Vehicle storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117547-B2
Application number	US-201916710340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A roof panel storage system for vehicle is disclosed herein. A storage bag is configured to hold a roof panel of the vehicle. The sensor is coupled to the storage bag and is configured to sense a position of the storage bag. A sound source device is coupled to the storage bag and is configured to issue an auditory alert based on the sensed position of the storage bag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle component comprising at least one of a door and a roof panel operable between an assembled condition, wherein the vehicle component is assembled to the vehicle, and a removed condition, wherein the vehicle component is not assembled to the vehicle;
a storage bag operable to hold the vehicle component when the vehicle component is in the removed condition;
a communication device coupled to the storage bag;
a sound source device coupled to the storage bag; and
a controller in communication with the communication device and the sound source device and configured to:
determine a position of the storage bag based on data received from the communication device; and
prompt the sound source device to issue an auditory alert based on the position of the storage bag relative to the position of the vehicle component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a wireless communication transceiver operable to communicate with a plurality of wireless communication transceivers coupled to at least one of the vehicle and the vehicle component.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the position of the storage bag through triangulation of the signal strength and time to return of signals between the communication device and the plurality of wireless communication transceivers coupled to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the sound source device to issue the auditory alert based on data received from the communication device indicating that the position of the storage bag exceeds a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the sound source device to issue the auditory alert based on data received from the communication device and at least one of the plurality of wireless communication transceivers coupled to at least one of the vehicle and the vehicle component relating to the position of the storage bag relative to the position of the vehicle component.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the sound source device to issue the auditory alert based on data received from the communication device and at least one of the plurality of wireless communication transceivers coupled to at least one of the vehicle and the vehicle component that indicates that the vehicle component is not disposed within the storage bag.

7. The vehicle component storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a portable electronic device in communication with the communication device, wherein the controller is further configured to prompt the sound source device to issue an auditory alert based on the position of the storage bag relative to a position of the portable electronic device.

8. The vehicle component storage system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt the sound source device to issue an auditory alert based on a change in position of the storage bag when the portable electronic device is a predetermined distance away from the storage bag.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Baumbick Jim
• Salter Stuart C
• Buttolo Pietro
• Huebner Annette Lynn
• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Glickman David Brian

Classifications

• B60R7/02 Primary

  in separate luggage compartment {(B60R7/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R25/1004 Primary

  Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means (using door lock sensors B60R25/1001) · CPC title

• B60R2025/1016

  Remote signals alerting owner or authorities, e.g. radio signals · CPC title

• B60R2011/0036

  Luggage compartment · CPC title

• B60R25/102

  a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner · CPC title