Controlling a vehicle

• US 9,630,629 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sungmin, Jo, Byeongrim, Park, Juhnho
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/847,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20160090098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/40 Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0803 Arrangements for time-dependent attenuation of radiation signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

Systems and techniques are disclosed to provide a sensor unit configured to sense a living body within a vehicle and to control the vehicle according to the sensed data. A sensor unit is configured to sense infrared light emitted from one or more areas inside the vehicle. A blocking unit is located between the sensor unit and the one or more areas inside the vehicle. A controller is configured to control at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit so as to vary an amount of infrared light that the sensor unit is able to receive through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle. The controller determines, based on a variation in the amount of infrared light received by the sensor unit, whether or not a living body is present inside the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a sensor unit configured to sense infrared light emitted from one or more areas inside the vehicle;

an alarm unit configured to output an acoustic signal;

a blocking unit located between the sensor unit and the one or more areas inside the vehicle, wherein the blocking unit is configured to vary an amount of infrared light introduced to the sensor; and

a controller configured to;

control at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit so as to vary an amount of infrared light that the sensor unit is able to receive through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle; and

determine, based on a variation in the amount of infrared light received by the sensor unit, whether or not a living body is present inside the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine whether a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle via the sensor unit; and

control the alarm unit based on a determination of whether a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit such that the sensor unit is unable to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle during a first time period; and

control the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit such that the sensor unit is able to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle during a second time period.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit such that the sensor unit is unable to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from a first area among the one or more areas inside the vehicle; and

control the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit such that the sensor unit is able receive infrared light through the blocking unit from a second area among the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the blocking unit includes a transparent display having an adjustable transparency; and

the controller is further configured to control the adjustable transparency of the transparent display of the blocking unit so as to vary an amount of infrared light that can pass through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle to the sensor unit.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the adjustable transparency of the transparent display so that the sensor unit is unable to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle; and

control the adjustable transparency of the transparent unit so that the sensor unit is able to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the blocking unit comprises:

a circular or semispherical structure having a hole; and

a drive unit connected to the circular or semispherical structure and configured to provide the circular or semispherical structure with drive power;

the controller is further configured to;

control the drive unit to set a position of the circular or semispherical structure so that the sensor unit is unable to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle; and

control the drive unit to set a position of the circular or semispherical structure so that the sensor unit is able to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein:

the drive unit is configured to provide drive power for a rotation of the circular or semispherical structure; and

the controller is configured to control the drive unit so as to rotate the circular or semispherical structure.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a passive infrared ray (PIR) sensor.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensor unit comprises;

a sensor configured to sense an amount of infrared light received through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle; and

a sensor drive unit configured to provide the sensor with drive power;

the controller is further configured to control the drive unit so as to cause a movement of the sensor that varies the amount of infrared light received by the sensor through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein:

the sensor drive unit is configured to provide drive power for a rotation of the sensor; and

the controller is configured to control the sensor drive unit so as to rotate the sensor.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit configured to supply power to the sensor unit by converting sunlight into electric energy.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

an air conditioner drive unit configured to control an air conditioner of the vehicle so as to supply conditioned air to an interior space of the vehicle;

a window drive unit configured to control an opening and a closing of a window of the vehicle; and

a door drive unit configured to control an opening and a closing of a door of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine whether or not a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle via the sensor unit; and

control at least one of the air conditioner drive unit, the window drive unit, or the door drive unit based on a determination of whether or not a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with an external communication device,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle via the sensor unit; and

control the communication unit based on a determination of whether a living body is present in the one or more areas inside the vehicle.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a parking brake,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the parking brake is engaged; and

control an operation of the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit based a determination that the parking brake is engaged.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensing unit configured to sense a temperature of an interior space of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit is greater than or equal to a critical value; and

control an operation of the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit based on a determination that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit is greater than or equal to the critical value.

16. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an oxygen amount sensing unit configured to sense an amount of oxygen in an interior space of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that an amount of oxygen sensed by the oxygen amount sensing unit is less than or equal to a critical value; and

control an operation of the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit based on a determination that the amount of oxygen sensed by the oxygen amount sensing unit is less than or equal to the critical value.

17. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor configured to sense sunlight,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that a quantity of sunlight sensed by the optical sensor is greater than or equal to a critical value; and

control an operation of the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit based on a determination that the quantity of sunlight sensed by the optical sensor is greater than or equal to the critical value.

18. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a starter unit,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a time at which the starter unit has turned off;

determine that at least a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the time at which the starter unit is determined to have turned off; and

control an operation of the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit based on a determination that at least the predetermined period of time has elapsed after the time at which the starter unit is determined to have turned off.

19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a first amount of infrared light received by the sensor unit based on controlling the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit so that the sensor unit is unable to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle;

determine a second amount of infrared light received by the sensor unit based on controlling the at least one of the blocking unit or the sensor unit so that the sensor unit is able to receive infrared light through the blocking unit from the one or more areas inside the vehicle;

compare the first amount of infrared light with the second amount of infrared light;

determine that a difference between the first amount of infrared light and the second amount of infrared light exceeds a threshold; and

determine, based on a determination that the difference between the first amount of infrared light and the second amount of infrared light exceeds the threshold, that a living body is present inside the vehicle.