System and method to detect an unattended occupant in a vehicle and take safety countermeasures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200168-A1
Application number	US-201514592408-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A safety system and a method configured to determine whether a passenger compartment of a vehicle is occupied whether the temperature of the passenger compartment is outside an acceptable temperature range, and to take a safety countermeasure if needed. An occupant is detected by sounds received by an audio transducer within the passenger compartment connected to an infotainment system. The temperature is detected by a temperature sensor connected to the heating, ventilation and air condition system of the vehicle. Example safety countermeasures include activating the horn, transmitting a wireless signal indicating that an unattended occupant is in the vehicle to a remote wireless receiver, and/or at least partially opening a vehicle window. A pair of high frequency speakers connected to the infotainment system may be used to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals so that an occupant may be detected using ultrasonic motion detection techniques.

First claim

1 . A vehicle safety system, comprising:
an inside air temperature (IAT) sensor disposed within a passenger compartment of a vehicle and in communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller disposed within said vehicle, said IAT sensor configured to provide a IAT sensor signal; a first and second high frequency speaker disposed within the passenger compartment and in communication with an infotainment system disposed within said vehicle; and a safety controller in communication with said IAT sensor, said infotainment system, and various vehicle controllers, said safety controller having non-volatile memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to
monitor a value of the IAT sensor signal,
determine whether the value of the IAT sensor signal deviates from an acceptable temperature range,
transmit a first command to the infotainment system to generate a first ultrasonic signal via the first high frequency speaker while the second high frequency speaker provides a first audio signal based on the first ultrasonic signal,
transmit a second command to the infotainment system to generate a second ultrasonic signal via the second high frequency speaker while the first high frequency speaker provides a second audio signal based on the second ultrasonic signal,
determine whether the occupant is in the vehicle based on a comparison of the first and second audio signals, and
transmit a command to at least one of the various vehicle controllers to perform a safety countermeasure when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the IAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range.

2 .- 4 . (canceled)

5 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is a vehicle body controller configured to activate a horn disposed within the vehicle and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to transmit a command to the vehicle body controller to activate the horn when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the IAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range.

6 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is an inflatable restraint controller in communication with a driver seat sensor configured to determine if a driver seat is occupied by a driver and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to determine whether the driver seat is occupied by the driver based on an output of the inflatable restraint controller and transmit a command to at least one of the various vehicle controllers to perform a safety countermeasure when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied, the driver seat is unoccupied, and the value of the IAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range.

7 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the infotainment system includes telematics capability and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to transmit a command to the infotainment system to transmit a wireless signal indicating that an unattended occupant is in the vehicle to a remote receiver when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the IAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range.

8 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 7 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is an inflatable restraint controller in communication with a driver seat sensor configured to determine if a driver seat is occupied by a driver and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to determine whether the driver seat is occupied by the driver based on an output of the inflatable restraint controller and transmit a command to the infotainment system to transmit the wireless signal indicating that the unattended occupant is in the vehicle to the remote receiver when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied, the driver seat is unoccupied, and the value of the TAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range.

9 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is a window actuator configured to open a vehicle window, said window actuator is in communication with a window controller and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to transmit a command to the window controller to at least partially open the vehicle window when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the TAT sensor signal is greater than the acceptable temperature range, thereby reducing a temperature in the passenger compartment.

10 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is an engine controller configured to start and run an engine disposed within the vehicle for a predetermined period of time and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to transmit a first command to the engine controller to start the engine and transmit a second command to the HVAC controller to cool the passenger compartment when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the TAT sensor signal is greater than the acceptable temperature range, thereby reducing a temperature in the passenger compartment.

11 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the various vehicle controllers is an engine controller configured to start and run an engine disposed within the vehicle for a predetermined period of time and wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to transmit a first command to the engine controller to start the engine and transmit a second command to the HVAC controller to heat the passenger compartment when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied and the value of the TAT sensor signal is less than the acceptable temperature range, thereby increasing a temperature in the passenger compartment.

12 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sun load sensor in communication with the HVAC controller, said sun load sensor configured to provide a sun load sensor signal, wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to monitor the sun load sensor signal and transmit a command to at least one of the various vehicle controllers to perform a safety countermeasure when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied, the value of the TAT sensor signal is outside the acceptable temperature range, and a value of the sun load sensor signal is less than a threshold voltage value.

13 . The vehicle safety system according to claim 1 , further comprising an outside air temperature (OAT) sensor in communication with the HVAC controller, said OAT sensor configured to provide an OAT sensor signal, wherein the non-volatile memory further contains instructions that, when executed, cause the safety controller to monitor the OAT sensor signal and transmit a command to at least one of the various vehicle controllers to perform a safety countermeasure when the safety controller determines that the vehicle is occupied, the value of the TAT sensor signal is outsi

Assignees

• Delphi Tech Inc

Inventors

• Boyer Richard J
• Heffron John F

Classifications

• G10K11/18

  Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound (G10K11/02, G10K11/36 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R16/037 Primary

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60Q5/005

  automatically actuated · CPC title

• H04R19/04

  Microphones (H04R19/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00978

  Control systems or circuits characterised by failure of detection or safety means; Diagnostic methods · CPC title