In-vehicle particulate sensor data analysis

• US 9,688,194 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gusikhin, Oleg Yurievitch, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/670,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20160280160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/008 the input being air quality
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/06 Investigating concentration of particle suspensions by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A vehicle may include particulate sensors configured to generate particulate data indicative of size and quantity of ambient particulates. The vehicle may also include a computing device configured to receive the particulate data from the at least one particulate sensor, compare the particulate data to a signature data identifying a particulate condition, and adjust a vehicle setting to address the particulate condition or alert the user of the particulate condition. A server may receive a route request from a vehicle over a communications network, the route request specifying a destination location for a vehicle and an indication of signature data descriptive of particulate to avoid; construct a route avoiding the particulate according to particulate data received from a plurality of vehicles and including location metadata and time metadata; and send the route to the vehicle responsive to the request.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving first particulate data from a first vehicle particulate sensor and second particulate data from a second vehicle particulate sensor;

comparing the first and second particulate data to signature data identifying a particulate condition; and

when only one of the first and second particulate data matches the signature data, one of (i) adjusting a vehicle setting to address the particulate condition and (ii) alerting a vehicle occupant of the particulate condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first particulate sensor samples an airflow before the airflow passes through a cabin air filter, the second particulate sensor samples the airflow after the airflow passes through a cabin air filter, and the particulate condition is particulates in the airflow below a predetermined threshold quantity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first particulate sensor samples an airflow outside a vehicle, the second particulate sensor samples an airflow inside the vehicle, and the particulate condition is particulates in the airflows above a predetermined threshold quantity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first particulate sensor samples a first airflow in a first vehicle wheel well, the second particulate sensor samples a second airflow in a second vehicle wheel well, and the particulate condition is particulates indicative of brake dust above a predetermined threshold amount.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first particulate sensor samples a first airflow in a first vehicle wheel well, the second particulate sensor samples a second airflow in a second vehicle wheel well, and the particulate condition is particulates indicative of tire dust above a predetermined threshold amount.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the particulate data and a location of the vehicle to a remote telematics server in communication with the vehicle over a communications network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first particulate sensor includes a first micro-electromechanical systems sensor device having progressively finer filters for particulates for generating the first particulate data, and the second particulate sensor includes a second micro-electromechanical systems sensor device having progressively finer filters for particulates for generating the second particulate data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature data includes information indicative of size and quantity of ambient particulates associated with the particulate condition.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the first and second particulate data and a location of the vehicle to a remote telematics server in communication with the vehicle over a communications network.