Deterrence of ignition of a vehicle engine when a fuel nozzle is in a fuel intake area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9938951-B1
Application number	US-201615273520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer readable media are disclosed for deterrence of ignition of a vehicle engine ignition when a fuel nozzle is in a fuel intake area. An example vehicle includes a fuel intake area, a camera, and a processor. The example processor, in response to an ignition switch being in an on-position, is to detect, via the camera, whether a fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area. The example processor is to deter ignition of a vehicle engine when the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a fuel intake area;
a camera; and
a processor to:
in response to an ignition switch being in an on-position, detect, via the camera, whether a fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area; and
deter ignition of a vehicle engine when the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to enable motor ignition when the fuel nozzle is absent from the fuel intake area.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the camera that detects whether the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area is located on a side-view mirror.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the camera monitors blind spots when the vehicle is moving.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a global positioning system receiver that enables the processor to determine when the vehicle is at a fueling station for a fueling event.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a sensor to detect when a fueling event is occurring.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a seatbelt switch, a door-ajar switch, a weight sensor of a vehicle seat, and a fuel level sensor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a nozzle detection switch to further detect when the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the nozzle detection switch is at least one of a proximity switch and a magnetic switch positioned in the fuel intake area.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, to deter ignition of the vehicle engine, the processor is to at least one of provide an alarm via an infotainment head unit and disable ignition of the vehicle engine via an emergency override.

11. A method to deter movement of a vehicle with a fuel nozzle, the method comprising:
in response to an ignition switch being in an on-position, detecting, via a vehicle camera, whether a fuel nozzle is in a fuel intake area of the vehicle; and
deterring, via a processor, ignition of an engine when the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area.

12. The method of claim 11 , further including monitoring the ignition switch to determine when the ignition switch is in the on-position.

13. The method of claim 11 , further including enabling ignition of the engine when the fuel nozzle is absent from the fuel intake area.

14. The method of claim 11 , further including determining, via a global positioning system receiver, when the vehicle is at a fueling station for a fueling event.

15. The method of claim 11 , further including detecting, via a sensor, when a fueling event is occurring.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fueling event is detected via at least one of a seatbelt switch, a door-ajar switch, a weight sensor of a vehicle seat, and a fuel level sensor.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein further detecting whether the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area via at least one of a proximity switch and a magnetic switch in the fuel intake area.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein deterring ignition of the vehicle engine includes at least one of providing an alarm via an infotainment head unit and disabling ignition of the vehicle engine via an emergency override.

19. A tangible computer storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:
in response to an ignition switch being in an on-position, detect, via a vehicle camera, whether a fuel nozzle is in a fuel intake area of a vehicle; and
deter, via a processor, ignition of an engine when the fuel nozzle is in the fuel intake area.

20. The tangible computer storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the machine to enable ignition of the engine when the fuel nozzle is absent from the fuel intake area.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Hamdan Muhannad
• Maarouf Ahmad
• Carremm Swadad A

Classifications

• B60K2015/0323

  Sensors for detecting presence or absence of the filling nozzle · CPC title

• F02N2200/08

  said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components · CPC title

• B60K2015/03375

  to improve security · CPC title

• F02P9/00 Primary

  Electric spark ignition control, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60R2001/1253

  with cameras, video cameras or video screens · CPC title