METHOD FOR DIAGNOSING A DISEASE, PREFERABLY A RESPIRATORY DISEASE

Technologies and techniques for detecting a disease for use within a motor vehicle. An audio signal of a driver is recorded over time, and a characteristic temporal sequence of the audio signal is selected in order to perform a time-resolved analysis of the audio signal. The audio signal is processed within the selected characteristic temporal sequence with a comparison signal in order to determine differences between the audio signal and the comparison signal. A diagnosis is generated based on the comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal, the comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal being performed via a time-resolved frequency analysis.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method and to a system for detecting a disease, such as a respiratory disease for application or for use in a motor vehicle. The present disclosure furthermore relates to a motor vehicle incorporated the system for detecting disease.

BACKGROUND

Methods and systems for diagnosing diseases are known from the prior art. However, the known solutions can essentially only be carried out on an in-patient basis in a laboratory and are consequently tied to the prior arrangement of appointments. The cumbersome nature of arranging appointments in advance and the effort of having to visit a laboratory for the methods to be carried out deter a large number of patients from undergoing examinations regarding potential diseases.

Even though methods for detecting a current physical condition are known from WO 2020/188623 A1 and CA 3 024 698 A1, which are also intended to diagnose heart attacks or strokes in a mobile manner within a motor vehicle, for example, the known methods are predominantly provided to detect an unfitness to drive, and therefore to ensure driving safety, and not to diagnose diseases. The known methods, in contrast, are not suitable for precisely diagnosing diseases, in particular respiratory diseases, due to a lack of sensitive measuring technology and data analysis.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to addressing at least some of the above-described disadvantages of methods and systems for detecting or diagnosing diseases, preferably respiratory diseases, and providing technologies and techniques for detecting such diseases in a simple, rapid and comfortable manner.

Some aspects of the present disclosure are provided in the subject matters of the independent claims, found below. Other aspects are disclosed in the subject matter of the respectively associated dependent claims.

In some aspects, technologies and techniques disclosed herein for detecting/diagnosing a disease, preferably a respiratory disease, can be used in vehicles driven by internal combustion engines as well as in electric or hybrid vehicles. In addition to being used in motor vehicles, such as passenger cars or trucks, aspects of the present disclosure can also be used in commercial vehicles, as well as autonomously controllable or autonomously controlled vehicles.

In some examples, a method for detecting/diagnosing a disease is disclosed for use within a motor vehicle, comprising recording an audio signal of a driver of the motor vehicle over a time, selecting a characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signal for carrying out a time-resolved analysis of the audio signal, and comparing the audio signal within the selected characteristic chronological sequence to a comparison signal for ascertaining differences between the audio signal and the comparison signal. Moreover, the method according to the present disclosure comprises the step of making a diagnosis based on the comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal, wherein the comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal is carried out via a time-resolved frequency analysis.

It should be understood by persons having ordinary skill in the art that individual, combined, or all mandatory and/or optional steps of the method disclosed herein can be carried out in the proposed order, but also deviating from the proposed order. Individual, combined, or all mandatory and/or optional steps of the method disclosed herein may also be performed repeatedly or repeatedly in cycles. It shall furthermore be understood that individual, several or all of the mandatory and optional steps of the method according to the invention in the present invention can also be implemented by a computer.

In some examples, a system is disclosed for detecting/diagnosing a disease within a motor vehicle, using any of the method steps disclosed herein. The system may comprises an audio signal recording unit for recording an audio signal of a driver of the motor vehicle over a time, a processing unit for selecting a characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signal and for comparing the audio signal within the selected characteristic chronological sequence to a comparison signal, and an evaluation unit for making a diagnosis based on the comparison, wherein the processing unit is designed in such a way that the comparison of the audio signal to the comparison signal can be carried out by means of the processing unit in the form of a time-resolved frequency analysis. The system according to the present disclosure thus has the same advantages as those that were already described in detail with respect to the method according to the present disclosure.

Aspects of the present disclosure likewise relate to a motor vehicle, comprising a system configured in any manner described in the examples and embodiments provided herein.

In some examples, a computer program product is disclosed, encompassing commands that, when the computer program is being executed by a processing device, and in particular the processing unit and/or the evaluation unit of the present motor vehicle, prompt the processing device, processing unit and/or evaluation unit to carry out the steps of the method according to the present disclosure. The computer program product according to the present disclosure thus entails the same advantages as those that were described in detail with respect to a method or the system disclosed herein.

Additional advantages, features and details will be apparent from the following description, which in detail describes exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. The features described in the claims and in the description may be considered essential to the present disclosure either alone or in any arbitrary combination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As disclosed herein, detecting/diagnosing a respiratory disease may be understood to mean recognizing or making the finding of a disease in the area of the respiratory tract, such as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, influenza, laryngitis, tonsillitis, and in particular respiratory diseases caused by infections by viruses, such as RSV, SARS-COV, Covid-19 or the like. According to the present disclosure, recording an audio signal may be understood to mean receiving and storing a sound signal or an electrical signal in the perceptible frequency range of the human ear. An audio signal may, for example, encompass the change in the frequency and/or in the acoustic power or the sound pressure level over the time. The recording of an audio signal provided according to the present disclosure can preferably be started by being “triggered” by certain words, such as, for example, by a name being spoken, similarly to “Alexa” or “Siri” or the like. The recording of the audio signal can, for example, be started two seconds before the trigger word (“pre-trigger”) and extend until the end of the spoken word, or it may extend up to an arbitrarily definable time after the end of the word.

It should be understood that, under the present disclosure, a “driver” as referred to herein can also be understood to mean a front-seat passenger or an occupant of a motor vehicle. For example, the present method can also be used to diagnose diseases of passengers in buses, trains or taxis, or the like, for example. In some examples, a characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signal may be understood to mean a time segment or a certain discrete point in time, which may be particularly characteristic or meaningful for diagnosing a disease. In some examples, the comparison signal disclosed herein may be configured in the form of a comparison library, in particular based on historical data, and serve to recognize drifts or breaks.

The stored signal or the comparison library can advantageously stem from the same person for which the diagnosing is to be carried out and can have been recorded under the same conditions that were present while the method is carried out. For example, the same background or ambient noise may be present. In particular, the comparison signal can be recorded over the same time period and, for example, can encompass the same words or word sequences of a driver. Within the scope of the present disclosure, a time-resolved analysis may be understood to mean an analysis that relates to a certain, preferably selected time frame, or point in time. A time-resolved frequency analysis can accordingly be understood to mean an analysis of the frequency profile within a certain, preferably selected time frame, or point in time. When using a time frame, a corresponding integration can be carried out over the time frame with respect to the recorded frequencies. The comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal can preferably comprise a transformation of the recorded audio signal by means of a Fourier transform, and in particular by means of a Fast Fourier transform (FFT).

One skilled in the art will appreciate that that diagnosing diseases under the present disclosure can be carried out in a simple, rapid and reliable manner by analyzing audio signals. A surrounding area of a motor vehicle is particularly well-suited for detecting diseases by analyzing audio signals. Carrying out the methods within a motor vehicle not only offers the advantage that recurring ambient conditions, such as known constant acoustics having constant ambient noise, can be advantageously utilized, but the audio signals can also encompass known, frequently used voice commands. Using reliably predictable audio patterns, a characteristic chronological sequence of audio signal may be obtained for selection.

Audio signals reflects the change in the frequency and/or in the sound pressure level over time. With respect to reliably diagnosing a disease by way of a comparison between a characteristic chronological sequence of an audio signal and a comparison signal, it has shown to be effective to record, within the audio signal, the profile of the frequency and/or the profile of the sound pressure level against the time. Both the frequency and the sound pressure level have shown to be effective variables for diagnosing a disease.

The audio signal may reflect a change in the frequency and in the sound pressure level over time, and comparison of the audio signal to the comparison signal includes detecting or determining differences with respect to the profile of the sound pressure level with varying frequency within the selected characteristic chronological sequence.

The characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signals may correspond to at least a portion of a word and/or of a word sequence of the driver of the motor vehicle, wherein the word and/or the word sequence are preferably designed in the form of an input command of the driver. Using a word or a word sequence, such as a verbal input command of a driver, additionally offers the advantage that recurring ambient conditions, such as known constant acoustics having constant ambient noise, can be utilized, and the audio signals can also encompass known, frequently-used voice commands. Thus, the same words, word sequences, and forms of voice commands may be used for the comparison signals. Advantageously, the comparison signals can be configured in the form of recorded voice commands, or voice command sequences, of the person to be examined.

Thus, a simple and rapid option of diagnosing a disease is provided by way of a comparison between a characteristic chronological sequence of an audio signal and a comparison signal. It may furthermore be provided in the present disclosure that the characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signal may correspond to a specific discrete point in time. The use of a specific discrete point in time, serving as the characteristic chronological sequence, may be an advantageous choice for audio signals, based on which of a characteristic chronological sequence or the characteristic point in time can be precisely determined, for example in a voice command having a characteristic frequency or sound pressure level profile.

In some examples, the comparison of the audio signal to the comparison signal may be carried out in a specific frequency band or section, and preferably at a specific frequency, wherein the sound pressure level of the audio signal and of the comparison signal is compared.

So as enable reliable diagnosing in a simple and rapid manner, it is furthermore advantageous when the values of the audio signal and/or of the comparison signal are processed prior to the comparison of the audio signal to the comparison signal, wherein the processing preferably comprises a standardization of the values of the audio signal and/or of the comparison signal.

With respect to an intervention that is as anticipatory as possible when diagnosing a disease, it is furthermore conceivable that protective measures are initiated as a function of the diagnosis made, wherein the protective measures comprise informing the driver of the motor vehicle and/or activating a supporting driving mode, in particular an autonomous driving cycle and/or initiating an emergency stop and/or making an emergency call and/or changing a passenger compartment climate and/or disinfecting the vehicle.

In some examples, voice recognition may be utilized to identify a person, based on the recorded audio signal.

FIG.1shows a schematic representation of the individual steps of a method according to the present disclosure for detecting/diagnosing a disease for use within a motor vehicle80.

According to the present method, first an audio signal AS of a driver of the motor vehicle80over a time T is recorded, and a characteristic chronological sequence S of the audio signal AS is selected120for carrying out a time-resolved analysis of the audio signal AS.

In this example, the audio signal AS within the selected characteristic chronological sequence S is compared140to a comparison signal VS to ascertain differences between the audio signal AS and the comparison signal VS.

Before the audio signal AS is compared140to the comparison signal VS, the values of the audio signal AS and/or of the comparison signal VS may be processed, wherein the processing may comprise a standardization of the values of the audio signal AS and/or of the comparison signal VS.

The comparison140of the audio signal AS to the comparison signal VS can be carried out in a specific frequency band or section FA, preferably at a specific frequency FS, wherein in particular the sound pressure level SPL of the audio signal AS and of the comparison signal VS can be compared.

After the audio signal AS has been compared140to the comparison signal VS, a diagnosis is made160based on the comparison140between the audio signal AS and the comparison signal VS, wherein the comparison140between the audio signal AS and the comparison signal VS may be carried out via a time-resolved frequency analysis.

Thereafter, protective measures are initiated180as a function of the diagnosis made, wherein the protective measures can comprise informing a driver of the motor vehicle80and/or activating a supporting driving mode, in particular an autonomous driving cycle and/or initiating an emergency stop and/or making an emergency call and/or changing a passenger compartment climate and/or disinfecting the vehicle.

FIG.2shows a schematic representation of the essential components of a system2according to some aspects of the present disclosure for diagnosing a disease within a motor vehicle80. The system2can be fixedly installed in the motor vehicle or may also be used as a separate component in different vehicles80.

The system2comprises an audio signal recording unit4for recording100an audio signal AS of a driver of the motor vehicle80over a time T, a processing unit6for selecting120a characteristic chronological sequence S of the audio signal AS and for comparing140the audio signal AS within the selected characteristic chronological sequence S to a comparison signal VS, and an evaluation unit8for making160a diagnosis based on the comparison140. The processing unit6is designed in such a way that the comparison140of the audio signal AS to the comparison signal VS can be carried out by means of the processing unit6in the form of a time-resolved frequency analysis.

FIG.3shows a schematic representation of various audio signals AS1to AS4of a driver of a motor vehicle80over a time T (FFT vs time).

In the present example, the audio signals AS1to AS4reflect the change in the frequency F and in the sound pressure level SPL over the time T. In the present example, the respective selected characteristic chronological sequence S of the audio signals AS1to AS4corresponds to a word sequence of an input command of the driver, such as, for example, the command “radio on.” As an alternative to a characteristic chronological sequence S of the audio signal AS in the form of a time frame, the characteristic chronological sequence S may also correspond to a specific discrete point in time TD. In the present example, the audio signal AS1shall be regarded as the comparison signal VS. It may be designed, for example, in the form of a stored recording of an audio signal, preferably of the same person (driver, front-seat passenger, occupant) for whom the diagnosing or the method according to the present disclosure is to be carried out. The comparison signal VS was accordingly preferably recorded under the same conditions as the audio signals AS2to AS4, which each reflect audio signals in which, due to a disease, for example a pressure on the larynx is present (AS2) or the nose is congested (AS3, AS4).

FIG.4shows a schematic representation of a comparison of the audio signals fromFIG.3within the selected characteristic chronological sequence S in an unprocessed state (left) and in a processed state (right), wherein the audio signals AS1to AS4fromFIG.3in the present example are shown in a time-resolved manner, and the change in the sound pressure level SPL for the audio signals AS1to AS4is shown with the change in the frequency F within the selected characteristic chronological sequence S. It shall be understood that the values of the sound pressure level SPL and of the frequency F, when selecting a time frame in contrast to a discrete point in time TD, can be integrated over the time frame. In contrast to the unprocessed representation of the time-resolved audio signals AS1to AS4on the left side, the audio signals AS1to AS4shown on the right side are illustrated in standardized form. As can be shown based on the representation, the audio signals AS2to AS4, in which a disease is present, can be distinguished, after appropriate processing, from the comparison signal (AS1) in a time-resolved representation in a selected characteristic chronological sequence in a simple and reliable manner.

Using the method and the system2according to the present disclosure for diagnosing a disease, it is thus possible by means of a time-resolved analysis of an audio signal within a motor vehicle to reliably diagnose a disease in a simple, rapid and comfortable manner.

The above description of the embodiments exclusively describes the present disclosure based on examples. If technically expedient, individual features of the embodiments can, of course, be freely combined with each other without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

2system for diagnosing a disease4audio signal recording unit6processing unit8evaluation unit80motor vehicle100recording an audio signal120selecting a characteristic chronological sequence of the audio signal140comparing/comparison of the audio signal to the comparison signal160making a diagnosis based on the comparison between the audio signal and the comparison signal180initiating protective measuresAS audio signalT timeTDspecific discrete point in timeS characteristic chronological sequenceVS comparison signalF frequencyFAspecific frequency sectionFSspecific frequencySPL sound pressure level