Vehicle tracking of personal devices with response system

• US 9,123,244 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Daman, Laith, Golsch, Kyle Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US13/832,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/49, 701/29.1, 701/29.2, 701/29.6, 701/32.3, 701/32.7, 701/33.2, 701/33.3, 701/33.7, 701/33.8, 701/33.9, 701/34.2, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/418, 701/419, 701/466, 701/515, 701/516, 701/517, 701/519, 701/520, 701/522, 701/523, 340/901, 340/988, 340/989, 340/995.25, 340/995.27, 340/995.28, 340/425.5, 340/426.18, 340/426.26, 340/426.27, 340/426.28, 340/438, 340/449, 340/457, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/326, 307/328, 180/271
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

A method for tracking an object through a system onboard a motor vehicle is provided. The method includes detecting a wireless device, determining a position of the wireless device, recognizing the position of the wireless device relative to the vehicle, analyzing the position of the wireless device with respect to a predefined conditional statement and activating an alert according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement.

Claims

1. A method for tracking an object through a system onboard a motor vehicle comprising:

detecting a first wireless device and a second wireless device, the first wireless device possessed by a user and the second wireless device coupled to the object to be tracked;

determining positions of the first and the second wireless devices;

recognizing the positions of the first and the second wireless devices relative to the vehicle;

analyzing the positions of the first and the second wireless devices with respect to a predefined conditional statement; and

activating a response according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein satisfying the predefined conditional statement comprises determining that the position of at least one of the first and the second wireless devices are outside of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the response emanates from at least one of the first and the second wireless devices or the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response comprises at least one of a telephone communication to the user, an electronic communication to the user or notifying emergency service providers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the positions of the first and the second wireless devices comprises at least one of measuring distances between the first and the second wireless devices and the system or measuring angles between the first and the second wireless devices and the system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing images of the vehicle and area surrounding the vehicle;

storing the images of the vehicle and the area surrounding the vehicle into system memory; and

sending the images of the vehicle and the area surrounding the vehicle to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user to deactivate the response through a mobile electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user access to functionality of the system through at least one of the vehicle or a mobile electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the first and the second wireless devices comprises periodic communication with the first and the second wireless devices, and wherein the frequency of periodic communication with the first and the second wireless devices may vary according to at least one of a user input, a geographical location of the vehicle or battery life of the first and the second wireless devices or the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the system may detect a plurality of the second wireless devices and the user may select which of the plurality of the second wireless devices to track.

11. A method for tracking an object through a system onboard a motor vehicle comprising:

detecting a wireless device coupled to the object to be tracked;

determining a position of the wireless device;

recognizing the position of the wireless device relative to the vehicle;

collecting at least one of information regarding a state of the vehicle and information regarding an area surrounding the vehicle;

analyzing the position of the wireless device and at least one of the information regarding the state of the vehicle and the information regarding the area surrounding the vehicle with respect to a predefined conditional statement; and

activating a response according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting information regarding the state of the vehicle comprises sensing an occupant inside of the vehicle utilizing onboard vehicle systems.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting information regarding the state of the vehicle comprises measuring of an interior cabin temperature of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein satisfying the predefined conditional statement comprises determining that the interior cabin temperature of the vehicle may harm the object.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein activating a response according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement comprises at least one of increasing the interior cabin temperature of the vehicle or decreasing the interior cabin temperature of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting information regarding an area surrounding the vehicle comprises wirelessly communicating with a carbon monoxide detector.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein collecting information regarding an area surrounding the vehicle comprises detecting a level of carbon monoxide.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein satisfying the predefined conditional statement comprises determining that the level of carbon monoxide may harm the object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein activating a response according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement comprises at least one of opening a garage door.

20. A method for tracking an object through a system onboard a motor vehicle comprising:

detecting a first wireless device and a second wireless device, the first wireless device possessed by a user and the second wireless device coupled to the object to be tracked;

determining positions of the first and the second wireless devices;

collecting at least one of information regarding a state of the vehicle and information regarding an area surrounding the vehicle;

recognizing the positions of the first and the second wireless devices relative to the vehicle;

analyzing the positions of the first and the second wireless devices and at least one of the information regarding the state of the vehicle and the information regarding the area surrounding the vehicle with respect to a predefined conditional statement; and

activating a response according to the satisfying of the predefined conditional statement.