Vehicle having pet detection and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420728-B2
Application number	US-202318327509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2023
Priority date	Jun 1, 2023
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A vehicle is provided including a cabin interior, one or more sensors located on the vehicle and configured to capture images of the cabin interior and generate sensor outputs, one or more powered windows configured to be controlled between open and closed positions, and a controller processing the sensor outputs of the one or more sensors with one or more pet profiles to detect a pet in the cabin interior, the controller controlling the one or more powered windows based on the detected pet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a cabin interior;
one or more sensors located on the vehicle and configured to capture images of the cabin interior and generate sensor outputs;
one or more powered windows configured to be controlled between open and closed positions; and
a controller processing the sensor outputs of the one or more sensors and one or more pet profiles and detecting a pet in the cabin interior and a size of the pet based on the sensor outputs and the one or more pet profiles, the controller further determining a location of the pet in the cabin interior and controlling the one or more powered windows to control a window opening size based on the size of the pet and the determined location of the pet.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more imaging devices for capturing the images.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the one or more imaging devices comprises at least one interior camera located in the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the controller determines size dimensions of the pet and controls the one or more powered windows based on the determined size dimensions.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the one or more imaging devices comprises one or more of LiDAR, radar, and infrared sensors.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the one or more imaging devices further comprises at least one exterior camera for capturing exterior images outside the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller further detects one or more objects including a passenger in the vehicle, and determines a recommended location of the pet based on a location of the passenger.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller detects a vehicle turn or deceleration event and generates a control output to incentivize the pet to move from one location in the vehicle to a new location within the vehicle when the vehicle turn or deceleration event is detected.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 further comprising an audio device to output sound to incentivize the pet to move to the new location.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising memory storing the one or more pet profiles.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising one or more switch inputs, wherein the controller detects the pet proximate to the one or more switch inputs and controls the one or more switch inputs.

12. A vehicle comprising:
a cabin interior;
one or more sensors located on the vehicle and configured to capture images and generate sensor outputs, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more imaging devices for capturing the images in the cabin interior;
memory storing one or more pet profiles;
one or more powered windows configured to be controlled between open and closed positions; and
a controller processing the sensor outputs of the one or more sensors and the one or more pet profiles and detecting a pet in the cabin interior and a size of the pet based on the sensor outputs and the one or more pet profiles, the controller further determining a location of the pet in the cabin interior and controlling the one or more powered windows to control a window opening size based on the size of the pet and the determined location of the pet.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the controller determines size dimensions of the pet and controls the one or more powered windows based on the determined size dimensions.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors further comprises one or more of LiDAR, radar, and infrared sensors.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the controller further detects one or more objects including a passenger in the vehicle, and determines a recommended location of the pet based on a location of the passenger.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the controller detects a vehicle turn or deceleration event and generates a control output to incentivize the pet to move from one location in the vehicle to a new location within the vehicle when the vehicle turn or deceleration event is detected.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 further comprising a treat dispenser disposed within the cabin interior, wherein the controller controls the treat dispenser to dispense one or more treats to incentivize the pet to move to the new location within the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 further comprising an audio device to output sound to incentivize the pet to move to the new location.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bennie Brian
• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Bennie Clara

Classifications

• G06V20/59

  inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions · CPC title

• B60R2021/0273

  automatically movable to an operative position, e.g. in case of collision or impending collision · CPC title

• B60R21/01532

  using electric or capacitive field sensors · CPC title

• B60R21/01538

  for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays · CPC title

• B60R21/01516

  using force or pressure sensing means · CPC title