Systems and methods for detecting water events in vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11348440-B1
Application number	US-202016749649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2020
Priority date	Jan 24, 2019
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure include a vehicle water detection system that includes a housing configured to be disposed within a vehicle. The vehicle water detection system also includes a water-activated battery disposed within the housing and configured to produce an electrical voltage upon contact with water. The vehicle water detection system further includes an electronic circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to detect a water event occurring in the vehicle based at least in part on the electrical voltage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle water detection system, comprising:
a housing configured to be disposed within a vehicle;
a water-activated battery disposed within the housing and configured to produce an electrical voltage upon contact with water;
one or more sensors configured to detect one or more parameters relating to a water event occurring in the vehicle, wherein the one or more parameters relating to the water event comprise one or more parameters relating to operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred, wherein the one or more parameters relating to the operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred comprise a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a detection of brakes of the vehicle being engaged, a detection of interaction with a steering wheel of the vehicle, or some combination thereof; and
electronic circuitry disposed within the housing and configured to be at least partially powered by the electrical voltage produced by the water-activated battery after the water event has occurred within the vehicle, to power the one or more sensors using the electrical voltage after the water event has occurred within the vehicle, to detect the water event occurring in the vehicle based at least in part on the electrical voltage, and to communicate the one or more parameters relating to the water event to one or more electronic devices external to the vehicle via a communication network in response to detection of the water event.

2. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to communicate an alert relating to the water event to the one or more electronic devices via the communication network.

3. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to communicate an alert relating to the water event to one or more first responders via the communication network.

4. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to be communicatively coupled to the vehicle, and is configured to communicate instructions to the vehicle to release one or more seat belts of the vehicle, to unlock one or more doors of the vehicle, to roll down one or more windows of the vehicle, or some combination thereof, upon detection of the water event.

5. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to determine a time when the water event started, a time period during which the water event occurred, a depth of water in the vehicle, or some combination thereof.

6. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters relating to the water event comprise a salt water content, a water quality content, a mold content, humidity, one or more images of the vehicle, or some combination thereof.

7. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , comprising an auxiliary battery disposed within the housing, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to be powered by the auxiliary battery when the water-activated battery is not producing the electrical voltage.

8. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an anti-tampering mechanism.

9. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the water-activated battery comprises a material configured to change color based on exposure to water.

10. A method, comprising:
receiving, via electronic circuitry, an electrical voltage produced by a water-activated battery located within a vehicle;
at least partially powering the electronic circuitry and one or more sensors at least in part by the electrical voltage after a water event has occurred within the vehicle;
detecting, via one or more sensors, one or more parameters relating to the water event occurring in the vehicle, wherein the one or more parameters relating to the water event comprise one or more parameters relating to operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred, wherein the one or more parameters relating to the operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred comprise a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a detection of brakes of the vehicle being engaged, a detection of interaction with a steering wheel of the vehicle, or some combination thereof;
detecting, via the electronic circuitry, the water event occurring in the vehicle based on the electrical voltage; and
communicating, via the electronic circuitry, the one or more parameters relating to the water event to one or more electronic devices external to the vehicle via a communication network in response to detection of the water event.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising communicating, via the electronic circuitry, an alert relating to the water event to the one or more electronic devices via the communication network.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising communicating, via the electronic circuitry, an alert relating to the water event to one or more first responders via the communication network.

13. The method of claim 10 , comprising communicating, via the electronic circuitry, instructions to the vehicle to release one or more seat belts of the vehicle, to unlock one or more doors of the vehicle, to roll down one or more windows of the vehicle, or some combination thereof, upon detection of the water event.

14. The method of claim 10 , comprising determining, via the electronic circuitry, a time when the water event started, a time period during which the water event occurred, a depth of water in the vehicle, or some combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more parameters relating to the water event comprise a salt water content, a water quality content, a mold content, humidity, one or more images of the vehicle, or some combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10 , comprising powering the electronic circuitry with an auxiliary battery when the water-activated battery is not producing the electrical voltage.

17. The vehicle water detection system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters relating to the operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred comprise a global positioning system (GPS) location of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more parameters relating to the operation of the vehicle before the water event occurred comprise a global positioning system (GPS) location of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Usaa

Inventors

• Acosta Stefanie Jean
• Chavez Carlos J P
• Dziuk Janelle Denice
• Gaeta Michael Joseph
• Huggar Stacy Callaway
• Krebs Emily Kathleen
• Pollack Jeffrey Neal
• Ruiz Mitzi

Classifications

• G08B21/20 Primary

  responsive to moisture · CPC title

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• G01M3/16

  using electric detection means ({G01M3/045,} G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G07C5/0841

  Registering performance data (recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B) · CPC title

• G07C5/008 Primary

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title