Vehicle Environment Monitoring with Zone-Based Intrusion Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle monitoring systems fail to effectively track and respond to individuals in specific zones around a vehicle, leading to false alarms and inadequate response to potential threats based on proximity and duration of presence.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that divides the vehicle's environment into multiple sub-areas, tracks individuals within these zones, assigns unique identifiers, and triggers notifications based on predefined time thresholds and proximity to the vehicle, with varying severity levels depending on the zone and behavior.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single monitoring zone is used around the vehicle, then the system structure is simple, but the ability to differentiate between drivers and non-drivers is reduced leading to false alarms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of intrusion detectionVSAvoidcomplexity of monitoring system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring area is divided into multiple sub-areas (first sub-area, second sub-area, third sub-area) with different monitoring thresholds and response levels. The first sub-area closest to the vehicle has the lowest threshold and highest alert priority, while outer sub-areas have higher thresholds. This segmentation enables differentiated monitoring that reduces false alarms while maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If monitoring threshold is lowered to detect all potential threats, then detection sensitivity increases, but false alarms increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection sensitivityVSAvoidfalse alarms
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different sub-areas have different monitoring thresholds and alert priorities tailored to their specific risk levels. The first sub-area (closest to vehicle) uses a low threshold with high priority alerts, the second sub-area uses a medium threshold with medium priority, and the third sub-area (outermost) uses a high threshold with low priority alerts. This local differentiation of monitoring parameters reduces false alarms while maintaining high detection sensitivity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If uniform monitoring is applied to all areas, then the system is easy to operate, but the response accuracy to different threats is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse accuracyVSAvoidoperational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system dynamically adjusts thresholds and alert priorities based on the sub-area where intrusion is detected. When a person is detected in the first sub-area, the system immediately triggers a high-priority alert with low threshold. When detected in outer sub-areas, the system applies higher thresholds and lower priority alerts. This dynamic adaptation provides precise response accuracy while maintaining ease of operation through automated threshold selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4654166A1Method and device for monitoring an environment of a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 ZF CV SYST GLOBAL GMBH
  • EP4654166A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4654166A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4654166A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Computer-implemented method, wherein the method comprises receiving sensor data corresponding to an area in an environment of a motor vehicle, the area being divided into at least two sub-areas, wherein a first one of the at least two sub-areas is located closer to the motor vehicle than a second one of the at least two sub-areas, detecting and tracking a person while being located in the first and/or the second sub area using the received sensor data, determining a first timespan during which the detected person is located within the first sub area and determining a second timespan during which the detected person is located within the second sub area, and output a control signal to the motor vehicle and/or an external data processing device when a sum of the determined first timespan and the second timespan exceeds a predefined first threshold and/or when the determined first timespan exceeds a predefined second threshold.