Determining vehicle occupant location

• US 9,467,817 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US14/713,045
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/418, 340/425.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/415 based on motion status or velocity, e.g. for disabling use of mobile phones in a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

First and second movement data representing movement of first and second wearable portable devices during a first time period is provided. The first and second wearable portable devices are associated respectively with first and second users. The first and second sets of movement data are compared. Based at least in part on the comparison, a location in the vehicle of the first user relative to the second user is determined.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a memory and a processor storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to;

receive, from a first wearable portable device associated with a first user, first movement data representing movement of the first wearable portable device during a first time period;

receive, from a second wearable portable device associated with a second user, second movement data representing movement of the second wearable device during the first time period;

compare the first movement data with the second movement data; and

determine a location in the vehicle of the first user relative to the second user based at least in part on the comparison.

2. The computer of claim 1, further programmed to:

receive data representing movement of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle movement data indicates that the vehicle is turning in a first direction during the first time period.

3. The computer of claim 2, further programmed to:

determine, based on the comparison, that a first acceleration of the first wearable portable device during the first time period is greater than a second acceleration of the second wearable portable device during the first time period.

4. The computer of claim 3, further programmed to:

determine, based on the determination that the first acceleration is greater than the second acceleration during the first time period, that the first user is located radially outward from second user.

5. The computer of claim 2, further programmed to:

determine, based on the vehicle movement data, a time period during which the vehicle is turning; and

setting the first time period to include the turning time period.

6. The computer of claim 5, further programmed to:

send, based upon the setting of the first time period, a request to one or more wearable portable devices for movement data relating to the first time period.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine that the first and second users are in a first row of vehicle seats; and

determine, based at least in part on the comparison of the first and second movement data, that one of the first and second users is in the driver seat and another of the first and second users is in the passenger seat.

8. The computer of claim 7, wherein the determination that the first and second users are in the front row of vehicle seats is based at least in part on first and second received signal strengths from the respective first and second wearable portable devices.

9. The computer of claim 7, further programmed to:

receive, from a third wearable portable device associated with a third user, third movement data representing movement of the third wearable portable device during the first time period;

receive, from a fourth wearable portable device associated with a fourth user, a fourth movement data representing movement of the fourth wearable portable device during the first time period;

determine that the third and fourth users are located in a second row of vehicle seats;

compare the respective third and fourth sets of movement data; and

determine a location in the vehicle of the third user relative to the fourth user in the second row based at least in part on the comparison of the third and fourth sets of movement data.

10. The computer of claim 9, wherein the determination that the third and fourth users are in the second row of vehicle seats is based at least in part third and fourth received signal strengths from the respective third and fourth wearable portable devices.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first wearable portable device associated with a first user, first movement data representing movement of the first wearable portable device during a first time period;

receiving, from a second wearable portable device associated with a second user, second movement data representing movement of the second wearable device during the first time period;

comparing the first movement data with the second movement data; and

determining a location in the vehicle of the first user relative to the second user based at least in part on the comparison.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving data representing movement of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle movement data indicates that the vehicle is turning in a first direction during the first time period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining, based on the comparison, that a first acceleration of the first wearable portable device during the first time period is greater than a second acceleration of the second wearable device during the first time period.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, based on the determination that the first acceleration is greater than the second acceleration during the first time period, that the first user is located radially outward from second user.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining, based on the vehicle movement data a time period during which the vehicle is turning; and

setting the first time period to include the turning time period.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending, based upon the setting of the first time period, a request to one or more wearable portable devices requesting movement data relating to the first time period.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that the first and second users are in a first row of vehicle seats; and

determining, based at least in part on the comparison of the first and second movement data, which of the first and second user is in the driver seat and which of the first and second user is in the passenger seat.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determination that the first and second users are in the front row of vehicle seats is based at least in part on first and second received signal strengths from the respective first and second wearable portable devices.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from a third wearable portable device associated with a third user, a third movement data representing movement of the third wearable portable device during the first time period;

receiving, from a fourth wearable portable device associated with a fourth user, a fourth movement data representing movement of the fourth wearable portable device during the first time period;

determining that the third and fourth users are located in a second row of vehicle seats;

comparing the respective third and fourth movement data; and

determining a location in the vehicle of the third user relative to the fourth user based at least in part on the comparison.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determination that the third and fourth users are in the second row of vehicle seats is based at least in part on third and fourth received signal strengths from the respective third and fourth wearable portable devices.