System and method for intelligent control of doors and windows in a vehicle

Abstract

This disclosure provides a "system and method for intelligent control of doors and windows in a vehicle". A system and method for intelligent control of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle are provided. The vehicle determines the occupancy status of the rear seats. The occupancy status may include information about who is occupying the rear seats and where the occupant is located relative to the rear seats. The vehicle can then determine, based on the type of occupant, whether to activate or deactivate the locking features of one or more rear doors and / or the window opening / closing features of the rear doors. The type of occupant may include a child, an adult, or an animal. Additionally, the vehicle can determine its current position and motion state to determine whether to activate or deactivate the locking features of the rear doors and / or the window opening / closing features of the rear doors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of automated control of vehicle features. Specifically, embodiments of this disclosure relate to systems and methods related to intelligent control of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Rear seat door locks and / or window operation features in a vehicle allow the driver or front passenger to control access to the rear doors from inside the vehicle. Typically, this mechanism may involve a simple rotary lock or lever located on the edge of the rear door, accessible only when the door is open. To activate the manual lock, a key can be inserted into a designated slot and turned, effectively preventing the door from being opened from the inside while still allowing it to be opened from the outside. In most designs, the locking mechanism can be applied to each door individually, meaning each rear door may need to be locked separately. Some modern vehicles may also incorporate electronic locks that can be controlled from the driver's seat.

[0003] Because traditional rear seat door locks and / or rear window opening / closing features must be manually activated and deactivated by the driver, it can be inconvenient if the driver forgets to deactivate these features when they prefer to. Similarly, drivers may forget to activate these features when they want them to. In some cases, activating and / or deactivating these features may require familiarity with the various menu items in the vehicle's navigation software system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes systems and methods for intelligently controlling the rear doors and windows of a vehicle based on occupancy information.

[0005] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for operating a vehicle. The method includes the vehicle determining that its rear seats are not occupied. Then, the method includes the vehicle applying a first configuration to a locking feature of the vehicle's rear doors. Subsequently, the method includes the vehicle determining, at a second time after a first time, that the rear seats are occupied, and then determining occupant details of the entity occupying the rear seats. Then, the method includes the vehicle determining a state of the vehicle, determining a second configuration of the locking feature of the vehicle's rear doors based on the occupant details and the state of the vehicle, and applying the second configuration to the locking feature of the vehicle's rear doors.

[0006] In another embodiment, a vehicle is provided, comprising: one or more rear seats, at least a first rear door, one or more processors, one or more sensors coupled to the one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform one or more actions. The one or more actions include determining, at a first time, that the rear seats of the vehicle are not occupied, and applying a first configuration to the first rear door based on the unoccupied rear seats. The actions also include determining, at a second time, that the rear seats are occupied by an entity, using the one or more sensors to determine identification information associated with the entity, and using the one or more sensors to determine the current state of the vehicle. Based on these determinations, the one or more processors perform the additional action of determining a second configuration for the first rear door based on the identification information and the current state of the vehicle, and applying the second configuration to the first rear door.

[0007] In another embodiment, a method is provided, the method comprising: determining that a rear seat of the vehicle is occupied; determining the identity of the entity occupying the rear seat; determining a first setting for a rear door based on the entity's identity; and applying the first setting to the rear door. In this method, if the entity is an adult, the first setting includes deactivating a locking feature associated with the rear door; or if the entity is a teenager (or child) or an animal, the first setting includes activating a locking feature associated with the rear door.

[0008] These and other advantages of this disclosure are provided in detail herein. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Specific embodiments are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals may be used to indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and / or components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably depending on the context.

[0010] Figure 1 An environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 A block diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 3 A high-level block diagram of a system for intelligent control of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 4 A flowchart of a process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating the process of intelligent operation of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0015] Figures 6 to 8 Flowcharts of various methods of operating a vehicle according to additional embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0016] Figure 9 A block diagram of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to be limiting.

[0018] Figure 1 An environment 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. Vehicle 102 may be any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as a car, truck, tanker, bus, etc. Environment 100 may also include a control server 104. Control server 104 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a Telematics Service Delivery Network (SDN) that provides digital data services to vehicle 102. References are made below. Figure 2 Provide details of control server 102.

[0019] Environment 100 may also include a user device 112. User device 112 may be a mobile phone, tablet, personal computer, smart key fob, etc. User device 112 may be associated with a user 110 of vehicle 102. User 110 may be the driver of vehicle 102 or a passenger in vehicle 102. User device 112 may receive information from vehicle 102 and / or control server 104. User device 112 may have a dedicated application installed thereon, which can interface with vehicle 102 to download and display various types of vehicle-generated information and other control data. In one embodiment, vehicle 102 may communicate directly with user device 112 to send and receive data without network 108 and / or server 104.

[0020] Environment 100 may also include network 108. Network 108 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which connected devices discussed in various embodiments of this disclosure may communicate. Network 108 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Bluetooth, etc. ® Bluetooth ® Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11 standard, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and 5G are just a few examples.

[0021] Vehicle 102 may include multiple units, including but not limited to an automotive computer, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a detection unit. See below for reference. Figure 2 Details of vehicle 102 are provided.

[0022] Figure 2 A block diagram of a vehicle 102 in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown. The vehicle 102 may include multiple units, including but not limited to an automotive computer 208, a vehicle control unit (VCU) 210, and an infotainment unit 238. The VCU 210 may include multiple electronic control units (ECUs) 214 configured to communicate with the automotive computer 208.

[0023] In some embodiments, a user device such as a mobile phone, laptop computer, smart key fob, etc., can be configured to connect to the vehicle computer 208. The user device can communicate via one or more wireless connections, and / or via near field communication (NFC) protocol, Bluetooth, etc. ® Protocols, Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and other possible data connectivity and sharing technologies can be used to directly connect to vehicle 102.

[0024] According to this disclosure, the vehicle computer 208 can be installed anywhere in the vehicle 102. The vehicle computer 208 may be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 202, one or more memory devices 204, and one or more transceivers 206.

[0025] Processor 202 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 204 and / or memory 205) configured to communicate with a corresponding computing system. Figure 2The processor 202 may communicate with one or more external databases (not shown in the diagram). The processor 202 may utilize the memory 204 to store programs and / or data in code form to perform operations according to this disclosure. The memory 204 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing vehicle control program code. The memory 204 may include any or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.) and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.). In some embodiments, the memory 204 may include modules 245 that may implement various embodiments of this disclosure. Modules 245 may include instructions that can be executed by the processor 202 to implement various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0026] The vehicle computer 208 may also include a transceiver 206. The transceiver 206 may be configured to receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., user device 208, external server, etc.). Furthermore, the transceiver 206 may transmit notifications, requests, signals, etc., to external devices or systems. Additionally, the transceiver 206 may be configured to receive information / input from vehicle components (such as vehicle sensing system 232, one or more ECUs 214, etc.). Furthermore, the transceiver 206 may transmit signals (e.g., command signals) or notifications to vehicle components such as BCM 220, infotainment system 238, etc.

[0027] In some embodiments, VCU 210 may share a power and / or communication bus with vehicle computer 208 and may be configured and / or programmed to coordinate data between vehicle systems, connected servers, etc. VCU 210 may include or communicate with any combination of ECUs 214, such as BCM 220, Engine Control Module (ECM) 222, Transmission Control Module (TCM) 224, Telematics Control Unit (TCU) 226, Driver Assist Technology (DAT) Controller 228, etc. VCU 210 may also include and / or communicate with a Vehicle Sensing System (VPS) 230, which may connect to and / or control one or more vehicle sensing systems 232. The vehicle sensing system 232 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including but not limited to radio detection and ranging (LiDAR or “radar”) sensors configured to use radio waves to detect and locate objects inside and outside the vehicle 102, seating area latch sensors, seating area sensors, light detection and ranging (“LiDAR”) sensors, door sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, wheel sensors, one or more ambient weather or temperature sensors, interior and exterior cameras, steering wheel sensors, etc. Sensors as part of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be coupled to the vehicle 102 at one or more locations in one or more ways. For example, various sensors of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be integrated into various subsystems of the vehicle 102 (such as doors, mirrors, roof, etc.) or attached to the vehicle 102 using suitable mounting mechanisms. In some embodiments, various sensors of the vehicle sensing system 232 may be located at the front, rear, sides, top, bottom, and underside of the vehicle 102. The location of the sensors may depend on their function. For example, sensors monitoring the area beneath the vehicle can be attached to the bottom surface of vehicle 102, while sensors monitoring areas on either side of vehicle 102 can be mounted or integrated into the doors of vehicle 102. Vehicle sensing system 232 may also include one or more road noise sensors, such as accelerometers coupled to various mechanical components and / or systems of vehicle 102. Those skilled in the art will recognize that sensors can be coupled to the vehicle in various different ways and locations besides those mentioned above.

[0028] In some embodiments, VCU 210 can control vehicle operation aspects and implement one or more instruction sets received from server 104, user device 112, or from one or more instruction sets stored in memory 204.

[0029] TCU 226 can be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and outside the vehicle 102, and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 234 for receiving and processing GPS signals, BLE ® Module (BLEM) 236, Wi-Fi transceiver, UWB transceiver and / or may be configured to be used in vehicle 102 with other systems (e.g., vehicle key fob). Figure 2 Other wireless transceivers (not shown in the image), external servers, user devices, etc., for wireless communication (including cellular communication) between computers and modules. Figure 2 (Not shown in the image). TCU 226 can communicate with ECU 214 via a wired or wireless bus. In some respects, TCU 226 can be configured to determine the real-time vehicle geolocation, for example, via NAV receiver 234.

[0030] ECU 214 can control various aspects of vehicle operation and communication using inputs from the human driver, inputs from the vehicle computer 208, and / or wireless signal inputs received from other connected devices (such as server 206) via a wireless connection.

[0031] The BCM 220 typically integrates sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and variable reactors associated with vehicle systems. It may also include processor-based power distribution circuitry that controls functions associated with the vehicle body, such as lights, windows, safety devices, cameras, audio systems, speakers, wipers, door locks and entry controls, and various comfort controls. The BCM 220 can also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 2 (Not shown in the image) Interaction.

[0032] The DAT controller 228 and / or the autonomous driving system 240 can provide Level 1 to Level 5 automated driving and driver assistance functionality, which may include features such as active parking assist, vehicle reversing assist, and / or adaptive cruise control. The DAT controller 228 can also provide various aspects of user and environmental inputs that can be used for user authentication.

[0033] In some embodiments, the vehicle computer 208 may be connected to the infotainment system 238 (or vehicle human-machine interface (HMI)). The infotainment system 238 may include a touchscreen interface portion and may include voice recognition features and biometric recognition capabilities, which may identify the user based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric means. In other aspects, the infotainment system 238 may also be configured to receive user commands via the touchscreen interface portion and / or output or display notifications, navigation maps, etc., on the touchscreen interface portion. In some embodiments, the user device 112 may provide an HMI interface.

[0034] The computing system architecture of the automotive computer 208 and / or VCU 210 can omit certain computing modules. This should be easily understood. Figure 2 The computing environment depicted herein is an example of possible implementations according to this disclosure and should therefore not be considered limiting or exclusive.

[0035] In addition to the components mentioned above, vehicle 102 may also have numerous mechanical systems and subsystems. A chassis or frame may form the backbone of vehicle 102 and support the body and other components of vehicle 102. Vehicle 102 may include an engine that converts fuel into mechanical power to propel the vehicle forward. The engine includes various components such as the engine block, pistons, valves, and spark plugs. Vehicle 102 may also include a transmission system. The transmission system transmits power from the engine to the wheels. It includes a clutch, gearbox, drive shaft, differential, and other components. The transmission adjusts the power output to suit the vehicle's speed and load. Vehicle 102 may also include a suspension system. The suspension system absorbs shocks and maintains contact between the tires and the road, thus providing a smooth ride. It includes components such as springs, shock absorbers, and linkages. Vehicle 102 also includes a vehicle stopping system that allows the driver to decelerate or stop vehicle 102. It includes components such as pedals, master cylinders, lines, and bushings or shoes. Vehicle 102 also includes a steering system that allows the driver to guide the vehicle. The steering system includes components such as a steering wheel, steering column, rack and pinion, and tie rods. Vehicle 102 may also include an exhaust system for removing and filtering exhaust gases produced by the engine. It includes an exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, muffler, and exhaust tailpipe, among other components. Vehicle 102 also includes a cooling system to prevent overheating of the engine and / or battery. It includes components such as a radiator, water pump, thermostat, and coolant. Vehicle 102 also includes a cooling system for storing fuel and supplying fuel to the engine. It includes a fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel filter, and fuel injectors. The electrical system of vehicle 102 powers the vehicle's electrical components. It may include a battery, alternator, starter motor, and wiring. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system controls the temperature inside vehicle 102. It includes a heater core, blower motor, and air conditioning compressor. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid vehicle, and in either case, some of the aforementioned components will be replaced by an electric motor and a high-voltage battery. All the mechanical components working together ensure optimal operation of vehicle 102.

[0036] Many modern vehicles have hardware switches for activating and deactivating the rear door lock and rear window open / close features. If the rear door lock feature is activated, the rear doors cannot be opened from the inside, but can be opened from the outside to enter the vehicle. Similarly, a hardware button can be operated to deactivate the rear window raise / lower feature. Once deactivated, no one sitting in the rear seats can operate the rear window. Typically, this switch is located near the driver, such as on the driver's side front door or on the instrument panel.

[0037] In many cases, the manual operation required to activate and deactivate the rear door lock and / or rear window opening / closing features is inconvenient for the vehicle's driver and other occupants. For example, the driver may be unfamiliar with the features or may forget to activate or deactivate them at the appropriate time. Therefore, even if present, the features may not be properly used for their intended purpose. Embodiments of this disclosure provide methods and systems to mitigate these and other problems by providing an intelligent manner of controlling the rear door lock and rear window opening / closing features based on the vehicle's occupancy and motion states. In this disclosure, activating the rear door lock feature means that occupants in the rear seats cannot open the rear door from the inside. Deactivating the rear door lock feature means that occupants in the rear seats can open the rear door from the inside. Activating the rear window opening / closing feature means that occupants can open or close the rear window from the inside, and deactivating the rear window opening / closing feature means that occupants cannot open or close the rear window from the inside.

[0038] As used herein, "rear lock," "rear door locking feature," "rear door locking feature," and "rear door lock" refer to features of a vehicle that can be enabled / activated or disabled / deactivated. In the activated state, this feature prevents the rear door from being opened from the inside of the vehicle, but allows it to be opened from the outside, as long as the master door lock is unlocked. In the deactivated state, this feature allows the rear door to be opened from both the inside and outside of the vehicle, as long as the master door lock is unlocked. This feature is also commonly referred to in the art as a child lock feature or child safety lock. Furthermore, it should be noted that although the following embodiments are described with reference to the rear door and rear window, embodiments can also be implemented for the front passenger door and front passenger window of the vehicle.

[0039] Figure 3 A high-level block diagram of a system 300 for intelligent control of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. System 300 may be implemented in a vehicle 102. System 300 may include an occupant classification unit 302. The occupant classification unit 302 may be designed to detect and classify the type, weight, and position of occupants in vehicle seats. The occupant classification unit 302 may use pressure sensors, weight sensors, infrared sensors, capacitive sensors, or combinations thereof to determine whether any seat in the vehicle is occupied. In some embodiments, the occupant classification unit may also use position sensors to determine the position of the seat back. In some cases, the occupant classification unit may also determine whether the occupant is a teenager, an adult, or a small adult based on the occupant's weight, size, and position.

[0040] System 300 may also include one or more interior-facing cameras 304. In one embodiment, camera 304 may include an RGB camera, an infrared camera, etc. In some embodiments, system 300 may use camera 304 to capture data to enhance information determined using occupant classification unit 302. Additionally, system 300 may use information from other vehicle sensors 306 (such as radar, lidar, etc.) to detect the presence of people and / or animals in the vehicle and their corresponding positions within the vehicle. In some embodiments, system 300 may use one or more of the following measurements to distinguish between adults and adolescents. These techniques may include the use of weight and pressure sensors, cameras for detecting height and size, movement and gait analysis using motion sensors, speech and speech recognition (e.g., adolescents' speech has a different pitch range, rhythm, and complexity compared to adults), heart rate and respiratory rate, posture and body proportions, and / or facial recognition.

[0041] System 300 can use information generated by occupant classification unit 302, one or more cameras 304, and additional sensors 306 to determine the vehicle's occupancy status 310. Occupancy status 310 can indicate the number of occupants in the vehicle, the type of occupants (e.g., adults, children, animals, etc.), and the location / position of each occupant (e.g., right rear seat, rear center seat, left rear seat, etc.). For example, system 300 can use various technologies to determine whether a particular occupant is human or an animal. These technologies may include the analysis of one or more of the following: (a) visual characteristics, such as facial features, body proportions, hands and feet, skin and hair details, etc.; (b) auditory characteristics, such as speech and animal communication and vocalization patterns; (c) environmental and situational indicators, such as the presence of clothing, accessories, tools, etc.; (d) movement and mobility patterns; (e) body temperature information (e.g., using thermal or infrared sensors); (f) weight and pressure information; (g) biometric data, such as heart rate, respiratory data, etc.; (g) gait analysis; and / or (h) odor detection using electronic noses or chemical sensors.

[0042] Additionally, the vehicle can determine its state 308. The vehicle's state can include its motion status, current time, and current location, such as whether the vehicle is currently moving or stationary and its current position. System 300 can determine contextual information based on the vehicle's state. For example, if the vehicle is parked at a location associated with a school, the vehicle can determine that the occupants are likely to include teenagers, and depending on the time of day, determine that the teenagers may be being picked up or dropped off at school.

[0043] System 300 continuously monitors both occupancy status information 310 and vehicle status information 312, and uses these two pieces of information to determine whether there is any change between the occupancy status information 310 and vehicle status information 312 and a previously determined state (312). If system 300 determines that the occupancy status information 310 and vehicle status information 312 have changed relative to a previous determination, the system may perform an appropriate action 314. In some cases, the action may be to activate or deactivate the rear door lock feature, activate or deactivate the rear window open / close feature, or do nothing and maintain the previous state of the rear door lock and / or rear window. After system 300 performs action 314, the state of the rear door lock and rear window can become the starting point for checking the occupancy status 310 and determining, based on the new occupancy status 310 and the new vehicle status 308, whether a different action needs to be performed in the next iteration.

[0044] Figure 4 A flowchart of process 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Process 400 may be performed solely by a vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102) or by vehicle combined with a control server (e.g., Figure 1 The process is executed by server 104. At step 402, the vehicle can determine that the rear seats are empty at the first moment. In this case, "empty" rear seats mean that neither a person nor an animal occupies any of the rear seats. Inanimate objects (e.g., boxes or toys) may be present on the rear seats, but the presence of such objects is outside the scope of this disclosure. When the rear seats are not occupied, the driver can have some preset settings for the rear doors and windows. For example, the driver can program the vehicle to keep the rear doors unlocked and the rear windows closed when the rear seats are empty or otherwise unoccupied. At step 404, the vehicle can apply these preset settings.

[0045] At some point after the initial time, the rear seats may be occupied. For example, a person or animal may occupy one or more of the rear seats. At step 406, the vehicle may determine at a second time that one or more of the rear seats are occupied. For example, determining seat occupancy at this stage may be a binary determination using weight or pressure sensors. For example, if the value measured by the weight and / or pressure sensors is higher than a threshold, the vehicle may determine that a particular seat is occupied. It should be noted that the vehicle may have multiple rear seats, and the occupancy status of the rear seats may be determined seat by seat. After the vehicle determines that one or more of the rear seats are occupied, the vehicle may then determine who has occupied the rear seats. Thus, at step 408, the vehicle may determine whether an adult, a teenager, or an animal is occupying the rear seats. As described above, the vehicle may use various components (such as occupancy classification units, cameras, and other vehicle sensors) to determine whether the occupants of the vehicle are adults, teenagers, and / or animals. Depending on the type of occupant (e.g., adult, teenager, animal, etc.), the vehicle may take one or more actions.

[0046] If the vehicle determines that the occupant is a teenager (step 410), the vehicle may automatically activate the rear door locks and / or close the rear windows (if they are open) and disable the window opening / closing feature at the rear seats (step 412). If the vehicle determines that the occupant is an adult (step 414), the vehicle may deactivate the rear door locks and activate the window opening / closing feature (step 416). If the vehicle determines that the occupant is an animal (step 418), the vehicle may activate the rear door locks and / or close the rear windows (if they are open) and disable the window opening / closing feature at the rear seats (step 420). It should be noted that the activation / deactivation of the rear door locks and the rear window opening / closing feature depends on the previous state of these features. For example, if the rear door locks were activated for some reason before step 410, at step 412, the vehicle may determine the current state of that feature and then maintain that state of the rear door locks. The same applies to the rear window opening / closing feature.

[0047] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a process 500 for intelligent operation of the rear doors and windows of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Process 500 can be performed solely by the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102) or by vehicle combined with a control server (e.g., Figure 1 The process is executed by server 104. Process 500 begins at step 502, where the vehicle determines that all rear seats are empty. This determination can be made using any of the techniques described above. Based on the determination that all rear seats are empty, at step 504, the vehicle can automatically apply driver presets to the rear door locks and rear windows. Examples of presets have been described above and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0048] Subsequently, at step 506, a second time following the first time, the vehicle can determine that one or more of the rear seats are occupied. In one embodiment, this determination can be binary, as the vehicle can determine only whether a particular seat is occupied or empty, regardless of who is occupying it. In a particular embodiment, this determination may use weight or pressure sensors. If the vehicle has multiple rear seats, each of the rear seats may be occupied by a different occupant. For example, occupants may include adults, teenagers, animals, or any combination thereof. Knowing which occupant occupies which of the multiple rear seats can be beneficial. At step 508, the vehicle can determine the occupancy details of the rear seats. For example, the vehicle can determine how many of the occupants are adults, teenagers, and / or animals, and which particular seat each occupant is occupying. The type and location of the occupants can determine how the vehicle configures the rear door locks and windows. For example, if there are three rear seats, and these seats are occupied by two adults and one teenager, the location of each occupant can determine how the vehicle's two rear doors and windows are configured. When a teenager is sitting between two adults, the rear door locks can be deactivated because it's unlikely the teenager would reach and accidentally open the rear door. However, if the teenager is sitting in or near one of the rear doors, the vehicle can activate the rear door lock of the door closest to the teenager, while deactivating the lock of the door closest to the adult. Therefore, in some cases, the occupant position of a vehicle can be used to configure the vehicle's rear doors and windows.

[0049] At step 510, the vehicle can determine its state. As explained above, the vehicle's state can include its current state of motion and / or its current location. For example, if the vehicle is in motion, the rear door locks can be activated regardless of the occupants in the rear seats. In another example, if the vehicle is determined to be in a known location (e.g., at school or home) and not in motion, the rear door locks can be deactivated if it is anticipated that an adult and / or teenager may be entering or leaving the vehicle. However, if the vehicle is not in motion but is stopped at a traffic light or in the middle of the road, the rear door locks may be activated because it is unlikely that any occupant will enter or leave the vehicle at that location. At step 512, the vehicle can use the occupant information determined in step 508 and the vehicle state information determined in step 510 to apply new settings for the rear door locks and / or the rear window. As mentioned above, in some cases, the new settings can be the same as the current / previous settings, and therefore the vehicle may not need to perform any specific actions and can simply maintain the previous state of the rear door locks and / or the state of the rear window.

[0050] Figures 6 to 8 A flowchart illustrating the process of various methods for operating a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 A flowchart of a process for operating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Process 600 may be performed solely by the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102) or by vehicle combined with a control server (e.g., Figure 1 The process is executed by server 104. Process 600 illustrates how a vehicle can continuously track the status of occupants and the vehicle's status and dynamically update / change the settings of the rear door locks and rear window. At step 602, the vehicle can determine that an adult is occupying the rear seat and that there are no teenagers or animals in the rear seat. Based on this determination, at step 604, the vehicle can deactivate the rear door locks and / or activate the rear window open / close feature. Thereafter, the vehicle can continuously monitor its occupancy status and vehicle status.

[0051] In one example, at step 608, the vehicle can determine that it has stopped at a known location at a second time. For example, the vehicle might be stopped at a location associated with a school, an occupant's home, or an occupant's office. In this case, the vehicle can infer from the context that one or more occupants of the vehicle may enter or leave the vehicle. To facilitate occupant entry or exit, the vehicle can keep the rear door locks deactivated at step 610. Thus, the vehicle can dynamically adapt to changes in its state.

[0052] In another example, the vehicle can determine at a second moment that a teenager is currently occupying a rear seat (step 612). Therefore, the rear seat may now be occupied by both an adult and a teenager. The vehicle can also determine the precise location of the teenager in the rear seat (e.g., left side, center, right side, etc.). Based on this determination, the vehicle can follow... Figure 7 The steps of process 700 are shown in the diagram. Process 700 can be performed solely by a vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102) or by vehicle combined with a control server (e.g., Figure 1The process is executed by server 104. For example, once the vehicle determines that a teenager is currently occupying a rear seat, at step 702, it can activate all rear door locks or selectively activate the lock of the door closest to the teenager. Additionally, the vehicle can deactivate the window open / close feature of the door closest to the teenager. The vehicle can then determine that it is parked at a known location (step 704). As mentioned above, the known location can be associated with a school. The vehicle can further infer, based on the time of day, that the teenager is likely getting off at a school. Based on this location and time information, the vehicle can automatically deactivate the rear door locks, allowing the teenager to leave the vehicle (step 706). In another example, the vehicle can determine after step 702 that an adult has now entered the vehicle and is occupying one of the rear seats (step 708). Because the teenager is still in the rear seat, the vehicle can choose to keep the rear door teenager locks activated at step 710. In this way, the vehicle can dynamically adjust the state of the rear door locks and rear windows based on the vehicle's occupancy status.

[0053] In another example, after step 604, the vehicle can determine that the animal is now occupying one of the rear seats (step 614). Based on this determination, the vehicle can then proceed... Figure 8 The process 800 is shown in the diagram. Process 800 can be performed solely by a vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle 102) or by vehicle combined with a control server (e.g., Figure 1 The process is executed by the server (104). Specifically, in response to determining that an animal is currently occupying one of the rear seats, the vehicle may activate the rear door locks and / or deactivate the rear window open / close features to prevent the animal from unintentionally operating the doors or windows (step 802). Afterward, the vehicle may determine that it has stopped at a known location at a third time (step 804). However, in this case, the vehicle may not automatically deactivate the rear door locks, as the animal is unlikely to need to open the doors. Instead, the vehicle may prompt the driver to deactivate the rear door locks and / or window operation (step 806), allowing any adult present in the rear seats to open the doors to allow the animal to exit. The driver can then manually deactivate the rear door locks.

[0054] In another scenario, the vehicle may determine after step 802 that an adult has now entered the vehicle and is occupying one of the rear seats while the animal remains (step 808). In this case, since the animal is still in the rear seat, the vehicle may keep the rear door locks active (step 810) to prevent the animal from accidentally opening the rear doors or windows. In some cases, the vehicle may selectively deactivate the lock on the door closest to the adult while keeping the lock on the door closest to the animal active.

[0055] Figure 9An example control server 900 is depicted according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, on which any of one or more technologies (e.g., methods) can be performed or on which the methods described above in conjunction with vehicle 102 can be performed. Figure 1 A block diagram of the control server 104. In other embodiments, server 900 may act as a standalone device or may be connected to other servers (e.g., networked). In a networked deployment, server 900 may operate as a server machine, a client machine, or both in a server-client network environment. In the example, server 900 may act as a peer-to-peer (P2P) (or other distributed) network environment. Server 900 may be a personal computer (PC), tablet PC, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile phone, smart keychain, wearable computing device, network device, network router, switch, or bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions (continuously or otherwise) specifying actions to be taken by the server (such as a base station). Furthermore, while only a single server is described, the term "server" should also be considered as including any collection of servers that individually or jointly execute a set (or more sets) of instructions for performing any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein, such as those configured for cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS), or other computer clusters.

[0056] The examples described herein may include logic or components, modules, or mechanisms, or may operate on logic or components, modules, or mechanisms. A module is a tangible entity (e.g., hardware) capable of performing a specified operation during operation. A module includes hardware. In the examples, the hardware may be specifically configured to perform a specific operation (e.g., hardwired). In another example, the hardware may include a configurable execution unit (e.g., a transistor, circuitry, etc.) and a computer-readable medium containing instructions that configure the execution unit to perform a specific task when in operation. The configuration may occur under the guidance of the execution unit or loading mechanism. Thus, when the device is in operation, the execution unit is communicatively coupled to the computer-readable medium. In this example, the execution unit may be a member of more than one module. For example, under operation, the execution unit may be configured at one point in time to implement a first module via a first set of instructions, and at a second point in time to be reconfigured at a second point in time to implement a second module via a second set of instructions.

[0057] Server (e.g., computer system) 900 may include a hardware processor 902 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), main memory 904, and static memory 906, some or all of which may communicate with each other via interconnect (e.g., bus) 908. Server 900 may also include a graphics display device 910, an alphanumeric input device 912 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 914 (e.g., a mouse). In this example, the graphics display device 910, the alphanumeric input device 912, and the UI navigation device 914 may be a touchscreen display. Server 900 may additionally include a storage device (i.e., a drive unit) 916, a network interface device / transceiver 920 coupled to an antenna, and one or more sensors 928, such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a compass, an accelerometer, or another sensor. Server 900 may include output controller 934, such as serial (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB)), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connections, to communicate with or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., printers, card readers, etc.).

[0058] Storage device 916 may include machine-readable medium 922 thereon storing one or more data structures or sets of instructions (e.g., software) embodied or utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein. The instructions may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 904, static memory 906, or hardware processor 902 during execution of the instructions by server 900. In the example, one or any combination of hardware processor 902, main memory 904, static memory 906, or storage device 916 may constitute the machine-readable medium.

[0059] Although machine-readable medium 922 is shown as a single medium, the term "machine-readable medium" can include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) configured to store one or more instructions.

[0060] Various embodiments may be implemented wholly or partially in software and / or firmware. This software and / or firmware may take the form of instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. Those instructions may then be read and executed by one or more processors to enable the performance of the operations described herein. The instructions may be in any suitable form, such as, but not limited to, source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, etc. Such computer-readable medium may include any tangible non-transitory medium for storing information in a form readable by one or more computers, such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory; etc.

[0061] The term "machine-readable medium" can include any medium having the following properties: capable of storing, encoding, or transporting instructions executable by server 900; and causing server 900 to perform any or more of the technologies disclosed herein; or capable of storing, encoding, or transporting data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Examples of non-limiting machine-readable media can include solid-state memory as well as optical and magnetic media. In examples, high-capacity machine-readable media includes machine-readable media having a plurality of particles having rest masses. Specific examples of large-scale machine-readable media can include non-volatile memory, such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.

[0062] Instructions can also be transmitted or received over a communication network via a transmission medium using the network interface device / transceiver 920, utilizing any of several transport protocols (e.g., Frame Relay, Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.). Example communication networks may include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), packet data networks (e.g., the Internet), mobile phone networks (e.g., cellular networks), conventional telephone (POTS) networks, wireless data networks (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 series of standards known as Wi-Fi®, the IEEE 802.16 series of standards known as WiMax®), the IEEE 802.15.4 series of standards, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, etc. In the example, the network interface device / transceiver 920 may include one or more physical sockets (e.g., Ethernet sockets, coaxial sockets, or telephone sockets) or one or more antennas for connection to the communication network. In the example, the network interface device / transceiver 920 may include multiple antennas to communicate wirelessly using at least one of the following: Single-Input Multiple-Output (SIMO), Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO), or Multiple-Input Single-Output (MISO). The term "transmission medium" should be considered to include any intangible medium capable of storing, encoding, or transmitting instructions for execution by server 900 and comprising digital or analog communication signals, or other intangible media used to facilitate communication of such software. The operations and processes described and shown above may be implemented or performed in any suitable order as needed in various embodiments. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be performed in parallel. Furthermore, in some embodiments, fewer or more operations than those described may be performed.

[0063] It should be noted that the vehicle implements and / or performs the operations described herein in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any action taken by the vehicle owner / driver based on recommendations or notices provided by the vehicle should comply with all rules specific to the vehicle's location and operation (e.g., federal, state, national, city, etc.). Recommendations or notices provided by the vehicle should be considered as advice and followed only in accordance with any rules specific to the vehicle's location and operation. In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the foregoing disclosure, illustrating specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It should be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but each embodiment may not necessarily include said particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in connection with embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0064] Furthermore, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to implement one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Throughout the specification and claims, certain terms are used to refer to specific system components. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components with different names but the same function.

[0065] It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive in nature. More specifically, the word “example” as used herein refers to one of several examples, and it should be understood that there is no undue emphasis or preference for any particular example described.

[0066] Computer-readable media (also known as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that contributes to providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by the computer's processor). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, wherein the instructions can be executed by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0067] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc., described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc., have been described as occurring in a certain ordered order, such processes can be practiced with the described steps performed in a different order than that described herein. It should also be understood that some steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or some steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of processes herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0068] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Many embodiments and applications beyond the examples provided will become apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should not be determined by reference to the above description, but rather by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents. It is anticipated and expected that the techniques discussed herein will evolve in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In conclusion, it should be understood that modifications and variations are possible with this application.

[0069] Unless explicitly indicated otherwise herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by one skilled in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless the claims explicitly limit the recitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as “a,” “the,” or “the” should be interpreted as one or more of the elements indicated by the recitation. Unless otherwise specifically stated or otherwise understood in the context of use, conditional language such as, in particular, “can,” “may,” “may,” or “may” is generally intended to express that some embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements, and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element, and / or step in any way.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the first configuration includes deactivating a locking feature of the first rear door, and wherein the instruction further causes the one or more processors to: determine that the current state of the vehicle indicates that the vehicle is stationary at a first position; determine that the first position is one of a plurality of known positions; and keep the locking feature deactivated based on the fact that the vehicle is stationary at the first position.

[0071] According to the present invention, a method includes: determining that a rear seat of a vehicle is occupied; determining the identity of an entity occupying the rear seat; determining a first setting of a rear door based on the identity of the entity; and applying the first setting to the rear door; wherein: if the entity is an adult, applying the first setting includes deactivating a locking feature associated with the rear door; or if the entity is a child or an animal, applying the first setting includes activating the locking feature associated with the rear door.

[0072] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes: determining a current state of the vehicle, wherein the current state includes whether the vehicle is stationary or in motion, and wherein determining the first setting is also based on the current state of the vehicle.

[0073] In one aspect of the invention, the entity is a first entity and the rear door is a first rear door, the method comprising: determining that the first entity is an adult human; determining the presence of a second entity on the rear seat, the second entity being a human child; determining that the adult human is located closer to the first rear door; determining that the human child is located closer to a second rear door; applying a second setting to the first rear door; and applying a third setting to the second rear door.

[0074] In one aspect of the invention, the second setting includes deactivating a locking feature associated with the first rear door; and the third setting includes activating a locking feature associated with the second rear door.

Claims

1. A method comprising: The vehicle determines immediately that the rear seats of the vehicle are not occupied; The vehicle applies the first configuration to the locking feature of the vehicle's rear door; The rear seats are determined to be occupied by the vehicle at a second time after the first time. The occupant details of the entities occupying the rear seats are determined by the vehicle; The state of the vehicle is determined by the vehicle itself; A second configuration for the locking feature of the rear door of the vehicle is determined based on the occupant details and the vehicle's status; as well as The second configuration is applied by the vehicle to the locking feature of the rear door of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration includes activating the locking feature of the rear door or deactivating the window opening / closing feature of the rear door.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occupant details further comprises: The vehicle uses a weight sensor to determine whether the rear seats are occupied by the entity. The type of the entity is determined by the vehicle and using an image sensor; as well as The location of the entity within the vehicle is determined by the vehicle and using a position sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the type of the entity includes one or more of an adult, a child, or an animal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the position sensor includes a radar sensor, a camera, or a lidar sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the vehicle includes one of the following: the vehicle is stationary or the vehicle is in motion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a first human, the rear door is a first rear door, and the vehicle further includes a second rear door, the method further comprising: The presence of the second human in the rear seat is determined by the vehicle at a third time. The first position of the first human in the rear seat is determined by the vehicle; The second position of the second human in the rear seat is determined by the vehicle; Deactivate the locking feature of the first rear door closest to the first human; as well as Activate the locking feature of the second rear door closest to the second human.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second configuration includes disabling the locking feature of the rear door or activating the window opening / closing feature of the rear door.

9. A vehicle comprising: One or more rear seats; At least the first rear door; One or more processors; One or more sensors, said one or more sensors being coupled to said one or more processors; and The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: The first step is to determine that one or more of the rear seats are not occupied. Since the rear seats are not occupied, the first configuration is applied to the first rear door; In the second instance, it was determined that the rear seats were occupied by a physical entity; The one or more sensors are used to determine identification information associated with the entity; The current state of the vehicle is determined using the one or more sensors; A second configuration for the first rear door is determined based on the identification information and the current state of the vehicle; as well as The second configuration is applied to the first rear door.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the one or more sensors include a weight sensor or a pressure sensor, and wherein, in order to determine that the rear seat is occupied, the instruction further causes the one or more processors to: The rear seat is determined to be occupied by the entity based on the weight sensor or the pressure sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein, in order to determine the identification information, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: The entity is captured using one or more of the sensors; The entity is determined to be an adult, a child, or an animal based on the image.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: Determine the position of the entity in the rear seat; and The second configuration is also determined based on the location of the entity.

13. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a second rear door, wherein said entity is an adult, and wherein said instruction further causes said one or more processors: The presence of a second entity in the rear seat is confirmed at a third time, and the second entity is a child; It was determined that the adult was located closer to the first rear door; It was determined that the child was located closer to the second rear door; as well as A third configuration for the first rear door and a fourth configuration for the second rear door are determined.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein: The third configuration includes disabling the locking feature of the first rear door; and The fourth configuration includes activating the locking feature of the second rear door.

15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the current state of the vehicle includes one of the following: the vehicle is in motion or the vehicle is stationary.

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