Vehicle occupant detection system
First Claim
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1. An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising:
- an electrical signal sensor;
an accelerometer;
a carbon dioxide sensor; and
a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to;
receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, and receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in a cabin of the vehicle,in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion, store data associated with the third signal in the memory at a first time interval periodically,in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare a rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration within the cabin of the vehicle and store the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval, andin response to the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal.
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Abstract
Various implementations of an occupant detection system may be used in a vehicle to detect the presence of a living occupant (human or otherwise) and generate a warning. The warning may be communicated to another person(s) or to other vehicle systems to alert people in the vicinity of the vehicle. The system prevents injury and death to people and pets that may be accidentally within a parked car and unable to egress. The system may be integrated into a new vehicle or housed in a separate device that can be plugged into a power outlet within the vehicle.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising:
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an electrical signal sensor; an accelerometer; a carbon dioxide sensor; and a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to; receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, and receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in a cabin of the vehicle, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion, store data associated with the third signal in the memory at a first time interval periodically, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare a rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration within the cabin of the vehicle and store the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval, and in response to the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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3. An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising:
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an electrical signal sensor; an accelerometer; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the vehicle; a carbon dioxide sensor; and a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to; receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in a cabin of the vehicle, and receive a fourth signal from the temperature sensor, the fourth signal being associated with the temperature in the vehicle, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare a rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a first threshold level of an expected rate of change of the carbon dioxide concentrations within the cabin of the vehicle in response to the fourth signal indicating that the temperature in the vehicle is within a first temperature range and compare the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a second threshold level of the expected rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration within the cabin of the vehicle in response to the fourth signal indicating that the temperature in the vehicle is within a second temperature range, and in response to the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the first threshold level or the second threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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17. An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising:
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an electrical signal sensor; an accelerometer; a carbon dioxide sensor; and a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to; receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, and receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in a cabin of the vehicle, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion, store data associated with the third signal in the memory at a first time interval periodically, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of expected carbon dioxide concentration within a cabin of the vehicle and store the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval, and in response to the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification