Vehicle rear seat monitor

• US 20020029103A1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,507,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0029 for detecting the motion of the occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/20 Radar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/26 Ultrasonic, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/30 using a neural network
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/10 Wired data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• 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 2300/41 : preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 : oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 : by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 : including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 : responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 : using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 : using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 : using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 : for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 : in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

Vehicular rear seat area monitoring system including at least one wave-receiving sensor arranged behind the front seat to receive waves from a space above the rear seat and a processor coupled to the sensor(s) for controlling another system in the vehicle based on the waves received by the sensor(s). The sensors may be of several different types. For example, an optical sensor can be provided which receives images including the space above the rear seat, a CCD array, a CMOS array and an optical camera including a lens can be used, and a radar sensor is also a possibility. If one of the sensors is a radar sensor, then the processor may be designed or trained to analyze motion of objects in the rear seat based on the waves received by the radar sensor and control the system based on any motion of the objects.

Claims

1. In a vehicle including a front seat, a rear seat and an interior monitoring system for monitoring a passenger compartment of the vehicle, a rear seat area monitoring system comprising:

at least one wave-receiving sensor arranged behind the front seat to receive waves from a space above the rear seat; and

a processor coupled to said at least one sensor for controlling another system in the vehicle based on the waves received by said at least one sensor from the space above the rear seat.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor which receives images including the space above the rear seat.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is arranged in a ceiling of the vehicle above the rear seat.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is arranged behind the rear seat.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is arranged in a ceiling of the vehicle on a side of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is structured and arranged to identify any occupying items on the rear seat based on waves received by said at least one sensor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is structured and arranged to determine the position of any occupying items on the rear seat based on the waves received by said at least one sensor.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an optical camera including a lens.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said another system is an airbag control system for controlling deployment of at least one airbag designed for protection of any rear-seated occupants.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is a radar sensor.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said processor is structured and arranged to analyze motion of objects in the rear seat based on the waves received by said radar sensor and control the another system based on any motion of the objects.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of arranging at least one sensor comprises the step of arranging an optical sensor capable of receiving images including the space above the rear seat.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of arranging at least one sensor comprises the step of arranging the at least one sensor in a ceiling of the vehicle above the rear seat.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of arranging at least one sensor comprises the step of arranging the at least one sensor in a ceiling of the vehicle on a side of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining whether occupants are present in the space behind the front seat whereby the another system is controlled based on the determined presence or absence of occupants in the space behind the front seat.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of identifying any occupying items in the space behind the front seat based on the waves received by the at least one sensor whereby the another system is controlled based on the identification of any occupying items.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of identifying any occupying items comprises the step of applying a pattern recognition algorithm trained on data of waves received by different occupying items in association with an identification of the occupying items.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining the position of any occupying items in the space behind the front seat based on the waves received by the at least one sensor whereby the another system is controlled based on the determined position of any occupying items.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the another system is an airbag control system for controlling deployment of at least one airbag designed for protection of any rear-seated occupants.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an optical camera including a lens.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor is a radar sensor.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of analyzing motion of objects in the space behind the front seat based on the waves received by the radar sensor, the step of controlling the another system in the vehicle comprising the step of controlling the another system based on any motion of the objects.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of arranging at least one optical sensor comprises the step of arranging a plurality of optical sensors selected from a group consisting of a CCD array and a CMOS array.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of arranging at least one optical sensor comprises the step of arranging the at least one sensor in a ceiling of the vehicle above the rear seat or on a side of the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of analyzing the images comprises the step of applying a pattern recognition algorithm trained on data of waves received by different occupying items in association with an identification of the occupying items.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

determining the position of the rear-facing child seat when a rear-facing child seat is present; and

controlling the system based on the determined position of the rear-facing child seat.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the another system is an airbag control system for controlling deployment of at least one airbag designed for protection of any rear-seated occupants.

13. A method for monitoring a space of a passenger compartment of a vehicle behind a front seat of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

arranging at least one wave-receiving sensor behind the front seat;

receiving waves from the space behind the front seat by means of the at least one sensor; and

controlling another system in the vehicle based on the waves received by the at least one sensor from the space behind the front seat.

25. A method for controlling a vehicular system based on the presence of a rear-facing child seat in a rear seat of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

arranging at least one optical sensor in a location in the vehicle in which images of a space above the rear seat of the vehicle can be obtained;

obtaining images of the space above the rear seat from the at least one optical sensor;

analyzing the images to determine whether a rear-facing child seat is present; and

controlling the system based on the determination of whether a rear-facing child seat is present in the rear seat.