Vehicle Travel Control Using Reservation-Based Occupant Attributes

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing autonomous vehicle systems face challenges in adjusting running characteristics to accommodate occupant safety effectively during autonomous driving, as they rely on in-vehicle cameras to monitor occupants, leading to potential delays in setting suitable vehicle settings.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control apparatus that obtains attribute information from reservation data to set optimal travel characteristics based on occupant attributes, such as sensitivity to vibrations, allowing for earlier adjustments to enhance safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the in-vehicle camera is used to monitor occupant state after autonomous driving mode starts, then the system can adjust running characteristics based on occupant state, but the timing of adjustment is delayed until after monitoring is completed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant safetyVSAvoidtiming of travel characteristic setting

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining attribute information about occupants from reservation information before the autonomous driving mode starts. This allows the controller to set appropriate travel characteristics in advance, rather than waiting until after the driving mode starts and then monitoring occupants with cameras. The preliminary acquisition of occupant attributes (such as sensitivity to vibrations) enables timely adjustment of vehicle behavior to ensure occupant safety from the beginning of autonomous driving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the system waits to grasp occupant state using in-vehicle camera before setting travel characteristics, then accurate occupant monitoring is achieved, but the setup time is extended and safety response is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant state detection accuracyVSAvoidtime from mode start to characteristic adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining attribute information about occupants from reservation information before the autonomous driving mode starts. This allows the controller to set appropriate travel characteristics in advance, rather than waiting until after the driving mode starts and then monitoring occupants with cameras. The preliminary acquisition of occupant attributes (such as sensitivity to vibrations) enables timely adjustment of vehicle behavior to ensure occupant safety from the beginning of autonomous driving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses reservation information as an intermediary data source to obtain occupant attribute information. Instead of directly monitoring occupants with cameras during driving, the system intermediates by utilizing pre-collected reservation data (including occupant attributes like vibration sensitivity) to determine appropriate travel characteristics. This intermediary approach provides accurate occupant information without the time delay of real-time camera monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11794786B2Vehicle control apparatus

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP

AI summary

In a vehicle control apparatus, a controller for controlling a travelling of a vehicle is configured to obtain attribute information about at least one occupant from reservation information, the reservation information including information about the at least one occupant who has made a reservation for the vehicle, and set a travelling characteristic of the vehicle based on the attribute information about at least one occupant.