Sun Ray Detection in Vehicle Interiors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems lack effective methods to determine the presence and impact of sun's rays inside vehicles, affecting environmental control and infotainment systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that use a processor and communication device to determine the current angle of the sun and define a ray from a point of interest inside the vehicle, determining if the ray intersects a transparent surface and if the point is irradiated by sun's rays, allowing for appropriate system adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicle systems operate without accurate sun ray detection, then system simplicity is maintained, but environmental control and infotainment performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex physical sensors with a computational approach using a processor that calculates sun ray intersection by obtaining sun position data and performing geometric ray-surface intersection tests. This substitutes direct mechanical/optical detection with mathematical computation, achieving accurate sun ray detection while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual model of sun rays by defining rays from the sun's position and testing their intersection with vehicle transparent surfaces. This virtual representation allows the system to determine sun ray impact without physical sensors, improving reliability while avoiding complex hardware.
2Measurement precision
If no sun ray detection is implemented, then device complexity remains low, but measurement precision of sun ray presence deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical sun ray sensors with a computational geometry approach. The processor obtains sun position information, defines rays in three-dimensional space, and performs intersection calculations with vehicle surface models. This substitution achieves high measurement precision through mathematical computation rather than complex physical detection hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional sensor readings to three-dimensional geometric modeling. By representing sun rays as three-dimensional rays and vehicle surfaces as three-dimensional geometric models, the system achieves accurate spatial intersection detection, improving measurement precision through dimensional analysis.
3Ease of operation
If environmental control systems operate without sun ray information, then energy consumption is reduced, but passenger comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of sun ray impact on vehicle surfaces and occupants before environmental control adjustments are needed. By calculating sun position and ray intersections in advance, the system can proactively adjust climate control and infotainment settings, improving passenger comfort while managing energy consumption efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where sun ray detection results continuously inform environmental control system adjustments. The processor monitors sun position changes and recalculates ray intersections, providing real-time feedback to optimize climate control and display settings, thereby maintaining passenger comfort while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and vehicles are provided for determining the sun's rays inside a vehicle. A communication device is configured to obtain information as to a current angle of the sun. A process is coupled to the communications device. The processor is configured to define a ray from a point of interest inside the vehicle toward the sun using the information and determine whether the ray intersects a transparent surface of the vehicle, for use in determining whether the point of interest is irradiated by rays of the sun if the ray intersects the transparent surface.