WO2021078427A1

WO2021078427A1 - System and method for supporting respiratory therapy of occupants in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2021078427A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/074078
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tobias MÖLLER; Andrea Sprafke; Manfred Knye
Original assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2019-10-22
Filing date: 2020-08-28
Publication date: 2021-04-29
Also published as: DE102019216246A1; EP4021292A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for supporting respiratory therapy of occupants in a vehicle. The invention also relates to a vehicle having such a system. According to the invention, a system (10) is provided for supporting respiratory therapy of occupants (12) in a vehicle (14). Such a system (10) comprises a control and computing unit (16), which is configured to receive information, determined by means of at least one in-system and/or in-vehicle sensor element (18, 20), about the breathing of an occupant (12) continuously while the occupant is in the vehicle (14). The information can be evaluated using a monitoring program (22) which is stored executably on the control and computing unit (16). When at least a first sign of respiratory dysfunction and/or a first sign of conspicuous breathing of the vehicle occupant (12) is determined by means of the monitoring program (22), the affected vehicle occupant (12) can be provided with at least one in-system and/or in-vehicle therapeutic measure in an automated and/or user-defined manner. The invention also relates to a corresponding method and a vehicle (14).

Description

description

System and method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants in one

vehicle

The invention relates to a system and a method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants in a vehicle and a vehicle with such a system.

A conscious and above all healthy way of life is increasingly supported not only by appropriate activities and lifestyle habits, but above all by the fact that early diagnostic methods and their application in everyday life are often also practiced. In this context, for example, it is already to be regarded as normal for a watch worn by a user to collect basic vital parameters of the user and make them available to other systems for a subsequent evaluation.

In the vehicle industry, too, the first techniques in this context are already known which provide similar or extended approaches for the user or vehicle occupant. Initial approaches are presented below as examples.

For example, a system and a method for monitoring the state of health and / or the well-being of a vehicle occupant can be found in the document DE 102015 105 581 A1. The system comprises a control unit, which comprises: a receiver for wirelessly receiving physiological parameters from at least one unit to be worn on the body, which unit comprises one or more sensors for determining one or more physiological parameters of the vehicle occupant, and a diagnostic module, which for this purpose is set up to derive information relating to the state of health, the state of health or pathological events based at least in part on the received physiological parameters. The control unit is also set up to inform the vehicle occupant about the state of health via at least one output unit of the vehicle and to initiate at least one of the following steps: adapting vehicle functions to the condition or proposing measures or interactively carrying out measures to improve the vehicle via at least one output unit of the vehicle Serve the state. A system for medical support for the occupants of a motor vehicle is also known from the publication DE 10249415 B3. The motor vehicle presented here has a system for supportive therapy, diagnosis or preventive therapy for a person in the vehicle. The system comprises an electronic data processing device for controlling and / or querying the system, an arrangement for prompting the person to perform an action and / or an identification arrangement for identifying the person for controlling and / or querying the system depending on the identification result. The motor vehicle also has a carrier system for supportive therapy, diagnosis or preventive therapy of a person in the motor vehicle with an electronic data processing device for controlling and / or querying the carrier system, an arrangement for querying the person performing an action and / or an identification arrangement for identification the person who controls and / or queries the carrier system, depending on the identification result.

From the document DE102017213998 A1, a method for instructing a physiological exercise in a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle itself can also be seen as known. In particular, this disclosure relates to a method for instructing a user of a motor vehicle in a physiological exercise. In order to increase the physical well-being of the user and the associated safety level of the motor vehicle, the following steps are provided: detecting a physiological parameter of the user, controlling a first light source of the motor vehicle in such a way that it visualizes the physiological parameter, selecting the physiological exercise for the user and control of a second light source of the motor vehicle in such a way that it visualizes the instructions for the physiological exercise.

There is still a need for alternatives which are designed to provide targeted support to a target person who is in a vehicle even before critical states occur in connection with, for example, respiratory diseases.

The invention is now based on the object of providing an alternative system and an alternative method for supporting a respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants in a vehicle, which can support the vehicle occupant in the case of existing respiratory diseases. In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that a system for supporting a respiratory therapy of vehicle occupants is provided in a vehicle. Such a system comprises a control and processing unit which is designed to receive information about a vehicle occupant's breathing determined by means of at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor element continuously during a stay in the vehicle and executable on the control and processing unit using an to evaluate the stored monitoring program. When at least one first sign of a respiratory dysfunction and / or one first sign of abnormal breathing of the vehicle occupant is detected, at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific therapeutic measure can be automatically and / or user-defined provided to the vehicle occupant concerned by means of the monitoring program. In this way, a vehicle occupant can be actively and in particular preventively supported against an illness-related critical condition if there are respiratory illnesses. For example, the vehicle occupant can stay in the vehicle in a controlling position. It is also conceivable that the vehicle occupant is any pillion passenger in the vehicle. In other words, the system is designed to monitor a selected person in the vehicle, for example in a user-defined manner. It is also conceivable that the system monitors all people at the same time and in parallel, for example the respective health status of all people can be stored in the system so that the respective information about the respective respiration can be evaluated in a targeted manner by means of the monitoring program.

Signs of a respiratory dysfunction and / or signs of abnormal breathing by the vehicle occupant can accordingly indicate acute respiratory problems such as an impending asthma attack. Existing respiratory diseases can be, for example, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and bronchial asthma or, in general, any asthma diseases. The control and computing unit can be, for example, a self-contained technical device which can be coupled to the vehicle and its components via corresponding interfaces. The system can, for example, comprise only one system-specific sensor element and can be coupled to further sensor elements that are specific to the vehicle. In general, any number ratio of the sensor elements based on the system's own and the vehicle's own elements is conceivable. In the monitoring program, for example, information about respective respiratory diseases of the vehicle occupants can be stored by the vehicle occupants, so that a respective evaluation can also be carried out in this context. In other words, the system presented can recognize any critical conditions in connection with respiratory diseases of vehicle occupants and provide appropriate solutions and / or measures. Determined information about the breathing of a vehicle occupant can include, for example, breathing movements and / or breathing noises of the person to be monitored. These can be, for example, respective instructions for problem solving. Thus, for example, a therapeutic measure can advantageously always be provided to the respective vehicle occupant before an illness-related seizure occurs. It is thus possible to prevent a possible violent attack by a vehicle occupant in the vehicle from leading to a critical overall situation in the vehicle, for example, which is in motion. In particular, if the driver himself is about to have an attack, a suitable therapeutic measure can prevent this and thus help to maintain a positive driving ability of the driver. The system-specific and / or vehicle-specific therapeutic measure can, for example, be previously stored in the system and / or the vehicle. For example, specific therapeutic measures can be stored for the respective vehicle occupants and their suffering. These can be provided, for example, in the form of software with respective stored instruction programs for the person concerned. The system is therefore not only designed to provide the desired support for respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants, but also to provide support in the event of acute respiratory problems. In this respect, a respective preventive breathing exercise can also be viewed as part of the respiratory therapy, which is provided to the vehicle occupant as part of a suitable therapeutic measure. For example, the affected vehicle occupant can have a chronic illness (for example COPD). According to his doctor, in addition to the medication, he should do special breathing exercises 4 times a week to improve breathing. In consultation with the doctor, his therapist played the necessary exercises, including instructions for any breathing training equipment, on existing software in the system and / or the vehicle. For example, in addition to the correct instructions, the actual exercise time can also be checked. The system can accordingly be designed to be so sensitive that these corresponding therapeutic measures are made available to the respective vehicle occupant even before an actual attack occurs. This can be provided, for example, with a request to carry out the measure immediately, so that a routine therapeutic measure can also be carried out in special situations, as described above, by the person concerned.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants is provided in a vehicle. Such a method comprises the following steps: Providing a system in accordance with One of claims 1 to 8, operation of a system according to one of claims 1 to 8, so that when a critical condition with regard to breathing of a vehicle occupant is determined before an illness-related attack, targeted countermeasures are carried out by means of the system, thus preventing the illness-related attack to counteract. The advantages mentioned above also apply to the procedure presented, insofar as they are transferrable.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that a vehicle is provided which comprises a system according to claims 1 to 8. The advantages mentioned above also apply to the vehicle presented, insofar as they are transferable.

The presented system and method can be implemented and used in any vehicle. For example, it can be a passenger vehicle.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the other features mentioned in the subclaims.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor elements are selected from: camera device, recording device, motion sensor element, biofeedback sensor element, TOF camera device, the respective system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor elements being designed for breathing sounds and / or breathing movements of the Monitor vehicle occupants. The recording device can for example comprise one or more microphones. For example, a system-specific microphone and a vehicle-specific microphone can be provided. By recording breath sounds and additional recordings by means of the camera device, acute respiratory problems such as an asthma attack can be recognized. With countermeasures such as the instruction of breathing exercises as part of a suitable therapeutic measure, illness-related seizures in connection with respiratory diseases can be reliably avoided and a vehicle occupant can be advantageously supported accordingly. The biofeedback sensor elements can be designed to receive any additional information from the target person or the vehicle occupant, which can be useful for determining an irregular breathing function.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is also provided that the at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific therapeutic measure comprises breathing exercises for the vehicle occupant, which are performed using system-specific and / or vehicle-specific aids can be carried out, the aids being selected from: loudspeaker device, screen device. For example, a respective exercise can be shown on a screen device, which is then to be imitated or carried out. Corresponding instructions can also be made available via a loudspeaker device. In other words, the necessary exercises in the vehicle can be instructed with the aid of screens and loudspeakers of the respective devices, so that the vehicle occupant is reliably supported. For example, it is conceivable that such exercises can be integrated into an infotainment system of the vehicle as specific exercise programs. Such breathing exercises can include, for example, any posture training that is suitable for improving the breathing function of the occupant concerned. Special breathing exercise programs with and without auxiliary devices can also be provided.

Furthermore, in a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that the system comprises at least one control sensor element, which is designed to detect an execution quality of the at least one therapeutic measure and to provide at least one piece of information about the execution quality to the vehicle occupant, so that the vehicle occupant receives feedback in real time about the at least one performed therapeutic measure can be provided. In this way, the vehicle occupant can be supported even better by means of the presented system. The better the therapy measure provided is carried out by the person concerned, the more likely an impending seizure can be reliably avoided.

In addition, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the at least one control sensor element can be integrated in the vehicle interior and / or in a seat belt and / or in a vehicle seat, with the feedback information in real time about the at least one therapeutic measure carried out by means of a screen device and / or a loudspeaker device can be provided. In other words, the feedback can be provided, for example, via a system-specific and / or vehicle-specific screen device and / or so that the person concerned is informed as quickly as possible about an incorrectly performed exercise and thus has the opportunity to take corrective action while the therapeutic measure is being carried out. Real-time feedback can therefore be generated, which can be passed on to the occupant via a screen and / or a loudspeaker of the respective devices and / or the vehicle seat and / or the seat belt. Thus, the quality of the workmanship can be determined with the help of sensors built into the seat, seat belt and driver's cab. In a further embodiment of the invention it is also provided that the system is designed to use system-internal and / or vehicle-internal aids to ask the vehicle occupant about the intake and presence of emergency medication before starting a journey with the vehicle. This question about emergency medication should always be asked when boarding. Thus, for example, a therapeutic measure to be carried out can also include taking such an emergency medication. Thus, the system presented can support an occupant even better.

Furthermore, in a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the system is designed for the vehicle occupant (12) when detecting at least one first sign of a respiratory dysfunction and / or a first sign of abnormal breathing of the vehicle occupant via the vehicle's own ventilation system by means of a system-specific and / or vehicle-specific ventilation system To supply gas device with at least one auxiliary gas, in particular an oxygen-containing auxiliary gas. Such an auxiliary gas can for example comprise a certain percentage of oxygen, wherein this percentage can be provided in a user-defined manner as a function of the respective respiratory disease. This auxiliary gas can thus be quickly supplied to an occupant as part of the therapeutic measure. In this way, an affected person can be reliably supported in order to accompany respiratory therapy quickly and always sensibly when an illness-related attack is to be avoided.

Finally, in a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that information about the therapeutic measures carried out can be transmitted to at least one other person, in particular a doctor or a therapist for the vehicle occupant. Thus, such information can have, for example, the correctness, duration and intensity of a control of the implementation of therapeutic measures. In addition, all other information collected by means of the respective sensors can be forwarded so that the doctor or therapist receives a comprehensive picture of the respective situations in connection with acute respiratory problems. Therapy measures can then be coordinated even better, for example.

The various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can advantageously be combined with one another, unless stated otherwise in the individual case.

The invention is explained below in exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it: FIG. 1 shows a system for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants in a vehicle;

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants in a vehicle;

Figure 3 shows a vehicle comprising a system according to claims 1 to 8.

FIG. 1 shows a system 10 for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants 12 in a vehicle 14. The system 10 is shown outside of the vehicle 14. This is shown only for the sake of clarity. It is thus conceivable that the presented system 10 is provided correspondingly integrated into the vehicle 14. In particular, the system 10 can thus at least partially be provided or installed reversibly in the interior of the vehicle 14. The system 10 for supporting a respiratory therapy of vehicle occupants 12 in a vehicle 14 is shown with a control and computing unit 16, which is designed by means of at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor element 18, 20 determined information about a respiration of a vehicle occupant 12 continuously during of a stay in the vehicle 14 and to evaluate it using a monitoring program 22 that is executable on the control and computing unit 16. In other words, a monitoring program 22 is stored in an executable manner on the control and computing unit 16. This monitoring program 22 is shown in the present FIG. 1 only in a greatly simplified manner. If at least one first sign of a respiratory dysfunction and / or a first sign of abnormal breathing of the vehicle occupant 12 is detected, at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific therapeutic measure can be automatically and / or user-specifically made available to the affected vehicle occupant 12 by means of the monitoring program 22.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart 100 of a method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants 12 in a vehicle 14. In a first method step 110, a system 10 according to one of claims 1 to 8 is provided. In a second method step 120, the system is operated according to one of claims 1 to 8, so that when a critical condition with regard to breathing of a vehicle occupant 12 is detected, targeted countermeasures are carried out by means of the system 10 even before an illness-related attack Counteract seizure. FIG. 3 shows a vehicle 14 comprising a system 10 according to claims 1 to 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS System, vehicle occupants, vehicle, control and computing unit, system-specific sensor element, vehicle-specific sensor element, monitoring program, flow chart, first method step, second method step

Claims

1. System (10) for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants (12) in a vehicle (14) comprising a control and computing unit (16), which is designed by means of at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor element (18, 20) determined information to receive continuously during a stay in the vehicle (14) via breathing of a vehicle occupant (12) and to evaluate it using a monitoring program (22) stored in the control and computing unit (16), characterized in that when at least one first Signs of a respiratory dysfunction and / or a first sign of abnormal breathing by the vehicle occupant (12) can be provided automatically and / or in a user-defined manner to the affected vehicle occupant (12) by means of the monitoring program (22).

2. System (10) according to claim 1, wherein the system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor elements (18, 20) are selected from: camera device, recording device, motion sensor element, biofeedback sensor element, TOF camera device, the respective system-specific and / or vehicle-specific sensor elements (18 , 20) are designed to monitor breathing sounds and / or breathing movements of the vehicle occupant (12).

3. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one system-specific and / or vehicle-specific therapeutic measure comprises breathing exercises for the vehicle occupant (12), which can be carried out using system-specific and / or vehicle-specific aids, the aids being selected from: loudspeaker device , Display device.

4. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (10) comprises at least one control sensor element which is designed to detect an execution quality of the at least one therapeutic measure and to provide at least information about the execution quality to the vehicle occupant (12) so that the vehicle occupant (12) can be provided with feedback in real time about the at least one therapeutic measure that has been carried out.

5. System (10) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one control sensor element can be integrated in the vehicle interior and / or in a seat belt and / or in a vehicle seat, the feedback information in real time about the at least one therapeutic measure carried out by means of a screen device and / or a Speaker device can be provided.

6. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (10) is designed via system-internal and / or vehicle-internal aids to the vehicle occupants (12) via the intake and presence of emergency medication before starting a journey with the vehicle (14) to question.

7. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (10) is designed to assist the vehicle occupant (12) when detecting at least a first sign of a respiratory dysfunction and / or a first sign of abnormal breathing of the vehicle occupant (12) via the to supply the vehicle's own ventilation system with at least one auxiliary gas, in particular an oxygen-containing auxiliary gas, by means of a system-specific and / or vehicle-specific gas device.

8. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein information about performed therapeutic measures can be transmitted to at least one other person, in particular a doctor or a therapist for the vehicle occupant (12).

9. A method for supporting respiratory therapy for vehicle occupants (12) in a vehicle (14) comprising the following steps:

• providing a system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8;

• Operation of the system (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8, so that when a critical condition with respect to breathing of a vehicle occupant (12) is detected, targeted countermeasures are carried out by means of the system (10) even before an illness-related attack counteract the illness-related seizure.

10. Vehicle (14) comprising a system (10) according to claims 1 to 8.