Vehicle Brightness Mapping for Localized Cabin Climate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brightness detection in vehicles is limited by reliance on sun-load sensors, which can be affected by external factors such as windshield obstructions, leading to inaccurate lighting and climate control adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a vehicle system that uses cameras to capture images of external regions aligned with different spaces within the vehicle, allowing control circuitry to determine brightness conditions and adjust lighting and climate controls accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a sun-load sensor is used for brightness detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to windshield obstructions and external factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary between the external environment and the brightness detection function. Instead of directly sensing brightness through the windshield (which blocks or distorts light), the system captures images of the external environment through the windshield and processes them computationally to determine brightness conditions, thereby avoiding the physical limitations of direct optical sensing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical sun-load sensor system with an electronic image processing system. Instead of using optical components to directly measure light intensity, the system uses cameras or image sensors to capture visual information and employs algorithms to extract brightness data, substituting a mechanical sensing approach with an electronic/computational one
2Device complexity
If conventional brightness detection is used, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability deteriorates as it cannot account for localized brightness variations in different vehicle spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vehicle interior into multiple zones or spaces and associates each with specific external regions visible through different windows or windshield areas. The image processing system analyzes different portions of captured images to determine brightness conditions for each zone independently, enabling localized environmental control rather than uniform control for the entire vehicle interior
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different environmental control settings to different zones based on their specific brightness conditions. Each zone can have independent lighting and climate control adjustments tailored to its localized external environment, allowing the system to adapt to spatial variations in brightness throughout the vehicle interior
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a compartment having a first space having a first environmental condition and a second space having a second environmental condition. At least one camera captures a first image of a first part of a region external to the vehicle and a second image of a second part of the region. The first part of the region aligns with the first space, and the second part of the region aligns with the second space. An environmental control system of the vehicle has at least one of lighting control and climate control. Control circuitry is configured to determine brightness conditions of the region based on the first image and the second image and control the environmental control system to adjust the environmental conditions based on the brightness conditions.