Systems and methods for confirming a potentially unintended command given to a vehicle

• US 8,965,629 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Debouk, Rami I., Czerny, Barbara J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US13/494,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.2, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 340/5.72, 340/426.13, 340/426.35, 340/426.36, 340/438, 340/439, 701/2, 701/9, 701/49, 701/102, 701/115, 701/419, 701/451, 701/486, 702/188
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed herein for confirming a potentially unintended command given to a vehicle. The method includes, but is not limited to, receiving a command from an operator configured to cause actuation of a vehicle system. The method further includes, but is not limited to, detecting a condition of the vehicle. The method further includes, but is not limited to, determining, with a processor, that the command is inconsistent with the condition. The method still further includes, but is not limited to alerting the operator that the command is inconsistent with the condition.

Claims

1. A method for confirming a potentially unintended command given to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a command from an operator configured to cause actuation of a vehicle system;

detecting a condition of the vehicle;

determining, with a processor, that the command is conflicting with the condition;

alerting the operator that the command is conflicting with the condition;

receiving a confirmation of the command from the operator after the alerting step has occurred; and

actuating the vehicle system in response to receiving the confirmation of the command,

wherein the command comprises one of (a) a locking signal configured to cause actuation of a locking mechanism of the vehicle, (b) an opening signal configured to cause a closure of the vehicle to open, and (c) a transmission signal configured to cause a transmission of the vehicle to shift out of a parked state and wherein the condition respectively comprises one of (a) a closure of the vehicle being disposed in an open state, (b) an obstruction disposed in a path followed by the closure as the closure moves to an open state, and (c) the closure of the vehicle being disposed in the open state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inhibiting actuation of the vehicle system when confirmation of the command is not received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises closing the closure of the vehicle when no confirmation of the command is received from the operator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the command from the operator comprises receiving an opening signal configured to cause a closure of the vehicle to open and wherein detecting the condition of the vehicle comprises detecting that the vehicle is in an off state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting that the vehicle is in the off state comprises detecting that the vehicle has been in the off state for greater than a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure comprises a rear hatch.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the operator comprises emitting an audible signal at the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the operator comprises displaying a visual signal at the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the operator comprises transmitting a wireless signal to a portable device associated with the operator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein alerting the operator comprises transmitting the wireless signal to a key fob.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein alerting the operator comprises transmitting the wireless signal to a smart phone.

12. A method for confirming a potentially unintended command given to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a command from an operator configured to cause actuation of a vehicle system;

detecting a condition of a rear hatch of the vehicle

determining, with a processor, that the command is conflicting with the condition of the rear hatch;

alerting the operator that the command is conflicting with the condition of the rear hatch;

receiving a confirmation of the command from the operator after the alerting step has occurred; and

actuating the vehicle system in response to receiving a confirmation of the command from the operator,

wherein the command comprises one of (a) a locking signal configured to cause actuation of a locking mechanism of the vehicle, and (b) an opening signal configured to cause a closure of the vehicle to open, and wherein the condition respectively comprises one of (a) a closure of the vehicle being disposed in an open state, and (b) an obstruction disposed in a path followed by the closure as the closure moves to an open state.

13. A system for confirming a potentially unintended command given to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor associated with the vehicle and configured to detect a condition of the vehicle;

a communication device configured to alert an operator associated with the vehicle; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the sensor and communicatively coupled with the communication device,

wherein the sensor is further configured to communicate the condition to the processor, the processor is configured to receive a command from the operator configured to cause actuation of a vehicle system, to determine when the command is conflicting with the condition, to control the communication device to notify the operator that the command is conflicting with the condition, and to actuate the vehicle system in response to receiving a confirmation of the command from the operator after the communication device has notified the operator that the command is conflicting with the condition,

wherein the command comprises one of (a) a locking signal configured to cause actuation of a locking mechanism of the vehicle, (b) an opening signal configured to cause a closure of the vehicle to open, and (c) a transmission signal configured to cause a transmission of the vehicle to shift out of a parked state and wherein the condition respectively comprises one of (a) a closure of the vehicle being disposed in an open state, (b) an obstruction disposed in a path followed by the closure as the closure moves to an open state, and (c) the closure of the vehicle being disposed in the open state.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication device comprises a display unit.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication device comprises a wireless transmitter.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication device comprises a wireless transceiver.