Vehicle occupant detection system

• US 10,482,747 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: Haskew, Timothy Austin, Sazonov, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US16/204,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20190096221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/00 Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00
• 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: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

Various implementations of an occupant detection system may be used in a vehicle to detect the presence of a living occupant (human or otherwise) and generate a warning. The warning may be communicated to another person(s) or to other vehicle systems to alert people in the vicinity of the vehicle. The system prevents injury and death to people and pets that may be accidentally within a parked car and unable to egress. The system may be integrated into a new vehicle or housed in a separate device that can be plugged into a power outlet within the vehicle.

Claims

1. An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising:

an electrical signal sensor;

an accelerometer;

a carbon dioxide sensor; and

a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to;

receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, and receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle,

in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion, store data associated with the third signal in the memory at a first time interval periodically,

in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare an absolute value of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected absolute value of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle and store the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and

in response to the absolute value of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal.

2. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval.

3. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the processor is integrated into an on-board diagnostic computing system in the vehicle.

4. The occupant detection system of claim 1, further comprising a cellular modem, and wherein the cellular modem communicates the alarm signal to a cellular device over a wireless communication network.

5. The occupant detection system of claim 1, further comprising a local area network communication device, and wherein the local area network communication device communicates the alarm signal to a computing device disposed outside of the vehicle over a wireless communication network.

6. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one door of the vehicle.

7. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one window of the vehicle.

8. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on an air conditioning system of the vehicle.

9. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on the vehicle.

10. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to communicate with an on-board communication system.

11. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to sound a horn of the vehicle.

12. The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to flash at least one headlight or taillight of the vehicle.

13. A method of occupant detection within a vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a first signal from an electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off;

receiving, by the processor, a second signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion;

receiving, by the processor, a third signal from a carbon dioxide sensor, wherein the third signal is associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle;

storing, by the processor, data associated with the third signal in a memory associated with the processor at a first time interval periodically in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion;

comparing, by the processor, an absolute value of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected absolute value of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion and storing, by the processor, the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and

generating and communicating an alarm signal, by the processor, in response to the absolute value of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the processor causes a cellular modem associated with the processor to communicate the alarm signal to a cellular device over a wireless communication network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the processor causes a local area network communication device associated with the device to communicate the alarm signal to a computing device disposed outside of the vehicle over a wireless communication network.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one door of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one window of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on an air conditioning system of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to communicate with an on-board communication system.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to sound a horn of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to flash at least one headlight or taillight of the vehicle.

24. A method of occupant detection within a vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a first signal from an electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off;

receiving, by the processor, a second signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion;

receiving, by the processor, a third signal from a carbon dioxide sensor, wherein the third signal is associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle;

storing, by the processor, data associated with the third signal in a memory associated with the processor at a first time interval periodically in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion;

comparing, by the processor, a rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion and storing, by the processor, the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and

generating and communicating an alarm signal, by the processor, in response to the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to compare the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of carbon dioxide concentration within the vehicle, and in response to the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level of carbon dioxide concentration, generate and communicate the alarm signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval.