Walk-away vehicle shutdown

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739226-B2
Application number	US-201414174901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, a park assist system, a passenger detection system configured to detect at least one passenger, and a processing device. The processing device initiates a shutdown sequence when no passengers are present in the vehicle. The shutdown sequence includes commanding the park assist system to park the vehicle and turning off the engine after the vehicle is parked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
at least one window;
an engine;
a park assist system;
a passenger detection system configured to detect at least one passenger in the vehicle and detect when all passengers have exited the vehicle; and
a processing device programmed to initiate a shutdown sequence a predetermined amount of time after the passenger detection system detects that all passengers have exited the vehicle, wherein the shutdown sequence includes closing the at least one window, commanding the park assist system to park the vehicle, and turning off the engine after the vehicle is parked.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising doors configured to permit access to a passenger compartment, and wherein the shutdown sequence includes locking the doors.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the shutdown sequence includes commanding the doors to close.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the shutdown sequence includes setting a parking brake.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a security system, and wherein the shutdown sequence includes commanding the security system to activate.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is configured to initiate a startup sequence.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the startup sequence includes turning on the engine based on a proximity of at least one passenger to the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a communication module configured to transmit a message, wherein the message identifies a location of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising a navigation system configured to determine a location of the vehicle and provide the location to the communication module.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the park assist system is configured to navigate the vehicle to the location.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising side-view mirrors, and wherein the shutdown sequence includes commanding the side-view mirrors to fold in.

12. A vehicle system comprising:
an passenger detection system programmed to detect a presence of at least one passenger in a vehicle and when all passengers have exited the vehicle; and
a processing device programmed to initiate a shutdown sequence a predetermined amount of time after the passenger detection system detects that all passengers have exited the vehicle, wherein the shutdown sequence includes commanding at least one vehicle window to close, commanding a park assist system to park the vehicle and turning off a vehicle engine after the vehicle is parked.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the shutdown sequence includes locking at least one vehicle door.

14. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the shutdown sequence includes commanding a vehicle security system to activate.

15. The vehicle system of claim 12 , wherein the processing device is configured to initiate a startup sequence including turning on the vehicle engine based on a proximity of at least one passenger to the vehicle.

16. A method comprising:
detecting a presence of at least one passenger in a vehicle;
detecting when all passengers have exited the vehicle;
waiting a predetermined period of time after all passengers have exited the vehicle; and
initiating a shutdown sequence after all passengers have exited the vehicle, the shutdown sequence including:
commanding at least one vehicle window to close,
commanding a park assist system to park the vehicle, and
turning off a vehicle engine after the vehicle is parked.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the shutdown sequence includes:
commanding at least one vehicle door to lock;
commanding side-view mirrors to fold in; and
commanding a vehicle security system to activate.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising initiating a startup sequence, including turning on the vehicle engine based on a proximity of at least one passenger to the vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Elwart Shane
• Talamonti Walter Joseph

Classifications

• B60W30/06 Primary

  Automatic manoeuvring for parking · CPC title

• F02D41/062

  for starting (F02D41/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T10/48

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02N11/0818

  Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode · CPC title

• F02N2200/0803

  Parking brake state · CPC title