Radio frequency sensing in a vehicular environment

Abstract

Embodiments described herein address these and other issues by providing radio frequency (RF) sensing to determine the state of a driver or other occupant of a vehicle. The RF sensing can be provided by existing wireless radios of the vehicle, such as Wi-Fi transceivers, and thus can provide RF sensing functionality to the vehicle at little added cost. Safety features such as detecting unattended children or pets in the vehicle, detecting driver alertness, etc. can be implemented with the RF sensing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to object or motion detection, and more specifically, to the use of radio frequency (RF) sensing of object or motion. Background Technology

[0002] As vehicle safety systems become increasingly sophisticated, today's vehicle owners enjoy levels of safety and automation unavailable in vehicles of the past. Vehicles can employ sensor networks to provide autonomous or semi-autonomous driving (e.g., driver-monitored functions such as automatic parking, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, etc.) and / or other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). However, these new safety systems often use cameras and corresponding image processing, which not only increases the cost of these systems (making them less accessible to many consumers) but also raises consumer privacy concerns. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments described herein address these and other problems by providing RF sensing to determine the status of the vehicle's driver or other occupants. RF sensing can be provided by the vehicle's existing wireless devices, such as Wi-Fi transceivers, and therefore RF sensing capabilities can be provided to the vehicle at virtually no additional cost. RF sensing can be used to implement safety features such as detecting unattended children or pets in the vehicle, detecting driver alertness, etc.

[0004] According to this disclosure, an example method for RF sensing in a vehicle includes: transmitting a first set of RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle. The method further includes: using the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the first set of reflected RF signals includes reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; determining first channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals; determining state information based on the first CSI, wherein the state information includes information about the state of an object within the vehicle, an area within the vehicle, or both the object and the area; and providing a response based on the state information.

[0005] According to this disclosure, an example device for providing RF sensing in a vehicle includes: one or more wireless transceivers; a memory; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the memory. The one or more processors are configured to: transmit a first set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers. The one or more processors are further configured to: receive a first set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; determine a first Common Interface Sequence (CSI) of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals; determine state information based on the first CSI, the state information including information about objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both the objects and the areas; and provide a response based on the state information.

[0006] According to this disclosure, an example RF sensing device for a vehicle includes: components for transmitting a first set of RF signals; and components for receiving a first set of reflected RF signals, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects. The RF sensing device further includes: components for determining a first Common Interface Sequence (CSI) of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals; components for determining state information based on the first CSI, the state information including information about objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both the objects and the areas; and components for providing a response based on the state information.

[0007] According to this disclosure, an example non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored for use in RF sensing within a vehicle. When executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause the processors to perform the following functions: transmit a first set of RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions also cause the processors to perform the following functions: receive a first set of reflected RF signals using the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; determine a first CSI of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals; determine state information based on the first CSI, wherein the state information includes information about the state of an object within the vehicle, an area within the vehicle, or both the object and the area; and provide a response based on the state information. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an example RF sensing system capable of performing RF sensing in a vehicle or environment.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a top sectional view of a vehicle according to an embodiment, illustrating how RF sensing can be used in an in-vehicle environment to detect objects or motion inside the vehicle.

[0010] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a simplified diagram of the captured Channel State Information (CSI), illustrating how thresholds can be used to distinguish between reflections from inside the vehicle and reflections from outside the vehicle.

[0011] Figure 4 It is similar to Figure 2 The top sectional view of the vehicle illustrates how RF sensing can be performed according to another embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a process for detecting objects and / or movement in a vehicle and providing an alarm, according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of providing an alarm in an embodiment that determines that a child or pet is left in a vehicle.

[0014] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a method for implementing a driver alarm system according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8 and Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for RF sensing in a vehicle according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 10 This is a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer system that can be used in the embodiments described herein.

[0017] According to certain example implementations, similar reference numerals in the various figures indicate similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To describe the innovative aspects of this disclosure, the following description pertains to certain implementations. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a variety of different ways. Some examples in this disclosure may be based on wireless local area network (WLAN) communications according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless standard, including those identified as Wi-Fi technology. However, the described implementations can be implemented in any device, system, or network capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals according to any communication standard such as the IEEE 802.11 standard, Bluetooth, etc. The standard, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), GSM / General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunking Radio (TETRA), Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolved Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1xEV-DO, EV-DO Rev A, EV-DO Rev B, High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA+), Long Term Evolution (LTE), AMPS, or any other known signal used for communication within a wireless, cellular, or Internet of Things network (e.g., a system utilizing 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, or further embodiments thereof).

[0019] As used herein, an "RF signal" includes electromagnetic waves that transmit information through the space between a transmitter (or transmitting device) and a receiver (or receiving device). As used herein, a transmitter may send a single "RF signal" or multiple "RF signals" to a receiver. However, due to the propagation characteristics of RF signals through multipath channels, a receiver may receive multiple "RF signals" corresponding to each transmitted RF signal. The same transmitted RF signal on different paths between the transmitter and receiver can be referred to as a "multipath" RF signal.

[0020] As described above, RF signals can be used for RF sensing. RF signals with relatively high frequencies, such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, commonly used in WLAN implementations, have sufficiently small wavelengths to provide resolution capable of detecting the presence of objects, identifying objects, and / or sensing motion within a vehicle. Furthermore, such RF sensing can be implemented using existing Wi-Fi / IEEE 802.11 / WLAN transceivers used for communication. Therefore, for vehicles with existing transceivers of these types, RF sensing can be implemented with little or no additional cost, and can even be implemented in vehicles already in the field via firmware updates. That is, RF sensing can be implemented using additional or replacement transceivers. For example, according to some embodiments, ultra-wideband (UWB) transceivers can be used.

[0021] Figure 1This is a block diagram of an example RF sensing system 105 capable of RF sensing in a vehicle or environment, as described herein. In short, the RF sensing system 105 uses RF signals comprising one or more waveforms, sequences, or packets to determine the presence and / or movement of an object. This can be accomplished using RF signals for channel acquisition to obtain channel impulse response (CIR), channel frequency response (CFR), and / or other forms of channel state information (CSI) indicating the presence and / or movement of an object. The RF sensing system 105 may include a standalone device or may be integrated into a larger electronic device, such as a WLAN transceiver, a UWB transceiver, a vehicle computer, etc. (An example component of such a vehicle computer is described in...) Figure 10 (As illustrated in the diagram below, and discussed in detail below.) Some embodiments can be implemented such that an RF signal is transmitted by one device and received by another device, as indicated in more detail below.

[0022] Generally speaking, regarding Figure 1 The RF sensing system 105 functions by generating an RF signal 112 (e.g., including one or more pulses) transmitted by one or more Tx antennas 115, which is reflected from the object 110 and received by one or more Rx antennas. The received signal can then be processed by the RF sensing system 105 using digital signal processing (DSP) techniques (including leakage cancellation) to determine the range of the object. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the RF sensing system 105 may have multiple Rx antennas 120. (For example, a WLAN radio typically has 2 to 4 antennas.) In such embodiments, CSI received at different Rx antennas 120 can be used to determine angular information (e.g., by using Rx beamforming, determining the phase difference of the angular information, etc.). In some embodiments, embodiments with two antennas have achieved an angular granularity of, for example, 10° to 15°, and embodiments with four antennas have achieved a granularity of 2° to 3°. Furthermore, in some other embodiments, the RF sensing system 105 may have multiple Tx antennas 115. (For example, WLAN radios typically have 2 to 4 antennas.) In such embodiments, the phase of the Tx antennas can be configured to transmit RF signals 112 in a beam pointing in a certain direction. In some embodiments, embodiments with two Tx antennas have achieved, for example, an angular granularity of 10° to 15°, while embodiments with four Tx antennas have achieved a granularity of 2° to 3°. The change in CSI over time indicates the movement of object 110. Therefore, the RF signal can be used to determine the object's position, volume, and movement.

[0023] This functionality of the RF sensing system 105 is enabled by using processor 125, memory 130, multiplexer (mux) 135, Tx processing circuitry 140, and Rx processing circuitry 145. (The RF sensing system 105 may include additional components not shown, such as power supply, user interface, or electronic interface.) However, it can be noted that in alternative embodiments, these components of the RF sensing system 105 may be rearranged or otherwise modified according to desired functionality. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “transmitting circuitry,” “Tx circuitry,” or “Tx processing circuitry” refer to any circuitry used to create and / or transmit the RF signal 112. Similarly, the terms “receiving circuitry,” “Rx circuitry,” or “Rx processing circuitry” refer to any circuitry used to detect and / or process the RF signal 112. Thus, “transmitting circuitry” and “receiving circuitry” may include not only Tx processing circuitry 140 and Rx processing circuitry 145, respectively, but also mux 135 and processor 125. In some embodiments, processor 125 may constitute a modem and / or wireless communication interface (e.g., described below). Figure 10 At least a portion of the wireless communication interface 1033. In some embodiments, more than one processor may be used to perform the functions of the processor 125 described herein. Additionally, although the Tx antenna(s)115 and Rx antenna(s)120 are illustrated as separate antennas, some embodiments may use the same one or more antennas for both transmitting and receiving.

[0024] Tx processing circuit 140 and Rx processing circuit 145 may include sub-components for generating and detecting RF signals, respectively. As those skilled in the art will understand, Tx processing circuit 140 may therefore include a pulse generator, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a mixer (for up-mixing the signal to the transmission frequency), one or more amplifiers (for powering the transmission via Tx antenna(s) 115), etc. Rx processing circuit 145 may have similar hardware for processing the detected RF signal. Specifically, Rx processing circuit 145 may include an amplifier (for amplifying the signal received via Rx antenna(s) 120), a mixer for down-converting the received signal from the transmission frequency, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digitizing the received signal, and a pulse correlator for providing a matched filter for the pulse generated by Tx processing circuit 140. Thus, Rx processing circuit 145 may use the correlator output as a CIR, which, for example, may be processed by processor 125 (or other circuitry) for leakage cancellation. Other processing of the CSI obtained from the RF signal 112 can also be performed, such as object detection, range, motion, departure direction (DoD) or arrival direction (DoA) estimation.

[0025] It can be noted that the properties of the transmitted RF signal 112 can vary depending on the technology used. As described above, the technology provided herein can be applied to WLAN technologies, which typically operate at 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz, but can include frequencies ranging from 900 MHz to 60 GHz. This includes frequencies used, for example, by the 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard (operating at 60 GHz). That is, some embodiments can utilize RF frequencies outside this range. Because RF sensing can be performed in the same frequency band as communication, the hardware can be used for both communication and RF sensing. For example, Figure 1 One or more components of the illustrated RF sensing system 105 may be included in the vehicle's wireless modem (e.g., a Wi-Fi or 5G modem). That is, embodiments may utilize the RF sensing system 105 independently of any such communication component. As described above, some embodiments may utilize, for example, a UWB transceiver. The described techniques for RF sensing can utilize various types of RF signals 112, such as Zadoff sequences, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) long training field (LTF) class symbols for channel acquisition, to determine the presence and / or movement of object 110. Because the RF sensing system is capable of transmitting RF signals for communication (e.g., using 802.11 communication technology), embodiments may utilize channel estimation used in communication to perform RF sensing as provided herein. Therefore, the RF signal 112 may include the same radio pulses and / or packets used for channel estimation in communication.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a top sectional view of a vehicle 200 according to an embodiment, illustrating how RF sensing can be used in an in-vehicle environment to detect objects or motion within the vehicle 200. Here, a first transceiver 210 (which may include an RF sensing system 105) can transmit RF signals received by a second transceiver 220. A processor or computer communicatively coupled to the first transceiver 210 and the second transceiver 220 can coordinate the timing of the transmission and reception of the RF signals. (The first transceiver 210 and the second transceiver 220 may be communicatively linked to and / or integrated into a vehicle computer, such as...) Figure 10The vehicle computer shown and described in more detail below. A portion of the RF signal propagating along the first RF signal path 230 is reflected away from the first object 240. As previously described, these reflections can be identified in the captured CSI and used to determine the position of the first object 240 and / or larger movements of the first object 240 (e.g., a person moving their head / arms or moving within their seat). Furthermore, CSI with multiple spatial streams and / or relatively high bandwidth RF signals can be used to determine smaller movements (e.g., breathing) and / or fine details indicating the state of the object 240 (e.g., alarms, breathing, etc., discussed in more detail below).

[0027] The determination of the presence of a first object 240 within vehicle 200 and the distinction between the first object 240 and objects outside vehicle 200 (such as object 250) can be achieved in part through calibration and filtering. For example, the manufacturer of vehicle 200 can calibrate the first transceiver 210 and the second transceiver 220 such that reflections of RF signals from vehicle components (e.g., seats, steering wheel, etc.) are ignored. In this field, the differences in the reflections of the RF signals can then be compared with the differences in the initial calibration to identify the presence of an object.

[0028] Furthermore, time and / or amplitude thresholds can be used to filter reflections from objects outside the vehicle 200. For example, a reflection from a second object 250, originating from an RF signal, propagates along a second RF signal path 260, which is longer than the first RF signal path 230. Thus, the reflection from the second object 250 is received by the second transceiver 220 after the reflection from the first object 240. This is generally correct for all objects outside the vehicle relative to objects inside the vehicle. Additionally, because the first transceiver 210 and the second transceiver 220 can be located inside the vehicle, the reflections propagating along the second RF signal path 260 received by the second transceiver 220 can have a reduced amplitude due to propagation through windows and / or other vehicle components and materials as they leave and re-enter the vehicle 200. This can result in a lower Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measurement for reflections from objects outside the vehicle 200. Figure 3A and Figure 3B This further illustrates the point.

[0029] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a simplified plot of the captured CSI, illustrating how a threshold can be used to distinguish reflections from inside the vehicle from reflections from outside the vehicle. The amplitude of the RF signal (e.g., received from the first transceiver 210 at the second transceiver 220) can be extracted from the CSI (e.g., channel impulse response) and plotted over time, as shown below. Figure 3AAs shown. Furthermore, as previously described, calibration and leakage mitigation techniques can address leakage (direct, non-reflective signals) and reflections from seats and other vehicle components. Therefore, Figure 3A The reflections shown may represent one or more objects within the vehicle, such as cargo and vehicle users (e.g., drivers and / or passengers), and / or one or more objects outside the vehicle. As previously described, in-vehicle reflections 310 (shown as peaks in amplitude) from objects inside the vehicle are received earlier than out-of-vehicle reflections 320 from objects outside the vehicle. Furthermore, the amplitude of the out-of-vehicle reflections 320 is lower than that of the in-vehicle reflections 310.

[0030] This provides a relatively easy way to process RF signals to remove or ignore external reflections 320°. For example... Figure 3B As shown, it replicates the one with an additional threshold. Figure 3A The graph can be used to implement time thresholds 330 and / or amplitude thresholds 340 to distinguish between external reflections 320 and internal reflections 310. These thresholds can vary based on vehicle type, transceiver power, and other such factors. Furthermore, since there may not be individual amplitude and / or time values ​​at which the amplitude threshold 340 and time threshold 330 can be set to reliably filter out all external reflections 320, these thresholds can be set to increment to filter out most of the external reflections 320. Therefore, according to some embodiments, vehicle manufacturers can set one or both of the time threshold 330 and amplitude threshold 340 to a vehicle-specific or vehicle-type-specific value, which helps maximize the capture of internal reflections 310 and further maximize the filtering of external reflections 320.

[0031] While some embodiments may use a single threshold for differentiation, the use of two thresholds can be complementary. That is, reflections from some objects inside the vehicle may be reduced in amplitude (e.g., due to the composition of the objects) and therefore may not satisfy amplitude threshold 340, which is set to filter out most external reflections 320. Similarly, reflections from some objects near the vehicle but outside the vehicle may satisfy time threshold 330, which is set to filter out most external reflections 320. Thus, some embodiments can filter only reflections that cannot simultaneously satisfy both amplitude threshold 340 and time threshold 330. Additional or alternative thresholds may be used. For example, an additional time threshold may be used, whereby if a reflection fails to meet time threshold 330 but is before the additional time threshold, it may not be filtered out if it meets amplitude threshold 340. However, all reflections falling after the additional threshold can be filtered out. Other embodiments may employ additional or alternative thresholds to perform additional types of filtering in this manner.

[0032] It can be noted that some embodiments may utilize machine learning to perform the RF signal processing described herein. For example, machine learning algorithms may be used to determine the optimal values ​​of the time threshold 330 and / or the amplitude threshold 340, or equivalently... Figure 3A and Figure 3B The filtering described in [the document]. Furthermore, as indicated in more detail below, machine learning can be used to process in-vehicle reflections 310 to detect objects, identify objects, and / or recognize motion.

[0033] Figure 4 It is similar to Figure 2 The diagram shows a top sectional view of vehicle 400, illustrating how RF sensing can be performed according to another embodiment. Here, vehicle 400 does not have a separate transceiver, but rather a single transceiver 410. In this embodiment, transceiver 410 may include an RF sensing system 105 and can perform... Figure 2 The functions of both the first transceiver 210 and the second transceiver 220 are to transmit and receive RF signals, and to process RF signals reflected from objects 420 in the vehicle 400 traveling along the RF signal path 430. As those skilled in the art will understand, because transceiver 410 can perform both transmitting and receiving functions simultaneously, transceiver 410 may need to implement leakage mitigation and / or similar algorithms to help minimize interference between the transmitting and receiving functions.

[0034] As previously Figures 1 to 4 The ability to perform RF sensing in the manner described and illustrated in the diagram enables vehicles to provide functions related to object detection and / or motion detection within the vehicle, which would otherwise require cameras, which are not only more expensive but may also compromise the privacy of vehicle users.

[0035] One such function is vehicle occupant detection. When children or pets are intentionally or unintentionally left in a vehicle by the driver, their health and safety can be compromised by the temperature conditions inside the vehicle. However, RF sensing can be used to detect and optionally identify vehicle occupants, and steps can be taken to help ensure their safety. More broadly, RF sensing can be used to detect objects and / or movement within the vehicle and provide alerts about detected objects / movements.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a process for detecting objects and / or movement in a vehicle and providing an alarm according to an embodiment. (This is in conjunction with other accompanying documents provided herein.) Figure 1 Sample, Figure 5 This is provided as a non-limiting example. Alternative embodiments may be added to, omitted from, rearranged from, and / or otherwise modified. Figure 5 The operation is illustrated in the diagram. Furthermore, although... Figure 5The process illustrated below is described regarding the detection of occupants (e.g., children or pets) remaining in the vehicle; however, alternative embodiments may employ a similar process to detect other things, including packages or other goods, occupied or unoccupied seats (e.g., in buses, trains, coaches, etc.). Furthermore, the embodiments are not limited to detecting a single occupant. Multiple occupants can be detected, and (optionally) the number of occupants can be determined. Figure 5 The RF sensing provided in the process shown can be provided by, for example, Figure 1 The RF sensing system shown is provided and can be used in, for example... Figure 2 and Figure 4 In one or more wireless transceivers shown. Figure 5 The process illustrated in the diagram can be implemented by the vehicle's computer, such as... Figure 10 The computer system illustrated in the figure and described below. Additionally, it should be noted that although this description describes the detection of "objects," the embodiments are not limited thereto. According to some embodiments, the techniques provided herein can be used to detect and / or identify multiple objects and / or object types.

[0037] It should also be noted that the embodiments are not limited to detecting children, pets, or inanimate objects (e.g., cargo). Some embodiments may also detect adult vehicle occupants. Embodiments may further differentiate between children and adults (e.g., based on size differences, human identification, etc.) and may respond differently. For example, detected adults may not trigger a message / alarm, or they may only trigger a message without further warning / alarm as described below. In some embodiments, the type of message / alarm may be configurable, allowing the vehicle user to select the type of alarm / message to receive based on the type of object detected (e.g., child, adult, pet) or the identity of the detected person / pet.

[0038] The process can begin at box 505, where a determination is made as to whether a trigger condition has been detected. Depending on the application, the trigger condition may include any of a variety of conditions. In embodiments involving the detection of a child or pet left in a vehicle, the trigger condition may be, for example, determining that the vehicle is closed, the key has been removed from the vehicle, a keychain (fob) is no longer detected inside the vehicle, and / or the driver or other vehicle user has left the vehicle.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the triggering condition may include an area within a threshold distance of the driver and / or other vehicle users leaving or entering the vehicle. According to some embodiments, this distance may be defined as the distance at which the vehicle can conduct peer-to-peer (P2P) communication with a user's device (e.g., a user's mobile phone). In various 5G and traditional cellular standards, this P2P communication may be referred to as device-to-device (D2D) communication, sidelink communication, and / or communication via a Uu interface. For example, a vehicle can determine whether a user is within the vehicle's threshold distance by determining whether it can conduct P2P communication with the user's mobile device. Therefore, one such triggering event could be determining that the user is no longer within the vehicle's threshold distance by determining that the vehicle can no longer communicate with the user's mobile device via a P2P connection.

[0040] Other embodiments may have different triggering conditions, which may vary depending on the vehicle type. For example, a bus may have different triggering conditions than a transport or other commercial vehicle. For instance, embodiments of a bus may involve using RF sensing to detect goods in a cargo area (e.g., luggage compartment, light truck bed, etc.), in which case the triggering condition may include detecting that a driver or other vehicle user has entered and / or left the vehicle. Other embodiments may simply involve detecting passengers in the vehicle, in which case the triggering condition may include detecting the opening and / or closing of a door or window.

[0041] For commercial vehicles, RF sensing can be used to detect goods or available space in a cargo area (including specific locations within the cargo area). For example, triggering conditions in this case could include detecting that a driver or other vehicle user has entered and / or left the vehicle, detecting that the vehicle has arrived at a delivery location, detecting that the vehicle is within a threshold time or distance from the delivery location, receiving a cargo status request (e.g., from a remote device), etc. For instance, determining available space in a delivery truck could allow, for example, a consumer to communicate with the vehicle using a mobile phone app to change from in-store pickup to delivery based on availability in the cargo hold determined by RF sensing. Alternatively, the vehicle can notify the customer once the cargo hold is available for the delivery of the desired item. For transport vehicles including riding vehicles, RF sensing can be used to determine occupied / unoccupied seats, etc. Triggering conditions in these embodiments could include detecting the opening and / or closing of a door or window, arriving at a point of interest (POI) (e.g., a bus stop, train station, etc.), passing within a threshold distance of the POI, passing within a threshold time of arriving at the POI, receiving a pickup request (e.g., from a consumer's mobile device app), etc. Triggering conditions from consumer requests can trigger RF sensing scans not only based on consumer requests (e.g., using a mobile app) to determine availability on other ridesharing vehicles, but also if the consumer believes a lost item remains on the vehicle, they can trigger an RF sensing scan for the lost item.

[0042] Operating at box 505 may involve using one or more vehicle sensors and / or systems other than an RF sensing system. This may include, for example, sensors for detecting the presence of a key in vehicle ignition or a key chain inside the vehicle, seat and / or door sensors for detecting the opening and / or closing of doors and / or the presence of a vehicle occupant in a seat. Other vehicle sensors may be used additionally or alternatively.

[0043] In box 510, the process includes a waiting threshold time period. For example, embodiments involving detecting a child or pet left in a vehicle may wait a threshold time period before employing RF sensing to determine whether a pet or child remains in the vehicle. This could, for example, consider a scenario where the driver leaves the vehicle to open the passenger door to help a child or pet exit the vehicle. A longer time period could consider scenarios where the driver may briefly leave the vehicle. Thus, according to some embodiments, the threshold may be in the range of less than one minute to several minutes. Other embodiments may have a threshold outside this range. Depending on the desired functionality, some embodiments may allow adjustment of the threshold time period, thereby allowing automakers or even consumers to adjust the threshold. Additionally or alternatively, embodiments may adjust the threshold based on sensors and / or other information about vehicle and / or environmental factors (e.g., using a short threshold time period if the temperature is outside the safe temperature range for human or pet occupants, and a longer threshold time period if the temperature is within the safe range).

[0044] In box 515, this functionality includes performing low-resolution (“low-res”) object / motion detection. This form of low-resolution detection may include capturing CSI at a relatively low frequency (e.g., periodicity of 100ms, 500ms, 1s, etc.), a relatively low bandwidth (e.g., 20 or 40MHz), and / or a relatively small spatial flow (e.g., a single spatial flow). For embodiments such as those involving detecting children or pets left in a vehicle (…), Figure 5 The process can occur when the vehicle is powered off. This initial use of low resolution can help ensure low power consumption to help meet the stringent power consumption requirements of automakers when the vehicle is powered off. This low-resolution detection can be used in advance to detect objects or motion in the vehicle. As described below, subsequent high-resolution (“hi-res”) object / motion detection can be used to obtain additional information about the motion and / or objects.

[0045] The function at box 525 includes determining whether the low-resolution scan period has completed. If not, the process may include continuing low-resolution object / motion detection until the low-resolution scan period is completed, or until an object or motion is detected. The length of the low-resolution scan period can vary depending on the desired functionality. According to some embodiments, the period can last 2-5 minutes, although other embodiments may use periods outside this range. According to some embodiments, the period can be configured by the vehicle manufacturer or even by the consumer. Furthermore, embodiments may adjust the period based on sensed temperature and / or other environmental factors.

[0046] If an object or motion is detected, the process can move to box 530, where high-resolution object / motion detection is performed. In high-resolution detection, CSI can be captured at a relatively high frequency (e.g., periodicity of 1 ms, 2 ms, etc.), a relatively high bandwidth (e.g., 80 or 160 MHz), and / or an increased number of spatial streams (e.g., two or more) relative to those used in low-resolution detection. As previously described, this increased capability (relative to low-resolution detection) can increase the spatial and / or temporal resolution of RF sensing, thereby allowing the vehicle to obtain additional information about the object and / or motion, as shown in box 535.

[0047] Depending on the desired functionality, this additional information can vary. It may include, for example, determining the location of movement and / or objects, identifying the type of movement (e.g., breathing, arm movements, movement to different locations within a vehicle, etc.), identifying the type of object (e.g., adult, child, or pet, etc.), identifying a specific object (e.g., a specific person or pet), and the object's orientation / posture (e.g., sitting, lying down, etc.).

[0048] Identifying a specific object may include comparing aspects of the detected object with those stored in memory. For example, according to some embodiments, a vehicle may create and store user profiles that include data about user dimensions, breathing patterns, and / or other detectable user aspects, which may later be used to determine the identity of the vehicle user. Such embodiments may include a training process in which an authorized user can add a new user profile via the vehicle’s user interface, which may be initiated by the authorized user and / or prompted by the vehicle (e.g., when a new, unidentified vehicle user is detected via RF sensing). A training pattern may then be executed in which RF sensing is used to scan for the new user at one or more locations within the vehicle to determine the new user’s size and / or breathing patterns, which may be stored in the new user’s user profile. As described above, when subsequent RF sensing (e.g., high-resolution object / motion detection at box 530) is performed, any detected motion and / or object can be compared with the user’s size and / or breathing patterns to identify the vehicle user.

[0049] Return to Figure 5 The process shown can then provide an alarm, as indicated in box 540. The type of alarm provided can vary depending on the desired functionality, as can the manner in which the alarm is provided. Furthermore, the type of alarm can vary based on other factors (e.g., temperature conditions), as described in more detail below.

[0050] Figure 6This is a flowchart illustrating the process of providing an alarm in an embodiment that determines a child or pet is left in a vehicle. Here, the process may begin at box 610, where a message is sent to the user's device. This message may include, for example, text sent to the user's mobile phone. Additionally or alternatively, the message may be sent to the user's mobile phone via an application on the mobile phone (e.g., a vehicle-related application for the vehicle owner). The message may be transmitted via any combination of public and / or private communication networks, including the Internet. Such an application may allow additional functionality, such as displaying an emergency message and / or playing an audio message and / or issuing an audio alarm on the user's mobile phone screen.

[0051] The content of the message can vary depending on the desired functionality. In some embodiments, for example, it may simply indicate the presence of a detected object in the vehicle. In other embodiments, the message may further convey information about the vehicle's status (e.g., whether the doors are locked, interior temperature, etc.), the type of the detected object (e.g., a child or a pet), and / or the identity of the detected object (e.g., the name of the child or pet).

[0052] The functions in boxes 620 and 630 are used to determine whether user confirmation has been received within the response time. The response time can be balanced to give the user sufficient time to provide confirmation (e.g., by sending a response text, pressing a button on a mobile device's touchscreen, etc.) while also ensuring the safety of children or pets in the vehicle. Like other time thresholds, this time can be set by the car manufacturer or the consumer.

[0053] Additionally or alternatively, this time may depend at least in part on the conditions at the vehicle. For example, if a thermometer or other temperature sensor at the vehicle indicates that the temperature inside the vehicle is at an unsafe level (e.g., outside the temperature range considered safe for children and / or pets), the time may be shortened. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the length of the response time may be proportional to the extent to which the measured temperature is outside a safe level, such that temperatures far outside the safe temperature range result in a much shorter response time.

[0054] Depending on the desired functionality, additional messages can be provided to further prompt the user's response. Therefore, the function indication at box 640 optionally sends additional messages to the user. These follow-up messages can be sent in different ways and / or with different urgency / priority. For example, the initial message can be sent as regular text, while any follow-up messages can be sent with additional urgency (e.g., a phone call, voice, or other audio notification, etc.), depending on whether the user has an application installed on the user's mobile phone (or other device configured to receive messages sent from the vehicle).

[0055] If no confirmation is received within the response time, additional safety measures can be taken, as shown in box 650. These safety measures may include, for example, lowering the vehicle's windows, activating the vehicle's heating or cooling systems, unlocking the vehicle's doors, and / or activating and warning at the vehicle. In some cases, this may involve starting the vehicle and activating one or more of the vehicle's systems. The type of safety measure may depend on the vehicle's status to help address or mitigate any safety concerns of children or pets left in the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle's interior temperature is measured to be below a certain threshold, the vehicle's heating system may be used, while if the interior temperature is above a certain threshold, the vehicle's air conditioning system may be used. One or more windows may roll down based on the difference between the interior and exterior temperatures at the vehicle. In some cases, such as when urgent attention may be required to help ensure the safety of children or pets left in the vehicle, emergency alarms (e.g., involving flashing lights, honking horns, and / or audible and audio sirens) may be used. In some embodiments and / or scenarios, emergency alarms may be used in addition to other safety measures. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the vehicle may be able to contact emergency services.

[0056] like Figure 6 As shown, the process can end if user confirmation is received. In some embodiments, the user can provide additional instructions to the vehicle for taking safety measures. That is, the user can instruct (e.g., through response text, interaction with the user interface of a mobile application, etc.) the vehicle to take one or more safety measures to help ensure the safety of vehicle occupants.

[0057] Back Figure 5 If no motion is detected during the low-resolution scan period (operations at boxes 520 and 525), high-resolution object / motion detection can still be performed, as shown in box 545. This can be used to detect certain motions, such as breathing (which may be undetectable using low-resolution detection), to help ensure the accuracy of object / motion detection.

[0058] As shown in boxes 550 and 555, high-resolution object / motion detection can be performed during the high-resolution scan period. Similar to the low-resolution scan period, this period can be configurable. Furthermore, because power usage may be a concern, this period can be limited, for example, to less than one minute, to help ensure limited power usage. If no object is detected, the process can proceed as follows: Figure 5 As shown. Otherwise, if an object or motion is detected, the process can proceed to the function of box 535 and continue as previously described.

[0059] As previously noted, to aid in vehicle user identification, vehicles can implement a profile system where user data is stored. This data can be stored, for example, in the memory of the vehicle's computer, an example of which is... Figure 10 The information is shown in the diagram and described below. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the vehicle user's profile can be updated over time to help ensure accurate user detection and account for changes in the user (e.g., children or pets growing over time). This update can be performed automatically and / or manually by an authorized user (e.g., the vehicle owner).

[0060] According to some embodiments, a user profile system can be used to implement driver-specific settings and / or customizations within the vehicle. For example, upon sensing that a driver has entered the vehicle (e.g., based on key chain location and / or driver's seat sensors or when the key is inserted into the vehicle, etc.), the vehicle can use RF sensing as described herein to detect the user's size and / or breathing pattern, which can be compared with the user's size and / or breathing pattern in a stored vehicle user profile to identify the user. Once identified, the vehicle can restore saved user settings (e.g., seat position, mirror alignment, pedal position, radio presets, and / or other user interface customizations, etc.) for the identified driver.

[0061] According to embodiments, RF sensing in the manner described herein may be used additionally or alternatively to implement a driver alert system. Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a method for implementing a driver alert system according to an embodiment. Alternative embodiments may be added to, omitted from, rearranged from, and / or otherwise modified. Figure 7 The operation described herein. This method can be performed by the vehicle's computer, such as... Figure 10 As shown and described below, RF sensing can be performed by an RF sensing system (e.g., RF sensing system 105).

[0062] The process can begin at box 705, where RF sensing, in part, uses the manner previously described herein to determine whether the vehicle's driver is alert. As described above, RF sensing can determine not only user size but also user position or posture (e.g., sitting up, slipping, etc.), head orientation, breathing pattern, and eye position. The determination of whether the driver is alert can be based on the acquired RF sensing data.

[0063] According to some embodiments, these determinations can be made based on comparing RF sensing data with stored driver information (e.g., in the driver's user profile). This stored information may include RF sensing data acquired during an earlier calibration in which the driver provided an appropriate user position, head orientation for breathing, and eye position as a reference, and RF sensing was performed to collect reference RF sensing data. Therefore, in embodiments using this reference data, a mismatch between the RF sensing data acquired during driving and the reference RF sensing data can indicate an inattentive or unresponsive driver.

[0064] According to some embodiments, RF sensing can be used in conjunction with other sensors (e.g., cameras, lane-following systems, steering wheel sensors, etc.) to determine whether the driver is alert. These other sensors can be used to verify the user's position, head orientation, breathing pattern, and / or eye position detected by the RF sensing. Additionally or alternatively, sensors can be used to collect additional information indicating whether the driver is alert. In such embodiments, a computer can determine driver alertness based on both the RF sensing data and the data from these additional sensors.

[0065] If the driver is not determined to be alert, the process can proceed to the operation at box 710, where an alarm is provided. Here, because the driver is in the vehicle, the alarm can be provided by the vehicle itself, as a message on the user interface, a light indicator, an audio sound, or a message, etc. In some embodiments, the type or degree of the message sent to the driver can vary depending on how inattentive the driver is considered. For example, if the driver's head is turned toward a position not indicating alertness for more than a threshold amount of time, a notification can appear in the dashboard along with a short sound. However, if the driver is determined to be lethargic and breathing increased (indicating a problematic health condition), a more urgent message can be provided, accompanied by a louder sound and / or a flashing light.

[0066] As shown in boxes 720 and 730, the process can continue to determine whether the driver is alert within a given response time. This may involve additional RF sensing (optional sensing from other sensors). If the driver's attention is regained, the process can restart. Otherwise, if the driver fails to respond within the response time (not determined to be alert at box 720), the process can take one or more safety measures, as shown in box 740.

[0067] Depending on the desired functionality, safety measures can vary. Furthermore, similar to the alert provided at box 710, the extent to which safety measures are used can be at least partially based on the driver's determined state. (For example, RF sensing and / or other data indicating a serious health problem can lead to far more safety measures than if the driver were simply determined to have been out of sight for too long.) Such safety measures may include, for example, causing the vehicle to reduce its speed or stop, causing the vehicle to pull over to the side of the road, and / or calling emergency services. For instance, if, after determining at box 720 that the driver is inattentive, there is no movement of the steering wheel or application of the brakes or accelerator within the response time determined at box 730 (e.g., determined based on the driver's posture and / or other characteristics), the vehicle may determine at box 740 to stop / reduce speed or take additional safety measures.

[0068] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 800 for RF sensing in a vehicle according to an embodiment. Figure 8 The operations shown in the box can be performed by a vehicle computer using an RF sensing system. An example of such a computer is shown in... Figure 10 The illustrated methods are shown and described in more detail below. Alternative embodiments may differ from method 800 by adding, omitting, combining, and / or rearranging the illustrated operations and / or by performing them simultaneously. Method 800 describes a general process of RF sensing in a vehicle, including many of the embodiments previously described. Accordingly, method 800 can be considered as... Figures 5-7 The manner in which at least some aspects of the process shown and described above can be implemented.

[0069] In block 805, the method includes detecting a trigger condition. As described in the embodiments above, the trigger condition used to trigger RF sensing can vary depending on the desired functionality. Such trigger conditions may include, for example, a vehicle being opened or closed, a vehicle keychain being detected inside the vehicle, a vehicle user entering or leaving the vehicle, the vehicle arriving at or within a threshold distance of a POI, a request for the status of the vehicle's cargo area, or a request for the status of the vehicle's available seats, or any combination thereof. Different types of vehicles (e.g., passenger, delivery, transport, etc.) may have different trigger conditions. It should also be noted that the functionality described herein in response to detecting a trigger condition can generally include a change from one mode of RF sensing to another. For example, the detection of a trigger condition may cause the vehicle to increase the rate, frequency, or duty cycle of RF sensing.

[0070] The components used to perform the function of block 805 may include, for example: Figure 10The processor(s) 1010 shown and described below, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105 and / or other components of the computer system.

[0071] In block 810, the method includes transmitting a first set of RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle in response to detecting a trigger condition. As described in the embodiments above, the vehicle may have one or more wireless transceivers, each of which has an RF sensing system 105 (or at least a portion thereof). The one or more wireless transceivers may include one or more wireless radio devices capable of transmitting and receiving RF signals using WLAN standards (e.g., IEEE 802.11 / Wi-Fi) and may also be used by the vehicle or WLAN communications in addition to RF sensing. The RF signals may include communication packets used by WLAN standards. As previously described, embodiments herein may utilize existing techniques for channel estimation to obtain CSI for RF sensing. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more wireless transceivers may include UWB transceivers.

[0072] The components used to perform the functions of box 810 may include, for example: Figure 10 The processor(s) 1010, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105, and / or other components of the computer system shown and described below. Additional components may include, for example, Figure 1 The Tx antenna(s) 115, Tx processing circuitry 140, Mux 135, processor 125, memory 130 and / or other components of the RF sensing system 105 shown and previously described.

[0073] In block 820, the function includes receiving a first set of reflected RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects. In the case that the vehicle is occupied by one or more occupants, pets, or cargo, the one or more objects may include the occupants(s), pets(s), or cargo(s). In the case of an empty vehicle, the one or more objects may simply include the vehicle's floor or walls, for example, any other fixed object in the scan area, such as a seat, steering wheel, etc. As described in the above embodiments, the transceiver receiving the first set of reflected RF signals may be the same transceiver that transmits the RF signals (e.g., such as...). Figure 4 (as shown), or they can be different transceivers (e.g., such as...). Figure 2(As shown). Accordingly, according to some embodiments of method 800, the one or more wireless transceivers may include a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle. Alternatively, a first wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers transmits the first set of RF signals, and a second wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers receives the first set of reflected RF signals, and the first wireless transceiver is located at a different location within the vehicle than the second wireless transceiver. In embodiments using more than one transceiver, the vehicle computer may coordinate the transmission and reception of RF signals. Additionally or alternatively, the transceivers may communicate with each other (e.g., according to regulated wireless standards) to coordinate the transmission and reception of RF signals.

[0074] The components used to perform the functions of box 820 may include, for example: Figure 10 The processor(s) 1010, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105, and / or other components of the computer system shown and described below. Additional components may include, for example, Figure 1 The Rx antenna(s) 120, Rx processing circuitry 145, Mux 135, processor 125, memory 130 and / or other components of the RF sensing system 105 shown and previously described.

[0075] The function at block 830 includes determining a first CSI of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals. As described above, this can be determined using channel estimation techniques of a regulated wireless standard used by one or more wireless transceivers to receive the reflected RF signals. As described above, the reflected RF signals can be received by multiple antennas and / or received multiple times. Therefore, in some embodiments, this can allow not only the presence of motion or an object to be determined, but also its direction. This can depend on how the RF signals are transmitted and received (e.g., using low-resolution or high-resolution detection).

[0076] The components used to perform the functions of box 830 may include, for example: Figure 10 The processor(s) 1010, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105, and / or other components of the computer system shown and described below. Additional components may include, for example, Figure 1 The processor 125, memory 130, and / or other components of the RF sensing system 105 shown and previously described.

[0077] At block 840, the function includes determining state information based on the first CSI, wherein the state information includes information about the state of objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both the objects and the areas. As indicated in the previously described embodiments, such vehicle information may include the presence of children, adults, or pets, the availability / unavailability of seats in the vehicle, the attention of the driver or other occupants, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle information may include the presence of objects (e.g., goods in a cargo area, left-behind objects in a passenger area, etc.). Therefore, the objects described in block 840 may include people, pets, goods, etc. The area may include a cargo area, seats, a trunk, etc. In some embodiments of method 800, the state information includes detected movement or objects within the vehicle, and triggering conditions may include determining that the vehicle is closed and the driver is not in the vehicle. Other triggering conditions for RF sensing may include the determination of one or more other actions, such as when a passenger enters / exits, the cabin temperature reaches a specific threshold, the oxygen level and / or other gas levels (e.g., CO, CO2, etc.) in the cabin reach a specific threshold, a specific amount of time has elapsed since the driver / passenger left, or the driver / passenger is within a specific proximity to the vehicle.

[0078] The components used to perform the functions of box 840 may include, for example: Figure 10 The processor(s) 1010, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105, and / or other components of the computer system shown and described below. Additional components may include, for example, Figure 1 The processor 125, memory 130, and / or other components of the RF sensing system 105 shown and previously described.

[0079] In box 850, the function includes providing a response based on the status information. As indicated in the previously described embodiments, the response may include messages, security alerts, etc., and may be followed by safety measures and / or other actions taken at the vehicle. Figure 5As shown in the figure, after initial low-resolution object / motion detection detects an object and / or motion, additional high-resolution object / motion detection using RF sensing can be performed. Therefore, some embodiments of method 800 may further include: in response to detecting motion or an object inside the vehicle, transmitting a second set of RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle; and receiving a second set of reflected RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, including reflections of the second set of RF signals from one or more objects inside the vehicle. Method 800 may further include: determining a second CSI from the received second set of reflected RF signals; and determining additional information based on the second CSI, wherein the additional information includes the location of motion inside the vehicle, the identity of an object inside the vehicle, or both the object and the area. In this case, providing the response may be further based on the additional information. As shown in the embodiments above, profile information may be used to determine the identity of an object (e.g., a child or a pet). Therefore, for some embodiments of method 800, determining the identity of an object inside the vehicle may further include: comparing the second CSI with stored profile information for one or more vehicle users. The first and second RF signals may be transmitted according to first and second transmission modes, such as low-resolution and high-resolution transmission. Therefore, in some embodiments of method 800, a first set of RF signals can be transmitted according to a first transmission mode, and a second set of RF signals can be transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has a shorter transmission period, a larger transmission bandwidth, or a larger number of spatial streams than the first transmission mode, or any combination thereof.

[0080] The components used to perform the functions of box 850 may include, for example: Figure 10 The processor(s) 1010, bus 1005, working memory 1035, communication subsystem 1030, wireless communication interface 1033, RF sensing system 105, and / or other components of the computer system shown and described below. Additional components may include, for example, Figure 1 The Tx antenna(s) 115, Tx processing circuitry 140, Mux 135, processor 125, memory 130 and / or other components of the RF sensing system 105 shown and previously described.

[0081] As described in the embodiments above, the technology for RF sensing in a vehicle may include additional variations depending on the desired functionality. For example, according to some embodiments, providing a response may include sending a message to a user equipment. As previously described, the user equipment may include a mobile phone, although other user devices such as wearable devices, personal computers, tablets, etc., are also conceivable. Furthermore, method 800 may also include taking action if no acknowledgment of the message from the user equipment is received within a threshold time period. Such actions may include, for example, lowering a vehicle window, activating a vehicle heating or cooling system, unlocking a vehicle door, activating an alarm at the vehicle location, or any combination thereof.

[0082] Other functionalities can be employed to implement the occupant alert system. For example, in cases where vehicle information includes the detection of an inattentive occupant (e.g., the driver) in the vehicle, determining the vehicle information may include determining one or more attributes of the vehicle occupant from a first CSI. Such attributes may include, for example, the occupant's seating position, occupant's posture, occupant's head orientation, occupant's breathing rate, or occupant's eye position, or any combination thereof. Determining one or more attributes of the occupant may include comparing the first CSI with stored profile information about the occupant. Additionally or alternatively, providing a response includes providing an alert at the vehicle's user interface. As discussed, the alert may include text or audio messages, as well as audio notifications, dashboard indications, etc. According to some embodiments, method 800 may further include taking action if one or more attributes of the occupant do not change within a threshold time amount. In such embodiments, the action may include causing the vehicle to reduce its speed or stop, or causing the vehicle to pull over to the side of the road, or both.

[0083] In some embodiments, an initial calibration and / or a set of calibrations may be performed to store user profile information, which can be used in subsequent RF sensing to determine user attributes and / or identity. This calibration may be initiated by a vehicle computer or an authorized vehicle user. With this in mind, some embodiments of method 800 may further include: calibrating the vehicle user before transmitting a first set of RF signals, wherein, while the vehicle user is inside the vehicle, a second set of RF signals is transmitted by one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle; a second set of reflected RF signals, including reflections from the second set of RF signals from the vehicle user, a first set of RF signals, determining a second CSI from the second set of reflected RF signals, determining one or more user attributes of the vehicle user based at least in part on the second CSI, and storing one or more user attributes in a user profile. Similarly, these user attributes may include user size, user seating position, user posture (e.g., position of torso and / or legs, arms, hands, feet, etc.), user head orientation, user breathing rate, and / or user eye position (e.g., including eye / iris tracking output).

[0084] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a method 900 for RF sensing in a vehicle according to another embodiment. It can be seen that the operations in method 900 are generally similar to... Figure 8 The operation in method 800. Furthermore, operations 910-950 can be similar to... Figure 8 The corresponding operations 810-850 in the code are performed in this way. However, Figure 9 This excludes the detection and response to triggering conditions; for further emphasis, according to some embodiments, these operations can be initiated under any of a variety of conditions. Similar to... Figure 8 , Figure 9 The operations shown in the box can be performed by the vehicle computer using the RF sensing system.

[0085] Figure 10 This is a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle computer 1000, which may include an RF sensing system 105 that can operate in the manner discussed in the previously described embodiments. As described above, the RF sensing system 105 may be included in each of one or more wireless transceivers, which may be incorporated into one or more subsystems of the vehicle computer, such as a wireless communication interface 1033. It should be noted that... Figure 10 This is intended only to provide a general illustration of the various components; any one or all of them may be used appropriately. Therefore, Figure 10 It broadly illustrates how the various system components are implemented in a relatively discrete or relatively more integrated manner. Furthermore, it can be noted that... Figure 10The components shown can be located in a single device and / or distributed across various connected devices, which can be located at different physical locations within the vehicle.

[0086] Vehicle computer 1000 is shown as including hardware elements that can be electrically coupled (or otherwise communicated) via bus 1005. The hardware elements may include processors(s) 1010, which may include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors, one or more special-purpose processors (such as DSPs, graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.), and / or other processing structures, units, or components that can be configured to perform one or more of the methods described herein, including those relating to… Figure 8 The methods and / or Figures 5-7 The process described herein. The vehicle computer 1000 may also include one or more input devices 1015, which may include, but are not limited to, a mouse, keyboard, camera, microphone, touch screen, sensors, vehicle electronic subsystems (e.g., control of braking, steering, navigation, heating, cooling, etc.); and one or more output devices 1020, which may include, but are not limited to, display devices, speakers, vehicle electronic subsystems, etc.

[0087] The vehicle computer 1000 may also include (and / or communicate with) one or more non-transitory storage devices 1025, which may include, but are not limited to, local and / or network-accessible memory, and / or may include, but are not limited to, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices (such as random access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM)), which may be programmable, rapidly updatable, etc. Such storage devices can be configured to implement any suitable data storage, including but not limited to various file systems, database structures, etc.

[0088] The vehicle computer 1000 may also include a communication subsystem 1030, which may include support for wired communication technologies and / or wireless communication technologies (in some embodiments) managed and controlled by a wireless communication interface 1033. The communication subsystem 1030 may include a modem, a network interface card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a chipset, etc. The communication subsystem 1030 may include one or more input and / or output communication interfaces, such as the wireless communication interface 1033, to allow the exchange of data and signaling with networks, mobile devices, other computer systems, and / or any other electronic devices described herein. As previously described, the RF sensing system 105 (such as...) Figure 1The antennas (as shown) can be incorporated into the wireless communication interface 1033, such that (multiple) Tx antennas 115 and (multiple) Rx antennas 120, along with circuitry connected to the antenna elements (e.g., other components of the RF sensing system 105), can be used for both RF sensing and data communication. For example, in some embodiments, the wireless communication interface 1033 may include an 802.11ad-compatible and / or 802.11ay-compatible modem capable of both RF sensing and data communication. Aspects of the wireless communication interface 1033 with the RF sensing system 105 may correspond to... Figure 2 and Figure 4 The transceiver is illustrated in the diagram and described elsewhere in this article.

[0089] As described above, some embodiments may have an RF sensing system 105 that is not used for wireless communication. In this case, the RF sensing system 105 may be integrated elsewhere within the vehicle computer 1000. In some embodiments, for example, the RF sensing system 105 may be integrated into the vehicle computer 1000 as an input device 1015. Other sensors may also be included as input devices 1015.

[0090] In many embodiments, the vehicle computer 1000 will further include a working memory 1035, which may include RAM and / or ROM devices. Software elements shown as residing within the working memory 1035 may include an operating system 1040, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code such as applications(s) 1045, which may include computer programs provided by various embodiments and / or may be designed to implement methods and / or configure systems provided by other embodiments described herein. By way of example only, in relation to one or more processes described above, such as combining... Figure 7 and Figure 10 The described method can be implemented as code and / or instructions stored (e.g., temporarily) in working memory 1035 and executable by a computer (and / or a processor within the computer, such as processor(s) 1010); then, in one aspect, such code and / or instructions can be used to configure and / or adapt a general-purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or more operations according to the described method.

[0091] These sets of instructions and / or code may be stored on non-transitory computer-readable storage media, such as the aforementioned storage devices(s) 1025. In some cases, the storage medium may be integrated into a computer system, such as a vehicle computer 1000. In other embodiments, the storage medium may be separate from the computer system (e.g., a removable medium such as an optical disc) and / or provided in an installation package, such that the storage medium can be used to program, configure, and / or adapt to a general-purpose computer on which the instructions / code are stored. These instructions may take the form of executable code, which can be executed by the vehicle computer 1000, and / or may take the form of source and / or installable code, which takes the form of executable code after being compiled and / or installed on the vehicle computer 1000 (e.g., using any of a variety of generally available compilers, installers, compression / decompression utilities, etc.).

[0092] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantial variations can be made to suit specific requirements. For example, custom hardware may be used and / or specific components may be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software such as small applications), or both. Furthermore, connections to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, may be employed.

[0093] Referring to the accompanying drawings, components that may include memory may include non-transitory machine-readable media. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable media" and "computer-readable media" refer to any storage medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a particular manner. In the embodiments provided above, various machine-readable media may relate to providing instructions / code to a processor and / or(a plurality of) other devices for execution. Additionally or alternatively, machine-readable media may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / code. In many embodiments, computer-readable media are physical and / or tangible storage media. Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic and / or optical media, any other physical media having a hole pattern, RAM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described below, or any other medium from which a computer can read instructions and / or code.

[0094] The methods, systems, and devices discussed herein are examples. Various processes or components may be appropriately omitted, substituted, or added in various embodiments. For example, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Various components of the accompanying drawings provided herein may be embodied in hardware and / or software. Furthermore, technology is constantly evolving, and therefore many elements are examples that do not limit the scope of this disclosure to these particular examples.

[0095] Primarily for general reasons, it has proven convenient to sometimes refer to such signals as bits, information, values, elements, symbols, characters, variables, terms, numbers, numerals, etc. However, it should be understood that all these or similar terms are associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient notations. Unless specifically stated otherwise, it will be apparent from the above discussion that throughout this specification, discussions using terms such as “processing,” “calculating,” “measuring,” “determining,” “identifying,” “ascertaining,” “associating,” “measuring,” and “performing” refer to the actions or processes of a specific device (such as a dedicated computer or similar dedicated electronic computing device). Therefore, in the context of this specification, a dedicated computer or similar dedicated electronic computing device is capable of manipulating or transforming signals generally represented as physical electronic, electrical, or magnetic quantities within the memory, registers, or other information storage, transmission, or display devices of the dedicated computer or similar dedicated electronic computing device.

[0096] As used herein, the terms “and” and “or” can include, and are contemplated, a variety of meanings, at least in part, depending on the context in which such terms are used. Generally, “or,” when used to relate a list such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C (used herein in an inclusive sense), and A, B, or C (used herein in an exclusive sense). Furthermore, the term “one or more” as used herein can be used to describe any feature, structure, or property in the singular form, or can be used to describe some combination of features, structures, or properties. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Additionally, the term “at least one of…” when used to relate a list such as A, B, or C can be interpreted as meaning any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, AB, AA, AAB, AABBCCC, etc.

[0097] Several embodiments have been described, and various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the above-described elements may simply be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the various embodiments. Furthermore, multiple steps may be taken before, during, or after considering the above-described elements. Therefore, the above description does not limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0098] In view of this description, embodiments may include different combinations of features. Examples of implementations are described in the following numbered clauses:

[0099] Clause 1: A method for RF sensing in a vehicle, the method comprising:

[0100] The first set of RF signals is transmitted using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle.

[0101] The vehicle uses one or more wireless transceivers to receive a first set of reflected RF signals, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects;

[0102] First channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle is determined from the received set of first reflected RF signals.

[0103] The first CSI is used to determine status information, which includes information about the status of objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both the objects and the areas; and

[0104] The response is provided based on this status information.

[0105] Clause 2: The method of Clause 1, wherein: sending the first set of RF signals is in response to the detection of a triggering condition, the status information including detected movement or object inside the vehicle, and the triggering condition including determining that the vehicle is closed and the driver of the vehicle is not in the vehicle.

[0106] Clause 3: The method of Clause 2 further includes: in response to detecting the movement or object inside the vehicle:

[0107] The vehicle uses one or more wireless transceivers to transmit a second set of RF signals;

[0108] The vehicle uses one or more wireless transceivers to receive a second set of reflected RF signals, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections from one or more objects within the vehicle;

[0109] Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; and

[0110] Additional information is determined based on this second CSI, wherein the additional information includes:

[0111] The position of this movement inside the vehicle,

[0112] The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or

[0113] Both the location and the identity;

[0114] The response is also based on this additional information.

[0115] Clause 4: The method of Clause 3, wherein determining the identity of the object inside the vehicle further includes: comparing the second CSI with stored profile information for one or more vehicle users.

[0116] Clause 5: The method of Clause 3 or 4, wherein:

[0117] The first set of RF signals is transmitted according to a first transmission mode; and

[0118] The second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has:

[0119] A shorter transmission period than the first transmission mode.

[0120] A larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode, or

[0121] A larger number of spatial flows, or

[0122] Any combination thereof.

[0123] Clause 6: Any of the methods in Clauses 2 to 5, wherein providing a response includes sending a message to the user equipment.

[0124] Clause 7: The method of Clause 6 further includes: if no acknowledgment of the message is received from the user of the user equipment within a threshold time period, then taking an action, wherein the action includes:

[0125] Lower the vehicle's windows.

[0126] Activate the vehicle's heating or cooling system.

[0127] Unlock the vehicle's doors, or

[0128] Activate the alarm at the vehicle, or

[0129] Any combination thereof.

[0130] Clause 8: The method of Clause 1, wherein the status information includes the detected inattentive occupant of the vehicle, and determining the status information includes determining one or more attributes of the occupant of the vehicle from the first CSI, wherein the one or more attributes include:

[0131] The passenger's seat,

[0132] The occupant's posture,

[0133] The occupant's head was facing...

[0134] The occupant's breathing rate, or

[0135] The position of the occupant's eyeballs, or

[0136] Any combination thereof.

[0137] Clause 9: The method of Clause 8, wherein determining the one or more attributes of the occupant includes: comparing the first CSI with stored profile information about the occupant.

[0138] Clause 10: Any of the methods in Clauses 1 to 9, wherein providing a response includes providing an alert at the user interface of the vehicle.

[0139] Clause 11: The method of any one of Clauses 8 to 10 further includes: taking an action if the one or more attributes of the occupant do not change within a threshold time period, wherein the action includes:

[0140] This causes the vehicle to slow down or stop, or

[0141] This causes the vehicle to park close to the edge of the road, or

[0142] Both of the above.

[0143] Clause 12: The method of any one of Clauses 1 to 11 further includes: calibrating the vehicle user before transmitting the first set of RF signals, wherein when the vehicle user is inside the vehicle:

[0144] The second set of RF signals is transmitted by the vehicle’s one or more wireless transceivers;

[0145] The second set of reflected RF signals is received by the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, and the second set of reflected RF signals includes reflections of the second set of RF signals from the user of the vehicle;

[0146] The second CSI is determined from the received set of the second reflected RF signals;

[0147] One or more user attributes of the vehicle user are determined at least in part based on the second CSI; and

[0148] One or more user attributes are stored in the user profile.

[0149] Clause 13: The method of any one of Clauses 1 to 12, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers include a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle.

[0150] Clause 14: The method of any one of Clauses 1 to 12, wherein a first wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers transmits the first set of RF signals, and a second wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers receives the first set of reflected RF signals, and wherein the first wireless transceiver is located in a different position within the vehicle than the second wireless transceiver.

[0151] Clause 15: The method of any one of Clauses 1 to 14, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers include one or more wireless local area network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi transceivers.

[0152] Clause 16: The method of any one of Clauses 1 to 15, wherein sending the first set of RF signals is in response to detecting a triggering condition, and the triggering condition includes:

[0153] The vehicle is turned on or off.

[0154] A vehicle key chain was detected inside the vehicle.

[0155] When a vehicle user enters or leaves the vehicle,

[0156] The vehicle user is no longer within the vehicle's threshold distance.

[0157] The vehicle reaches a threshold distance from the point of interest (POI) or is within that threshold distance of the POI.

[0158] A request for the status of the vehicle's cargo area, or

[0159] Request for information on the availability of seats in the vehicle, or

[0160] Any combination thereof.

[0161] Clause 17: An apparatus for providing RF sensing in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

[0162] One or more wireless transceivers;

[0163] Memory; and

[0164] One or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the memory, and configured to:

[0165] Transmit a first set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers;

[0166] Receive a first set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects;

[0167] First channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle is determined from the received set of first reflected RF signals.

[0168] Based on the first CSI, status information is determined, including information about objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both objects and areas; and

[0169] The response is provided based on this status information.

[0170] Clause 18: The device of Clause 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit the first set of RF signals in response to detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition including determining that the vehicle is closed and that the driver of the vehicle is not in the vehicle, and in order to determine the status information, the one or more processors are configured to: determine the detected movement or object inside the vehicle.

[0171] Clause 19: The device of Clause 18, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: in response to detecting the movement or object inside the vehicle:

[0172] Transmit a second set of RF signals via one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle;

[0173] Receive a second set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects within the vehicle;

[0174] Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; and

[0175] Additional information is determined based on this second CSI, wherein the additional information includes:

[0176] The position of this movement inside the vehicle,

[0177] The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or

[0178] Both the location and the identity;

[0179] The response is also based on this additional information.

[0180] Clause 20: The device of Clause 19, wherein, in order to determine the identity of the object inside the vehicle, the one or more processors are configured to compare the second CSI with stored profile information for one or more vehicle users.

[0181] Clause 21: Devices of Clause 19 or 20, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the plurality of wireless transceivers to:

[0182] The first set of RF signals is transmitted according to the first transmission mode; and

[0183] The second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has:

[0184] A shorter transmission period than the first transmission mode.

[0185] A larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode, or

[0186] A larger number of spatial flows, or

[0187] Any combination thereof.

[0188] Clause 22: A device of any one of Clauses 18 to 21, wherein, in order to provide a response, the one or more processors are configured to: send a message to a user equipment via the one or more wireless transceivers.

[0189] Clause 23: The device of Clause 22, wherein the one or more processors are configured to take action if no acknowledgment of the message is received from the user of the user equipment within a threshold time period, wherein the action includes:

[0190] Lower the vehicle's windows.

[0191] Activate the vehicle's heating or cooling system.

[0192] Unlock the vehicle's doors, or

[0193] Activate the alarm at the vehicle, or

[0194] Any combination thereof.

[0195] Clause 24: The device of Clause 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine the status information, the status information including a detected inattentive occupant, and wherein, in order to detect the inattentive occupant, the one or more processors are configured to: determine one or more attributes of the occupant of the vehicle from the first CSI, wherein the one or more attributes include:

[0196] The passenger's seat,

[0197] The occupant's posture, the direction the occupant's head is facing,

[0198] The occupant's breathing rate, or

[0199] The position of the occupant's eyeballs, or

[0200] Any combination thereof.

[0201] Clause 25: The device of Clause 24, wherein, in order to determine the one or more attributes of the occupant, the one or more processors are configured to compare the first CSI with stored profile information about the occupant.

[0202] Clause 26: A device of any one of Clauses 17 to 25, wherein, in order to provide a response, the one or more processors are configured to provide an alarm at the user interface of the vehicle.

[0203] Clause 27: A device of any one of Clauses 24 to 26, wherein the one or more processors are configured to take an action if the one or more attributes of the occupant do not change within a threshold time period, wherein the action includes:

[0204] This causes the vehicle to slow down or stop, or

[0205] This causes the vehicle to park close to the edge of the road, or

[0206] Both of the above.

[0207] Clause 28: A device of any one of Clauses 17 to 27, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: cause calibration of a vehicle user to be performed before transmitting the first set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, wherein when the vehicle user is inside the vehicle, the one or more processors are configured to:

[0208] Transmit a second set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers;

[0209] Receive a second set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the vehicle user;

[0210] Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals;

[0211] The vehicle user's one or more user attributes are determined, at least in part, based on the second CSI; and

[0212] The user profile contains one or more user attributes stored in the memory.

[0213] Clause 29: The device of any one of Clauses 17 to 28, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers include a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle.

[0214] Clause 30: The device of any one of Clauses 17 to 28, wherein a first wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers is configured to transmit the first set of RF signals, and a second wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers is configured to receive the first set of reflected RF signals, and wherein the first wireless transceiver is located in a different location within the vehicle than the second wireless transceiver.

[0215] Clause 31: A device of any one of Clauses 17 to 30, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers include one or more wireless local area network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi transceivers.

[0216] Clause 32: A device of any one of Clauses 17 to 31, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: transmit the first set of RF signals in response to detecting a trigger condition, the trigger condition including:

[0217] The vehicle is turned on or off.

[0218] A vehicle key chain was detected inside the vehicle.

[0219] When a vehicle user enters or leaves the vehicle,

[0220] The vehicle user is no longer within the vehicle's threshold distance.

[0221] The vehicle reaches a threshold distance from the point of interest (POI) or is within that threshold distance of the POI.

[0222] A request for the status of the vehicle's cargo area, or

[0223] Request for information on the availability of seats in the vehicle, or

[0224] Any combination thereof.

[0225] Clause 33: An RF sensing device for a vehicle, the device comprising:

[0226] Components for transmitting the first set of RF signals;

[0227] A component for receiving a first set of reflected RF signals, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects;

[0228] A component for determining first channel state information (CSI) of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals;

[0229] Components for determining status information based on the first CSI, the status information including information about objects within the vehicle, areas within the vehicle, or both the objects and the areas; and

[0230] A component used to provide a response based on this status information.

[0231] Clause 34: The device of Clause 33, wherein the component for determining status information based on the first CSI includes components for detecting movement or objects inside the vehicle, and the component for detecting the triggering condition includes components for determining that the vehicle is closed and that the driver of the vehicle is not in the vehicle.

[0232] Clause 35: The device of Clause 34 further includes components for performing the following operations in response to detecting the movement or object inside the vehicle:

[0233] Send a second set of RF signals;

[0234] Receive a second set of reflected RF signals, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects inside the vehicle;

[0235] Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; and

[0236] Additional information is determined based on this second CSI, wherein the additional information includes:

[0237] The position of this movement inside the vehicle,

[0238] The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or

[0239] Both the location and the identity;

[0240] The component used to provide the response is also configured to provide the response based on the additional information.

[0241] Clause 36: The apparatus of Clause 35, wherein the component for transmitting the first set of RF signals is configured to:

[0242] The first set of RF signals is transmitted according to the first transmission mode; and

[0243] The second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has:

[0244] A shorter transmission period than the first transmission mode.

[0245] A larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode, or

[0246] A larger number of spatial flows, or

[0247] Any combination thereof.

[0248] Clause 37: The device of Clause 33, wherein the component for determining status information based on the first CSI includes: a component for detecting an inattentive occupant of the vehicle based on one or more attributes of the occupant determined from the first CSI, wherein the one or more attributes include:

[0249] The passenger's seat,

[0250] The occupant's posture,

[0251] The occupant's head was facing...

[0252] The occupant's breathing rate, or

[0253] The position of the occupant's eyeballs, or

[0254] Any combination thereof.

[0255] Clause 38: The apparatus of Clause 33 further includes: components for calibrating a vehicle user before transmitting the first set of RF signals, wherein the components for calibrating include components for performing the following operations when the vehicle user is inside the vehicle:

[0256] Send a second set of RF signals;

[0257] Receive a second set of reflected RF signals, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections from the vehicle user;

[0258] Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals;

[0259] The vehicle user's one or more user attributes are determined, at least in part, based on the second CSI; and

[0260] Store one or more user attributes in the user profile.

[0261] Clause 39: The device of any one of Clauses 33 to 38, wherein a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle includes the component for transmitting the first set of RF signals and the component for receiving the first set of reflected RF signals.

[0262] Clause 40: A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for RF sensing in a vehicle, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform any one of the methods described in Clauses 1 to 16.

Claims

1. A method for radio frequency (RF) sensing in a vehicle, the method comprising: The vehicle uses one or more wireless transceivers to transmit a first set of RF signals according to a first transmission mode. The vehicle receives a first set of reflected RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; First channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle is determined from the received set of first reflected RF signals. The state information is determined based on the first channel state information (CSI), wherein the state information includes information about detected motion or detected objects within the vehicle. as well as In response to the detection of movement or an object inside the vehicle, a second set of RF signals is transmitted using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, wherein the second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has: Larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode A larger number of spatial streams than the first transmission mode, or Both; Receive a second set of reflected RF signals using the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects within the vehicle; Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; as well as Additional information is determined based on the second CSI, wherein the additional information includes: The position of movement inside the vehicle. The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or Both; as well as A response is provided based on the status information and the additional information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Sending the first set of RF signals is in response to detecting a trigger condition, and The triggering conditions include determining that the vehicle is off and that the driver of the vehicle is not in the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The amplitude and time thresholds of the RF signal are used to distinguish between reflections from inside the vehicle and reflections from outside the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the object inside the vehicle further comprises: The second CSI is compared with stored profile information for one or more vehicle users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a response comprises sending a message to the user equipment.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: If no confirmation of the message is received from the user of the user equipment within a threshold time period, an action is taken, wherein the action includes: Lower the vehicle's windows. Activate the vehicle's heating or cooling system. Unlock the doors of the vehicle, or Activate the alarm at the vehicle, or Any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the state information includes detected inattentive occupants of the vehicle, and determining the state information includes determining one or more attributes of the occupants of the vehicle from the first channel state information (CSI), wherein the one or more attributes include: The seats of the passengers The posture of the occupants, The occupant's head is facing, The occupant's respiratory rate, or The position of the occupant's eyeballs, or Any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the one or more attributes of the occupant comprises: The first Channel State Information (CSI) is compared with the stored profile information about the occupant.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a response includes providing an alarm at the user interface of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising: If one or more attributes of the occupant do not change within a threshold time period, an action is taken, wherein the action includes: This causes the vehicle to reduce its speed or stop, or The vehicle is parked close to the edge of the road, or Both.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Before transmitting the first set of RF signals, calibration is performed on the vehicle user, wherein the vehicle user is inside the vehicle: The third set of RF signals is transmitted by the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle; The third set of reflected RF signals is received by the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the third set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the third set of RF signals from the vehicle user; The third CSI is determined from the received set of third reflected RF signals; One or more user attributes of the vehicle user are determined at least in part based on the third CSI; as well as One or more user attributes are stored in the user profile.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers comprise a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a first wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers transmits the first set of RF signals, and a second wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers receives the first set of reflected RF signals, and wherein the first wireless transceiver is located in a different position within the vehicle than the second wireless transceiver.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers comprise one or more wireless local area network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi transceivers.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first set of RF signals is in response to detecting a trigger condition, and the trigger condition includes: The vehicle is turned on or off. A vehicle key chain was detected inside the vehicle. Vehicle users entering or leaving the vehicle The vehicle user is no longer within the threshold distance of the vehicle. The vehicle reaches a threshold distance from the point of interest (POI) or is within the threshold distance of the POI. A request for the status of the vehicle's cargo area, or Request for information on the availability of seats in the vehicle, or Any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes the number of detected occupants of the vehicle.

17. An apparatus for providing radio frequency (RF) sensing in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: One or more wireless transceivers; Memory; as well as One or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers and the memory, and configured to: Transmit a first set of RF signals according to a first transmission mode via the one or more wireless transceivers; Receive a first set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; First channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle is determined from the received set of first reflected RF signals. The state information is determined based on the first channel state information (CSI), and the state information includes information about detected motion or detected objects within the vehicle. as well as In response to the detection of movement or an object inside the vehicle, a second set of RF signals is transmitted via the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, wherein the second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has: Larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode A larger number of spatial streams than the first transmission mode, or Both; Receive a second set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects within the vehicle; Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; as well as Additional information is determined based on the second CSI, wherein the additional information includes: The position of movement inside the vehicle. The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or Both; as well as A response is provided based on the status information and the additional information.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to: transmit the first set of RF signals in response to detecting a trigger condition, the trigger condition including determining that the vehicle is off and that the driver of the vehicle is not in the vehicle, and In order to determine the state information, the one or more processors are configured to: determine the detected motion or object inside the vehicle.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to distinguish between reflections from inside the vehicle and reflections from outside the vehicle based on amplitude and time thresholds of the RF signal.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein, in order to determine the identity of the object inside the vehicle, the one or more processors are configured to compare the second CSI with stored profile information for one or more vehicle users.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein, in order to provide a response, the one or more processors are configured to send a message to the user equipment via the one or more wireless transceivers.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: take action if no acknowledgment of the message from the user equipment is received within a threshold time period, wherein the action includes: Lower the vehicle's windows. Activate the vehicle's heating or cooling system. Unlock the doors of the vehicle, or Activate the alarm at the vehicle, or Any combination thereof.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine the state information, the state information including a detected inattentive occupant, and wherein, in order to detect the inattentive occupant, the one or more processors are configured to: determine one or more attributes of the occupant of the vehicle from the first channel state information (CSI), wherein the one or more attributes include: The seats of the passengers The occupant's posture, the direction the occupant's head is facing, The occupant's respiratory rate, or The position of the occupant's eyeballs, or Any combination thereof.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein, in order to determine the one or more attributes of the occupant, the one or more processors are configured to: compare the first channel state information (CSI) with stored profile information about the occupant.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein, in order to provide a response, the one or more processors are configured to provide an alarm at the user interface of the vehicle.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: take an action if the one or more attributes of the occupant do not change within a threshold time period, wherein the action includes: This causes the vehicle to reduce its speed or stop, or The vehicle is parked close to the edge of the road, or Both.

27. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: cause calibration of a vehicle user to be performed before transmitting the first set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, wherein when the vehicle user is inside the vehicle, the one or more processors are configured to: Transmit a third set of RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers; Receive a third set of reflected RF signals via the one or more wireless transceivers, the third set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the third set of RF signals from the vehicle user; The third CSI is determined from the received set of third reflected RF signals; The vehicle user's one or more user attributes are determined at least in part based on the third CSI; as well as The one or more user attributes are stored in the memory in the user profile.

28. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers comprise a single wireless transceiver located at a single location within the vehicle.

29. The device of claim 17, wherein a first wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers is configured to transmit the first set of RF signals, and a second wireless transceiver of the one or more wireless transceivers is configured to receive the first set of reflected RF signals, and wherein the first wireless transceiver is located in a different location within the vehicle than the second wireless transceiver.

30. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more wireless transceivers comprise one or more wireless local area network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi transceivers.

31. The device according to claim 17, wherein, The one or more processors are configured to transmit the first set of RF signals in response to detecting a trigger condition, the trigger condition including: The vehicle is turned on or off. A vehicle key chain was detected inside the vehicle. Vehicle users entering or leaving the vehicle The vehicle user is no longer within the threshold distance of the vehicle. The vehicle reaches a threshold distance from the point of interest (POI) or is within the threshold distance of the POI. A request for the status of the vehicle's cargo area, or Request for information on the availability of seats in the vehicle, or Any combination thereof.

32. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to include the detected number of occupants of the vehicle in the status information.

33. A radio frequency (RF) sensing device for a vehicle, the device comprising: A component for transmitting a first set of RF signals according to a first transmission mode; A component for receiving a first set of reflected RF signals, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; A component for determining first channel state information (CSI) of one or more wireless channels within the vehicle from the received first set of reflected RF signals; A component for determining state information based on the first channel state information (CSI), the state information including information about detected motion or detected objects within the vehicle; as well as A component for transmitting a second set of RF signals in response to detecting movement or an object inside the vehicle, wherein the second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has: Larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode A larger number of spatial streams than the first transmission mode, or Both; Components for receiving a second set of reflected RF signals, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects inside the vehicle; Components used to determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; as well as A component for determining additional information based on the second CSI, wherein the additional information includes: The position of movement inside the vehicle. The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or Both; as well as A component for providing a response based on the status information and the additional information.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for radio frequency (RF) sensing in a vehicle, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform functions including: The vehicle uses one or more wireless transceivers to transmit a first set of RF signals according to a first transmission mode. The vehicle receives a first set of reflected RF signals using one or more wireless transceivers, the first set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the first set of RF signals from one or more objects; First channel state information (CSI) for one or more wireless channels within the vehicle is determined from the received set of first reflected RF signals. The state information is determined based on the first channel state information (CSI), and the state information includes information about detected motion or detected objects within the vehicle. as well as In response to the detection of movement or an object inside the vehicle, a second set of RF signals is transmitted using one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, wherein the second set of RF signals is transmitted according to a second transmission mode, wherein the second transmission mode has: Larger transmission bandwidth than the first transmission mode A larger number of spatial streams than the first transmission mode, or Both; Receive a second set of reflected RF signals using the one or more wireless transceivers of the vehicle, the second set of reflected RF signals including reflections of the second set of RF signals from the one or more objects within the vehicle; Determine the second CSI from the received set of second reflected RF signals; as well as Additional information is determined based on the second CSI, wherein the additional information includes: The position of movement inside the vehicle. The identity of the object inside the vehicle, or Both; as well as A response is provided based on the status information and the additional information.

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