WO2023284661A1

WO2023284661A1 - On-board disinfection system and method for trunk, and corresponding vehicle and program product

Info

Publication number: WO2023284661A1
Application number: PCT/CN2022/104809
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zhisen ZHAO
Original assignee: Mercedes-Benz Group AG; Daimler Greater China Ltd.
Priority date: 2021-07-12
Filing date: 2022-07-11
Publication date: 2023-01-19
Also published as: CN115607702A

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of on-board technology, in particular to an on-board disinfection system for a trunk of a vehicle, at least comprising: at least one movable first disinfection device configured to release a disinfection medium into the trunk; and an electronic control unit configured to control the first disinfection device; wherein the disinfection device is configured to, under the control of the electronic control unit, be able to move to a corresponding disinfection position that is conducive to disinfection of an item to be disinfected depending on a position of the item to be disinfected. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding disinfection method, a corresponding vehicle and a corresponding computer program product. According to the disclosure, the position of the item to be disinfected can be automatically determined and the optimal disinfection mode can be selected.

Description

ON-BOARD DISINFECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRUNK, AND CORRESPONDING VEHICLE AND PROGRAM PRODUCT

Technical Field

This disclosure relates to an on-board disinfection system for a trunk of a vehicle, a corresponding vehicle, a disinfection method for a trunk of a vehicle, and a corresponding computer program product.

Background Art

The trunk of a vehicle, in particular the trunk of a saloon, usually forms a closed space. When the trunk is opened and when items are put in or taken out of the trunk, dust and even bacteria, viruses, etc. are brought in, which easily spread over the entire trunk. If things continue like this, a larger amount of viruses or bacteria will grow inside the trunk, then contaminate the items put therein later, and even endanger the health of the user of the trunk.

With the emergence of COVID-19 pneumonia, increasing attention has been paid to the disinfection of the surface of daily use items.

At present, although there are known disinfection devices for in-vehicle disinfection with ultraviolet rays, these known devices are incapable of fully disinfecting the items placed in the trunk or the trunk itself in a targeted manner, and they have certain deficiencies especially in terms of safety and intelligence.

Summary of the Disclosure

The object of the disclosure is to provide an improved on-board disinfection system for a trunk of a vehicle, a corresponding vehicle, an improved disinfection method for a trunk of a vehicle, and a corresponding computer program product.

According to a first aspect of the disclosure, an on-board disinfection system for a trunk of a vehicle is provided, at least comprising:

- at least one movable first disinfection device (in particular an ultraviolet lamp) , which is configured to release a disinfection medium (in particular ultraviolet rays) into the trunk; and

- an electronic control unit, which is configured to control the first disinfection device;

wherein the first disinfection device is configured to, under the control of the electronic control unit, be able to move to a corresponding disinfection position that is conducive to disinfection of an item to be disinfected depending on a position of the item to be disinfected.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the on-board disinfection system further comprises a detection unit (in particular an infrared detector) , which is configured to detect a distance of the first disinfection device relative to the item to be disinfected; and/or the first disinfection device is configured to be adapted to disinfect the item to be disinfected at the disinfection position using a corresponding disinfection mode depending on a relative position of the first disinfection device with respect to the item to be disinfected.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the detection unit is installed on the first disinfection device; and/or the first disinfection device is configured to be able to move through a guiding device (in particular a guide rail) in the trunk; and/or the first disinfection device is configured to be able to adjust a disinfection direction and/or disinfection intensity depending on the position of the item to be disinfected at least when being moved to the disinfection position; and/or the first disinfection device is configured to be able to be driven by a motor integrated in the trunk.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the disinfection mode is determined at least based on a disinfection distance of the first disinfection device relative to the item to be disinfected and/or a disinfection time.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the on-board disinfection system further comprises a second disinfection device (in particular a second ultraviolet lamp) , wherein the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device are arranged inside the trunk in such a manner that ranges of action of the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device during operation substantially do not overlap, and in particular, the first disinfection device is arranged at a parcel shelf of the trunk and/or the second disinfection device is arranged at a trunk lid. Alternatively, the first disinfection device is arranged at either of the parcel shelf of the trunk and the trunk lid, and the second disinfection device is arranged at the other one of the parcel shelf and the trunk lid. Particularly preferably, the movable first disinfection device is arranged on the parcel shelf in such a way that the first disinfection device has a relatively large movable range, thereby enabling a more flexible arrangement of the first disinfection device. It can be understood that the second disinfection device may be configured to be movable just like the first disinfection device, but it may also be different from the first disinfection device, which means the second disinfection device is configured to be installed in a fixed or immovable manner. Therefore, even in the case where the second disinfection device is configured to be immovable, it can still basically cover a disinfection range within its reach, and in this case, the installation complexity of the on-board disinfection system can be particularly reduced. In particular, when the movable first disinfection device is arranged at the parcel shelf and the movable or immovable second disinfection device is arranged at the trunk lid, a combination of the ranges of disinfection of the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device can basically cover all the positions within the trunk that need to be disinfected.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the on-board disinfection system comprises or cooperates with the following components: a trunk lid closure sensor unit configured to detect whether the trunk lid is closed, wherein the electronic control unit ensures that no corresponding disinfection operation is executed when the trunk lid closure sensor unit detects that the trunk lid is not closed; and/or a living body detection unit configured to monitor whether a living body is present inside or near the trunk, wherein the electronic control unit ensures that no corresponding disinfection operation is executed when the living body detection unit detects that a living body is present inside or near the trunk.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the on-board disinfection system comprises a human-machine interaction unit, which is configured to send prompt information about a disinfection situation and/or real-time information about a disinfection process to a user and/or to allow the user to control a corresponding disinfection operation through the human-machine interaction unit.

According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a vehicle is provided, which comprises a trunk and the on-board disinfection system.

According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a disinfection method for a trunk of a vehicle is provided, which method is executed by the on-board disinfection system, and the disinfection method at least comprises the following steps: receiving a disinfection instruction; detecting whether preset conditions are met; performing disinfection using the on-board disinfection system when the preset conditions are met; and stopping disinfection after a stop instruction is received or a preset disinfection time is reached.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the method may comprise the following sub-steps: detecting a distance of the first disinfection device relative to the item to be disinfected; moving the first disinfection device to a corresponding disinfection position depending on the currently detected distance; and selecting a disinfection mode manually or automatically depending on the currently detected distance.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the method may comprise the following sub-steps: comparing the detected distance with a preset distance threshold; moving the first disinfection device in the case where the detected distance is greater than the preset distance threshold, until a re-detected distance is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold. Alternatively, the method may comprise the following sub-steps: calculating a required disinfection time depending on the detected distance; comparing the calculated disinfection time with a preset disinfection time threshold; and moving the first disinfection device in the case where the calculated disinfection time is greater than the preset disinfection time threshold, until the disinfection time calculated based on the re-detected distance is less than or equal to the preset disinfection time threshold.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, the preset conditions may include: the trunk has been closed and/or no living body is present inside or near the trunk and/or vehicle doors have been closed and/or backrests of rear seats have been erected and/or armrests of rear seats have been erected and returned to their positions.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, if the preset conditions are not met, the following steps may be executed: notifying the user that the preset conditions are not met; and/or timing, and detecting again whether the preset conditions are met after a predetermined time.

According to an optional embodiment of the disclosure, if the preset conditions are met and during disinfection performed by the on-board disinfection system, the following steps may be executed: notifying the user that the preset conditions have been met; and/or timing, and detecting again whether the preset conditions are met after a predetermined time.

According to a fourth aspect of the disclosure, a computer program product is provided, which comprises computer program instructions, wherein the steps of the method are implemented when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor.

The advantages of the disclosure are in particular as follows:

· automatic determination of the time or distance required for the item to be disinfected is enabled;

· the use of a movable disinfection device allows a more all-around coverage of disinfection, and avoids obstruction of items, thereby saving resources and avoiding wasting;

· intelligent control strategies can be adopted for the disinfection process without user intervention;

· the user is not affected by implementation of the disinfection process during driving;

· the disinfection process can be operated or monitored remotely;

· the user can be notified in an intelligent manner to avoid damage caused by the disinfection medium to living bodies or people;

· it allows the disinfection of not only the items put into the trunk, but also the trunk itself.

Within the framework of the disclosure, the terms “first” and “second” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another, rather than being intended to denote the position or importance of the components.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which leads to a better understanding of the principles, characteristics and advantages of the disclosure. The drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1a shows a schematic perspective view of an on-board disinfection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, wherein the trunk is in an open state, and no item is placed in the trunk;

FIG. 1b shows a schematic side view of an on-board disinfection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, wherein the trunk is in a closed state, and an item (exemplarily a suitcase) is placed in the trunk;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic topological graph of an on-board disinfection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow chart of a disinfection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

For a clearer understanding of the technical problem to be solved, the technical solutions and advantageous technical effects of the disclosure, the disclosure now will be further explained in details in combination with the accompany drawings and a number of exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining the disclosure, rather than limiting the scope of protection of the disclosure. Here, for the sake of concision, elements with the same reference sign are not shown in all the drawings.

FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b respectively show a schematic perspective view and a schematic side view of an on-board disinfection system according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. For the convenience of explanation, a rectangular coordinate system is also shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, wherein the x-axis represents a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the y-axis represents a horizontal direction of the vehicle, and the z-axis represents a height direction of the vehicle.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, an on-board disinfection system 100 is configured as an on-board ultraviolet disinfection system. This type of on-board ultraviolet disinfection system can be adapted to disinfect an interior of a trunk 50 of a vehicle, in particular an item placed in the trunk 50 by means of ultraviolet rays. However, it can be understood that within the framework of the disclosure, the on-board disinfection system 100 may also be configured as other types of on-board disinfection system, such as an ozone disinfection system or a disinfectant (such as alcohol, etc. ) disinfection system. It can be understood that in the case where the on-board disinfection system 100 is configured as an on-board ultraviolet disinfection system, it should meet the requirements of safety and hygiene standards (e.g. GB28235) for ultraviolet air disinfectors.

As shown in FIG. 1a, in the case where the on-board disinfection system 100 is exemplarily configured as an on-board ultraviolet disinfection system, the on-board disinfection system 100 comprises at least one ultraviolet lamp L as a movable disinfection device. The ultraviolet lamp L is configured to irradiate ultraviolet rays (e.g. UVC with a wavelength of 200 nm to 280 nm) into the interior of the trunk 50 of the vehicle to perform a disinfection process. It is understandable that, in the case where the on-board disinfection system 100 is configured as an on-board disinfection system of other types, for example, an ozone disinfection system or a disinfectant (such as alcohol, etc. ) disinfection system, the disinfection device of the on-board disinfection system 100 can release a corresponding disinfection medium (such as ozone, or disinfectant like alcohol, etc. ) into the trunk of the vehicle to disinfect the interior of the trunk or the items placed in the trunk of the vehicle.

Two ultraviolet lamps L, namely a first ultraviolet lamp L1 and a second ultraviolet lamp L2, are exemplarily shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. It can be understood that it is also possible to use disinfection devices (in this embodiment, ultraviolet lamps) in other numbers, in particular in the case where the interior of the trunk is in a more irregular configuration, then the arrangement of more than two disinfection devices (in this embodiment, ultraviolet lamps) can better satisfy the actual need of disinfecting all the possible areas.

The on-board disinfection system 100 further comprises an electronic control unit 90, which is configured to control the disinfection devices (in this embodiment, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2) . As an example, the electronic control unit 90 is integrated in a central control system of the vehicle.

Within the framework of the disclosure, “move” should be understood as a position change of the disinfection device under the control of the electronic control unit 90, which may include movement along a predetermined path and/or movement following a non-predetermined path, and it may also include movement on a plane and/or movement in three-dimensional space (for example, suspending from a top or flying automatically) . Within the framework of the disclosure, the “movable disinfection device” should be understood as follows: the disinfection device is configured to, under the control of the electronic control unit 90, be able to move to a corresponding disinfection position that is conducive to disinfection of an item G to be disinfected in particular depending on a position of the item G to be disinfected. However, it is understandable that in the case where movement is not required, for example, when the disinfection device has already been in a favorable disinfection position, the movable disinfection device may also not move, as long as it is conducive to the implementation of the disinfection process.

As shown in FIG. 1a, the on-board disinfection system 100 may further comprise a detection unit LS, which is configured to detect a distance A of the disinfection device (in this embodiment, the ultraviolet lamp L) relative to the item to be disinfected (e.g. the suitcase in FIG. 1b) or relative positions of the two. Such a detection unit LS may be configured as an infrared detector, which utilizes the principle of infrared distance measurement to detect the distance A of the disinfection device relative to the item to be disinfected. However, it can be understand that the detection unit LS may also be configured as a video camera, so that a position of the item to be disinfected can be acquired by directly photographing said item, thereby calculating the distance of the disinfection device relative to the item. The detection unit LS is exemplarily mounted at the ultraviolet lamp L in FIG. 1a so as to obtain a more compact arrangement.

As can be seen from FIG. 1a in conjunction with FIG. 1b, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 is exemplarily arranged on a top side of the interior of the trunk 50, more precisely at a parcel shelf 10 inside the trunk; the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is exemplarily arranged on an inner side of a trunk lid 20. It is understandable that these disinfection devices (in this embodiment, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2) may also be arranged at other positions inside the trunk, for example, on a bottom side inside the trunk. According to the exemplary arrangement shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, a combination of irradiation ranges of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2 during operation can basically cover all the items requiring disinfection. In the case where only the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2 are arranged, the problems of resources waste caused by too many lamp sources and overheating in the trunk can be particularly avoided.

FIG. 1b exemplarily shows possible disinfection positions where the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2 may be arranged during operation.

As an example, an item G to be disinfected, such as a suitcase, is placed in the trunk. However, it is understandable that even if there is no item placed in the trunk, the on-board disinfection system 100 can disinfect the trunk itself as well. According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1b, in order to disinfect the bottom of the trunk, the first ultraviolet lamp L1, under the control of the electronic control unit 90, can move into an area of the trunk that is more inward in the x-direction (exemplarily shown with the reference sign L1’ in FIG. 1b) . Exemplarily, the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is also movable. Exemplarily, the second ultraviolet lamp L2 can move in the y-direction perpendicular to a drawing plane of FIG. 1b, in order to have a more all-around range of disinfection. Exemplarily, the second ultraviolet lamp L2 can move along the y-direction to a handle portion (not shown in FIG. 1b) of the suitcase in FIG. 1b for disinfection of key areas.

Exemplarily, the electronic control unit 90 can control the movement of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 as a function of a detection result of the detection unit LS so as to avoid items in the way, thereby realizing an optimal range of irradiation.

Exemplarily, the movement of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 can be realized by means of a guiding device, in particular along a guide rail (not shown in the drawings) arranged inside the trunk. Here, such a guide rail may have any shape, such as straight, curved or other irregular shapes, as long as it allows the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 to move to any position inside the trunk. It is understandable that the movement of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 may also be realized by other guiding devices, such as a robot arm. It is also understandable that the movement of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 can also be realized independently of a guiding device; instead, it can be moved by itself. For example, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is configured to have a walking mechanism of its own to move by itself within the trunk in a way similar to the walking manner of a sweeping robot. Exemplarily, the movement of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is driven by an integrated motor, and motors of this type can, for example, be integrated on a guiding device (e.g. a guide rail) or mounted to other positions of the vehicle.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is configured to be able to adjust a disinfection direction depending on the position of the item G to be disinfected at least when being moved to the disinfection position. For example, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is provided with a rotatable ultraviolet emitting head, in order to have a more all-around range of disinfection targeting at the item G to be disinfected.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is configured to have an adjustable brightness or disinfection light intensity. Exemplarily, radiation power of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 is between 100mW and 400mW, and is preferably 150mW. Radiation power of the second ultraviolet lamp L2 may be the same as or different from that of the first ultraviolet lamp L1, which is, for example, between 100mW and 400mW, and is preferably 200mW. In this way, the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and/or the second ultraviolet lamp L2 is allowed to, under the control of the electronic control unit 90, adjust the disinfection light intensity depending on the position of the item G to be disinfected, so that the optimal disinfection effect and/or the shortest disinfection time is achieved.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device are arranged in the trunk 50 in such a manner that ranges of action of the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device during operation substantially do not overlap. Within the framework of the disclosure, “substantially do not overlap” can be understood as follows: the overlapping portion of the ranges of action of the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device during operation does not exceed 10%of the range of action of each of the disinfection devices, preferably not exceed 5%of the range of action of each of the disinfection devices, particularly preferably not exceed 1%of the range of action of each of the disinfection devices. Exemplarily, irradiation ranges of the first ultraviolet lamp L1 and the second ultraviolet lamp L2 during operation substantially do not overlap, in order to avoid the problem of resource waste caused by excessively overlapping irradiation ranges and overheating in the trunk.

Exemplarily, in the case where the on-board disinfection system 100 is configured as an on-board ultraviolet disinfection system, an ultraviolet reflective coating may be arranged inside the trunk to cover a wider and more all-around range of disinfection.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic topological graph of an on-board disinfection system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 2, the on-board disinfection system 100 comprises a disinfection device (here, an ultraviolet lamp L, for example) and an electronic control unit 90.

Exemplarily, the electronic control unit 90 sends a control signal to the ultraviolet lamp L to control the ultraviolet lamp L to turn on and off and to move. Preferably, the electronic control unit 90 can also control the brightness and/or disinfection direction of the ultraviolet lamp L.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 may comprise a detection unit LS, which is configured to detect a distance or relative position of the disinfection device (here, an ultraviolet lamp L, for example) with respect to the item to be disinfected. According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the detection unit LS uses the principle of infrared distance measurement to detect a distance A of the ultraviolet lamp L relative to the item G to be disinfected, and then sends a detection signal to the electronic control unit 90, which then determines an optimal disinfection position for the ultraviolet lamp L that is conducive to disinfection of the item G to be disinfected based on the detection signal; next, the electronic control unit 90 moves the ultraviolet lamp L to the disinfection position so as to implement the disinfection process.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 may comprise a trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 for detecting whether the trunk lid is closed. Here, turning on of the ultraviolet lamp L needs to satisfy preset conditions, for example, the trunk has been closed. In this case, the electronic control unit 90 turns on the ultraviolet lamp L only when the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 sends a sensing signal indicating that the trunk has been closed to the electronic control unit 90. Alternatively, during operation of the ultraviolet lamp L, when the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 sends a sensing signal indicating that the trunk is opened to the electronic control unit 90, the electronic control unit 90 immediately turns off the ultraviolet lamp L and interrupts the disinfection process.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 may comprise a living body detection unit 70 for monitoring the presence of living bodies (e.g. a cat, a dog, or a person) inside the trunk. The electronic control unit 90 turns on the ultraviolet lamp L only when the living body detection unit 70 sends a detection signal indicating that there is no living body inside or near the trunk (e.g. a range within 50 meters of the trunk) to the electronic control unit 90. Alternatively, during operation of the ultraviolet lamp L, when the living body detection unit 70 sends a detection signal indicating the presence of a living body inside or near the trunk to the electronic control unit 90, the electronic control unit 90 immediately turns off the ultraviolet lamp L and interrupts the disinfection process.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 may further comprise other sensor devices to ensure that disinfection medium (here, ultraviolet rays, for example) is released in the confined space without causing damage to people, such as a door closure sensor for ensuring that vehicle doors are closed, a seat sensor for ensuring that backrests of rear seats are erected, and an armrest sensor for ensuring that armrests of rear seats are erected and returned to their positions, etc. These sensor devices may be configured as, for example, infrared sensors or microwave sensors or cameras, etc.

During the disinfection process, the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 and/or the living body detection unit 70 and/or the aforementioned sensor devices are in continuous operation to ensure that the preset conditions (here, for example, the trunk has been closed and/or no living body is present inside or near the trunk and/or vehicle doors have been closed and/or backrests of rear seats have been erected and/or armrests of rear seats have been erected and returned to their positions) are continuously met, thereby enabling a protective function against damage caused by, for example, ultraviolet rays to people or other living bodies.

Here, it may also be a consideration that the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60, the living body detection unit 70 and the aforementioned sensor devices are each a component of the vehicle itself and they cooperate with the on-board disinfection system 100 according to the disclosure.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 may comprise a human-machine interaction unit 80, which is configured to send prompt information about a disinfection situation and/or real-time information about a disinfection process to the user (in particular to a mobile APP of the user or to a central console of the vehicle) and/or to allow the user to control a corresponding disinfection operation (for example, initiating and/or interrupting the disinfection process) through the human-machine interaction unit 80. Exemplarily, the human-machine interaction unit 80 can send prompt information to the user in an optical, acoustic, tactile manner, or in a manner of head-up display HUD.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 activates a power supply unit E during disinfection, in order to provide electrical energy to components such as the ultraviolet lamp L and/or the detection unit LS and/or the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 and/or the living body detection unit 70, etc. The power supply unit E is, for example, an engine or a generator of the vehicle. Certainly it may also be considered that the above-mentioned components are supplied with electrical energy by a battery pack of the vehicle and/or by a special battery.

Exemplarily, the on-board disinfection system 100 can perform routine automatic disinfection specific for vehicle using habits of the user based on big data. In this mode, the electronic control unit 90 automatically turns on the ultraviolet lamp L for ultraviolet disinfection during an automatically selected, non-use period of the vehicle or during a period specified by the user, and the duration of disinfection can be predetermined by the user. Alternatively, the on-board disinfection system 100 can be associated with a big data itinerary information system (e.g. a communication big data itinerary card or a Health Kit program) . For example, the on-board disinfection system 100 learns through big data that the user is passing through an epidemic area or there are other conditions that may require disinfection, then a reminder for disinfection can be sent to the user through the human-machine interaction unit 80.

In addition, the on-board disinfection system 100 can also perform active disinfection at any time according to instructions from the user. A more flexible and individualized disinfection process thus can be achieved.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow chart of a disinfection method according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, in which optional sub-steps are represented by dashed lines.

The disinfection method is applicable to the disinfection of a trunk of a vehicle and is executed by the on-board disinfection system 100 according to the disclosure.

Within the framework of the disclosure, the disinfection method can be carried out not only in the case where no one is present in the vehicle, but also in the case where a person is present in the vehicle or in a driving state, as long as the disinfection medium released by the disinfection device can be blocked to prevent damage to the person.

As shown in FIG. 3, the disinfection method at least comprises the following steps:

S100: receiving a disinfection instruction by the on-board disinfection system 100, the disinfection instruction may be actively input by the user (for example, through the human-machine interaction unit 80) or be preset;

S200: detecting with the on-board disinfection system 100 whether preset conditions are met, and exemplarily, the preset conditions may include:

C1: the trunk has been closed, and/or

C2: no living body is present inside or near (for example, a range within 50 meters of the trunk) the trunk, and/or

C3: vehicle doors have been closed, and/or

C4: backrests of rear seats have been erected, and/or

C5: armrests of rear seats have been erected and returned to their positions;

Here, by way of example, the preset conditions C1 to C5 may be detected by the trunk lid closure sensor unit 60 and/or the living body detection unit 70 and/or the door closure sensor and/or the seat sensor and/or the armrest sensor light sensor device, etc.;

Alternatively, for step S200, if the preset conditions are not met, the following steps may be performed:

S201: notifying the user that the preset conditions are not met; and/or

S202: timing, and re-executing step S200 after a predetermined time (for example, 1min) ;

Alternatively, for step S200, if the preset conditions are met, the following steps may be performed:

S201’: notifying the user that the preset conditions have been met; and/or

S202’: timing, and re-executing step S200 after a predetermined time;

Alternatively, step S201’ and/or step S202’ can be performed during execution of step S300.

S300: performing the disinfection process with the on-board disinfection system 100 when the preset conditions are met, which process may be, for example, using the electronic control unit 90 to control the disinfection device (e.g. the ultraviolet lamp L) to release a disinfection medium (e.g. ultraviolet rays) into the trunk 50;

Optionally, step S300 comprises the following sub-steps:

S300’: detecting a distance A of the first disinfection device relative to the item G to be disinfected,

S301’: moving the first disinfection device to a corresponding disinfection position depending on the currently detected distance A;

S302’: selecting a disinfection mode manually or automatically depending on the currently detected distance A;

Optionally, at least the following sub-steps are performed after step S300’ :

S310’: comparing the detected distance A with a preset distance threshold A0,

S311’: moving the first disinfection device in the case where the detected distance A is greater than the preset distance threshold A0, until a re-detected distance A is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold A0; and/or

Optionally, at least the following sub-steps are performed after step S300’ :

S320’: calculating a required disinfection time T depending on the detected distance A,

S321’: comparing the calculated disinfection time T with a preset disinfection time threshold T0,

S322’: moving the first disinfection device in the case where the calculated disinfection time T is greater than the preset disinfection time threshold T0, until the disinfection time T calculated depending on the re-detected distance A is less than or equal to the preset disinfection time threshold T0;

S400: stopping disinfection after a stop instruction is received or a preset disinfection time is reached. Here, the stop instruction may be actively sent by the user (for example, through the human-machine interaction unit 80) , or it may be automatically sent by the on-board disinfection system 100, which may be the case where, for example, the disinfection process is automatically interrupted because the electronic control unit 90 receives a sensor signal indicating that any one of the preset conditions C1 to C5 is no longer met.

Optionally, the disinfection method further comprises the following steps:

S500: the on-board disinfection system 100 uploads disinfection information to the electronic control unit 90 in real time and sends the prompt information about the disinfection situation and/or the real-time information about the disinfection process to the user through the human-machine interaction unit 80, wherein step S500 may be performed before and/or during and/or after the execution of steps S100 to S400.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the disinfection mode is determined at least based on the disinfection distance of the disinfection device relative to the item G to be disinfected and/or based on the disinfection time. Exemplarily, disinfection modes may include, for example, a distance mode where the disinfection distance is a long distance (e.g. 500mm) , a medium distance (e.g. 200mm) , or a short distance (e.g. 100mm) , etc., and/or may include a time mode where the disinfection time is an intensive disinfection time (e.g. 30min) , a standard disinfection time (e.g. 20min) , or a quick disinfection time (e.g. 10min) , etc. Concerning the selection of the disinfection mode, the user can select manually through the human-machine interaction unit 80, or the on-board disinfection system 100 can select the mode automatically according to the actual situation (for example, by using the big data system and taking into consideration the location of the user or how long it has been since the last disinfection) . It is understandable that configuration of the disinfection mode is not limited to the above-mentioned modes, and it may also include other modes, as long as it is beneficial to realize the technical effects of the disclosure.

The preceding explanations of embodiments only describe the disclosure within the framework of the described examples. Certainly, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, as long as the combinations are technically meaningful, without deviating from the framework of the disclosure.

For the skilled in the art, other advantages and alternative embodiments of the disclosure are obvious. Therefore, the disclosure in its broader meaning is not limited to the specific details, the representative structures and the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. On the contrary, the skilled in the art can make various modifications and substitutions without departing from the essential spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Claims

An on-board disinfection system (100) for a trunk (50) of a vehicle, at least comprising:

- at least one movable first disinfection device, in particular an ultraviolet lamp (L) , the first disinfection device being configured to release a disinfection medium, in particular ultraviolet rays, into the trunk (50) ; and

- an electronic control unit (90) configured to control the first disinfection device;

wherein the first disinfection device is configured to, under the control of the electronic control unit (90) , be able to move to a corresponding disinfection position that is conducive to disinfection of an item (G) to be disinfected depending on a position of the item (G) to be disinfected.
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to claim 1, wherein

the on-board disinfection system (100) further comprises a detection unit (LS) , in particular an infrared detector, the detection unit (LS) being configured to detect a distance (A) of the first disinfection device relative to the item (G) to be disinfected; and/or

the first disinfection device is configured to be adapted to disinfect the item (G) to be disinfected at the disinfection position using a corresponding disinfection mode depending on a relative position of the first disinfection device with respect to the item (G) to be disinfected.
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein

the detection unit is installed on the first disinfection device; and/or

the first disinfection device is configured to be able to move through a guiding device in the trunk, in particular a guide rail; and/or

the first disinfection device is configured to be able to adjust a disinfection direction and/or disinfection intensity depending on the position of the item (G) to be disinfected at least when being moved to the disinfection position; and/or

the first disinfection device is configured to be able to be driven by a motor integrated in the trunk.
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the disinfection mode is determined based on at least the following parameters:

a disinfection distance of the first disinfection device relative to the item (G) to be disinfected; and/or

a disinfection time.
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the on-board disinfection system further comprises a second disinfection device, in particular a second ultraviolet lamp (L2) ,

wherein the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device are arranged inside the trunk (50) such that ranges of action of the first disinfection device and the second disinfection device during operation substantially do not overlap,

wherein in particular, the first disinfection device is arranged at a parcel shelf (10) of the trunk and/or the second disinfection device is arranged at a trunk lid (20) .
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the on-board disinfection system comprises or cooperates with the following components:

- a trunk lid closure sensor unit (60) configured to detect whether the trunk lid is closed, wherein the electronic control unit (90) ensures that no corresponding disinfection operation is executed when the trunk lid closure sensor unit (60) detects that the trunk lid is not closed; and/or

- a living body detection unit (70) configured to monitor whether a living body is present inside the trunk, wherein the electronic control unit (90) ensures that no corresponding disinfection operation is executed when the living body detection unit (70) detects that a living body is present inside the trunk.
The on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein

the on-board disinfection system comprises a human-machine interaction unit (80) , the human-machine interaction unit (80) being configured to send prompt information about a disinfection situation and/or real-time information about a disinfection process to a user and/or to allow the user to control a corresponding disinfection operation through the human-machine interaction unit (80) .
A vehicle, comprising a trunk (50) and an on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
A disinfection method for a trunk of a vehicle, executed by an on-board disinfection system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the disinfection method at least comprising the following steps:

S100: receiving a disinfection instruction;

S200: detecting whether preset conditions are met;

S300: performing disinfection using the on-board disinfection system when the preset conditions are met;

S400: stopping disinfection after a stop instruction is received or a preset disinfection time is reached.
The disinfection method according to claim 9, wherein step S300 comprises at least the following sub-steps:

S300’: detecting a distance (A) of the first disinfection device relative to the item (G) to be disinfected,

S301’: moving the first disinfection device to a corresponding disinfection position depending on the currently detected distance (A) ;

S302’: selecting a disinfection mode manually or automatically depending on the currently detected distance (A) .
The disinfection method according to claim 10, wherein

at least the following sub-steps are executed after step S300’:

S310’: comparing the detected distance (A) with a preset distance threshold (A0) ,

S311’: moving the first disinfection device in the case where the detected distance (A) is greater than the preset distance threshold (A0) , until a re-detected distance (A) is less than or equal to the preset distance threshold;

or

at least the following sub-steps are executed after step S300’:

S320’: calculating a required disinfection time (T) depending on the detected distance (A) ,

S321’: comparing the calculated disinfection time (T) with a preset disinfection time threshold (T0) ,

S322’: moving the first disinfection device in the case where the calculated disinfection time (T) is greater than the preset disinfection time threshold (T0) , until the disinfection time (T) calculated depending on the re-detected distance (A) is less than or equal to the preset disinfection time threshold (T0) .
The disinfection method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein

for step S200, the preset conditions may include:

C1: the trunk has been closed, and/or

C2: no living body is present inside the trunk, and/or

C3: vehicle doors have been closed, and/or

C4: backrests of rear seats have been erected, and/or

C5: armrests of rear seats have been erected and returned to their positions.
The disinfection method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein

for step S200, if the preset conditions are not met, the following steps may be executed:

S201: notifying the user that the preset conditions are not met; and/or

S202: timing, and re-executing step S200 after a predetermined time.
The disinfection method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein

for step S200, if the preset conditions are met, the following steps may be executed:

S201’: notifying the user that the preset conditions have been met; and/or

S202’: timing, and re-executing step S200 after a predetermined time,

wherein step S201’ and/or step S202’ can be executed during the execution of step S300.
A computer program product, comprising computer program instructions, wherein the disinfection method according to any one of claims 9 to 14 is implemented when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor.