Providing alerts for objects left in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327645-B2
Application number	US-201314012809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2013
Priority date	Aug 28, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for a method of alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle. In some example embodiments, a method includes identifying, via an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle, presence of a mobile device. The method further includes providing an alert responsive to the user exiting the vehicle when the mobile device is still located in the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
identifying, via an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle, presence of a mobile device;
providing a first alert responsive to a first condition that occurs prior to detecting a user exiting the vehicle, the first condition including detecting a vehicle shutdown when the presence of the mobile device has been identified; and
after providing the first alert, providing a second alert responsive to at least a second condition that is different from the first condition, the second condition including detecting the user exiting the vehicle when the mobile device is still located in the vehicle;
wherein the first alert is provided by a first alert delivery system, and the second alert is provided by a second alert delivery system, the first alert delivery system being different from the second alert delivery system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second alert is provided responsive to determining that the vehicle is shut down, and wherein the in-vehicle computing system was one or more of previously connected with the mobile device, and connected with the mobile device responsive to the vehicle shut down.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the in-vehicle computing system determines that the user is exiting the vehicle by detecting one or more of a door activity event, a change in pressure at a seat of the vehicle, and a change in humidity in a cabin of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the in-vehicle computing system determines that the user is exiting the vehicle by determining that a delay time threshold has elapsed after detecting that the vehicle is shut down, the delay time commencing upon the vehicle shut down.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the mobile device presence in the vehicle further comprises detecting one or more of a signal from the mobile device, motion from a mobile device sensor that is under a movement threshold, and a current connection at a physical connector of the in-vehicle computing system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing one or more of the first alert and the second alert further comprises providing an audible alert from an audio output device of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing one or more of the first alert and the second alert further comprises providing a visible alert from a display device of one or more of the vehicle and the in-vehicle computing system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing one or more of the first alert and the second alert further comprises providing an audible alert from an audio output device of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing one or more of the first alert and the second alert further comprises providing a visible alert from a display device of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing one or more of the first alert and the second alert further comprises preventing one or more vehicle doors from locking.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing one or more of the first alert and the second alert after detecting motion of the mobile device exceeding a movement threshold.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing one or more of the first alert and the second alert after a threshold period of time has elapsed;
and sending one or more messages to another mobile device indicating location of the mobile device.

13. An in-vehicle computing system, comprising:
a processor;
an inter-vehicle communication module;
an external device interface; and
a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to:
connect to a mobile device via the external device interface;
receive information from the mobile device indicating one or more of a user presence and a mobile device presence;
receive information from one or more vehicle systems of a vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication module;
detect vehicle shut down separate from engine shut down;
provide an alert via a moving mobile device remote from the mobile device that the mobile device is located in the vehicle and absent of motion responsive to detecting that the mobile device is located in the vehicle and absent of motion.

14. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further executable to provide the alert via a first alert delivery system responsive to detecting the vehicle shut down, the first alert delivery system including one or more of an in-vehicle display device, an in-vehicle speaker system, a mobile device display, and a mobile device speaker system.

15. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further executable to detect a user exit after providing the alert via the first alert delivery system.

16. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 15 , wherein the alert is a first alert, and wherein the instructions are further executable to provide a second alert via a second alert delivery system responsive to detecting the user exit, the second alert delivery system including an outer-vehicle alert system.

17. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further executable to detect movement of the mobile device and cease at least one of the first alert and the second alert responsive to the detected movement.

18. A method of alerting a user to a presence of a mobile device in a vehicle, the method comprising:
connecting a plurality of mobile devices to an in-vehicle computing system;
receiving information from each mobile device indicating one or more of a user presence and a mobile device presence for each mobile device;
receiving information from one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle;
detecting user exit while at least one mobile device is present in the vehicle;
detecting that the vehicle is shut down; and
providing an alert via a moved mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the moved mobile device being absent from the vehicle, and the alert indicating that the at least one mobile device is located in the vehicle,
wherein detecting user exit while at least one mobile device is present includes detecting movement of the moved mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices while the at least one mobile device is stationary, and wherein the detected exit includes at least two passengers exiting the vehicle.

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Raman Prakash
• Gopinath Sreejit

Classifications

• B60R16/02

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• G08B21/24 Primary

  Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms · CPC title

• B60Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title