Vehicle ignition systems and methods

• US 10,377,234 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rolfes, Nathaniel Abram, El Aile, Steven R, Farhat, Mohamad Wajih Issam, Moustafa, Kassem, Miccinilli, Domenic, Munoz, Mauricio Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/621,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 701 99
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/12 responsive to conditions relating to doors or doors locks, e.g. open door
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/10 said parameters being related to driver demands or status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/106 Driver presence, e.g. detected by door lock, seat sensor or belt sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0092 Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/251 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1306 non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for activating a vehicle ignition system. An example vehicle includes an ignition system, a plurality of sensors, and a processor. The processor a processor is configured to determine, based on data received from the sensors, (i) that a person occupies a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, (ii) that a key fob corresponding to the vehicle is present, and (iii) that an input has been received at a shifter of the vehicle. The processor is also configured to responsively activate the ignition system.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an ignition system;

a plurality of sensors; and

a processor configured to;

determine, based on data received from the sensors, (i) that a person occupies a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, (ii) that a key fob corresponding to the vehicle is present, (iii) that an input has been received at a shifter of the vehicle, and (iv) that at least one vehicle door is closed; and

responsively activate the ignition system.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a pressure sensor configured to detect whether a person occupies the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, a radio frequency (RF) sensor configured to detect the presence of the key fob, and a touch sensor configured to detect an input received at the shifter of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a pressure sensor integrated with a the driver'"'"'s seat, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine that a person occupies the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle based on the pressure sensor.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a person sitting in the driver'"'"'s seat, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an image of a person sitting in the driver'"'"'s seat;

determine, based on facial recognition performed on the image, that the person corresponds to an account of an authorized driver of the vehicle; and

responsively activate the ignition system.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more radio frequency (RF) sensors configured to detect the location of the key fob, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the key fob is located within a threshold range of the driver'"'"'s seat; and

responsively determine that the key fob corresponding to the vehicle is present.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a fingerprint sensor integrated with the shifter of the vehicle, and wherein the processor is further configured to detect a fingerprint input via the shifter.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the fingerprint corresponds to an account of an authorized driver of the vehicle stored in a database; and

responsively activate the ignition system.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that a seat belt of the driver is buckled; and

responsively activate the ignition system.

9. A method comprising:

receiving data from a plurality of sensors located in a vehicle;

determining, based on the data, (i) that a person occupies a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, (ii) that a key fob corresponding to the vehicle is present, (iii) that an input has been received at a shifter of the vehicle, and (iv) that at least one vehicle door is closed; and

responsively activating an ignition system of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a pressure sensor configured to detect whether a person occupies the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, a radio frequency (RF) sensor configured to detect the presence of the key fob, and a touch sensor configured to detect an input received at the shifter of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a pressure sensor integrated with the driver'"'"'s seat, the method further comprising determining that the person occupies the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle based on the pressure sensor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a person sitting in the driver'"'"'s seat, the method further comprising:

receiving an image of a person sitting in the driver'"'"'s seat;

determining, based on facial recognition performed on the image, that the person corresponds to an account of an authorized driver of the vehicle; and

responsively activating the ignition system of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more radio frequency (RF) sensors configured to detect the location of the key fob, the method further comprising:

determining that the key fob is located within a threshold range of the driver'"'"'s seat; and

responsively determining that the key fob corresponding to the vehicle is present.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a fingerprint sensor integrated with the shifter of the vehicle, the method further comprising detecting a fingerprint input via the shifter.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that the fingerprint corresponds to an account of an authorized driver of the vehicle stored in a database; and

responsively activating the ignition system of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a seat belt of the driver is buckled; and

responsively activating the ignition system of the vehicle.