Activity monitoring apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle activity monitoring apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle body structure defining a vehicle interior;
a vehicle front door fixed to the vehicle body structure for movement between an open orientation and a closed orientation;
a front door movement detection device configured to sense movement of the front door from the closed orientation to the open orientation and from the open orientation to the closed orientation;
a vehicle component attached to the vehicle body structure for movement between a first position exposing a rearward area of the vehicle interior and a second position at least partially concealing the rearward area of the vehicle interior;
a movement detection device installed within the vehicle body structure and coupled to the vehicle component sensing movement of the vehicle component between the first position and the second position;
a vehicle ignition device within the vehicle body structure operated by a vehicle operator to control operation of a vehicle engine;
an alerting device configured to provide an alarm signal; and
a controller operably connected to each of the front door movement detection device, the movement detection device, the vehicle ignition device and the alerting device, such that in response to the controller detecting a sequence of events based only on;
movement of the front door via signals from the front door movement detection device;
movement of the vehicle component via signals from the movement detection device; and
detection of operation of the vehicle ignition device, the controller determines whether or not the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior, where the determination does not require physical detection of the presence of the object and in response to determining that the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior the controller operates the alerting device to provide the alarm signal to the vehicle operator.
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Abstract
A vehicle component moves between a first position exposing a rearward area of a vehicle interior and a second position at least partially concealing the rearward area. A movement detection device senses movement of the vehicle component. A vehicle ignition device within the vehicle body structure is operated by a vehicle operator. A controller is operably connected to the movement detection device, the vehicle ignition device and an alerting device. The controller detects movement of the vehicle component and operation of the vehicle ignition device in predetermined sequences of movement and operation. The controller thereafter determines whether or not the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area. In response to determining that the vehicle operator may have left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior, the controller provides an alarm signal.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle activity monitoring apparatus comprising:
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a vehicle body structure defining a vehicle interior; a vehicle front door fixed to the vehicle body structure for movement between an open orientation and a closed orientation; a front door movement detection device configured to sense movement of the front door from the closed orientation to the open orientation and from the open orientation to the closed orientation; a vehicle component attached to the vehicle body structure for movement between a first position exposing a rearward area of the vehicle interior and a second position at least partially concealing the rearward area of the vehicle interior; a movement detection device installed within the vehicle body structure and coupled to the vehicle component sensing movement of the vehicle component between the first position and the second position; a vehicle ignition device within the vehicle body structure operated by a vehicle operator to control operation of a vehicle engine; an alerting device configured to provide an alarm signal; and a controller operably connected to each of the front door movement detection device, the movement detection device, the vehicle ignition device and the alerting device, such that in response to the controller detecting a sequence of events based only on;
movement of the front door via signals from the front door movement detection device;
movement of the vehicle component via signals from the movement detection device; and
detection of operation of the vehicle ignition device, the controller determines whether or not the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior, where the determination does not require physical detection of the presence of the object and in response to determining that the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior the controller operates the alerting device to provide the alarm signal to the vehicle operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18)
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12. A method for operating an activity monitoring apparatus comprising:
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detecting movement of a vehicle component of a vehicle body structure between a first position exposing a rearward area of a vehicle interior of the vehicle body structure and a second position at least partially concealing the rearward area of the vehicle interior; detecting operation of a vehicle ignition device within the vehicle body structure operated by a vehicle operator to control operation of a vehicle engine; detecting movement of a front door indicating location of the vehicle operator; determining whether or not the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior in response to only;
the detecting movement of the front door;
the detecting movement of the vehicle component via signals from the movement detection device; and
detecting operation of the vehicle ignition device, with the detecting of movement of the front door, detecting of movement of the vehicle component and detecting of operation of the vehicle ignition device occurring in a predetermined sequence of events, where the determination does not require physical detection of the presence of the object; andproviding an alarm signal to the vehicle operator in response to determining that the vehicle operator has potentially left an object in the rearward area of the vehicle interior. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
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Original AssigneeNissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
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InventorsHenry, Marlene, Foley, Elsa
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Primary Examiner(s)Zimmerman, Brian
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Assistant Examiner(s)EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
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Application NumberUS14/881,284Publication NumberTime in Patent Office672 DaysField of SearchUS Class CurrentCPC Class CodesG08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-...G08B 3/1016 using wireless transmission...G08B 5/36 using visible light sourcesG08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems,...
