Vehicular Irritant Detection Using External Sensor Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems fail to effectively prevent external airborne irritants such as odors and particles from entering the cabin, leading to exposure of occupants before they can be purged, as current solutions only address interior irritants after they have already contaminated the air.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular system that detects external irritants using sensors and crowd-sourced data from nearby vehicles, allowing for anticipatory action by closing windows and vents before the vehicle reaches the irritant source, thereby preventing ingress of irritants into the cabin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the vehicle waits until irritants are detected inside the cabin before taking action, then the system can confirm the presence of irritants, but the occupants are already exposed to the irritants and purging only introduces more smelly air
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by closing windows and vents before irritants actually enter the cabin. External sensors detect irritants in the surrounding environment, and the system proactively seals the cabin to prevent contaminant ingress, thereby eliminating occupant exposure time while maintaining detection accuracy through the external sensor network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by taking counter-measures (closing windows and vents) before the harmful effect (irritant entry) occurs. External sensors detect irritants upstream, and the system preemptively seals the cabin, preventing the contaminant from reaching the interior space in the first place.
2Reliability
If the vehicle uses external sensors and crowd-sourced data to detect irritants before reaching them, then the system can take preventive action, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple data sources (external sensors on the vehicle, crowd-sourced data from other vehicles, and environmental information) into a unified detection network. This combination enhances reliability by cross-validating irritant detections across multiple sources while managing complexity through integrated data processing architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functionality by using a single external sensor system to perform both irritant detection and environmental monitoring functions. The same sensor infrastructure serves multiple purposes: detecting odors, particles, and other contaminants, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle closes windows and vents proactively, then the cabin remains free of irritants, but the system must accurately distinguish between harmful irritants and normal external air
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by using different detection thresholds and criteria for different types of irritants. External sensors are configured with specific detection parameters for various contaminants (odors, particles, gases), allowing the system to identify harmful substances while filtering out normal external air variations through localized detection strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where external sensor data is continuously monitored and compared against known irritant signatures. When the sensor readings match patterns associated with harmful irritants, the system triggers cabin sealing actions. The feedback loop validates whether the identified substance is indeed harmful before initiating mitigation, ensuring accurate distinction between irritants and normal air.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems (200) for mitigating irritants during travel in a vehicle (100, 202). The method includes determining, at a remote server (204), an airborne irritant is present external to the vehicle (100, 202), which may involve data from the vehicle (100, 202) or from other nearby vehicles (208). The data may be direct irritant measurements by sensors (104a, 104b) or may be indirect data indicative of possible irritants. Based on the determination that the airborne irritant is likely present external to the vehicle (100, 202), an irritant mitigation action is caused within the vehicle (100, 202). The irritant mitigation action may include displaying a notification signaling presence of the airborne irritant, outputting an audio notification signaling presence of the airborne irritant, closing a window (110) of the vehicle (100, 202), or closing an air vent (112) of the vehicle (100, 202).