Vehicle Alert System Using Sensor Fusion for Occupant Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle safety systems do not effectively detect and respond to dangerous situations, such as children, pets, or vulnerable adults being trapped inside a parked vehicle, where heat or other conditions can become fatal.
Innovation Solution
A mobile alert system integrated into vehicles, featuring sensors for presence detection, temperature monitoring, and gas level analysis, which sends alerts to responsible adults and emergency services if conditions become hazardous, using a processing unit, communication module, and GPS for location tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sensors are integrated to detect dangerous situations, then detection capability and safety monitoring are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (capacitive sensors for presence detection, temperature sensors, gas sensors) into a single integrated alert system with a central processing unit. This merging approach maintains high reliability through comprehensive monitoring while managing complexity through unified system architecture and centralized data processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit serves multiple functions: it receives data from various sensor types, analyzes combinations of sensor readings, determines danger levels, and triggers alerts. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each monitoring task, thereby managing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring.
2Speed
If continuous monitoring of sensor data is implemented, then detection speed and response time are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring of sensor data rather than truly continuous monitoring. The processing unit evaluates sensor readings at regular intervals and only triggers alerts when dangerous conditions are detected. This periodic approach maintains fast detection capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to constant real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preprogrammed status information and predetermined threshold values for sensor readings. By establishing danger criteria in advance, the system can quickly compare current sensor data against these pre-set parameters without requiring complex real-time analysis, thereby achieving fast detection with minimal processing energy.
3Reliability
If alert system is always enabled, then safety coverage is improved, but false alarms and unnecessary energy use increase
Solution Approach 1:
The alert system dynamically adjusts its operation based on vehicle state. It is automatically disabled when the vehicle is running and moving, and enabled when the vehicle is parked and not moving. This dynamic behavior ensures comprehensive safety coverage when needed while preventing false alarms and reducing energy consumption when the vehicle is in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses motion detectors and other sensors to detect vehicle operation status and automatically adjusts alert system activation accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the system is active during parked conditions when safety monitoring is most critical while remaining inactive during vehicle operation, avoiding false alarms and unnecessary energy expenditure.
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 promptly alerts responsible individuals and emergency services when a dangerous situation is detected, ensuring timely intervention to prevent harm to occupants, even when the vehicle is unattended.
Implementation Method 1
one or more capacitive sensors in the vehicle to sense presence of a human or other animal
Implementation Method 2
one or more temperature sensors
Implementation Method 3
one or more sensors sensing relative level of one or more gases in air in the vehicle, include one or more sensors sensing level of carbon dioxide gas
Data Source
AI summary
An alert system has a processing and communication unit located in a vehicle with a processor executing software and a coupled data repository, sensor interfaces to the processor from sensors located in the vehicle, a communication module enabled to send communications to an Internet network, and a global positioning system (GPS) coupled to the processor, determining geographic location of the vehicle. The processor monitors data from the plurality of sensors, consults preprogrammed status information based on one or both of one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, and selects and sends according to the one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, by the communications module, a preprogrammed communication addressed to a particular Internet destination.