	US 12,280,727 B2
	Vehicle system and method for adjusting interior control settings based on driver emotion and environmental context
Aravind Gangumalla, Novi, MI (US); Vikramaditya Nimmagadda, Wixom, MI (US); and Arun Adiththan, Sterling Heights, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/055,190.
Prior Publication US 2024/0157896 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 16/037 (2006.01); B60W 10/30 (2006.01); B60W 40/08 (2012.01); G06V 20/59 (2022.01)

CPC B60R 16/037 (2013.01) [B60W 10/30 (2013.01); B60W 40/08 (2013.01); G06V 20/597 (2022.01); B60W 2540/22 (2013.01); B60W 2555/00 (2020.02)]

14 Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle having an interior control setting system with a computer, the vehicle further having a passenger cabin with an interior, the method comprising:

collecting, using at least one occupant input device, sensor data that indicates a total number, a classification, and a current emotion for each of the at least one occupant disposed in the vehicle;

generating, using the at least one occupant input device, an occupant input signal associated with the sensor data;

receiving, using at least one processor of the computer, the occupant input signal from the at least one occupant device;

determining, using the at least one processor, an n-occupant emotion vector based on the total number of the at least one occupant and the classification for each of the at least one occupant in response to the at least one processor receiving the occupant input signal from the at least one occupant device, wherein the n-occupant emotion vector is defined as:

O_i=[{happy: v1},{sad: v2}, . . . {angry: v_n}]

O=Σ_i=0ⁿw_i*O_i

where O_irepresents an individual emotion vector for the associated occupant (i), O represents the n-occupant emotion vector for all the occupants (n) disposed on the vehicle, m represents a number of emotional states, and w_irepresents the weight for the classification of the associated occupant;

mapping, using the at least one processor and a plurality of occupant profiles stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (CRM) of the computer, the n-occupant emotion vector to a plurality of interior control settings, with each of the occupant profiles mapped to a unique occupant identification and an associated plurality of actuated interior control settings;

determining, using the at least one processor, a predicted interior control setting for the at least one occupant in response to the at least one processor mapping the n-occupant emotion vector to a plurality of interior control settings;

collecting, using at least one environment input device, sensor data that indicates a current environment of the vehicle;

generating, using the at least one environment input device, an environment input signal associated with the sensor data;

receiving, using the at least one processor the environment input signal from the environment input device;

determining, using the at least one processor, an environment context vector based on an environment of the vehicle in response to the at least one processor receiving the environment input signal from the at least one environment input device, wherein the environment context vector is defined as:

EC_x=[{ctxt_type 1:pri_val}, . . . {ctxt_type_x:v_x}]

where EC_x, represents the environment context vector; ctxt_type_1:pri_val represents a numerical value of a first environment context having a first prioritized value, and ctxt_type_x:pri_val represents a numerical value of the xth environment context having a prioritized value;

mapping, using the at least one processor, the environment context vector to a plurality of interior control settings;

determining, using the at least one processor, the predicted interior control setting for the at least one occupant in further response to the at least one processor mapping the environment context vector to the plurality of interior control settings;

generating, using the at least one processor, an actuation signal associated with the predicted interior control setting in response to the at least one processor determining the predicted interior control setting; and

actuating, using at least one actuator, at least one vehicle component based on the predicted interior control setting, in response to the at least one actuator receiving the actuation signal from the at least one processor.