Vehicle Baggage Retention System with Passenger Linking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle storage systems lack the ability to prevent mixing of baggage between passengers, ensure correct baggage retrieval, and provide real-time storage space availability for new passengers in shared ride vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A baggage storage and retention system utilizing seatbelt and strap assemblies with a passenger and baggage identification system, which generates signals to link passengers with their baggage, ensuring secure storage and notification of unclaimed items, along with a compartment divider for personalized storage and a communication device for pre-reserving space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If multiple passengers share a common trunk or frunk storage compartment, then storage capacity is maximized, but baggage mixing between different passengers occurs and cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the common storage compartment into multiple segregated sections using removable dividers or separate compartments. Each section is assigned to a specific passenger through unique identifiers (QR codes, RFID tags, or numbered labels). This segmentation allows multiple passengers to share the overall storage space while preventing baggage mixing, as each passenger's belongings are confined to their designated section.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates identification markers on both the storage compartment sections and passenger baggage items. When a passenger approaches their designated section, the system provides feedback through visual displays, mobile app notifications, or audible signals to confirm which section contains their baggage. This feedback mechanism ensures passengers can reliably identify and retrieve their correct baggage without confusion.
2Device complexity
If no baggage tracking system is implemented, then device complexity is minimized, but passengers cannot ensure correct baggage retrieval or receive notifications of unclaimed items
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables passengers to independently track and manage their own baggage using personal mobile devices. Each passenger receives push notifications when their baggage is loaded, when the vehicle arrives at destinations, and when baggage remains unclaimed. This self-service approach provides comprehensive baggage status information without requiring complex centralized monitoring infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital replicas or virtual representations of physical baggage items through mobile applications. Each baggage item is registered in the system with unique identifiers, creating a digital twin that tracks its location and status. This copying approach allows the system to provide detailed baggage information without physically tagging or sensor-equipped baggage, maintaining simplicity while preventing information loss.
3Reliability
If real-time baggage tracking and notification systems are added, then baggage security and passenger notification improve, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multi-functional components that serve multiple purposes. For example, the same identification markers (QR codes, RFID tags) used for baggage segmentation also enable tracking and notification. The mobile application serves as both a reservation interface and a real-time baggage tracker. This universality allows the system to achieve high reliability with reduced complexity by avoiding dedicated separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of equipping baggage with active sensors and transmitters that continuously broadcast their location, the system uses passive identification markers on baggage that are scanned or detected by the vehicle's fixed readers. This inverted approach reverses the traditional active-tracking model, reducing baggage complexity while maintaining security and notification capabilities through the vehicle's infrastructure.
4Ease of operation
If passengers can pre-reserve storage space, then new passengers can plan ahead, but real-time storage space monitoring and communication infrastructure are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows passengers to pre-reserve storage space and designate specific compartments for their baggage during the booking process. The vehicle's system pre-configures the designated sections and prepares identification markers before the passenger arrives. This preliminary action enables passengers to plan ahead with confidence, knowing their baggage will have a reserved location, while the monitoring complexity is reduced because the assignments are determined in advance rather than requiring real-time dynamic allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A baggage storage and retention system includes a first vehicle seat receiving a first passenger in a vehicle. A second vehicle seat of the vehicle receives a second passenger. Each vehicle seat has a seatbelt assembly generating a seatbelt locked signal when one of the first or second passengers seated in the vehicle seat closes the seatbelt assembly defining a seatbelt closed condition. A vehicle storage compartment has multiple strap and/or lock assemblies. A first strap assembly generates a first strap locked signal when a first baggage item of the first passenger is placed in the vehicle storage compartment, engaged with the first baggage item and closed defining a strap assembly closed condition. A passenger and baggage identification system receives the seatbelt locked signal and the first strap locked signal and links the first passenger to the first seat and the first baggage item to the first passenger.