Smoking cessation systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11636870-B2
Application number	US-202117218538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2021
Priority date	Aug 20, 2020
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A smoking cessation system of a vehicle includes: a microphone configured to generate an output based on sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle; a virtual assistant module configured to identify a future smoking event within the passenger cabin of the vehicle based on the output of the microphone; and a smoking module configured to take at least one remedial action in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smoking cessation system of a vehicle, comprising:
a microphone configured to generate an output based on sound within a passenger cabin of the vehicle;
a virtual assistant module configured to identify a future smoking event within the passenger cabin of the vehicle based on the output of the microphone;
a smoking module configured to take at least one remedial action in response to the identification of a future smoking event; and
a blower module configured to turn on a blower of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

2. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to identify a future smoking event within the passenger cabin of the vehicle when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined word.

3. The smoking cessation system of claim 2 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to identify words spoken within the passenger cabin based on the output of the microphone and using a speech recognition algorithm.

4. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to identify a future smoking event within the passenger cabin of the vehicle when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined string of words.

5. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to identify a future smoking event within the passenger cabin of the vehicle when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined sound.

6. The smoking cessation system of claim 5 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to identify words spoken within the passenger cabin based on the output of the microphone and using a sound recognition algorithm.

7. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 further comprising a window actuator module configured to open a window of the vehicle in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

8. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 further comprising an alert module configured to display a visual alert on a display visible within the passenger cabin in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

9. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 further comprising an alert module configured to output an audible alert via at least one speaker within the passenger cabin in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

10. The smoking cessation system of claim 1 further comprising:
an olfaction sensor configured to measure an amount of a chemical present within the passenger cabin; and
a comparison module configured to compare the amount with a predetermined amount and to indicate the occurrence of a present smoking event when the amount of the chemical is greater than the predetermined amount.

11. A smoking cessation system, comprising:
at least one of:
(a) a microphone configured to generate an output based on sound present; and
(b) a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver configured to output a present location; and

a virtual assistant module configured to predict an occurrence of a future smoking event based on at least one of (a) the output of the microphone and (b) the present location; and
a blower module configured to turn on a blower of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in response to the identification of a future smoking event.

12. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to predict the occurrence of a future smoking when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined word.

13. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to predict the occurrence of a future smoking when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined string of words.

14. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to predict the occurrence of a future smoking when sound captured using the microphone includes a predetermined sound.

15. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to predict the occurrence of a future smoking event when the present location is at a predetermined location associated with smoking events.

16. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to predict the occurrence of a future smoking event when the present location is within a predetermined area associated with smoking events.

17. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is configured to, in response to the prediction of the occurrence of a future smoking event, at least one of:
output an audible alert to not smoke via one or more speakers; and
output a visual alert to not smoke via a display.

18. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein the virtual assistant module is further configured to track a number of smoking events a user avoided conducting and to at least one of:
audibly output the number of smoking events that the user avoided conducting via one or more speakers; and
visually output the number of smoking events that the user avoided conducting via a display.

19. The smoking cessation system of claim 11 wherein:
the smoking cessation system includes both:
(a) a microphone configured to generate an output based on sound present; and
(b) a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver configured to output a present location; and

the virtual assistant module is configured to predict an occurrence of a future smoking event based on both (a) the output of the microphone and (b) the present location.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Varughese Sibu
• Nespolo Martin
• Krzyzak Thomas
• Webb Gareth
• Yim Wilson
• Johnson Matthew

Classifications

• G10L25/51 Primary

  for comparison or discrimination · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06Q50/22

  Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services · CPC title

• G08B3/00

  Audible signalling systems, e.g. audible personal calling systems · CPC title

• G10L15/08

  Speech classification or search · CPC title