the temperature control process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and identification actions before temperature control is needed. Sensors continuously monitor the cupholder, and image recognition algorithms pre-identify beverage containers and their types, so when temperature control becomes necessary, the system is already prepared with the required information.
2Measurement precision
If manual temperature control selection is required, then temperature control precision is maintained, but productivity and convenience deteriorate due to superfluous controls when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temperature sensors to continuously monitor the temperature of detected beverage containers and provides feedback to the control algorithm. This feedback loop enables the system to automatically adjust heating or cooling activation and intensity based on real-time temperature measurements, maintaining precision while operating autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control selection with automated sensor-based detection and algorithm-driven control. Optical sensors, temperature sensors, and image recognition algorithms substitute for manual user interaction, automatically determining when and how to activate temperature control based on detected object characteristics.
3Speed
If the system activates heating or cooling without object detection, then responsiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases and reliability deteriorates due to false activation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary object detection and identification using sensors and image recognition before activating heating or cooling. This preliminary action ensures that the system only consumes energy when a beverage container is actually present, preventing false activation while maintaining rapid response capability once an object is detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs sensor systems and image recognition algorithms to detect and verify the presence of beverage containers before system activation. This substitution of manual verification with automated detection enables rapid, accurate response while eliminating energy waste from false activations.
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
Automated temperature control of beverages in vehicle cupholders, enhancing convenience by reducing user interaction and ensuring beverages are maintained at desired temperatures without manual adjustment.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor for capturing an image of the cupholder and wherein the object is determined to be a beverage container in response to the image and an image processing algorithm
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensor for detecting a current object temperature of the object
Implementation Method 3
a heat transfer system in operable communication with the processor and configured to maintain the current object temperature of the object in response to the control signal
Data Source
AI summary
A cupholder temperature control system including a pressure sensor for detecting an object within a cupholder, a temperature sensor for detecting a current object temperature of the object, an optical sensor for capturing an image of the object, a processor to perform an image recognition algorithm to detect at least one of a logo, a bar code and a quick response code on the object, to determine the object is a beverage container in response to a detection of the at least one of the logo, the bar code and the quick response code, to generate a control signal in response to the current object temperature differing from an ambient temperature by a threshold amount and the object being a beverage container, and a heat transfer system configured to maintain the current object temperature of the object in response to the control signal.