Low power sensor system

• US 10,198,948 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trail Ridge Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Trail Ridge Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Hanks, D. Mitchel, Morain, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US15/796,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20180122235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A low power sensor system and protocol are provided. Particular embodiments of the invention include a sensor controlled switch that senses conditions. While the sensor controlled switch is sensing conditions and the switch that it controls is open, power is conserved. When a valid condition is sensed, the switch is closed which enables a sensor system to receive power. The powered sensor system can then perform tasks such as listen for radio transmissions from a human interface device and respond to these. In another embodiment of the invention a delayed shutdown is executed, wherein the sensor system is put in a low power state for a period of time before responding to further conditions sensed by the sensor controlled switch. An example application is in a battery powered vehicle camera system.

Claims

1. A vehicle sensing system, comprising:

a surroundings sensor system that is configured to provide surroundings data;

a sensor-controlled switch configured to sense conditions or events, said sensor-controlled switch reconfigurable between a closed configuration and an open configuration;

said sensor-controlled switch coupled to a power source;

said sensor-controlled switch configured to be unresponsive to said conditions or events when said sensor-controlled switch is in said closed configuration;

a processor receiving power from said power source when said sensor-controlled switch is in said closed configuration;

said processor coupled to said surroundings sensor system;

a radio configured by said processor to listen for a transmission and to transmit said surroundings data; and

a delay function that determines the duration of a low power mode during which said sensor-controlled switch is unresponsive to those of said conditions or events that would otherwise cause said sensor-controlled switch to reconfigure from said open condition to said closed condition if configured in said open condition;

wherein while in said low power mode said vehicle sensing system is non-communicative with other systems and said sensor-controlled switch is disabled in order to conserve power.

2. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said processor receives power after being in a completely unpowered, uninterruptable state.

3. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor-controlled switch does not comprise a timer to activate said sensor-controlled switch.

4. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said surroundings sensor system comprises a surroundings sensor system selected from the group consisting of an image sensing system, a sound sensing system, and a proximity sensing system.

5. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission originates from a human interface device in a vehicle.

6. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 5, wherein said transmission originates from said human interface device in response to the starting of said vehicle.

7. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle sensing system is configured to operate on a vehicle with a reverse light and wherein sensor-controlled switch comprises an electromagnetic sensor configured to sense changes in light level of said reverse light.

15. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor-controlled switch is completely passive, requiring no power source.

18. The vehicle sensing system according to claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic sensor comprises a photo sensor.

8. A method for controlling power to a device, comprising:

sensing a condition or event with a sensor-controlled switch causing said switch to be reconfigured from an open configuration to a closed configuration as a result of said step of sensing;

keeping said sensor-controlled switch in said closed configuration while activating a radio;

entering a low power state in which said radio is deactivated and capability to receive communications and sense conditions or events is disabled in order to conserve power;

remaining in said low power state and preventing said sensor-controlled switch from reconfiguring from a closed configuration to an open configuration or from an open configuration to a closed configuration for a period of time;

exiting said low power state after said period of time; and

reconfiguring said sensor-controlled switch to said open configuration if it is not already in said open configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said radio listens for a valid transmission.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a processor that was previously unpowered and therefore uninterruptable while unpowered, and not in a sleep mode, receives power following said reconfiguration of said sensor-controlled switch to said closed configuration.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a timer does not activate a radio.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said sensor-controlled switch is unresponsive to sensed conditions or events while in said closed configuration.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said sensor-controlled switch comprises an electromagnetic sensor configured to operate on a vehicle with a reverse light, said electromagnetic sensor configured to sense changes in light level of said reverse light.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said sensor-controlled switch is completely passive, requiring no power source.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein said period of time is determined by an electronic circuit.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said electromagnetic sensor comprises a photo sensor.

14. A low power apparatus configured to operate on a vehicle with a reverse light and comprising:

a sensor-controlled switch that is reconfigurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

said sensor-controlled switch coupled to a power source;

said sensor-controlled switch configured to be unresponsive to conditions or events sensed by said sensor-controlled switch when said sensor-controlled switch is in said closed configuration;

said sensor-controlled switch allowing power to flow from said power source to a device when said sensor-controlled switch is in said closed configuration;

a radio configured to be activated when said sensor-controlled switch is in said closed configuration;

a delay function configured to determine a period of time during which said device is kept in a low power state after a task has been performed; and

said sensor-controlled switch configured to be responsive to conditions or events sensed by said sensor-controlled switch after said period of time and when said sensor-controlled switch is in said open configuration,

wherein said sensor-controlled switch comprises a photo sensor configured to respond to changes in the light level of said reverse light.

17. The low power apparatus of claim 14, wherein said sensor-controlled switch is completely passive, requiring no power source.