Vehicle Climate Control Using Passenger Image Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle climate regulation systems are inefficient and lack granularity, relying on manual inputs and failing to account for passenger-specific factors like clothing and body type, leading to suboptimal comfort and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines a passenger offset factor by analyzing images to identify insulation layers and garment types, incorporating passenger weight, height, and classification to adjust the vehicle climate automatically, allowing for personalized and efficient temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual input and basic temperature sensing are used for climate control, then the system is simple to operate, but the climate regulation lacks precision and cannot adapt to individual passenger needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects passenger presence, clothing type, and body characteristics without manual input. The climate control adjusts temperatures based on image analysis of passenger attire (e.g., thick winter jacket vs. light clothing) and physical attributes, enabling self-service operation that improves precision while maintaining ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical input (buttons, dials) with automated optical sensing and image processing. Cameras and image analysis algorithms substitute for manual temperature adjustment mechanisms, providing more precise climate control based on actual passenger conditions rather than simple manual settings
2Adaptability or versatility
If the climate system uses a fixed target temperature for all passengers, then the control logic is simple, but the comfort level varies significantly between different passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides individualized climate control for each passenger based on their specific characteristics. Image analysis identifies each passenger's clothing type, body size, and position, allowing the climate system to create localized temperature zones tailored to each person's needs rather than applying a uniform temperature throughout the vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The climate control dynamically adjusts temperature parameters based on detected passenger attributes. The system changes target temperatures, airflow rates, and heating/cooling power according to passenger-specific parameters such as clothing insulation levels, body mass index, and seating position, enabling adaptable climate control
3Reliability
If the climate system continuously adjusts based on detailed passenger analysis, then passenger comfort is optimized, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs image analysis and passenger characteristic detection in advance to pre-determine optimal climate settings. By analyzing passenger clothing and physical attributes before significant temperature adjustments are needed, the system can proactively optimize climate control, reducing the need for continuous high-power adjustments and lowering overall energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The climate system uses feedback from continuous monitoring of passenger conditions and environmental factors to make incremental adjustments. By detecting changes in passenger state (e.g., adding/removing clothing) and external conditions (e.g., ambient temperature), the system optimizes comfort through targeted adjustments rather than continuous maximum-power operation
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for regulating onboard vehicle climate, the method comprising: - determining a presence of an onboard passenger within the vehicle; - determining a passenger offset factor of the onboard passenger by obtaining an image of the onboard passenger and detecting and identifying at least one insulation layer or garment type of the onboard passenger, wherein determining the passenger offset factor is based on the detected and identified at least one isolation layer or garment type; and - controlling the onboard vehicle climate by adjusting a temperature offset based on the determined passenger offset factor of the onboard passenger. The disclosure further relates to a computer program product, a system for regulating onboard vehicle climate and a vehicle.