Vehicle-based vehicle occupant reminder using weight-based sensor
First Claim
1. A method for providing an alert to a person external to a vehicle of an occupant in the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- determining whether a first object in the vehicle is an occupant, based, at least in part, on a weight of the first object;
sensing whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position;
detecting whether a first door coupled to the vehicle has been opened and closed, if the vehicle ignition is in an off position;
if the first door has been opened and closed and an occupant is in the vehicle, measuring a first time (T1) from an instant the first door is closed to an instant after the first door is closed; and
activating the alert, if T1 is greater than a predetermined threshold time (Tthreshold).
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for providing an indication to a person external to a vehicle, of an occupant inside the vehicle. The method comprises determining whether a first object in the vehicle is an occupant, based, in part, on a weight of the first object; sensing whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position; detecting whether a first door coupled to the vehicle has been opened and closed, if the vehicle ignition is in an off position; if the first door has been opened and closed and an occupant is in the vehicle, measuring a first time (T1) from an instant the first door is closed to an instant after the first door is closed; and activating the alert, if T1 is greater than a predetermined threshold time (Tthreshold).
25 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for providing an alert to a person external to a vehicle of an occupant in the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a first object in the vehicle is an occupant, based, at least in part, on a weight of the first object;
sensing whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position;
detecting whether a first door coupled to the vehicle has been opened and closed, if the vehicle ignition is in an off position;
if the first door has been opened and closed and an occupant is in the vehicle, measuring a first time (T1) from an instant the first door is closed to an instant after the first door is closed; and
activating the alert, if T1 is greater than a predetermined threshold time (Tthreshold). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing an alert to a person external to a vehicle of an occupant in the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether a first object in the vehicle is an occupant, based, at least in part, on a weight of the first object;
sensing whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position;
detecting whether a first door coupled to the vehicle has been opened and closed, if the vehicle ignition is in an off position;
sensing whether the first door and a second door coupled to the vehicle have been locked; and
if the first and second doors have been locked and an occupant is in the vehicle, activating the alert. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An alert system for providing an indication to a person external to a vehicle, of an occupant inside the vehicle, the vehicle having a seat and at least a first and a second door, the system comprising:
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a weight sensor operatively coupled to at least a portion of the vehicle to sense a weight of an object disposed inside of the vehicle;
a controller electrically coupled to the weight sensor and configured to determine whether the object is an occupant, based at least in part, on the sensed weight of the object in the vehicle;
a door sensor coupled to the controller and configured to sense the opening and closing of the first and second doors;
an ignition indicator coupled to the controller and configured to sense whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position; and
an alert electrically coupled to the controller and configured to produce a signal external the vehicle if the controller determines that the object is an occupant and if, after the first door was closed, the second door has not been opened within a predetermined threshold time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An alert system for providing an indication to a person external to a vehicle, of an occupant inside the vehicle, the vehicle having a seat and at least a first and a second door, the system comprising:
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a weight sensor operatively coupled to at least a portion of the vehicle to sense a weight of an object disposed inside of the vehicle;
a controller electrically coupled to the weight sensor and configured to determine whether the object is an occupant, based at least in part, on the sensed weight of the object in the vehicle;
a door sensor coupled to the controller and configured to sense the opening, closing and locking of the first and second doors;
an ignition indicator coupled to the controller and configured to sense whether an ignition of the vehicle is in an off position; and
an alert electrically coupled to the controller and configured to produce a signal external the vehicle if the controller determines that the object is an occupant and if after the first door has been shut, the first and second doors have been locked. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification