Apparatus and method for Determining Presence of Objects in a Vehicle

• US 20090046538A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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., Chekhovoy, Oleksandr, Zakharenkov, Kyrylo
• Application Number:
  US12/040,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046538A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• 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 2/0022 for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0026 for distinguishing between humans, animals or objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• 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 2/0268 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 2/267 alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/16 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• 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 2230/30 : Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 : for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 : with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 : with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 : Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 : monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 : specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 : characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 : comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 : by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 : with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 : with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 : for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 : responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 : using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 : using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 : using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 : using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 : using electric or capacitive field sensors
• 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 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 : detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 : using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 : sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 : detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 : in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21656 : Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 : with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 : with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 : Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 : Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 : Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1009 : Sonic sensors; Signal treatment therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 : a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 : Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 : Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 : Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 : using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 : of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 : responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/431 : specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 : using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/542 : Roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 : Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/14 : wherein a voltage or current pulse is initiated and terminated in accordance respectively with the pulse transmission and echo reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52006 : with provision for compensating the effects of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 : Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 : Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 : using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 : Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/00 : Scenes; Scene-specific elements control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 : with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 : EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 : Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 : responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 : due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 : Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 : Geometry of the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 : particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 : mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body

Abstract

Vehicle including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged such that an interior space is defined by or between the first and second substructures, and an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space. The arrangement includes ultrasonic transducers arranged on the second substructure and to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the first substructure and receive any waves reflected by objects in the interior space and a processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducers and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on reception of waves by the ultrasonic transducers. If the vehicle is an automobile and the interior space is the passenger compartment therein, the first substructure can be the passenger seat and the second substructure can be the A-pillar, in which case, the processor determines the presence or absence of a passenger in the passenger seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of parts or components defining an interior space in which one or more objects can be situated, said parts or components including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged opposite at least a part of said first substructure such that the interior space is defined in part by said first and second substructures; and

an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space, said arrangement comprising;

at least one ultrasonic transducer arranged on said second substructure and to transmit ultrasonic waves toward said first substructure and receive any waves reflected by objects in the interior space;

a processor coupled to said at least one ultrasonic transducer and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on any reception of waves by said at least one ultrasonic transducer;

a sensor system arranged to determine at least one property of an atmosphere in the interior space which affects the propagation of ultrasonic waves; and

an ultrasonic transducer control unit coupled to said sensor system and to at least one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer and said processor for at least one of

controlling said at least one ultrasonic transducer to modify transmission of the ultrasonic waves based on the property of the atmosphere in the interior space determined by said sensor system and

controlling said processor to modify processing of the received ultrasonic waves based on the property of the atmosphere in the interior space determined by said sensor system.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer is controlled to associate reception of waves in discrete periods of time with specific timed transmissions of waves, said arrangement further comprising a processing circuit coupled to said at least one ultrasonic transducer and arranged to remove at least one portion of the waves received by said at least one ultrasonic transducer in each time period to thereby form shortened returned waves, said processor being coupled to said processing circuit and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on the shortened returned waves formed by said processing circuit.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged on said second substructure in positions in which they have different transmission and reception fields.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor comprises a pattern recognition algorithm.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein said pattern recognition algorithm comprises a neural network trained in a training stage in which ultrasonic waves received by said at least one ultrasonic transducer in the absence of objects in the interior space and ultrasonic waves received by said at least one ultrasonic transducer with objects present in the interior space are collected and used to derive the neural network, said neural network operatively processing the waves received by said at least one ultrasonic transducer to provide an indication of the presence or absence of objects in the interior space.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile, the interior space is a passenger compartment in the automobile, said first substructure is a front passenger seat and said second substructure is an A-pillar, said processor being arranged to determined the presence or absence of a passenger in said passenger seat.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer is mounted at or proximate a top of said second substructure such that waves are transmitted in a downward direction toward the first substructure.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor system is arranged to determine the temperature of the atmosphere in the interior space and said ultrasonic transducer control unit is arranged to modify transmission of the ultrasonic waves or processing of the received ultrasonic waves based on the determined temperature.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said ultrasonic transducer control unit is arranged to modify a frequency at which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted by said at least one ultrasonic transmitter based on the determined temperature to provide for a substantially constant wavelength of the transmitted ultrasonic waves over a range of temperatures.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said ultrasonic transducer control unit is arranged to determine the size of a portion of waves to be removed from a larger set of waves received during each discrete period of time based on the determined temperature such that the analyzed waves emanate from the same distance or distance range from said at least one transducer.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor system is arranged to determine the humidity of the atmosphere in the interior space, said ultrasonic transducer control unit is arranged to determine at least one acceptable or optimum parameter for the transmission of ultrasonic waves via said at least one ultrasonic transducer or for the reception of ultrasonic waves via said at least one ultrasonic transducer based on the determined humidity whereby each of the at least one parameter is designed to compensate for any increased attenuation of ultrasonic waves resulting from humidity above a threshold, the ultrasonic waves being transmitted via said at least one ultrasonic transducer into the interior space using the at least one determined parameter or any reflected waves being received via said at least one ultrasonic transducer using the at least one determined parameter, said ultrasonic transducer control unit being arranged to optionally determine transmission power of the ultrasonic waves or amplification for the reception of the ultrasonic waves.

12. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of parts or components defining an interior space in which one or more objects can be situated, said parts or components including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged opposite at least a part of said first substructure such that the interior space is defined in part by said first and second substructures; and

an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space, said arrangement comprising;

at least one transmitter arranged on said second substructure for transmitting ultrasonic waves at different times toward said first substructure;

at least one wave receiver arranged on said second substructure for receiving any waves reflected from objects in the interior space during a period of time after each transmission;

a processor coupled to each of said at least one transmitter and said at least one receiver for determining whether an object is present in the interior space based on any waves received by said at least one receiver;

a sensor system arranged to determine at least one property of an atmosphere in the interior space which affects the propagation of ultrasonic waves; and

an ultrasonic transducer control unit coupled to said sensor system and to at least one of said at least one transmitter and said processor for modifying transmission of the ultrasonic waves via said at least one transmitter or processing of the received ultrasonic waves via said processor based on the property of the atmosphere in the interior space determined by said sensor system.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said at least one receiver is arranged to associate reception of waves in discrete periods of time with specific timed transmissions of waves, said arrangement further comprising a processing circuit coupled to said at least one receiver and arranged to remove at least one portion of the waves received by said at least one receiver in each time period to thereby form shortened returned waves, said processor being coupled to said processing circuit and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on the shortened returned waves formed by said processing circuit.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said at least one transmitter and said at least one receiver comprise a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged on said second substructure in positions in which they have different transmission and reception fields.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said processor comprises a pattern recognition algorithm.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein said pattern recognition algorithm comprises a neural network trained in a training stage in which ultrasonic waves received by said at least one receiver in the absence of objects in the interior space and ultrasonic waves received by said at least one receiver with objects present in the interior space are collected and used to derive the neural network, said neural network operatively processing the waves received by said at least one receiver to provide an indication of the presence or absence of objects in the interior space.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is an automobile, the interior space is a passenger compartment in the automobile, said first substructure is a front passenger seat and said second substructure is an A-pillar, said processor being arranged to determined the presence or absence of a passenger in said passenger seat.

18. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said at least one transmitter and said at least one receiver comprise a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged on said second substructure in positions in which they have an overlapping transmission and reception field, said processor being arranged to determine whether an object is present in the overlapping transmission and reception field based on any reception of waves by said ultrasonic transducers.

19. A method for determining whether an object is present in an interior space of a movable asset in which one or more objects can be situated, the interior space being defined by a plurality of parts or components including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged opposite at least a part of the first substructure such that the interior space is defined in part by the first and second substructures, the method comprising:

arranging at least one ultrasonic transducer on the second substructure;

transmitting ultrasonic waves from the at least one ultrasonic transducer toward the first substructure;

receiving any waves reflected by objects in the interior space via the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

determining whether an object is present in the interior space based on any reception of waves by the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

determining at least one property of an atmosphere in the interior space which affects the propagation of ultrasonic waves; and

at least one of

controlling the at least one ultrasonic transducer to modify transmission of the ultrasonic waves based on the determined at least one property of the atmosphere in the interior space, and

controlling the processor to modify processing of the received ultrasonic waves based on the determined at least one property of the atmosphere in the interior space.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one property is determined by a sensor system.