Vehicle Occupant Location Detection Post-Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat weight sensors fail to accurately determine the location of a vehicle occupant post-accident, particularly in telematics-equipped vehicles, as the occupant may be dislocated, hindering communication with emergency services.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a vehicle communication device that receives location data inputs from sensors and a mobile device, uses audio inputs from microphones to determine the occupant's location before and after a collision, and establishes a cellular communication link for voice communication with a data service center, enhancing speech quality through noise suppression techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If seat weight sensors are used to determine occupant location, then the system is simple and low-cost, but the measurement precision fails post-accident when the occupant is dislocated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection methods (audio processing, sensor data fusion, mobile device collaboration) into a unified location determination system. This merging allows the system to maintain measurement precision post-accident by switching to alternative detection methods when traditional seat sensors become unreliable due to occupant dislocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functional capabilities where the same communication device uses different methods (audio analysis, sensor fusion, mobile device data) depending on the situation. This universality ensures the system can determine occupant location both during normal operation and post-accident conditions, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
2Reliability
If traditional sensor systems are used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability fails in post-accident scenarios where the occupant may be dislocated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing communication with mobile devices and pre-processing audio signals before accidents occur. This preparation ensures that when an accident happens, the system can immediately switch to alternative location determination methods, maintaining reliability without requiring complex post-accident processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobile devices as intermediaries that assist in location determination. These mobile devices serve as mediators between the vehicle's sensor system and the final location determination, providing an additional reliable data source that enhances system reliability without significantly increasing overall complexity.
3Measurement precision
If audio inputs are processed for location determination in noisy environments, then the location accuracy improves, but the speech quality for emergency communication deteriorates due to noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audio processing function into separate components: one dedicated to location determination and another to speech communication. This segmentation allows the system to process audio signals for location purposes while maintaining clean, separate audio channels for emergency communication, thus resolving the contradiction between location accuracy and speech quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts location information from audio signals without compromising the original speech signals. By taking out only the necessary location data (such as audio source direction and distance) while leaving the speech communication channel intact, the system achieves accurate location determination without degrading speech quality for emergency communication.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate determination of the occupant's location post-collision, facilitating effective communication with emergency services even in noisy environments, ensuring timely and appropriate responses.
Implementation Method 1
receiving an audio input at the communication device via one or more vehicle microphones, the audio input being associated with an audible sound emitted from the mobile device
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying a location of a vehicle user following a collision event and a method of using the system that includes the steps of: receiving an indication of the vehicle collision event at a backend system, wherein the indication is displayed as a graphical user interface; receiving a command at the backend system using the graphical user interface, wherein the command is associated with identifying the location of the vehicle user at a vehicle; and transmitting the command to the vehicle for the vehicle to carry out the command.