US-12623672-B2 - Monitoring system for a vehicle cabin

Abstract

A monitoring system for a vehicle cabin, a vehicle including such a monitoring system and a method for monitoring a vehicle cabin. The monitoring system includes a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit and a control unit. The first sensor unit is configured to generate image data of the vehicle cabin. The second sensor unit is configured to generate non-image data of the vehicle cabin. The control unit is configured to collect the image data and the non-image data and determine based thereon whether an obstacle is in the vehicle cabin. The control unit is further configured to limit an actuation of a subsystem if the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.

Inventors

• Danilo NEVES
• Egoi SANCHEZ BASUALDO
• Gunnar OHLSSON

Assignees

• VOLVO CAR CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220613

Priority Date

20210618

Claims (17)

1. 1 . A monitoring system for a vehicle cabin, the monitoring system comprising: a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit, and a control unit, the first sensor unit being arranged in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and being configured to generate image data of the vehicle cabin, the second sensor unit being arranged perpendicular to a driving direction of the vehicle and being configured to generate non-image data of the vehicle cabin, the control unit being coupled to a plurality of subsystems and configured to initiate scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit based on a command for actuation of a subsystem of the plurality of subsystems, the control unit being further configured to collect and fuse a determined level of the image data and the non-image data after scanning is initiated and determine based thereon whether an obstacle is in the vehicle cabin, the control unit being further configured to determine what level of the image data and the non-image data to fuse with respect to a degree of processing that has been done to the image data and the non-image data, being raw data, feature extraction data, or inference data, based on training for sensor type and detection result, and the control unit being further configured to limit the actuation of the subsystem if the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.
2. 2 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , the first sensor unit comprising at least one optical image sensor.
3. 3 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , the plurality of subsystems being multiple of a sunroof system, a window system, a headrest system, a seat adjustment system, a door system and/or an airbag system.
4. 4 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , the second sensor unit being configured to detect a reflected signal from the obstacle in the vehicle cabin.
5. 5 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor unit including one or more dedicated subsystem sensors, the third sensor unit being configured to send operating data of the subsystem to the control unit.
6. 6 . The monitoring system according to claim 5 , the control unit being configured to fuse data collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit and the third sensor unit and to determine a position of the obstacle.
7. 7 . The monitoring system according to claim 6 , the data collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit and the third sensor unit being the raw data.
8. 8 . The monitoring system according to claim 6 , the data collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit and the third sensor unit being the feature extraction data.
9. 9 . The monitoring system according to claim 6 , the data collected from the first sensor unit, the second sensor unit and the third sensor unit being the inference data.
10. 10 . The monitoring system according to claim 6 , the control unit being configured to determine whether the position of the obstacle in the vehicle cabin is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.
11. 11 . The monitoring system according claim 10 , the control unit being configured to initiate scanning the vehicle cabin by the third sensor unit based on the command for the actuation of the subsystem.
12. 12 . The monitoring system according to claim 11 , the control unit being configured to continue scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit after limiting the actuation of the subsystem and allow the actuation of the subsystem if the obstacle is removed responsive to warning an occupant that the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.
13. 13 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein initiating scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit comprises prompting the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit to activate and begin generating the respective image data and/or non-image data.
14. 14 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the command for the actuation of the subsystem that causes the control unit to initiate scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit is a received input from an occupant for the actuation of the subsystem.
15. 15 . The monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the command for the actuation of the subsystem that causes the control unit to initiate scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit is a received input from the vehicle for the actuation of the subsystem responsive to a driving situation of the vehicle.
16. 16 . A vehicle, comprising: a vehicle cabin, and a monitoring system for the vehicle cabin, the monitoring system comprising: a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit, and a control unit, the first sensor unit being arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being configured to generate image data of the vehicle cabin, the second sensor unit being arranged perpendicular to a driving direction of the vehicle and being configured to generate non-image data of the vehicle cabin, the control unit being coupled to a plurality of subsystems and configured to initiate scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit based on a command for actuation of a subsystem of the plurality of subsystems, the control unit being further configured to collect and fuse a determined level of the image data and the non-image data after scanning is initiated and determine based thereon whether an obstacle is in the vehicle cabin, the control unit being further configured to determine what level of the image data and the non-image data to fuse with respect to a degree of processing that has been done to the image data and the non-image data, being raw data, feature extraction data, or inference data, based on training for sensor type and detection result, and the control unit being further configured to limit the actuation of the subsystem if the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.
17. 17 . A method for monitoring a vehicle cabin, the method comprising: generating image data of the vehicle cabin by a first sensor unit being arranged in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, generating non-image data of the vehicle cabin by a second sensor unit being arranged perpendicular to a driving direction of the vehicle, initiating scanning the vehicle cabin by the first sensor unit and/or the second sensor unit at the direction of a control unit coupled to a plurality of subsystems based on a command for actuation of a subsystem of the plurality of subsystems, determining what level of the image data and the non-image data to fuse with respect to a degree of processing that has been done to the image data and the non-image data, being raw data, feature extraction data, or inference data, based on training for sensor type and detection result, collecting and fusing the determined level of the image data and the non-image data after scanning is initiated and determining based thereon whether an obstacle is in the vehicle cabin, and limiting the actuation of the subsystem if the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present disclosure claims the benefit of priority of co-pending European Patent Application No. 21 180 386.1, filed on Jun. 18, 2021, and entitled “Monitoring System for a Vehicle Cabin,” the contents of which are incorporated in full by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a monitoring system for a vehicle cabin, a vehicle including such a monitoring system and a method for monitoring a vehicle cabin. BACKGROUND There are several detection systems, which monitor a presence of occupants or characteristics of an occupant at a specific location within a vehicle for safety reasons. For this purpose, the monitoring system applies various techniques such as imaging sensors, weight sensors, thermal sensors, etc. Based on output of the monitoring systems, an operation of subsystems, for instance seat adjustment, airbag deployment and/or window opening may be limited. However, the conventional detection systems are generally configured to individually control a designated subsystem. SUMMARY Hence, there may be a need to provide an improved monitoring system for a vehicle cabin, which may be connected to different sensors to allow an integrated monitoring and controlling of subsystems in the vehicle cabin. The problem is at least partially solved or alleviated by the subject matter of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the aspects of the disclosure described in the following apply to the monitoring system for a vehicle cabin, the vehicle including such a monitoring system and the method for monitoring a vehicle cabin. According to the present disclosure, a monitoring system for a vehicle cabin is presented. The monitoring system includes a first sensor unit, a second sensor unit and a control unit. The first sensor unit is configured to generate image data of the vehicle cabin. The second sensor unit is configured to generate non-image data of the vehicle cabin. The control unit is configured to collect the image data and the non-image data and determine based thereon whether an obstacle is in the vehicle cabin. The control unit is further configured to limit an actuation of a subsystem if the obstacle is disruptive for the actuation of the subsystem. The monitoring system according to the present disclosure may provide an integrated control and actuation of a cabin configuration based on the position of occupants and/or objects. By processing the image data and the non-image data together, the monitoring system ensures higher accuracy, reliability and availability for operating subsystems in the vehicle cabin and avoiding potential strike, pinch and entrapment of occupants and/or objects by the subsystems in the vehicle cabin. In the vehicle cabin, at least two sensor units may be arranged to monitor an interior environment and an interior configuration of the vehicle cabin. The first sensor unit and the second sensor unit may capture different kind of sensor data to collect reliable information of the vehicle cabin. The first sensor unit and the second sensor unit may generate time-synced data such that a real-time monitoring of the vehicle cabin is available. The first sensor unit may include one or more optical/vision sensors and collect data by capturing images of the vehicle cabin. The first sensor unit may be configured to provide spatial information of the vehicle cabin. However, quality of captured images may be influenced by weather conditions, increased sensor noise in sparsely lit areas and at night. Further, such a two-dimensional image may not provide distance information between the subsystem and obstacles. The second sensor unit may supplement such weakness and produce non-image data by applying at least one non-image sensor such as microwave radiometers, magnetic sensors, gravimeters, radar and/or Lidar. The non-imaging sensor may measure radiation received from a sensed target. Hence, the second sensor unit may not be affected by environment conditions and capture reliable data even in sparse area of the image captured by the first sensor unit as well. By utilizing the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit together, precise spatial and dynamical data may be provided and a detection of the obstacle in the vehicle cabin may be enhanced. Thus, the control unit can perform an accurate decision. The control unit may be an electronic control unit. The control unit may decide based on received data from the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit if an obstacle exists in the vehicle cabin. The obstacle may be one or more occupants and/or objects detected by at least one of first sensor unit and second sensor unit. The control unit may identify based on information of the obstacle such as position, size or the like, if the obstacle hinders an operation of one or more subsystems arranged inside the cabin vehicle. Further, the control unit may disable or limit the actuation of at least one subsystem, if the obs