Vehicle Camera Monitoring for Cold-Weather Drivability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicles parked outside in cold climates often become undrivable due to snow build-up, frozen windshields, and frozen door handles, requiring drivers to spend time preparing them before use, which can lead to late arrivals and inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A system using vehicle cameras, connectivity to weather data, and sensors to monitor the vehicle's state and surroundings, predict weather issues, and apply corrective measures such as removing snow, de-frosting windshields, and unfreezing door handles, ensuring the vehicle is ready for driving by the time the driver needs it.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the vehicle is parked outside in cold climates, then the vehicle is exposed to snow build-up and freezing conditions, but the vehicle becomes undrivable and requires manual preparation time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle preparation timeVSAvoidvehicle drivability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting snow accumulation and freezing conditions through camera data, then automatically activates corrective measures (heating elements, snow removal) before the driver needs the vehicle, ensuring the vehicle is already in drivable condition when the driver arrives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle system serves itself by autonomously monitoring its own state through cameras and sensors, detecting when snow or freezing conditions affect drivability, and automatically applying corrective measures without requiring manual intervention from the driver

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the driver spends time manually preparing the vehicle (scraping windows, chipping ice), then the vehicle becomes drivable, but the driver arrives late to appointments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle drivabilityVSAvoiddriver preparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical preparation actions (scraping, chipping, brushing) with automated mechanical and thermal systems including heating elements, snow removal mechanisms, and automated window defrosting, eliminating the need for driver intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the vehicle is parked in a garage or under cover, then the vehicle is protected from cold weather elements, but finding cover is not always possible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexposure to cold weatherVSAvoidparking location flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the harmful cold weather conditions and snow accumulation into beneficial automated corrective actions, where the detected presence of snow or freezing temperatures triggers automatic heating and snow removal systems, turning the adverse environment into a condition that activates protective measures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS11891023B1Using camera data to manage a vehicle parked outside in cold climates

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 AMBARELLA INT LP

AI summary

An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive video frames comprising at least one of a vehicle or an outdoor environment near the vehicle and a correction signal. The processor may be configured to perform video operations on the video frames to detect objects, predict a state of the vehicle based on the objects detected in the video frames and generate the correction signal. The correction signal may be configured to apply a corrective measure based on the predicted state of the vehicle. The state of the vehicle may be predicted when the vehicle is parked in the outdoor environment. The state of the vehicle may comprise factors that prevent driving the vehicle.