OCCUPANT ABANDONMENT SENSOR FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES

• US 20070285218A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Mahoney, David V., Howard, Patrick C., Fletcher, Douglas D., Lasenby, Kyle D.
• Application Number:
  US11/423,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457
• 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 2/0029 for detecting the motion of the occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/003 characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/30 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4841 for sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/72 responsive to emergency conditions, e.g. fire
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

Presence of an occupant in a vehicle is sensed. Furthermore, at least one occupant exposure condition in the vehicle is sensed. If there is an occupant in the vehicle, a signal is sent as a function of the at least one occupant exposure condition in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing presence of an occupant in a vehicle;

sensing at least one occupant exposure condition in the vehicle; and

if there is an occupant in the vehicle, then sending a signal as a function of the at least one occupant exposure condition in the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one occupant exposure condition includes at least one of an ignition status of the vehicle and a window position and a door position.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one occupant exposure condition includes at least one of a temperature status, a humidity status, a chemical status and a time period.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing presence step comprises using at least one of a capacitive sensor, a motion sensor, an audio sensor, a vision sensor, a seat belt buckle sensor and a seat belt tensioner sensor.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the sensors is adapted to transmit a wireless signal to at least one of an occupant sensing module and an occupant exposure sensing module.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the wireless signal is selected from a group consisting of a Bluetooth®

signal, a radio frequency identification signal, a capacitive signal, an inductive digital signal and an inductive analog signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the signal includes at least one of flashing lights of the vehicle and honking a horn of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the signal includes transmitting a wireless signal to a computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of a phone, a computer and a personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the signal includes at least one of dialing a phone number and contacting an emergency service.

11. A system for sensing conditions in a vehicle comprising:

an occupant sensing module adapted to sense presence of an occupant in the vehicle;

an occupant exposure sensing module adapted to monitor at least one occupant exposure condition of the vehicle; and

a signaling module coupled to the occupant sensing module and the occupant exposure sensing module and adapted to provide a signal if the occupant sensing module indicates that an occupant is in the vehicle as a function of the at least one occupant exposure condition.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one occupant exposure condition includes at least one of a temperature status, a humidity status, a chemical status and a time period.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one occupant exposure condition includes at least one of an ignition status of the vehicle and a window position and a door position.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the occupant sensing module is adapted to sense presence of an occupant using a signal from at least one of a capacitive sensor, a motion sensor, a vision sensor, an audio sensor, a seat belt buckle sensor and a seat belt tensioner sensor.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the sensors is adapted to transmit a wireless signal to at least one of the occupant sensing module and the occupant exposure sensing module.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless signal is selected from a group consisting of a Bluetooth®

signal, a radio frequency identification signal, a capacitive signal, an inductive digital signal and an inductive analog signal.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the signal includes at least one of flashing lights of the vehicle and honking a horn of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the signaling module is adapted to transmit a wireless signal to a computing device.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of a phone, a computer and a personal digital assistant.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the signaling module is adapted to perform at least one of dialing a phone number and contacting an emergency service.

21. A vehicle, comprising:

an occupant sensing module adapted to sense presence of an occupant in a vehicle;

occupant exposure sensing module adapted to monitor at least one occupant exposure condition of the vehicle; and

a signaling module coupled with an occupant sensing module and the occupant exposure sensing module and adapted to provide a signal if the occupant sensing module indicates that an occupant is in the vehicle as a function of at least one occupant exposure condition.

22. The vehicle of claim 21 and further comprising at least one of a motion sensor, a vision sensor, an audio sensor, a capacitive sensor, a seat belt buckle sensor and a seat belt tension sensor operably coupled to the occupant sensing module to provide a signal indicative of presence of an occupant in the vehicle.

23. The vehicle of claim 21 and further comprising at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an ignition sensor, a window position sensor, a chemical sensor and a timer operably coupled to the occupant exposure sensing module to provide a signal indicative of the at least one occupant exposure condition of the vehicle.

24. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the signaling module is further adapted to perform at least one of flashing lights of the vehicle, honking a horn of the vehicle, transmitting a wireless signal to a computing device, dialing a phone number and contacting an emergency service.