Vehicle Occupant Data Processing for Camera-Based Preference Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle systems struggle to intuitively adjust settings to match user preferences and mood, leading to potential safety risks and user inconvenience as more controls become available.

Innovation Solution

A system that processes vehicle occupant data, including clothing characteristics, to build a profile and select preferences, adjusting vehicle settings proactively based on learned occupant characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If more vehicle controls and settings are made available to users, then user customization capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as users find it more arduous to select preferences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser customization capabilityVSAvoidease of selecting preferences
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects occupant characteristics through camera imaging and autonomously selects appropriate vehicle settings and preferences. This eliminates the need for users to manually navigate through numerous controls, while still providing extensive customization capability. The system serves itself by making intelligent decisions based on detected characteristics such as clothing color, age group, and other visual cues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If vehicle settings are adjusted to match user preferences, then user experience is improved, but safety risks increase when aggressive settings are selected based on incorrect mood detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesettings matching user preferencesVSAvoidsafety reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors occupant characteristics and vehicle settings, creating a feedback loop that allows for real-time adjustment. By detecting changes in occupant appearance, mood indicators, and contextual factors through camera imaging, the system can adjust settings dynamically while maintaining safety through ongoing verification of appropriate configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If manual preference selection is required, then precise control over settings is achieved, but user distraction and safety risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoiduser distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects occupant characteristics and selects preferences without requiring user interaction. This eliminates distraction while maintaining precise control over vehicle settings. The system serves itself by making intelligent decisions based on detected characteristics such as clothing color, age group, and other visual cues from camera imaging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4610947A1System, method and software for processing vehicle occupant data
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG
  • EP4610947A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4610947A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4610947A1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

System for processing vehicle occupant data, the system comprising a plurality of vehicle inputs (106) for receiving information associated with the vehicle (102), wherein at least one of the plurality of vehicle inputs (106) includes an input from an interior cabin camera (108); a controller (110) for processing the vehicle information. The controller (110) includes a characteristic determination block for determining occupant characteristics associated with a vehicle occupant (104), wherein the one or more occupant characteristics include one or more clothing characteristics determined by processing images from the interior cabin camera (108). An occupant profile block builds an occupant profile based on determined occupant characteristics, and a preference selection block selects an occupant preference.