U.S. patent application number 15/132611 was filed with the patent office on 2016-08-11 for method and system for adjusting performance based on vehicle occupants.
The applicant listed for this patent is GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC. Invention is credited to Ian R. Singer, Frank C. Valeri.
Application Number | 20160229363 15/132611 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51349613 |
Filed Date | 2016-08-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160229363 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Singer; Ian R. ; et
al. |
August 11, 2016 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING PERFORMANCE BASED ON VEHICLE
OCCUPANTS
Abstract
A vehicle having a system is provided. The system has at least
one operating output. The system includes an occupant module and a
vehicle system module. The occupant module receives at least one
occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within
the vehicle, and determines a current number and location of
occupants in the vehicle based on the occupant signal. The vehicle
system module receives as input the current number of occupants
located in the vehicle. The vehicle system module is configured for
determining whether the current number of occupants located in the
vehicle is less than a total number of occupants the vehicle is
configured to seat. The vehicles system module is configured for
adjusting the at least one operating output of the system if the
current number of occupants located in the vehicle is less than the
total number of occupants the vehicle is configured to seat.
Inventors: |
Singer; Ian R.; (Macomb,
MI) ; Valeri; Frank C.; (Novi, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC |
Detroit |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51349613 |
Appl. No.: |
15/132611 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13778297 |
Feb 27, 2013 |
9348793 |
|
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15132611 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10K 11/17821 20180101;
H04R 2420/01 20130101; B60H 2001/00185 20130101; B60N 2/002
20130101; G10K 2210/1282 20130101; G06F 17/00 20130101; G10K 11/178
20130101; B60Q 3/80 20170201; H04R 1/1083 20130101; G10K 2210/3016
20130101; G10K 11/1787 20180101; F02D 41/1401 20130101; F16H 59/52
20130101; H04R 2499/13 20130101; B60R 16/037 20130101; B60G 17/016
20130101; B60H 1/00742 20130101; G10K 11/1783 20180101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 16/037 20060101
B60R016/037; B60H 1/00 20060101 B60H001/00; G10K 11/178 20060101
G10K011/178; B60Q 3/00 20060101 B60Q003/00; F02D 41/14 20060101
F02D041/14; F16H 59/52 20060101 F16H059/52; B60N 2/00 20060101
B60N002/00; B60G 17/016 20060101 B60G017/016 |
Claims
1. A vehicle having a vehicle system, the vehicle system having at
least one operating output, comprising: an occupant control module
receiving at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants
currently located within the vehicle, the occupant control module
determining a number of the occupants currently located within the
vehicle based on the at least one occupant signal; and a vehicle
system module receiving as an input the number of occupants located
in the vehicle, the vehicle system module configured to: determine
if the number is less than a total number of occupants that the
vehicle is configured to seat; and adjust the at least one
operating output when the number of occupants located in the
vehicle is less than the total number, wherein the at least one
operating output includes at least one of a multi-zone control or a
surround sound setting.
2. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the occupant control module
determines a specific seating position for each of the occupants
currently located within the vehicle.
3. The vehicle in claim 2, wherein the vehicle system module
adjusts the at least one operating output based on the specific
seating position for each of the occupants currently located within
the vehicle.
4. The vehicle in claim 2, wherein the specific seating position is
one of a driver position, a front passenger position, a second row
position, and a third row position.
5. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is a heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning system.
6. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the multi-zone control is one of
a single-zone mode of operation, a dual zone mode of operation, a
tri-zone mode of operation, and a quad-zone mode of operation.
7. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the vehicle system module
configured to adjust the multi-zone control to correspond to the
number of occupants located in the vehicle.
8. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is an audio
system.
9. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the at least one operating
output includes lighting of an interior lighting system.
10. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is an active
noise cancellation system and the at least one operating output
includes attenuation of unwanted noise.
11. The vehicle in claim 10, wherein an amount of sound
cancellation provided to one of the occupants currently located
within the vehicle is reduced by the active noise cancellation
system to provide sound cancellation to a remaining set of the
occupants currently located within the vehicle.
12. The vehicle in claim 10, wherein powertrain and engine modules
of the vehicle are aggressively tuned for fuel economy or vehicle
performance when the active noise cancellation system reduces an
amount of sound cancellation provided to one of the occupants
currently located within the vehicle.
13. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the occupant signal is
generated by a plurality of seatbelt sensors.
14. The vehicle in claim 1, wherein the occupant signal is
generated by a plurality of occupant sensors, wherein each of the
plurality of occupant sensors is located in a corresponding
seat.
15. A method of modifying at least one operating output of a
vehicle system for a vehicle, comprising: receiving at least one
occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within
the vehicle by an occupant control module; determining a number of
the occupants currently located within the vehicle based on the
occupant signal; receiving as an input the number by a vehicle
system module; determining if the number is less than a total
number of occupants that the vehicle is configured to seat by the
vehicle system module; and adjusting the at least one operating
output of the vehicle system based on when the number is less than
the total number, wherein the at least one operating output
includes a multi-zone control or a surround sound setting.
16. The method in claim 15, wherein the vehicle system is one of a
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system or an audio
system.
17. The method in claim 15, wherein the multi-zone control is one
of a single-zone mode of operation, a dual zone mode of operation,
a tri-zone mode of operation, and a quad-zone mode of
operation.
18. The method in claim 15, wherein the vehicle system module
configured to adjust the multi-zone control to correspond to the
current number of occupants located in the vehicle.
19. The method in claim 15, wherein the at least one operating
output includes lighting of an interior lighting system.
20. A vehicle having a vehicle system, the vehicle system having at
least one operating output, comprising: an occupant control module
receiving at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants
currently located within the vehicle, the occupant control module
determining a number of occupants currently located within the
vehicle based on the occupant signal and a specific seating
position for each of the occupants currently located within the
vehicle; and a vehicle system module receiving as input the number,
the vehicle system module configured to: determine if the number is
less than a total number of occupants that the vehicle is
configured to seat, and adjust the at least one operating output of
the vehicle system based on when the number is less than the total
number and based on the specific seating position for each of the
occupants currently located within the vehicle, wherein the at
least one operating output includes a multi-zone control or a
surround sound setting.
Description
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 13/778,297, filed on Feb. 27, 2013, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a system
for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a system having at least
one operating output that is adjusted based on the number and
location of occupants located in the vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Some types of vehicle systems may be specifically calibrated
or tuned based on an assumption that there are occupants always
present in each seat of a vehicle. For example, a vehicle system
may be tuned to accommodate the occupants seated in a driver seat,
a passenger seat, second row seats, and third row seats (if
available). However, tuning the vehicle system to accommodate every
single occupant located in the vehicle may impact the performance
of the vehicle system. Specifically, the performance of the vehicle
system for one or a few of the occupants may be reduced in order to
provide an adequate level of performance for all of the occupants
located in the vehicle.
[0004] In one example, an active noise cancellation system ("ANC")
system may be used to attenuate the amount of unwanted sound in the
vehicle. In particular, the ANC system may include a speaker for
emitting a cancelling noise that attenuates engine sound. The ANC
system is generally tuned to accommodate all of the occupants in
the vehicle (e.g., occupants in the driver seat, the passenger
seat, the second row seats, and the third row seats, if available).
However, accommodating the occupants in the second row seats and
the third row seats may reduce the amount of sound cancellation
provided to the front row occupants. Therefore, even if there are
no occupants present in the second row seats or the third row
seats, the overall performance of the ANC system is still impacted,
and the amount of noise cancellation provided to the front row
occupants (e.g., the driver and the passenger) is still reduced.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a vehicle system that is
able to adjust performance based on the occupants located in a
vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a vehicle
having a system is provided. The system has at least one operating
output. The system includes an occupant module and a vehicle system
module. The occupant module receives at least one occupant signal
indicative of occupants currently located within the vehicle, and
determines a current number of occupants in the vehicle based on
the occupant signal. The vehicle system module receives as input
the current number of occupants and where they are located in the
vehicle. The vehicle system module is configured to determine
whether the current number of occupants located in the vehicle is
less than a total number of occupants the vehicle is configured to
seat. The vehicle system module is configured to adjust the at
least one operating output of the system when the current number of
occupants located in the vehicle is less than the total number of
occupants the vehicle is configured to seat.
[0006] The above features and advantages and other features and
advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following
detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of
example only, in the following detailed description of embodiments,
the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
[0008] The FIGURE is a schematic illustration of a vehicle that
includes a control system and a plurality of seats embodying
features of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or
uses. As used herein, the term module refers to an application
specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a
processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes
one or more software or firmware programs, or a combinational logic
circuit.
[0010] Referring now to the FIGURE, an exemplary embodiment is
directed to a control system 10 for a vehicle 18. The control
system 10 includes one or more speakers 20, a plurality of seatbelt
switches or sensors 24, a plurality of occupant sensors 26 that are
each located within a corresponding seat 30, an occupant control
module 32, an active noise cancellation ("ANC") control module 34,
an audio control module 36, and a heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning ("HVAC") control module 38. The occupant control
module 32 is in communication with the ANC control module 34, the
audio control module 36, and the HVAC control module 38. In the
exemplary embodiment, as shown in the FIGURE, the vehicle 18
includes four seats 30, however it is to be understood that fewer
or more seats may be included as well. In the embodiment as shown
in the FIGURE, a driver seat 40, a front passenger seat 42, and two
second row seats 44 are illustrated. In an alternative embodiment,
the vehicle 18 may also include third-row seats (not shown) as
well.
[0011] Each seat 30 includes one of the occupant sensors 26 located
along a bottom portion 50 within the seat 30. The occupant sensors
26 indicate the presence of an occupant within the seat 30 based on
pressure or electrical capacitance. Each seat 30 is associated with
one of the seatbelt sensors 24. Each seatbelt sensor 24 indicates
if a seatbelt (not shown) corresponding to the seat 30 is latched.
It should be noted that while the FIGURE illustrates both seatbelt
sensors 24 and occupant sensors 26 corresponding to the seats 30,
only one set of sensors (e.g., either the seatbelt sensors 24 or
the occupant sensors 26) may be utilized.
[0012] The occupant control module 32 receives as input at least
one occupant signal 54. The occupant signal 54 indicates the
presence of an occupant or individual seated within one of the
seats 30. The occupant signal 54 also indicates which specific seat
30 is occupied (e.g., the driver seat 40, the passenger seat 42, or
one of the second row seats 44). Specifically, for example, if four
occupants are present within an interior cabin 52 of the vehicle
18, then the occupant control module 32 would receive four occupant
signals 54. One of the four occupant signals 54 would indicate the
presence of an occupant in the driver seat 40, another one of the
four occupant signals 54 would indicate the presence of an occupant
in the passenger seat 42, and the remaining two occupant signals 54
would indicate the presence of occupants in the two second row
seats 44. In one embodiment, the occupant signal 54 may be
generated by one of the occupant sensors 26. Alternatively, in
another embodiment, the occupant signal 54 may be generated by one
of the seatbelt sensors 24. Although the occupant sensors 26 and
the seatbelt sensors 24 are discussed, it is understood that any
other approach may be used as well to determine the occupant signal
54 as well.
[0013] The occupant control module 32 includes control logic for
determining a current number of occupants that are located within
the interior cabin 52 of the vehicle 18 based on the occupant
signals 54 received by either the occupant sensors 26 or the
seatbelt sensors 24. The occupant control module 32 also determines
which specific seats 30 currently have an occupant present based on
the occupant signals 54. For example, the occupant control module
32 may receive two occupant signals 54, where one of the occupant
signals 54 indicates an occupant is present within the driver seat
40, and the other occupant signal 54 indicates an occupant is
present in the passenger seat 42. Based on the two occupant signals
54, the occupant control module 32 generates a control signal 60.
The control signal 60 indicates the number of occupants in the
vehicle 18 (e.g., in this present example, there are two
occupants), as well as specific seats 30 that currently have an
occupant seated (e.g., the driver seat 40 and the passenger seat
42).
[0014] The control signal 60 is sent to one or more control
modules. The control modules are used for operating a vehicle
system. The vehicle system is generally any type of system that is
specifically calibrated or tuned based on the number of occupants
currently present in the vehicle 18. The vehicle system may also be
tuned based on the specific seat or seats 30 that are currently
occupied by an individual. Some examples of such vehicle systems
include, but are not limited to, an ANC system used to attenuate
unwanted noise, an HVAC system, an audio system, a transmission
control module ("TCM"), an engine control module (ECM), heated
seats, a suspension system, or an interior lighting system. In the
embodiment as shown in the FIGURE, the occupant control module 32
sends the control signal 60 to the ANC control module 34, the audio
control module 36, and the HVAC control module 38. It should be
noted that while the FIGURE illustrates the ANC control module 34,
the audio control module 36, and the HVAC control module 38, the
control signal 60 may be sent to fewer control modules, or other
control modules (not shown) as well.
[0015] The control signal 60 is used to adjust or modify at least
one operating output of the vehicle system based on a current
number of occupants present in the vehicle 18. The at least one
operating output of the vehicle system refers to any output
generated by the vehicle system that is specifically calibrated
based on the number of occupants present in the vehicle 18 and the
specific seat or seats 30 that are occupied by an individual. Some
examples of operating outputs include, but are not limited to, a
cancelling sound emitted by the speakers 20 in the ANC system, a
multi-zone control of the HVAC system (which is described in detail
below), surround sound settings of the audio system, and lighting
of the interior lighting system. For example, if the control signal
60 indicates there are no occupants located in the second row seats
44, then interior lights (not shown) corresponding to the second
row seats 44 may be disabled. Specifically, for example, interior
lighting located along an interior door handle (not shown) may be
disabled.
[0016] The control module or modules (e.g., ANC control module 34,
the audio control module 36, and the HVAC control module 38) may
adjust at least one operating output of the vehicle system if the
current number of occupants located in the vehicle 18 is less than
a total number of occupants the vehicle 18 is configured to seat.
For example, in the embodiment as shown in the FIGURE, the total
number of occupants the vehicle 18 is configured to seat would be
four. However, it is understood that the total number of occupants
may be more or less, depending on the number of seats 30 provided.
The control module or modules may also adjust at least one
operating output of the vehicle system based on the specific
seating position of the current occupants present in the vehicle 18
as well.
[0017] The control module or modules may have various settings
saved in memory. The various settings represent different
configurations of the operating output that are based on the
current number of occupants and the specific seating position of
the current occupants present in the vehicle 18. The control module
or modules select one of the various settings of the operating
output based on the current number of occupants located and the
specific seating position of the current occupants present. In one
embodiment, the control module may have a setting based on
occupants present in the driver seat 40, the front passenger seat
42, the second row seats 44, and the third row seats (not shown),
another setting based on occupants present in the driver seat 40,
the front passenger seat 42, and the second row seats 44, another
setting based on occupants present in the driver seat 40 and the
front passenger seat 42, and a setting based on one occupant
present in the driver seat 40.
[0018] In one embodiment, the vehicle system is the ANC system, and
the ANC control module 34 may have various settings saved in memory
related to the cancelling sounds that are emitted from the speaker
20 to attenuate powertrain noise. The ANC control module 34 may
adjust the cancelling sounds emitted from the speakers 20 by
selecting a specific setting saved in memory that corresponds to
the current number of occupants and the specific seating position
of the current occupants present in the vehicle 18.
[0019] The ANC system may reduce amount of sound cancellation
provided to one of the occupants in the vehicle 18 in order to
provide sound cancellation to the remaining occupants in the
vehicle 18. For example, if occupants are located in the driver
seat 40, the front passenger seat 42, the second row seats 44, and
third row seats (not shown), then the level of sound cancellation
provided to occupants located in the driver seat 40, the passenger
seat 42 and the second row seats 44 may be reduced in order to
provide a level noise cancellation to the occupants in the third
row seats. Another setting of sound cancellation may be based on
whether occupants are located in the driver seat 40, the front
passenger seat 42, and the second row seats 44. With this setting,
the level of sound cancellation provided to occupants located in
the driver seat 40 and the front passenger seat 42 may be reduced
in order to provide acceptable noise cancellation to the occupants
in the second row seats 44. Another setting may be based on whether
there are occupants located in the driver seat 40 and the front
passenger seat 42. With this setting, the level of sound
cancellation provided to the occupant in the driver seat 40 may be
reduced in order to provide an acceptable level of noise
cancellation to the occupant in the passenger seat 42. Finally,
there may be a setting based on whether only one occupant is
located in the driver seat 40.
[0020] In another embodiment, the vehicle system is the audio
system, and the audio control module 36 may have various settings
such as surround sound based on the specific occupants located in
the vehicle 18. Specifically, the surround sound may be adjusted to
accommodate only one or a portion of the total number of occupants
in the vehicle 18. Adjusting the surround sound based on only one
or a portion of the total number of occupants may result in
enhanced performance of the surround sound system and an improved
overall experience to the occupant or occupants in the vehicle 18.
For example, one setting of the surround sound saved in memory of
the audio control module may be based on whether there are
occupants located in the driver seat 40, the front passenger seat
42, the second row seats 44, and third row seats (not shown).
Another setting of the surround sound may be based on whether there
are occupants are located in the driver seat 40, the front
passenger seat 42, and the second row seats 44. Another setting may
be based on whether there are occupants located in the driver seat
40 and the front passenger seat 42. Finally, there may be a setting
based on whether there is only one occupant located in the driver
seat 40.
[0021] In yet another embodiment, the vehicle system is the HVAC
system, and the HVAC control module 38 may have various settings
related to a multi-zone control saved in memory. The multi-zone
control refers to a level of control that may be provided to one or
more occupants of the vehicle 18 to adjust various settings of the
HVAC system. Some examples of the settings include, but are not
limited to, air temperature, fan speed, or mode (e.g., vent, floor,
bi-level, defrost, etc.). Specifically, the multi-zone control may
refer to a single-zone mode of operation where a driver may only
adjust the settings of the HVAC system, a dual zone mode of
operation where a driver and a front passenger may adjust the
settings of the HVAC system, a tri-zone mode of operation where a
driver, a passenger, and at least one of the second row occupants
may adjust the HVAC settings, or a quad-zone mode of operation
where a driver, a passenger, and both the second row occupants may
adjust the HVAC settings (or instead of both second row occupants,
the third row passengers may adjust the HVAC settings).
[0022] For example, if the control signal 60 indicates an occupant
present in only the driver seat 40, then the HVAC system is
adjusted to operate in a single-zone mode of operation. If the
control signal 60 indicates occupants present in the driver seat 40
and the front passenger seat 42, then the HVAC system is adjusted
to operate in the dual-zone mode of operation. If the control
signal 60 indicates occupants present in the driver seat 40, the
front passenger seat 42, and one of the second row seats 44, then
the HVAC system is adjusted to operate in the tri-zone mode of
operation. If the control signal 60 indicates occupants present in
the driver seat 40, the front passenger seat 42, and both the
second row seats 44, then the HVAC system is adjusted to operate in
the quad-zone mode of operation.
[0023] The control system 10 as described above may provide
improved or enhanced system performance based on the location of
the occupants currently located in the vehicle 18. Some types of
vehicle systems currently available may be specifically calibrated
or tuned based on an assumption that there are occupants present in
each seat of a vehicle. However, the performance of the vehicle
system for one or more occupants (e.g., the occupants in the driver
seat and the front passenger seat) may be reduced in order to
provide an adequate level of performance for all of the occupants.
The control system 10 provides improved performance to one or more
occupants located in the vehicle 18 if the occupant or occupants
currently located within the vehicle 18 is less than the total
number of occupants the vehicle 18 is configured to seat.
[0024] For example, the ANC system may be able to provide a more
quiet and refined driving experience for one occupant (e.g., the
occupant in the driver seat 40) or for the occupants in just the
front row seats (e.g., the occupants in the driver seat 40 and the
front passenger seat 42) when compared to providing noise
cancellation to all of the vehicle occupants when there are no
occupants in the rear seats. Because the ANC system may be able to
provide a greater level of noise cancellation to just the occupant
located in the driver seat 40 (or the occupants in the driver seat
40 and the front passenger seat 42), the vehicle 18 may be able to
operate an engine (not shown) more efficiently (e.g., more loudly).
In particular, the vehicle powertrain modules (e.g., the
transmission control module ("TCM") and the engine control module
("ECM")) may be tuned more aggressively for fuel economy or vehicle
performance if the ANC system provides enhanced sound cancellation
for the front seat occupants only.
[0025] In yet another example, if the vehicle system is the audio
system, the audio control module 36 may adjust surround sound
settings to provide an improved level of sound to just one or a few
occupants in the vehicle 18.
[0026] While the invention has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will
include all embodiments falling within the scope of the
application.
* * * * *