Vehicle occupancy monitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766977-B2
Application number	US-202117550103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Jun 25, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for monitoring a vehicle are disclosed. A vehicle monitoring system for monitoring a vehicle includes one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include: receiving, from a vehicle occupancy monitor and by the vehicle monitoring system, vehicle occupancy data that indicates presence of a vehicle occupant; receiving, by the vehicle monitoring system and from a sensor, sensor data that indicates an attribute of the vehicle; analyzing, by the vehicle monitoring system, the vehicle occupancy data and the sensor data; and based on analyzing the vehicle occupancy data and the sensor data, performing a vehicle monitoring system action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, images of a vehicle including:
receiving a first image of the vehicle at a first time; and
receiving a second image of the vehicle at a second time after the first time;

based on the images of the vehicle, determining that a child is located in the vehicle;
determining an amount of time that the child has been in the vehicle based on a duration between the first time and the second time;
receiving sensor data indicating one or more conditions of the vehicle;
determining, based on at least one of (i) the images of the vehicle and (ii) the sensor data, that a dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle; and
based on determining that the child is located in the vehicle and that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle, performing one or more actions, including performing a particular action based on the amount of time that the child has been in the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle comprises determining, based on the images of the vehicle, that the child is unaccompanied in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the sensor data comprises temperature data indicating a temperature at the vehicle, and
determining that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle comprises determining, based on the temperature data, that the dangerous condition exists at the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the images of the vehicle from an imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises a stationary scanner, wherein the stationary scanner captures the images of the vehicle when the vehicle travels past the stationary scanner.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the images of the vehicle from an imaging device, wherein the imaging device comprises a roving scanner, wherein the roving scanner captures the images of the vehicle when the roving scanner travels past the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions comprise generating an alert indicating that the child is in the vehicle and that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert indicates at least one of a model, color, license plate number, location, or estimated temperature of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert comprises an alert for transmission through a wireless emergency alert network.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert comprises an alert for transmission to one or more of security personnel, emergency responders, or a commercial establishment.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmission of the alert causes activation of a visual or audible alarm at a location of the at least one of the security personnel, the emergency responders, or the commercial establishment, wherein the location is within a designated radius to the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions comprise at least one of activating a security alarm of the vehicle or flashing headlights of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the images of the vehicle comprise at least one of visual images, thermal images, LIDAR images, or in-air SONAR images.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data indicates at least one of a cabin temperature, a carbon monoxide level, a vehicle door status, a vehicle window status, a vehicle ignition status, a vehicle speed, or a vehicle location.

14. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving images of a vehicle including:
receiving a first image of the vehicle at a first time before the vehicle parks at a parking facility; and
receiving a second image of the vehicle at a second time after the vehicle parks at the parking facility;

based on the images of the vehicle, determining that a child is located in the vehicle;
receiving sensor data indicating one or more conditions of the vehicle;
determining, based on at least one of (i) the images of the vehicle and (ii) the sensor data, that a dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle; and
based on determining that the child is located in the vehicle and that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle, performing one or more actions.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining that the child is located in the vehicle comprises:
determining that the first image of the vehicle depicts the child in the vehicle; and
determining that the second image of the vehicle depicts a person exiting the vehicle without the child.

16. A system comprising:
one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving images of a vehicle including:
receiving a first image of the vehicle at a first time; and
receiving a second image of the vehicle at a second time after the first time;

based on the images of the vehicle, determining that a child is located in the vehicle;
determining an amount of time that the child has been in the vehicle based on a duration between the first time and the second time;
receiving sensor data indicating one or more conditions of the vehicle;
determining, based on at least one of (i) the images of the vehicle and (ii) the sensor data, that a dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle; and
based on determining that the child is located in the vehicle and that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle, performing one or more actions, including performing a particular action based on the amount of time that the child has been in the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein determining that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle comprises determining, based on the images of the vehicle, that the child is unaccompanied in the vehicle.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
receiving images of a vehicle including:
receiving a first image of the vehicle at a first time before the vehicle parks at a parking facility; and
receiving a second image of the vehicle at a second time after the vehicle parks at the parking facility;

based on the images of the vehicle, determining that a child is located in the vehicle;
receiving sensor data indicating one or more conditions of the vehicle;
determining, based on at least one of (i) the one or more images and (ii) the sensor data, that a dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle; and
based on determining that the child is located in the vehicle and that the dangerous condition exists inside the vehicle, performing one or more actions.

19. A system comprising:
one or more processors and one or more computer storage media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving images of a vehicle including:
receiving a first image of the vehicle at a first time before the vehicle parks at a parking facility; and
receiving a second image of the vehicle at a second time after the vehicle parks at the parking facility;

based on the images of the vehicle, determining that a child is located in the vehicle;
receiving sensor data indicating one or more conditions of the vehicle;
determining, based

Assignees

• Alarm Com Inc

Inventors

• Beach Allison
• Scanlon Andrew
• Correnti Matthew Daniel
• Kelly Michael
• Picardi Robert Nathan

Classifications

• B60N2210/30

  Temperature sensors · CPC title

• B60N2210/22

  Optical; Photoelectric; Lidar [Light Detection and Ranging] · CPC title

• B60N2/274

  characterised by the communication means between the child seat and another entity, e.g. vehicle or portable device · CPC title

• B60N2/267

  alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children · CPC title

• B60N2210/50

  Inertial sensors · CPC title