System for determining the number of passengers in a vehicle, vehicle, and method for determining the number of passengers in a vehicle

1 . A system for determining a number of passengers in a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of sensors arranged to collect data concerning a cabin of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first sensor being a mm-wave-radar-sensor arranged at a first position inside the cabin to measure a first value corresponding to an interior cabin condition and a second sensor being a sensor different than the first sensor arranged at a second position outside of the cabin to measure a second value different from the first value corresponding to an exterior cabin condition; and

a computation unit,

wherein the computation unit is connected to the plurality of sensors and configured to evaluate the data collected by the plurality of sensors in order to determine the number of passengers within the vehicle, and

wherein the computation unit compares the data collected by the first sensor and the data collected by the second sensor to determine an accuracy of the determination of the number of passengers within the vehicle.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one mm-wave-radar-sensor is arranged on a ceiling of the cabin.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one mm-wave-radar sensor is arranged on a wall of the cabin.

4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein at least one mm-wave-radar-sensor is arranged in proximity to a door in the cabin wall.

5 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein at least one mm-wave-radar-sensor is arranged above the door.

6 . The system according to claim 4 , wherein at least one mm-wave-radar-sensor is arranged to collect data concerning at least one of the interior side or the exterior side of the door.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in sub-groups of at least two sensors, wherein the sensors of each sub-group are arranged to collect data concerning a shared portion of the cabin.

8 . The system according to claim 7 , wherein each sub-group comprises two sensors arranged opposite to each other on opposite walls of the cabin.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a camera, an infrared sensor, a light-barrier-sensor, or a weight sensor.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the computation unit is further configured to evaluate the data generated by the plurality of sensors in order to determine positions of passengers within the vehicle.

11 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one display unit connected to the computation unit and configured to display results of a data evaluation performed by the computation unit.

12 . A vehicle comprising a system according to claim 1 .

13 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

14 . A method for determining a number of passengers in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises:

collecting data concerning a cabin of the vehicle by a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least a first sensor being a mm-wave-radar sensor arranged at a first position inside the cabin to measure a first value corresponding to an interior cabin condition and a second sensor being a sensor different than the first sensor arranged at a second position outside of the cabin to measure a second value different from the first value corresponding to an exterior cabin condition;

evaluating the data collected by the plurality of sensors with a computation unit in order to determine the number of passengers within the vehicle; and

determining an accuracy of the determination of the number of passengers within the vehicle by comparing the data collected by the first sensor and the data collected by the second sensor.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the evaluating of data collected by the plurality of sensors comprises an identifying and synchronizing of passengers within the data collected by at least one of the plurality of sensors.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the evaluating of data collected by at least one of the plurality of sensors takes into account the data collected by different one of the plurality of sensors.

17 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the computation unit applies a weight to at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor prior to comparing the first sensor and the second sensor.

18 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors further includes:

at least a third sensor being a camera arranged at a third position inside the cabin to measure a third value corresponding to the interior cabin condition; and

at least a fourth sensor being a light-barrier sensor arranged at a threshold of a door in a wall of the cabin to measure a fourth value corresponding to a threshold cabin door condition.

19 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein:

the first value is selected from a group consisting of a position of a passenger of the number of passengers, a speed of the passenger, a relative distance of the passenger from the first sensor, or any combination thereof;

the second value includes an infrared reading outside of the aircraft;

the third value includes an image of an interior of the cabin; and

the fourth value includes a light intensity reading at the threshold of the cabin door.

20 . The system according to claim 18 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes:

at least two of the first sensors each arranged on opposite sides of the cabin interior;

at least two of the second sensors each arranged on opposite sides of the cabin exterior; and

at least two of the fourth sensors, at least one of the fourth sensors arranged at every door of the aircraft.