Deactivating or disabling various vehicle systems and/or components when vehicle operates in an autonomous mode

• US 10,025,899 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tarte, Christopher T., Prokhorov, Danil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US15/186,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0023 for detection of driver fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0029 for detecting the motion of the occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/30 using a neural network
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/22 Seat occupation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/10 for dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A computing system for a vehicle is provided. The computing system includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing system, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle. If the vehicle is operating without at least one occupant inside the vehicle, the system may control the vehicle so as to disable and/or deactivate selected ones of driver-usage systems/components and passenger-usage systems/components.

Claims

1. A computing system for a vehicle, the computing system comprising one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing system, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle;

if the vehicle is operating without at least one occupant inside the vehicle, disable and/or deactivate user pre-selected ones of driver-usage systems/components and passenger-usage systems/components,

wherein the user pre-selected ones of the driver-usage systems/components include one or more of headlights, head-up displays, dashboard lights, satellite navigation system displays, and other displays.

2. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle, determine if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle; and

if at least one vehicle occupant is not in a driver seat of the vehicle, disable and/or deactivate user pre-selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

3. The computing system of claim 2 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle, determine if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode; and

if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode, disable and/or deactivate user pre-selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

4. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the user pre-selected ones of the passenger-usage systems/components include one or more of dome lights and overhead lights.

5. A vehicle including a computing system in accordance with claim 1.

6. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising steps of:

determining if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle;

if the vehicle is operating without at least one occupant inside the vehicle, disabling and/or deactivating selected ones of driver-usage systems/components and/or passenger-usage systems/components;

if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle, determining if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle;

if at least one vehicle occupant is not in a driver seat of the vehicle, disabling and/or deactivating the selected ones of driver-usage systems/components;

if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle, determining if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode;

if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode, disabling and/or deactivating selected ones of the driver-usage systems/components; and

if the vehicle is not operating in a driverless driving mode, leaving the driver-usage systems/components active or enabled.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

if the vehicle is operating with at least one occupant inside the vehicle, determining if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle; and

if at least one vehicle occupant is not in a driver seat of the vehicle, disabling and/or deactivating selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

if at least one vehicle occupant is in a driver seat of the vehicle, determining if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode; and

if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode, disabling and/or deactivating selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected ones of the driver-usage systems/components include one or more of headlights, head-up displays, dashboard lights, satellite navigation system displays, and other displays.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected ones of the passenger-usage systems/components include one or more of dome lights and overhead lights.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected ones of driver-usage systems/components and passenger-usage systems/components are user-selected ones of driver-usage systems/components and passenger-usage systems/components.

12. A computing system for a vehicle, the computing system comprising one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing system, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine if the vehicle is operating with a vehicle occupant in a driver seat of the vehicle;

if the vehicle is operating with a vehicle occupant in a driver seat of the vehicle, determine if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode; and

if the vehicle is operating in a driverless driving mode, disable and/or deactivate selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

13. The computing system of claim 12 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

if at least one vehicle occupant is not in a driver seat of the vehicle, disable and/or deactivate selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

14. The computing system of claim 12 wherein the selected ones of driver-usage systems/components are user-selected ones of driver-usage systems/components.

15. A vehicle including a computing system in accordance with claim 12.