US 12,030,369 B2
System and method for malodor detection and remediation
Michael Frank Schmidt, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Samuel Harrison Glidden, Phoenix, AZ (US); Chase Brian Kaufman, Fountain Hills, AZ (US); and Kyle Vogt, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by GM Cruise Holdings LLC, San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/487,498.
Application 17/487,498 is a division of application No. 16/225,683, filed on Dec. 19, 2018, granted, now 11,642,940.
Prior Publication US 2022/0009318 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. B60H 3/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60W 10/30 (2006.01); B60W 50/00 (2006.01); B60W 50/14 (2020.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01)
CPC B60H 3/0035 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00792 (2013.01); B60H 1/008 (2013.01); B60H 3/0085 (2013.01); B60W 10/30 (2013.01); B60W 2050/0002 (2013.01); B60W 2050/0005 (2013.01); B60W 50/14 (2013.01); B60W 2050/143 (2013.01); G05D 1/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous vehicle comprising:
an in-cabin camera;
a mechanical system;
an air quality sensor system configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a type of airborne molecule in a cabin of the autonomous vehicle; and
a computing system in communication with the mechanical system and the air quality sensor system, wherein the computing system comprises:
a processor; and
memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
detecting the type of airborne molecule in the cabin of the autonomous vehicle based upon the sensor signal;
identifying whether a predefined incident type occurred based upon the type of airborne molecule, wherein the predefined incident type prompts an external remediation technique that mitigates the type of airborne molecule from the cabin of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the predefined incident type comprises a source of malodor from a passenger being left in the cabin after the passenger exits the cabin;
responsive to identification of the predefined incident type where the source of malodor from the passenger is left in the cabin after the passenger exits the cabin based on the sensor signal from the air quality sensor system, activating the in-cabin camera to capture an image of the cabin of the autonomous vehicle to confirm the identification of the predefined incident type detected by the air quality sensor system;
confirming existence of the source of malodor from the predefined incident type based on the image of the cabin of the autonomous vehicle, wherein confirming the existence of the source of the malodor comprises identifying the source of the malodor in the image of the cabin of the autonomous vehicle; and
responsive to confirming the existence of the source of the malodor from the predefined incident type, controlling the mechanical system to cause the autonomous vehicle to travel to a service hub where the external remediation technique is performed.