Battery-powered vehicle sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953586-B2
Application number	US-202117199688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2021
Priority date	Nov 17, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to select a scanning rate for a first sensor of a vehicle based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle; instruct the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate; in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turn on a second sensor; and then record data from the second sensor. The second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
select a scanning rate for a first sensor of a vehicle based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle, wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a duration since the vehicle turned off;
instruct the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate;
in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turn on a second sensor, wherein the second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor; and
then record data from the second sensor.

2. The computer of claim 1 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on the current time.

3. The computer of claim 2 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a duration without the first sensor receiving data indicating a newly present object.

4. The computer of claim 2 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a current time of day.

5. The computer of claim 2 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a current day of the week.

6. The computer of claim 2 , wherein the instructions further include instructions to adjust the selected scanning rate based on a change of the current time.

7. The computer of claim 1 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on the data related to the location of the vehicle.

8. The computer of claim 7 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on statistical data about the location of the vehicle.

9. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the statistical data is population data.

10. The computer of claim 7 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on data indicating a public event within a distance threshold of the location of the vehicle.

11. The computer of claim 10 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on data indicating a type of the public event.

12. The computer of claim 1 , wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a risk score calculated using the at least one of the data related to the current time or the data related to the location of the vehicle.

13. A system for a vehicle comprising:
a first sensor;
a second sensor having a higher power draw than the first sensor; and
a computer communicatively coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor;
wherein the computer is programmed to:
select a scanning rate for the first sensor based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle, wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a duration since the vehicle turned off;
instruct the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate;
in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turn on the second sensor, wherein the second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor; and
then record data from the second sensor.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a housing containing the first sensor, the second sensor, and the computer.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a battery in the housing and electrically coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the computer.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the housing is a center high-mounted stop lamp (CHMSL) housing, the first sensor is arranged in the CHMSL housing so that a field of view of the first sensor encompasses a storage area of the vehicle when the CHMSL housing is installed, and the second sensor is arranged in the CHMSL housing so that a field of view of the second sensor encompasses the storage area when the CHMSL housing is installed.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first sensor is a radar, and the second sensor is a camera.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first sensor is a capacitive sensor, and the second sensor is one of a radar or a camera.

19. A method comprising:
selecting a scanning rate for a first sensor of a vehicle based on at least one of data related to a current time or data related to a location of the vehicle, wherein selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on a duration since the vehicle turned off;
instructing the first sensor to run at the selected scanning rate;
in response to receiving data from the first sensor indicating a newly present object, turning on a second sensor, wherein the second sensor has a higher power draw than the first sensor; and
then recording data from the second sensor.

20. The computer of claim 1 , wherein
the instructions further include instructions to calculate a risk score based on the duration since the vehicle turned off, the duration being greater indicating higher risk; and
selecting the scanning rate for the first sensor includes selecting the scanning rate based on the risk score.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Bilger Donald Paul
• Safir Tarik
• Harris Sam

Classifications

• G01S13/88 Primary

  Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0023

  the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• G01S13/867

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title

• G01V3/00

  Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting; Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation · CPC title