Vehicle interior identification and monitoring system

• US 6,116,639 A
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., Duvall, Wilbur E.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/047,704
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/734, 180/272, 342/72, 342/70, 701/45, 701/49
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 : specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 : comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 : by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 : for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 : responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 : responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 : Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 : using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 : using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 : using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 : for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 : in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 : sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 : detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21656 : Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 : with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/20 : adjustable in position, e.g. in height
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 : responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/431 : specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 : using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/20 : by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 : Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 : Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 : Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 : Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 : Geometry of the configuration

Abstract

Method and apparatus for controlling a system in the vehicle based on one or more occupying items in which a portion of the passenger compartment in which the item is situated is irradiated, and reflected radiation from surfaces of the occupying item are received and processed in order to create one or more electronic signals characteristic of the occupying item based on the received radiation, each signal containing a pattern representative and characteristic of the occupying item and being categorized by utilizing pattern recognition system for recognizing and thus identifying the class of the occupying item. The pattern recognition system processing each signal into a categorization thereof based on data corresponding to patterns of received radiation stored within the pattern recognition system and associated with possible classes of occupying items of the vehicle. Thereafter, another system in the vehicle is affected based on the categorization of the signal(s).

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment for enclosing at least one occupying item having surfaces and assigned to a certain class, a method for controlling a system in the vehicle based on the at least one occupying item comprising the steps of:

irradiating at least a portion of the passenger compartment in which the at least one occupying item is situated;

receiving reflected radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment;

processing said received radiation in order to create at least one electronic signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation, each of said at least one signal containing a pattern representative and characteristic of the at least one occupying item;

categorizing each of said at least one signal by utilizing pattern recognition means for recognizing and thus identifying the class of the at least one occupying item, said pattern recognition means processing each of said at least one signal based on said received radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item into a categorization of said signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item; and

affecting the system in the vehicle based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system in the vehicle is a vehicle communication system, further comprising the steps of:

producing an output representative of the number of occupants in the vehicle based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, and

controlling the vehicle communication system based on the output representative of the number of occupants in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system in the vehicle is a vehicle entertainment system, further comprising the steps of:

producing an output representative of specific seat occupancy based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, and

controlling the vehicle entertainment system based on the output representative of specific seat occupancy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the system in the vehicle is a vehicle heating and air conditioning system, further comprising the steps of:

producing an output representative of specific seat occupancy based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, and

controlling the vehicle heating and air conditioning system based on the output representative of specific seat occupancy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

arranging temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of an occupant of the passenger compartment, and

in addition to affecting the system in the vehicle based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, affecting the system in the vehicle based on the measured temperature of the occupant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining attentiveness of the at least one occupying item from said at least one signal if the at least one occupying item is an occupant, and

in addition to affecting the system in the vehicle based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, affecting the system in the vehicle based on the determined attentiveness of the occupant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said received radiation is processed to generate at least one signal which varies over time depending on the shape of the at least one occupying item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said pattern recognition means comprise a trained neural network, said neural network being arranged to process each of said at least one signal based on said received radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item into the categorization of said signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item based on data corresponding to patterns for received radiation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation; and

in addition to affecting the system in the vehicle based on the categorization of said at least one signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item, affecting the system in the vehicle based on the determined location of the at least one occupying item.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining the position of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation, and

comparing the position of the occupant at different times to thereby determine motion of the at least one occupying item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation, and

determining the velocity of the at least one occupying item from successive location determinations.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is an airbag system, further comprising the steps of determining seatbelt usage of an occupant, and considering the determined seatbelt usage when deploying the airbag system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving reflected radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item comprises the step of arranging a plurality of receivers in the vehicle each at a discrete location, said received radiation from each of said receivers being processed in order to create respective electronic signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation from said receivers, each of said electronic signals being categorized by utilizing said pattern recognition means.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said pattern recognition means are structured and arranged to additionally use information from another sensor when recognizing and thus identifying the class of the at least one occupying item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said another sensor is selected from the group consisting of a weight sensor, a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, a seat position sensor, and a seatback angle sensor.

16. In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment for enclosing at least one occupying item having surfaces and assigned to a certain class, an interior monitoring system comprising:

a) means for irradiating at least a portion of the passenger compartment in which the at least one occupying item is situated;

b) receiver means for receiving reflected radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment, said receiver means comprising a plurality of receivers, each arranged at a discrete location;

c) processor means coupled to said receivers for processing said received radiation from each of said receivers in order to create respective electronic signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation, each of said signals containing a pattern representative of the at least one occupying item;

d) categorization means coupled to said processor means for categorizing said signals, said categorization means comprising pattern recognition means for recognizing and thus identifying the class of the at least one occupying item by processing said signals based on said received radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item into a categorization of said signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item; and

e) output means coupled to said categorization means for affecting at least one other system within said vehicle based on the categorization of said signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item.

17. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein each of said signals comprises a plurality of data, all of said data being compared to data corresponding to patterns of received radiation stored within said pattern recognition means and associated with possible classes of contents of the vehicle.

18. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said output means produce an output representative of the number of occupants in said vehicle and said at least one other system is a vehicle communication system.

19. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said output means produce an output representative of specific seat occupancy and said at least one other system is a vehicle entertainment system.

20. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said output means produce an output representative of seat occupancy and said at least one other system is a vehicle heating and air conditioning system.

21. The invention in accordance with claim 16, further comprising measurement means for measuring the temperature of the at least one occupying item and outputting the measured temperature to said output means such that said output means affect said at least one other system based on the measured temperature in addition to the categorization of said signals.

22. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said irradiating means are selected from the group consisting of means for producing acoustic radiation and means for producing electromagnetic radiation.

23. The invention in accordance with claim 16, further comprising determining means coupled to said processor means for receiving said signals and determining the attentiveness of the at least one occupying item from said signals when the at least one occupying item is an occupant;

and

second output means coupled to said determining means and to one of the systems in the vehicle for affecting said one of the systems in the vehicle in response to the determined attentiveness of the occupant.

24. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein each of said receivers generates a signal which varies over time depending on the shape of the at least one occupying item.

25. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said at least one other system within said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of (i) an entertainment system, (ii) a distress notification system, (iii) a heating and air-conditioning system, (iv) a vehicle safety system, (v) a light filtering system, and (vi) an unauthorized user/ignition enabling system.

26. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said pattern recognition means comprise a trained neural network, said neural network being arranged to process said signals based on said received radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item into the categorization of said signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item based on data corresponding to patterns for received radiation.

27. The invention in accordance with claim 16, further comprising location determining means coupled to said processor means for determining the location of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation;

said output means being coupled to said location determining means and in addition to affecting said at least one other system within the vehicle based on the categorization of said signals characteristic of the at least one occupying item, being structured and arranged to affect said at least one other system based on the determined location of the at least one occupying item.

28. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein the at least one occupying item is a rear facing child seat.

29. The invention in accordance with claim 16, wherein said pattern recognition means are structured and arranged to additionally use information from another sensor when recognizing and thus identifying the class of the at least one occupying item.

30. The invention in accordance with claim 29, wherein said another sensor is selected from the group consisting of a weight sensor, a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, a seat position sensor, and a seatback angle sensor.

31. In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment having a front seat and for enclosing contents comprising objects and at least one occupant, the contents being assigned to certain classes, an interior monitoring system comprising:

a) recognition and identification means for recognizing and identifying at least one of the contents, said recognition and identification means comprising;

means for irradiating said at least one of said contents of said compartment,

receiver means for receiving reflected radiation from the at least one of said contents in the compartment, said receiver means comprising a plurality of receivers each arranged at a discrete location and structured and arranged to generate a signal corresponding to the received radiation, and

pattern recognition means for recognizing and thus identifying the class of said at least one of said contents by processing said signals corresponding to the received radiation into an identification of the class of the at least one of said contents;

b) location determining means coupled to said recognition and identification means for determining the location of the at least one of said contents within said passenger compartment; and

c) output means coupled to said location determining means for affecting at least one other system within the vehicle based on (i) the determined location of the at least one of said contents within said vehicle and (ii) the identification of the class of the at least one of said contents within said vehicle.

32. The invention in accordance with claim 31, further comprising comparison means to compare the position of the at least one of the contents at different times after an accident and to thereby determine motion of the at least one of the contents and wherein said at least one other system is a vehicle communication system.

33. The invention in accordance with claim 31, wherein said at least one other system is an airbag system and means are further provided to determine the velocity of the at least one of the contents from successive location measurements.

34. The invention in accordance with claim 31, wherein said pattern recognition means are structured and arranged to recognize and identify at least one part of the at least one of the contents when the at least one of the contents is an occupant and said location determining means being structured and arranged to determine the location of said at least one identified part of the occupant within said passenger compartment.

35. The invention in accordance with claim 34, wherein said at least one part of the occupant is the head, said output means affecting said at least one other system based at least in part on the determined location of said head of the occupant.

36. The invention in accordance with claim 34, wherein said at least one part of the occupant are the eyes.

37. The invention in accordance with claim 34, wherein said at least one other system is selected from the group consisting of an adjustable seatbelt anchorage system, an adjustable headrest system and a window closing system.

38. The invention in accordance with claim 31, wherein each of said signals comprises a plurality of data, all of said data being compared to data corresponding to patterns of received radiation stored within said pattern recognition means and associated with possible classes of contents of the vehicle.

39. In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment, an interior monitoring system comprising:

a) means for irradiating at least a portion of the passenger compartment;

b) receiver means for receiving reflected radiation from said irradiated portion of the passenger compartment, said receiver means comprising a plurality of receivers each arranged at a discrete location;

c) processor means coupled to said receivers for processing said received radiation from each of said receivers in order to create respective electronic signals characteristic of said irradiated portion of the passenger compartment based on said received radiation;

d) categorization means coupled to said processor means for categorizing said signals, said categorization means comprising pattern recognition means for recognizing the presence or absence of an occupying item in the passenger compartment by processing each of said signals into a categorization of said signals based on data corresponding to patterns of received radiation stored within said pattern recognition means and associated with possible occupying items of the vehicle and the absence of such occupying items; and

e) output means coupled to said categorization means for affecting at least one other system within the vehicle based on the categorization of said signals.

40. In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment containing at least one occupying item having surfaces, an interior monitoring system comprising:

a) means for irradiating a portion of said vehicle interior passenger compartment in which the at least one occupying item is situated;

b) receiver means for receiving reflected radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item within said vehicle interior passenger compartment;

c) processor means coupled to said receiver means for processing said received radiation in order to create an electronic signal characteristic of the at least one occupying item within said vehicle interior passenger compartment based on said received radiation, said signal containing a pattern representative and characteristic of the at least one occupying item;

d) identification means coupled to said processor means for identifying the at least one occupying item, said identification means comprising pattern recognition means for processing said signal based on said received radiation from said surfaces of the at least one occupying item into an identification of the at least one occupying item based on data corresponding to patterns of received radiation stored within said pattern recognition means and associated with possible occupying items of the vehicle; and

e) output means coupled to said identification means for affecting at least one other system within said vehicle based on the identification of the at least one occupying item.

41. The invention in accordance with claim 40, further comprising measurement means for measuring the temperature of the at least one occupying item and outputting the measured temperature to said output means such that said output means affect said at least one other system based on the measured temperature in addition to the identification of the at least one occupying item.

42. The invention in accordance with claim 40, wherein said irradiating means are selected from the group consisting of means for producing acoustic radiation and means for producing electromagnetic radiation.

43. The invention in accordance with claim 40, further comprising determining means coupled to said processor means for receiving said signals and determining the attentiveness of the at least one occupying item from said signals when the at least one occupying item is an occupant;

and

second output means coupled to said determining means and to one of the systems in the vehicle for affecting said one of the systems in the vehicle in response to the determined attentiveness of the occupant.

44. The invention in accordance with claim 40, wherein said receiver means comprise a plurality of receivers, each arranged at a discrete location, each of said receivers generating a signal which varies over time depending on the shape of the at least one occupying item.

45. The invention in accordance with claim 40, wherein said at least one other system within said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of (i) an entertainment system, (ii) a distress notification system, (iii) a heating and air-conditioning system, (iv) a vehicle safety system, (v) a light filtering system, and (vi) an unauthorized user ignition enabling system.

46. The invention in accordance with claim 40, wherein said pattern recognition means comprise a trained neural network.

47. The invention in accordance with claim 40, further comprising location determining means coupled to said processor means for determining the location of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment based on said received radiation;

said output means being coupled to said location determining means and in addition to affecting said at least one other system within the vehicle based on the identification of the at least one occupying item, being structured and arranged to affect said at least one other system based on the determined location of the at least one occupying item.