SE541984C2 - Methods and control arrangement for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus - Google Patents

Abstract

Methods (300, 400) and control arrangement (210) for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110). The method (300) comprises determining (301) geographical position of the bus (100); detecting (302), in a database (240), a geographical position associated with a road anomaly (130) having potential to cause passenger distress; concluding (303) that the bus (100) is approaching the detected (302) geographical position; and emitting (308) an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly (130).

Description

METHODS AND CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR ADAPTIVE PASSENGER COMFORT AND SAFETY FUNCTIONALITY OF A BUS TECHNICAL FIELD This document discloses a control arrangement and methods therein. More particularly, methods and a control arrangement is provided, for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus, transporting passengers in a passenger compartment.

BACKGROUND Bus drivers have in general a very stressful situation, perhaps in particular bus drivers driving a bus of a bus line in densely populated metropolitan areas. Besides the obvious driver responsibility of continuously surveying the environmental traffic situation, the driver also has to keep an eye on the passengers and the situation in the passenger compartment. The driver also has to remember the route of the bus line he/ she currently is driving, including the placement of all bus stops and also keep yet an eye, if any left, on potentially new bus riders standing at any bus stop. Further, the driver also has to follow a streamlined time table.

A frequent result of the above situation is that the bus driver has to make sudden brakes when an ongoing passenger is detected, resolute accelerations to keep the time table, unexpected lateral turns to avoid various potholes, speed bumps and other defects of the road which the driver detects first at the last minute; resulting in an unpleasant and / or dangerous situation for the passengers.

Further, the bus (e.g. a metropolitan bus in rush hours) often comprises standing passengers, passengers with wheel chair or otherwise disabled passengers, baby carriages, passengers who place bags and cases on the floor (where other passengers may lose foothold when stepping over them) or alternatively on shelves (where they may fall down on sitting passengers), passengers with dogs or other pets, etc. The passengers on board, in particular when the bus is crowded, is very sensitive for sudden movements and serious incidents may occur in case the driver makes unexpected or hasty manoeuvres.

Currently, the experience of the bus driver is essential for the transportation comfort and safety of the passengers on-board. By detecting and knowing critical segments of the bus route (such as speed bumps, poorly illuminated street segments, road works, sharp curves, etc.), the driver can predict and plan the driving commands, for providing a smooth bus riding experience. However, newly recruited drivers sometimes have to start driving with insufficient knowledge of the particular conditions of a bus route. Also if the driver is experienced as a bus driver, he/ she may not be familiar with the particular conditions of that bus route.

Yet another problem related to busses is how to enable the conceptual step from busses driven by a human driver, to autonomous, driverless busses. As already mentioned, the driver experience concerning the bus route, and the bus driver’s ability to predict and plan the driving along the route, is essential for the comfort/ safety of the passengers.

Document WO2016202360 shows an adaptive system of a bus in line traffic to make the performance of the vehicle safer. The system is based on collected historical data, either by the own bus or earlier busses having driven the same line. The system makes automatic restrictions of the bus speed. However, no particular concern is made of the comfort/ safety of the passengers on-board, but rather concerns avoidance of over speeding.

Document US2014277830 relates to a system for monitoring and recording vehicle data such as speed and location when the driver makes a fast braking. Thereby, a driving pattern of the driver is created, which is analysed. In an upcoming similar situation, the driver is warned of a potentially dangerous situation. The document does not concern a bus with passengers and the particular problems related to passenger safety and comfort.

Document EP3159235 displays a driver assistance system for a vehicle, which, based on real-time sensors along with saved data, is calculating an expected risk for a current driving situation and may alert the driver under certain conditions. The disclosed driver assistance system relates to any arbitrary vehicle and does not address the particular concerns of a bus with passengers.

Document US2009326796 presents a system for a vehicle which uses information from onboard sensors and information from other vehicles as well as historical data, concerning e.g. traffic load on a certain street. Further, a risk assessment is made, resulting in an advice provided to the driver. Neither this document mentions any concerns about passenger comfort and security.

Document JP2012190398 discloses a vehicle hazard map generation method, wherein sensor data of sensors from a plurality of distinct vehicles is collected, and a hazard map is generated.

It appears that further development is required for addressing the particular objects related to bus driving, for assisting the bus driver during the transportation, and improve traffic safety and comfort of bus passengers.

SUMMARY It is therefore an object of this invention to solve at least some of the above problems and improve bus driving as well as the comfort and safety of passengers.

According to a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a method in a control arrangement. The method aims at providing an adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus transporting passengers in a passenger compartment. The method comprises determining geographical position of the bus. Further, the method also comprises detecting, in a database, a geographical position associated with a road anomaly having potential to cause passenger distress. In addition, the method comprises concluding that the bus is approaching the detected geographical position. The method furthermore comprises emitting an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly, wherein the road anomaly is stored in the database associated with an environmental condition. The method further comprises determining an environmental condition of the bus; and detecting that the determined environmental condition corresponds with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly. The alert is emitted to the bus driver when the determined environmental condition correspond with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly.

According to a second aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a control arrangement. The control arrangement is configured for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus transporting passengers in a passenger compartment. The control arrangement is configured to determine geographical position of the bus. Further, the control arrangement is also configured to detect, in a database, a geographical position associated with a road anomaly having potential to cause passenger distress. The control arrangement is additionally configured to conclude that the bus is approaching the detected geographical position. The control arrangement is also furthermore configured to emit, via an output device, an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly.

According to a third aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a method in the control arrangement according to the second aspect, for updating a database to be used in the method according to the first aspect, for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus transporting passengers in a passenger compartment. The method comprises detecting a passenger distress of passengers in the passenger compartment of the bus. Furthermore, the method also comprises determining geographical position of the bus, at the moment of the detected passenger distress. The method also comprises storing the determined geographical position in the database associated with the road anomaly having caused the detected passenger distress.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a system for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus transporting passengers in a passenger compartment. The system comprises a control arrangement according to the second aspect. The system also comprises a positioning device, configured for determining geographical position of the bus. Further, the system also comprises a database, configured to comprise data concerning geographical positions associated with a respective road anomaly having potential to cause passenger distress. The system additionally comprises an output device.

Thanks to the described aspects, by detecting passenger distress due to a road anomaly along a bus route and determine and store geographical positions of the detected passenger distress, it becomes possible to, when the bus approach the determined and stored geographical position, to output an alert to the driver, warning him/ her for the road anomaly.

Thereby, accidents among passengers in the passenger compartment may be avoided. Thus passenger comfort and safety is assured by adapting the velocity, acceleration and retardation to the situation in the passenger department (regarding standing passengers, wheelchairs, baby sitters etc.).

Other advantages and additional novel features will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description.

FIGURES Embodiments of the invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a bus according to an embodiment; Figure 2A illustrates a bus interior according to an embodiment; Figure 2B illustrates a bus interior and a bus external structure according to an embodiment; Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus; Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for updating a database; Figure 5 is an illustration depicting a system according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the invention described herein are defined as a control arrangement and methods in a control arrangement, which may be put into practice in the embodiments described below. These embodiments may, however, be exemplified and realised in many different forms and are not to be limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these illustrative examples of embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

Still other objects and features may become apparent from the following detailed description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the herein disclosed embodiments, for which reference is to be made to the appended claims. Further, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

Figure 1 illustrates a scenario wherein a bus 100 comprising a passenger compartment 110 is driving in a driving direction 105 on a road 120, approaching a road anomaly 130 of the road 120.

The bus 100 may comprise any type of road vehicle running on wheels on a road structure for the purpose of personal transportation, such as e.g. a double-decker bus, an articulated bus, a mini bus, coaches, a trolley bus, a transit bus, a school transportation bus, an airport bus, a prisoner transportation vehicle, an armoured personnel carrier, a patient transport ambulance, an animal transportation vehicle, etc. The bus 100 may be driver controlled or driverless (i.e. autonomously controlled) in different embodiments. However, for enhanced clarity, the bus 100 is subsequently described as having a driver.

The road anomaly 130 may comprise a road bump or other convexity emerging from the road 120, a hole or cavity of the road 120, a chicane or other arrangement for traffic calming, a sharp curve, a road crossing with low visibility, poorly illuminated street segments, road works, a traffic island or bus stop which is difficult to detect during low visibility conditions, such as darkness, fog, rain, etc. Different road anomalies 130 along the route may thereby be of different nature.

The bus 100 further comprises a first sensor 140 configured to monitor passenger status of passengers in the passenger compartment 110 of the bus 100.

The sensor 140 may comprise a set of sensors of the same, or different types. The sensor may comprise e.g. a camera, a stereo camera, an infrared camera, a video camera, a radar, a lidar, an ultrasound device, a time-of-flight camera, or similar device, in different embodiments. However, the sensor 140, or set of sensors, may comprise a pressure sensor in seats of the passenger compartment (for determining number of seated passengers), a photodetector for counting the number of passengers entering/ leaving the passenger compartment 110. The sensor 140 may in some embodiments be configured to detect if a passenger safety belt is buckled, in case the seats of the passenger compartment 110 are arranged with passenger safety belts.

According to an embodiment, data and information of the bus 100 while driving a bus route is detected, recorded and stored. Via the sensor 140, it may be detected that the passengers in the passenger compartment 110 are affected by sharp accelerations, sudden brakes, lateral turns, or other manoeuvres made by the driver.

The sensor signals may be interpreted by image recognition/ computer vision and object recognition. Computer vision is a technical field comprising methods for acquiring, processing, analysing, and understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic information. A theme in the development of this field has been to duplicate the abilities of human vision by electronically perceiving and understanding an image. Understanding in this context means the transformation of visual images (the input of retina) into descriptions of world that can interface with other thought processes and elicit appropriate action. This image understanding can be seen as the disentangling of symbolic information from image data using models constructed with the aid of geometry, physics, statistics, and learning theory. Computer vision may also be described as the enterprise of automating and integrating a wide range of processes and representations for vision perception.

The image data of the sensor 140 may take many forms, such as e.g. images, video sequences, views from multiple cameras, or multi-dimensional data from a scanner.

Further, in some embodiments, the passengers in the passenger compartment 110 and their current status may be recognised, based on obtained sensor signals of the sensor 140 by deep learning (sometimes also referred to as deep structured learning, hierarchical learning and / or deep machine learning); a branch of machine learning based on a set of algorithms that attempt to model high-level abstractions in data by using multiple processing layers with complex structures, or otherwise composed of multiple non-linear transformations. Deep learning is based on learning representations of data. An observation (e.g., an image) can be represented in many ways such as a vector of intensity values per pixel, or in a more abstract way as a set of edges, regions of particular shape, etc.

Deep learning typically uses a cascade of many layers of nonlinear processing units for feature extraction and transformation. Each successive layer uses the output from the previous layer as input. The algorithms may be supervised or unsupervised and applications may comprise pattern analysis (unsupervised) and classification (supervised). Further, deep learning may be based on the (unsupervised) learning of multiple levels of features or representations of the data. Higher level features may be derived from lower level features to form a hierarchical representation. By Deep learning, multiple levels of representations that correspond to different levels of abstraction are learned; the levels form a hierarchy of concepts. The composition of a layer of nonlinear processing units used in a deep learning algorithm depends on the problem to be solved, i.e. recognising the predefined object, in this case passengers in distress, such as falling passengers, passengers losing foothold, etc.

The geographical position of the detected passenger distress may be determined, e.g. by a satellite navigation system such as the Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging (Navstar) Global Positioning System (GPS), Differential GPS (DGPS), Galileo, GLONASS, or the like.

The geographical position of the vehicle 100 may alternatively be determined, e.g. by having transponders positioned at known positions around the route and a dedicated sensor in the vehicle 100, for recognising the transponders and thereby determining the position; by detecting and recognising WiFi networks (WiFi networks along the route may be mapped with certain respective geographical positions in a database); by receiving a Bluetooth beaconing signal, associated with a geographical position, or other signal signatures of wireless signals such as e.g. by triangulation of signals emitted by a plurality of fixed base stations with known geographical positions. The position may alternatively be entered by the driver.

Thereby, the geographical positions along the bus route where passenger discomfort have been detected by the sensor 140 are determined and stored in a database, possibly associated with a reference of magnitude and/ or type of the passenger distress.

When the bus 100, or another cooperating bus, is approaching any of the stored geographical positions associated with passenger distress, an alert is emitted to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly 130.

The driver is thereby informed about the upcoming road anomaly 130 and distress of the passengers may be avoided.

Figure 2A illustrates an example of how the scenario of Figure 1 may be perceived by the driver of the bus 100, when driving on the road 120, approaching the road anomaly 130, which here comprises a speed bump.

The bus 100 comprises a control arrangement 210 wherein various computations and calculations for performing adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionalities of the bus 100.

Furthermore, the bus 100 may comprise means for determining geographical position of the bus 100, such as a positioning device 220. The positioning device 220 may be based on a satellite navigation system such as the Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging (Navstar) Global Positioning System (GPS), Differential GPS (DGPS), Galileo, GLONASS, or the like.

The geographical position of the positioning device 220, (and thereby also of the bus 100) may be done continuously with a certain predetermined or configurable time intervals according to various embodiments.

Positioning by satellite navigation is based on distance measurement using triangulation from a number of satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d. The satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d continuously transmit information about time and date (for example, in coded form), identity (which satellite 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d which broadcasts), status, and where the satellite 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d are situated at any given time. GPS satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d sends information encoded with different codes, for example, but not necessarily based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). This allows information from an individual satellite 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d distinguished from the others' information, based on a unique code for each respective satellite 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d. This information can then be transmitted to be received by the appropriately adapted positioning device 220 comprised in the bus Distance measurement can according to some embodiments comprise measuring the difference in the time it takes for each respective satellite signal transmitted by the respective satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d, to reach the positioning device 220. As the radio signals travel at the speed of light, the distance to the respective satellite 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d may be computed by measuring the signal propagation time.

The positions of the satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d are known, as they continuously are monitored by approximately 15-30 ground stations located mainly along and near the earth's equator. Thereby the geographical position, i.e. latitude and longitude, of the bus 100 comprising the positioning device 220 may be calculated by determining the distance to at least three satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d through triangulation. For determination of altitude, signals from four satellites 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d may be used according to some embodiments.

Having determined the geographical position of the positioning device 220, and thereby also of the bus 100, it may be presented on a map, where the position of the bus 100 may be marked, as well as the positions of e.g. the bus route and / or bus stops ahead of the bus 100.

Further, the bus 100 may comprise a database 240, in some embodiments. The database 240 is configured to store geographical positions of places along the route, associated with passenger distress.

The bus 100 may furthermore comprise an output device 250 configured to output an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly 130. The output device 250 may comprise e.g. a loudspeaker, a display, a projector, a tactile device, a head-up display, a display integrated in the windshield of the bus 100, a display integrated in the dashboard of the bus 100, a tactile device, a portable device of the bus driver, a set of close-eyes displays (i.e. intelligent glasses; intelligent lenses etc.) of the driver; or a combination thereof.

The bus 100 also comprises a second sensor 260. The second sensor 260 may be forwardly directed. In the illustrated embodiment, which is merely an arbitrary example, the forwardly directed sensor 260 may be situated e.g. at the front of the bus 100, behind the windscreen of the bus 100.

Mounting the forwardly directed second sensor 260 behind the windshield have some advantages compared to externally mounted camera systems. These advantages include the possibility to use windshield wipers for cleaning and using the light from headlights to illuminate objects in the camera’s field of view. It is also protected from dirt, snow, rain and to some extent also from damage, vandalism and / or theft. Such sensor 260 may also be used for a variety of other tasks.

The optional sensor 260 may be directed towards the front of the bus 100, in the driving direction 105. The sensor 260 may comprise e.g. a camera, a stereo camera, an infrared camera, a video camera, a radar, a lidar, an ultrasound device, a time-of-flight camera, or similar device, in different embodiments.

In some embodiments, the sensor 260 may comprise e.g. a motion detector and / or be based on a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor sensitive to a person's skin temperature through emitted black body radiation at mid-infrared wavelengths, in contrast to background objects at room temperature (e.g. for detecting a road sequence where people or animals often pass the road 120); or by emitting a continuous wave of microwave radiation and detect motion through the principle of Doppler radar; or by emitting an ultrasonic wave an detecting and analysing the reflections; or by a tomographic motion detection system based on detection of radio wave disturbances, to mention some possible implementations.

Thereby, the second sensor 260 is configured to monitor environmental condition of the bus 100.

The control arrangement 210 may communicate with the above described units and devices in the bus 100 interactively via e.g. a wired or wireless communication bus. The communication bus may comprise e.g. a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, a Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) bus, Ethernet, or similar. However, the communication may alternatively be made over a wireless connection comprising, or at least be inspired by any of the previously discussed wireless communication technologies.

While driving along the route of the bus 100, upon detecting a passenger distress in the passenger compartment 110 via the first sensor 140, which in fact may comprise a plurality of different sensors as previously mentioned, the geographical position of the bus 100 is determined and stored in the database 240, associated with the passenger distress. In some embodiments, a level of passenger distress may be determined and stored, associated with the determined geographical position.

When the bus 100 at a later moment in time is approaching the stored geographical position an alert is triggered and outputted to the driver, at the one or several output device 250.

Further, a third sensor 270 may be comprised in the bus 100 and arranged to monitor restrictive driver actions, having been performed when the alert has been outputted. The restrictive driver action may typically comprise e.g. reducing velocity of the bus 100 (without sharp braking, i.e. deceleration exceeding a threshold limit); accelerating the bus 100, without excessive acceleration exceeding a threshold limit; etc. The third sensor 270 may for example detect driver activity on the brake, on the gas pedal and / or on the driving wheel.

By the third sensor 270, it may be detected that the driver is neglecting the alert concerning the upcoming road anomaly 130. In some embodiments, an automatic action may then be triggered, e.g. for smoothly reducing speed of the bus 100, down to under a threshold speed limit.

Figure 2B illustrates an example of a scenario similar to the one previously illustrated in Figure 2A, but wherein the control arrangement 210 and the database 240 are situated in a vehicle external structure. The bus 100 may communicate over a wireless interface via a transceiver 280 communicating with the control arrangement 210 in the vehicle external structure via another communication device 290 of the vehicle external structure.

The bus 100 may be the same or similar to the previously discussed bus 100 presented in Figure 2A. However, it is here illustrated how a vehicle external structure may communicate with the bus 100 and / or other busses and / or other vehicles.

The communication between the bus 100 and the vehicle external structure, and / or between the other vehicles and the vehicle external structure may be made over a wireless communication interface, such as e.g. Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication, or Vehicle-to-lnfrastructure (V2I) communication. The common term Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is sometimes used, e.g. based on Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) devices. DSRC works in 5.9 GHz band with bandwidth of 75 MHz and approximate range of 1000 m in some embodiments.

The wireless communication may be made according to any IEEE standard for wireless vehicular communication like e.g. a special mode of operation of IEEE 802.11 for vehicular networks called Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE). IEEE 802.11 p is an extension to 802.11 Wireless LAN medium access layer (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) specification.

Such wireless communication interface may comprise, or at least be inspired by wireless communication technology such as Wi-Fi, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Bluetooth (BT), Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Z-wave, ZigBee, IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6L0WPAN), Wireless Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) Protocol, Wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB), optical communication such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) such as e.g. LoRa, or infrared transmission to name but a few possible examples of wireless communications in some embodiments.

The communication may alternatively be made over a wireless interface comprising, or at least being inspired by radio access technologies such as e.g. 3GPP LTE, LTE-Advanced, E-UTRAN, UMTS, GSM, GSM/ EDGE, WCDMA, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) networks, Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) networks, Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), or Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), 3GPP2 CDMA technologies, e.g., CDMA2000 1x RTT and High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), or similar, just to mention some few options, via a wireless communication network.

An advantage with a vehicle external database 240 and control arrangement 210 is that several vehicles may share the same database 240, and information on the database 240. It thereby becomes possible for a bus (or other vehicle), to obtain an alert, warning the driver for an upcoming road anomaly 130 that will affect the comfort/ security of the passengers, even when the bus 100 is driving the route for the first time. Thereby, tacit knowledge may be transferred from an experienced driver on the route, to a new driver (i.e. a driver that is unfamiliar with the particular bus line), resulting in a safer and more comfortable travel for the passengers.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of a method 300 according to an embodiment. The flow chart in Figure 3 shows the method 300 in a control arrangement 210. The control arrangement 210 may be situated in a bus 100 in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the control arrangement 210 may be situated in a vehicle external structure 320.

The method 300 aims at providing adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus 100 transporting passengers in a passenger compartment 110.

The bus 100 may be any arbitrary kind of means for conveyance and transportation of passengers, i.e. people besides the driver.

In order to correctly be able to provide the adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality, the method 300 may comprise a number of method steps 301-310. Some of the method steps 301-310 may be performed only in some particular embodiments, such as e.g. steps 304-307 and / or 309-310. Further, the described steps 301 -310 may be performed in a somewhat different chronological order than the numbering suggests. The method 300 may comprise the subsequent steps: Step 301 comprises determining geographical position of the bus 100.

The geographical position may be determined by GPS, or by any of the previously discussed methods.

Step 302 comprises detecting, in a database 240, a geographical position associated with a road anomaly 130, having potential to cause passenger distress.

The database 240 may comprise geographical position of previously discovered road anomalies 130 wherein distressed passengers have been detected.

The database 240 may store the geographical position associated with the road anomaly 130 with a respective time stamp. Thereby, old data (i.e. older than a threshold time limit) of the database 240 may be filtered out and / or deleted.

Step 303 comprises concluding that the bus 100 is approaching the detected 302 geographical position.

The distance between the current determined 301 geographical position of the bus 100 and the detected 302 geographical position in the database 240 may be configurable or predetermined in different embodiments.

Step 304, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments, comprises monitoring passenger status of the passenger compartment 110 of the bus 100.

Standing passengers and / or passengers in wheel chair, baby sitters, etc., may be detected by one or several sensors 140 in the vehicle compartment 110.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the number of passengers entering the bus 100 may be counted by a sensor at the respective vehicle entrance (or alternatively by keeping track of the number of sold tickets). The number of standing passengers may be estimated by knowing the number of seats and making a comparison with the number of entered passengers (making an assumption that most passengers prefer to sit, if it is possible), at the passenger compartment 110. Alternatively, seat sensors may be situated in the seats of the bus 100, and the number of seated passengers may be subtracted from the number of entered passengers.

Further, belt sensors at the seats may be used for detecting if the seated passengers are belted. In case all passengers are seated and belted, a higher speed, acceleration, deceleration and / or lateral displacement may be allowed in some embodiments.

Step 305, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments wherein step 304 has been performed, comprises estimating passenger distress potential of the road anomaly 130, based on the monitored 304 passenger status.

Presence of standing passengers, wheel chair, baby sitters, etc., in the passenger compartment 110 may cause the highest distress potential. Thus, in case standing passengers are present in the passenger compartment 110, only a very low acceleration/ deceleration/ velocity may be allowed, i.e. an acceleration/ deceleration/ velocity lower than a first threshold level.

In case all passengers are seated but not belted, an intermediate acceleration/ deceleration/ velocity may be allowed. When all passengers in the passenger compartment 110 are seated and belted, a relatively high acceleration/ deceleration/ velocity may be allowed.

Step 306, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments wherein the road anomaly 130 is stored in the database 240 associated with an environmental condition, comprises determining an environmental condition of the bus 100.

The environmental condition may be for example amount of daylight (a certain road anomaly 130 may be difficult to discover in bad lightning conditions, i.e. an incoming light level being lower than a threshold level); time of the day (some pedestrian crossings etc. may be very crowded during rush hours); time of the year (some road passages may be slippery due to leafs during autumn; some road passages may cause aquaplaning during rain; some road passages may become icy when the temperature falls below zero); etc.

These environmental conditions may be determined e.g. by a chronographic functionality, by a sensor such as a light sensor, a rain sensor, a thermometer, etc.

Step 307, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments wherein step 306 has been performed, comprises detecting that the determined 306 environmental condition corresponds with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly 130.

Step 308 comprises emitting an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly 130.

The alert emitted to the bus driver may in some embodiments be based on the estimated 305 passenger distress potential.

In some embodiments, wherein passenger distress potential limit has been stored in the database 240, associated with the road anomaly 130, the alert may be emitted to the bus driver when the estimated 305 passenger distress potential exceeds the passenger distress potential limit stored in the database 240.

In yet some embodiments, the alert may be emitted to the bus driver when the determined 306 environmental condition correspond with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly 130.

In some particular embodiments, the alert may be emitted also to passengers in the passenger compartment 110 for informing them about the approaching road anomaly 130, e.g. via an output device such as a loudspeaker, a display, a projector, a tactile device, etc.

In some embodiments, the alert may be outputted to the bus driver always when there is a risk that passengers may be affected by the road anomaly 130. In other embodiments, the alert may be inhibited in case the driver fulfils a certain precondition or perform a certain measure when approaching the road anomaly 130, such as e.g., lower the speed under a threshold limit, reducing acceleration, etc., which may be detected by a sensor. By inhibiting the alert during some predefined conditions, it is avoided that the driver is disturbed by unnecessary alerts. Unnecessary alerts may distract the driver and affect his/ her appreciations/ reliance of the system for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality. Thus, the alert may be emitted only when the bus 100 is driving faster than a predefined threshold limit. There may be distinct predefined threshold limits associated with different road anomalies 130, stored in the database 240, associated with the geographical position.

Step 309, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments, comprises detecting a restrictive driver action, caused by the emitted 308 alert.

The restrictive driver action may comprise a soft braking, a smooth acceleration, etc., depending on the nature of the emitted 308 alert.

Step 310, which only may be comprised in some particular embodiments wherein step 309 has been performed, comprises activating an automatic action to prevent passenger distress, in case no restrictive driver action is detected 309 when an alert has been outputted 308.

There may be different threshold limits associated with different road anomalies 130, which may be stored in the database 240, associated therewith, for triggering the automatic action. Also, there may be different automatic actions associated with different road anomalies 130, such as decreasing speed, limiting acceleration, limiting deceleration, stopping the bus 100, etc.

Figure 4 illustrates an example of a method 400 according to an embodiment. The flow chart in Figure 4 shows the method 400 in a control arrangement 210. The control arrangement 210 may be situated in a bus 100 in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the control arrangement 210 may be situated in a vehicle external structure 320.

The method 400 aims at updating a database 240 to be used in the previously described method 300, as illustrated in Figure 3, for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of the bus 100 transporting passengers in a passenger compartment 110.

The bus 100 may be any arbitrary kind of means for conveyance and transportation of passengers, i.e. people besides the driver.

In order to correctly be able to update the database 240, the method 400 may comprise a number of steps 401-403. Some of the method steps 401-403 may be performed in a somewhat different chronological order than the numbering suggests. The method 400 may comprise the subsequent steps: Step 401 comprises detecting a passenger distress of passengers in the passenger compartment 110 of the bus 100.

The detection may be made by one or several sensors 140 which are monitoring the passengers in the passenger compartment 110.

The detection may comprise detecting passengers that are falling, losing foothold, losing balance; and / or that luggage is falling, etc.

In some optional embodiments, an estimated level of distress of the passengers may be determined.

Step 402 comprises determining geographical position of the bus 100, at the moment of the detected 401 passenger distress.

The geographical position may be determined by a GPS, or according to any of the other previously described methods.

Step 403 comprises storing the determined 402 geographical position in the database 240 associated with the road anomaly 130 having caused the detected 401 passenger distress.

In some optional embodiments, an estimated level of distress of the passengers may also be stored in the database 240, associated with the determined 402 geographical position.

Further, in some embodiments, a time stamp may be determined and be associated with the storage of the geographical position and the road anomaly 130.

Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of a system 500. The system 500 is configured for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus 100 transporting passengers in a passenger compartment 110.

The system 500 comprises a control arrangement 210 for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus 100 transporting passengers in a passenger compartment 110, by performing the previously described method 300 for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus 100 transporting passengers in a passenger compartment 110. Further, the control arrangement 210 may further be configured for performing the method 400 for updating a database 240. The control arrangement 210 is configured to determine geographical position of the bus 100. Further, the control arrangement 210 is configured to detect, in a database 240, a geographical position associated with a road anomaly 130 having potential to cause passenger distress. The control arrangement 210 is also configured to conclude that the bus 100 is approaching the detected geographical position. In addition, the control arrangement 210 is furthermore configured to emit, via an output device 250, an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly 130.

In some embodiments, the control arrangement 210 may also be configured to monitor passenger status of the passenger compartment 110 of the bus 100. Further, the control arrangement 210 may be additionally configured to estimate passenger distress potential of the road anomaly 130, based on the monitored passenger status.

The control arrangement 210 may furthermore be configured to determine and / or store a passenger distress potential limit is stored in the database 240, associated with the road anomaly 130.

Additionally, the control arrangement 210 may be configured to emit the alert to the bus driver when the estimated passenger distress potential exceeds the passenger distress potential limit stored in the database 240.

In some embodiments wherein the road anomaly 130 is stored in the database 240 associated with an environmental condition, the control arrangement 210 may also be additionally configured to determine an environmental condition of the bus 100. The control arrangement 210 may furthermore be configured to detect that the determined environmental condition corresponds with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly 130. The control arrangement 210 may furthermore be configured to emit the alert to the bus driver when the determined environmental condition correspond with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly 130.

The control arrangement 210 may in some embodiments be further configured to detect a restrictive driver action, caused by the emitted alert. Also, the control arrangement 210 may be configured to activate an automatic action to prevent passenger distress, in case no restrictive driver action is detected.

In yet some alternative embodiments, the control arrangement 210 may also be configured to emit the alert to passengers in the passenger compartment 110 for informing them about the approaching road anomaly 130.

The system 500 also comprises a database 240. The database 240 is configured to comprise data concerning geographical positions associated with a respective road anomaly 130, having potential to cause passenger distress. The database 240 may be situated in the bus 100 in some embodiments, or in vehicle external structures in other embodiments.

Furthermore, the system 500 in addition also comprises a positioning device 220, configured for determining geographical position of the bus 100.

The system 500 may in addition comprise an output device 250, such as a display, a loudspeaker, a tactile device, etc. The output device 250 may furthermore be configured to emit the alert to passengers in the passenger compartment 110 for informing them about the approaching road anomaly 130, in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the system 500 also may comprise a first sensor 140, configured to monitor passenger status of the passenger compartment 110 of the bus 100.

Furthermore, the system 500 also may comprise a second sensor 260, configured to monitor environmental condition of the bus 100.

Also, the system 500 may comprise a third sensor 270, configured to monitor restrictive driver actions.

The control arrangement 210 comprises a receiving circuit 510, configured to receive communication from: the database 240, the positioning device 220, the first sensor 140, the second sensor 260 and / or the third sensor 270. The receiving circuit 510 may further be configured for communication with the vehicle external structure 320 in some embodiments.

The control arrangement 210 further comprises a processing circuitry 520 configured for performing various calculations and computations in order to perform the methods 300, 400, according to the previously described steps 301-310 and/ or 401-403.

Such processing circuitry 520 may comprise one or more instances of a processing circuit, i.e. a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a processing unit, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, or other processing logic that may interpret and execute instructions. The herein utilised expression “processor” may thus represent a processing circuitry comprising a plurality of processing circuits, such as, e.g., any, some or all of the ones enumerated above.

Furthermore, the control arrangement 210 may comprise a memory 525 in some embodiments. The optional memory 525 may comprise a physical device utilised to store data or programs, i.e., sequences of instructions, on a temporary or permanent basis. According to some embodiments, the memory 525 may comprise integrated circuits comprising siliconbased transistors. The memory 525 may comprise e.g. a memory card, a flash memory, a USB memory, a hard disc, or another similar volatile or non-volatile storage unit for storing data such as e.g. ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), etc. in different embodiments.

The previously described steps 301-310 and / or 401-403 to be performed in the control arrangement 210 may be implemented through the one or more processing circuits 520 within the control arrangement 210, together with computer program product for performing at least some of the functions of the steps 301-310 and / or 401-403. Thus a computer program product, comprising instructions for performing the steps 301-310 and / or 401-403 in the control arrangement 210 may perform the methods 300, 400 comprising at least some of the steps 301-310 and / or 401-403, when the computer program is loaded into the one or more processing circuits 520 of the control arrangement 210. The described method steps 301-310 and / or 401-403 thus may be performed by a computer algorithm, a machine executable code, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or a software instructions programmed into a suitable programmable logic such as the processing circuits 520 in the control arrangement 210.

The computer program product mentioned above may be provided for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing at least some of the steps 301-310 and / or 401-403 according to some embodiments when being loaded into the one or more processing circuits 520 of the control arrangement 210. The data carrier may be, e.g., a hard disk, a CD ROM disc, a memory stick, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device or any other appropriate medium such as a disk or tape that may hold machine readable data in a non-transitory manner. The computer program product may furthermore be provided as computer program code on a server and downloaded to the control arrangement 210 remotely, e.g., over an Internet or an intranet connection.

Further, some embodiments may comprise a bus 100, comprising a control arrangement 210.

In addition, some embodiments may comprise a vehicle external structure, comprising the control arrangement 210.

The terminology used in the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the described methods 300, 400, control arrangement 210; computer program, system 500, bus 100 and / or vehicle external structure. Various changes, substitutions and / or alterations may be made, without departing from invention embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

As used herein, the term "and/ or" comprises any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The term “or” as used herein, is to be interpreted as a mathematical OR, i.e., as an inclusive disjunction; not as a mathematical exclusive OR (XOR), unless expressly stated otherwise. In addition, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are to be interpreted as “at least one”, thus also possibly comprising a plurality of entities of the same kind, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "includes", "comprises", "including" and / or "comprising", specifies the presence of stated features, actions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, actions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. A single unit such as e.g. a processor may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/ distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms such as via Internet or other wired or wireless communication system.

Claims (14)

PATENT CLAIMS

1. . A method (300) in a control arrangement (210) for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110), wherein the method (300) comprises: determining (301) geographical position of the bus (100); detecting (302), in a database (240), a geographical position associated with a road anomaly (130) having potential to cause passenger distress; concluding (303) that the bus (100) is approaching the detected (302) geographical position; and emitting (308) an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly (130); wherein the road anomaly (130) is stored in the database (240) associated with an environmental condition; and wherein the method (300) comprises: determining (306) an environmental condition of the bus (100); detecting (307) that the determined (306) environmental condition corresponds with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly (130); and the alert is emitted (308) to the bus driver when the determined (306) environmental condition correspond with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly (130).

2. The method (300) according to claim 1, further comprising: monitoring (304) passenger status of the passenger compartment (110) of the bus (100); and estimating (305) passenger distress potential of the road anomaly (130), based on the monitored (304) passenger status; and wherein the alert is emitted (308) to the bus driver, based on the estimated (305) passenger distress potential.

3. The method (300) according to claim 2, wherein: a passenger distress potential limit is stored in the database (240), associated with the road anomaly (130); and the alert is emitted (308) to the bus driver when the estimated (305) passenger distress potential exceeds the passenger distress potential limit stored in the database (240).

4. The method (300) according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising: detecting (309) a restrictive driver action, caused by the emitted (308) alert; and activating (310) an automatic action to prevent passenger distress, in case no restrictive driver action is detected (309).

5. The method (300) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the alert is emitted (308) also to passengers in the passenger compartment (110) for informing them about the approaching road anomaly (130).

6. A control arrangement (210) for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110), wherein the control arrangement (210) is configured to: determine geographical position of the bus (100); detect, in a database (240), a geographical position associated with a road anomaly (130) having potential to cause passenger distress; conclude that the bus (100) is approaching the detected geographical position; and emit, via an output device (250a, 250b), an alert to the bus driver, informing about the approaching road anomaly (130); wherein the road anomaly (130) is stored in the database (240) associated with an environmental condition; and wherein the control arrangement (210) is configured to: determine an environmental condition of the bus (100); detect that the determined (306) environmental condition corresponds with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly (130); and emit the alert to the bus driver when the determined (306) environmental condition correspond with the environmental condition associated with the stored road anomaly (130).

7. A method (400) in the control arrangement (210) according to claim 6, for updating a database (240) to be used in the method (300) according to any one of claims 1-5 for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110), wherein the method (400) comprises: detecting (401) a passenger distress of passengers in the passenger compartment (110) of the bus (100); determining (402) geographical position of the bus (100), at the moment of the detected (401) passenger distress; and storing (403) the determined (402) geographical position in the database (240) associated with the road anomaly (130) having caused the detected (401) passenger distress.

8. A system (500) for adaptive passenger comfort and safety functionality of a bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110), wherein the system (500) comprises: a control arrangement (210) according to claim 6; and a database (240), configured to comprise data concerning geographical positions associated with a respective road anomaly (130) having potential to cause passenger distress; a positioning device (220), configured for determining geographical position of the bus (100); and an output device (250a, 250b).

9. The system (500) according to claim 8, further comprising: a first sensor (140), configured to monitor passenger status of the passenger compartment (110) of the bus (100).

10. The system (500) according to any one of claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising: a second sensor (260), configured to monitor environmental condition of the bus (100).

11. The system (500) according to any one of claims 8-10, further comprising: a third sensor (270), configured to monitor restrictive driver actions.

12. The system (500) according to any one of claims 8-11, wherein the output device (250a, 250b) is further configured to emit the alert to passengers in the passenger compartment (110) for informing them about the approaching road anomaly (130).

13. A computer program comprising program code for performing a method (300, 400) according to any of claims 1-5 or 7, when the computer program is executed in a computer.

14. A bus (100) transporting passengers in a passenger compartment (110), comprising a system (500) according to any one of claims 8-11.