Occupant thermal state detection and comfort adjustment system and method
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10821805-B2
Publication Date
2020-11-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method for controlling a thermal state of a vehicle occupant, includes obtaining an infrared (IR) image of a face of the occupant using a passive infrared sensor (PIR) sensor. The IR image comprising a spatial array of facial temperatures and receives the image in a controller. A first segment of the array is determined based on a first facial temperature associated with the first segment using the controller. The first segment corresponds to a nose of the occupant. A second segment of the array is determined at least partially surrounding the first segment based on a plurality of second facial temperatures associated with the second segment using the controller. The second segment corresponds to a region of the face surrounding the nose. A difference is determined based on the first facial temperature and at least one of the second facial temperatures using the controller. The thermal state of the occupant is determined based on the difference.
Core Innovation
A method for controlling a thermal state of a vehicle occupant obtains an infrared image of a face of the occupant using a passive infrared sensor, where the image comprises a spatial array of facial temperatures. A controller receives the image, determines a first segment of the array based on a first facial temperature associated with the first segment, and assigns the first segment to a nose of the occupant with at least a portion of a tip of the nose. The controller also determines a second segment of the array at least partially surrounding the first segment based on a plurality of second facial temperatures, where the second segment corresponds to a region of the face surrounding the nose in an inverted U shape including a portion of the forehead and a portion of each cheek.
The controller determines a difference based on the first facial temperature and at least one of the second facial temperatures. The controller then determines the thermal state of the occupant based on the difference, using the segmented nose-related facial thermal information and the computed temperature difference as the basis for inferring the occupant thermal state. In this way, the occupant thermal state is controlled through face-based thermal imaging and temperature comparison derived from the nose and the surrounding inverted-U region.
A thermal conditioning system includes a thermal conditioning device, an infrared sensor configured to detect an occupant thermal facial image, and a controller in communication with the thermal conditioning device and the infrared sensor. The controller isolates a nose thermal state from the occupant thermal facial image and infers a current occupant thermal condition based upon the nose thermal state. The controller commands the thermal conditioning device based upon the current occupant thermal condition relative to a temperature comparison value to achieve a desired occupant thermal condition, with the facial image segments defined so the first segment includes at least a portion of the tip of the nose and the second segment is an inverted U including portions of the forehead and cheeks.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims, centered on inferring an occupant thermal state or condition from segmented nose-related thermal information and using that inferred condition to control a vehicle thermal conditioning device based on a temperature comparison value.
Nose and inverted-u facial thermal segmentation with temperature difference determining occupant thermal state
Obtaining an infrared image of a face using a passive infrared sensor, determining a first segment corresponding to a nose with at least a portion of a tip of the nose, determining a second segment in an inverted U shape surrounding the first segment including portions of the forehead and each cheek, determining a difference based on the first facial temperature and at least one second facial temperature, and determining the thermal state of the occupant based on the difference.
Commanding thermal conditioning device based on inferred occupant thermal condition relative to a temperature comparison value
Providing a thermal conditioning system with a thermal conditioning device and an infrared sensor, isolating a nose thermal state from an occupant thermal facial image using a controller, inferring a current occupant thermal condition based upon the nose thermal state, and commanding the thermal conditioning device based upon the current occupant thermal condition relative to a temperature comparison value to achieve a desired occupant thermal condition, where the first segment includes at least a portion of a tip of the nose and the second segment is an inverted U including portions of the forehead and each cheek.
Across the independent claims, the inventive focus is on isolating nose-related thermal information using specified first and second inverted-U facial segments, using derived thermal comparison information to determine or infer an occupant thermal state or condition, and commanding a vehicle thermal conditioning device based on that inferred condition relative to a temperature comparison value to achieve a desired occupant thermal condition.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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