Vehicle Interior Adjustment for Occupant Emergency Exit Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle adjustment systems do not adequately address the need for automated adjustment of interior elements in response to occupant medical emergencies, limiting their ability to facilitate easy exit or entry and emergency medical care.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detects occupant medical emergencies, activates an emergency assistance protocol, and automatically adjusts interior elements like seats and steering wheels to maximize movement space for easy exit or entry, while also implementing emergency measures such as stopping the vehicle and contacting services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If interior elements are adjusted manually by the occupant, then the adjustment is simple and reliable, but it is not feasible when the occupant is in a pathological state and unable to operate controls
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service adjustment by detecting the occupant's pathological state automatically and triggering the adjustment of interior elements without requiring manual operation. The emergency assistance system monitors vital signs and autonomously adjusts seats, steering wheels, or other interior components to facilitate rescue or medical intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated electromechanical system. Sensors detect physiological parameters (heart rate, breathing, movement), and this data drives automated actuators that adjust interior elements, substituting the need for manual mechanical operation with an automated control system.
2Ease of operation
If interior elements are adjusted to maximize movement space, then exit and entry is facilitated, but the adjustment time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency assistance system serves multiple functions: it monitors occupant health, detects pathological states, determines optimal adjustment positions, and controls multiple interior elements simultaneously. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-defines optimal adjustment positions for various emergency scenarios. When a pathological state is detected, the system retrieves and executes pre-calculated adjustment sequences, eliminating the need for real-time complex calculations and enabling rapid response with simplified control logic.
3Speed
If automated adjustment is implemented without emergency detection, then adjustment speed is fast, but false adjustments may occur in non-emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors multiple physiological parameters (heart rate, breathing rate, movement patterns, temperature) and uses this feedback to determine whether an emergency situation exists. The adjustment is triggered only when the feedback indicates a pathological state, ensuring reliable differentiation between emergency and non-emergency conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in physiological parameters over time and triggers adjustment only when parameter changes exceed predefined thresholds indicative of a pathological state. This approach enables rapid response to genuine emergencies while filtering out normal variations in physiological conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for adjusting at least one interior element of a vehicle. In this process, an occupant state signal is detected which signals that a specified pathological state of an occupant of the vehicle at least restricts their ability to drive the vehicle to a specified extent. An emergency assistance system is then activated to perform at least one support measure for the occupant. An adjustment measure is then performed in order to adjust at least one interior element of the vehicle to a specified target position. The target position is chosen here such that a movement space delimited by the at least one interior element is increased for access to and/or exit for the occupant.