Providing alarms for objects left in a vehicle

Abstract

Method (800) comprising: Identifying (806) a vehicle (102) and the presence of a mobile device (300) by means of an in-vehicle computer system (200);and providing (816) an alarm in response to a user leaving the vehicle (102) while the mobile device (300) is still inside the vehicle (102), wherein the alarm is provided in response to a detection (814) of the vehicle (102) being switched off via a first alarm provisioning system, the first alarm provisioning system comprising one or more of an in-vehicle display device, an in-vehicle loudspeaker system, a display of a mobile device (300) and a loudspeaker system (316) of a mobile device (300), further wherein a user exiting is detected (822) after the alarm has been provided via the first alarm provisioning system, and wherein the alarm is a first alarm and further wherein, in response to the detection of the user exiting, a second alarm is provided via a second alarm provisioning system (826, 828).;

Description

AREA OF INVENTION The disclosure concerns the provision of alarms for objects left behind in a vehicle. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART Users can enter a vehicle with one or more objects, such as mobile devices, and keep such objects in the vehicle during the journey. While in the vehicle, a user can communicate with one or more vehicle systems through communication between a mobile device and an in-vehicle computer system. The in-vehicle computer system can be connected to the vehicle's speaker system to, among other things, play media content, make telephone calls for the user, and provide information to the user. For example, the in-vehicle computer system can provide information about the weather, traffic conditions, trip directions, vehicle diagnostics, and the like. After completing a journey, the user may forget the presence of a mobile device(s) in the vehicle and exit the vehicle without removing the device(s).US 2011 / 0084807A1 describes a system, procedure, and device for querying the presence of personal belongings to prevent them from being inadvertently separated from their owner. An owner is alerted when separated from their belongings by determining when a triggering event occurs, such as when a person leaves and / or enters a specific monitored area or location. These monitored areas can be retrofitted with an electronic query device that monitors local conditions to determine whether a user enters or leaves the monitored area, thereby triggering a query of the personal belongings. The query device is designed and positioned to communicate with the belongings to determine whether the belongings are with their owner.The interrogation device automatically detects the presence of a specific object in the monitored environment and automatically generates a notification if necessary. Furthermore, according to illustrative examples, the system controls the functionality of the objects when the object is present. JP 2009 - 20 731 A describes a vehicle-left-in-vehicle warning system that alerts a vehicle occupant that a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, has been left in the vehicle, thus preventing such incidents. After the vehicle stops, when a vehicle door is opened / closed, or when an ignition key is removed / inserted, a navigation device receives vibration information from a mobile phone. Because the stopped vehicle is in a near-static state, the vibration detected by the mobile phone is minimal if the phone is accidentally left in the vehicle. When the vibration information received from the mobile phone is minimal, the navigation device determines that the mobile phone has been left in the vehicle.If the navigation system detects that the mobile phone has been left behind, a warning tone will be emitted through a speaker or a warning will be displayed on a screen to alert the occupants that the mobile phone has been left behind. DE 10 2009 038 580 A1 describes a method comprising the transmission of signals via radio between a mobile device and a signal transmission or reception device. The received signal strength is evaluated by the signal transmission or reception device, and a temporary change in the received signal strength caused by a passenger exiting the vehicle is used to detect whether the mobile device has been left in the vehicle. JP 2001 - 285 463 A describes a device for preventing a mobile phone from being left in a vehicle when connected to a navigation device in the vehicle. A connection with a radio communication terminal (e.g., a mobile phone) that can be connected to a vehicle device such as a navigation system is constantly monitored, and if it is detected that the device and the terminal are disconnected, the device's speech synthesis device, acoustic equipment, and display device are activated to indicate the disconnection by sound or display and to draw the user's attention to it. JP 2011 - 231 567 A describes a device for providing an electronic key system that prevents unauthorized use of a vehicle with a communication terminal, even if the communication terminal with key functionality is left inside the vehicle. When a door is unlocked or an accessory is switched on, the vehicle initiates Bluetooth communication with a mobile phone, and this Bluetooth communication continues even after the ignition is switched off. When the door lock is engaged by a user upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle monitors the connection status of the Bluetooth communication with the mobile phone. If the Bluetooth connection is not interrupted within a specified time, the vehicle assumes that the mobile phone has been left inside and therefore disables the key functionality of the mobile phone. US 2007 / 0109120A1 describes a system comprising a mobile phone, for example, a cellular phone, and a base unit designed as an object normally carried by the phone's user. The phone transmits a radio frequency proximity signal, which is received by the base unit. The base unit then triggers an alarm when the distance between the phone and the base unit becomes so great that the proximity signal can no longer be received. The base unit can also generate a radio frequency signal that causes the phone to emit an audible signal so that it can be easily located. SUMMARY The problem underlying the invention is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. Embodiments of a method for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle are provided. In some exemplary embodiments, the method involves identifying the presence of a mobile device using the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system. The method further includes providing an alarm in response to the user leaving the vehicle if the mobile device is still inside. In other embodiments, a method for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in the vehicle includes connecting a plurality of mobile devices to an in-vehicle computer system, receiving information from each mobile device indicating one or more instances of the user's presence and the presence of a mobile device, and receiving information from one or more of the vehicle's systems. The method further includes detecting that the user leaves the vehicle while at least one mobile device is present, detecting that the vehicle is switched off, and alerting the user that the at least one mobile device is in the vehicle. An in-vehicle computer system for performing one or more of the methods described in the present disclosure may include a processor, a vehicle-wide communication module, an external device interface, and a storage device. The storage device may store instructions executable by the processor to connect to a mobile device via the external device interface, to receive information from the mobile device indicating one or more indications of the presence of the user and the presence of a mobile device, and to receive information from one or more vehicle systems of a vehicle via the vehicle-wide communication module. The instructions may further be executed by the processor to detect when the vehicle is switched off and to provide an alarm indicating that the mobile device is inside the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The disclosure is better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a partial view of a vehicle cabin including an in-vehicle computer system and a mobile device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 a block diagram of an in-vehicle computer system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 a block diagram of a mobile device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 4 a flowchart of a method for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig.5 a flowchart for a method for determining the presence of a user in a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 6 a flowchart of a method for determining the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 7 a flowchart of a method for alerting a user to the presence of at least one mobile device or a plurality of mobile devices in a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 8 a flowchart of a method for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle using various alarm provisioning systems according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and Fig.9 a flowchart for a method of indicating to a user the presence of the mobile device in a vehicle by means of a mobile device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As described above, a user can enter a vehicle with one or more objects, such as mobile devices. The user can also interact with an in-vehicle computer system (e.g., via the mobile device) before, during, and / or after the journey to perform various functions related to the vehicle systems, mobile devices, and / or other elements. However, the user may overlook the objects and / or not remember the location of each object and leave the vehicle without removing any of them. To identify the presence and / or location of one or more objects, such as mobile devices, within the vehicle, the in-vehicle computer system can interact with the vehicle systems and / or mobile devices to determine that a user is leaving or intends to leave the vehicle and generate an alert that is recognizable to the user. Fig. 1 shows an exemplary partial view of the interior of a cabin 100 of a vehicle 102, in which a driver and / or one or more passengers can sit. The vehicle 102 from Fig. 1 can be a motor vehicle, including drive wheels (not shown) and an internal combustion engine 104. The internal combustion engine 104 can include one or more combustion chambers that draw in air through an intake manifold and expel combustion gases through an exhaust manifold. The vehicle 102 can be, among other vehicle types, a road car. In some examples, the vehicle 102 can include a hybrid drive system, including an energy conversion device that can be operated to absorb energy from the vehicle's motion and / or the engine and convert the absorbed energy into a form of energy suitable for storage by an energy storage device.Vehicle 102 may include a fully electric vehicle that uses fuel cells, solar energy elements and / or other energy storage systems to power the vehicle. As shown, a dashboard 106 can include various displays and controls accessible to a driver of the vehicle 102, such as a touchscreen 108 of an in-vehicle computer system (e.g., an infotainment system, such as the in-vehicle computer system 200 from Fig. 2), an audio system control panel, and a combination instrument 110. Although the example shown in Fig. 1 includes audio system controls that can be operated via a user interface of an in-vehicle computer system, such as the touchscreen 108, without a separate audio system control panel, the vehicle can include an audio system control panel that can contain controls for a conventional vehicle audio system, such as a radio, a CD player, an MP3 player, etc. The combination instrument 110 can include various gauge displays, such as a fuel gauge, a speedometer, a speedometer, and an odometer, as well as indicators and warning lights.A steering wheel 112 can protrude from the dashboard below the instrument cluster 110. Optionally, the steering wheel 112 can include controls 114 which, in conjunction with the touchscreen 108, can be used to navigate and control functions of an in-vehicle computer system. It is understood that, in addition to the components shown in Fig. 1, the dashboard 106 can include further components such as door and window controls, a cigarette lighter (which can also be used as a low-voltage socket), a glove compartment, etc. In one or more embodiments, the control of the in-vehicle climate control system can be implemented via the air conditioning fans 116 using the touchscreen 108, and therefore, a separate air conditioning interface may not be included in the dashboard 106.In alternative embodiments, a separate air conditioning interface may be provided. The cabin 100 may include one or more sensors for detecting the presence of a user. For example, the cabin 100 may include one or more pressure sensors 118 mounted in a seat, configured to measure the pressure exerted on the seat. The cabin 100 may include one or more door sensors 120, configured to monitor door activity, such as opening and / or closing the door, locking the door, operating a window in the door, and / or any other suitable door activity event. A humidity sensor 122 may be included to measure the humidity in the cabin. It is understood that the arrangement of sensors shown in Fig. 1 is exemplary and that one or more additional sensors may be positioned at any suitable location in the vehicle.The cabin 100 can also contain one or more user object(s), such as the mobile device 124, which is / are located in the vehicle before, during and / or after the journey. Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of an in-vehicle computer system 200. The in-vehicle computer system 200 can include one or more processors, including an operating system processor 201 and an interface processor 202. The operating system processor 201 can execute an operating system on the in-vehicle computer system and control input / output, display, playback, and other actions of the in-vehicle computer system. The interface processor 202 can be connected to a vehicle control system 204 via a vehicle-wide system communication module 206. The vehicle-to-vehicle system communication module 206 can output data to other vehicle components and systems and receive data input from other vehicle components and systems, e.g., via the vehicle control system 204. When data is output, the vehicle-to-vehicle system communication module 206 can provide a signal via a bus that corresponds to any status of the vehicle, the vehicle environment, or the output of another information source connected to the vehicle.Vehicle data outputs can include, for example, analog signals (such as current speed), digital signals provided by individual information sources (such as clocks, thermometers, location sensors like global positioning system [GPS] sensors), and digital signals such as vehicle data networks (such as an engine control area network [CAN] bus, which allows engine-related information to be communicated; an air conditioning CAN bus, which allows air conditioning-related information to be communicated; and a multimedia data network, which allows multimedia data to be communicated between multimedia components in the vehicle). For example, the vehicle's onboard computer system can retrieve the vehicle's current speed from the wheel sensors, the vehicle's energy status from the vehicle's battery and / or power distribution system, the vehicle's ignition status, and so on, from the engine CAN bus.In addition, other interface means, such as Ethernet, may also be used without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. A non-volatile storage device 208 may be included in the vehicle's onboard computer system 200 to store data, such as instructions executable by the processors 201 and 202, in non-volatile form. The storage device 208 may store application data to enable the vehicle's onboard computer system 200 to run an application for connecting to and / or pairing with a mobile device to provide an alert to a user to remove the mobile device when the user leaves the vehicle. The vehicle's onboard computer system 200 may also include volatile memory 210. The volatile memory 210 may be random access memory (RAM). A microphone 212 can be included in the vehicle's onboard computer system 200 to receive voice commands from a user and / or to measure background noise in the vehicle, and a speech processing unit 214 can process the received voice commands. One or more additional sensor(s) can be included in a sensor subsystem 216 of the vehicle's onboard computer system 200. For example, the sensor subsystem 216 can include a camera, such as a reversing camera, that assists a user when parking the vehicle. The sensor subsystem 216 of the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 can communicate with and receive input from various vehicle sensors, as well as user input. For example, input received by the sensor subsystem 216 can include transmission position, clutch pedal position, accelerator pedal input, brake input, gear selector lever position, vehicle speed, engine speed, mass airflow through the engine, ambient temperature, intake air temperature, etc., as well as input from climate control system sensors (such as heat transfer fluid temperature, antifreeze temperature, fan speed, passenger cabin temperature, desired passenger cabin temperature, ambient humidity, etc.), an audio sensor that detects voice commands spoken by the user, and a key fob sensor that receives commands from the vehicle's key fob and tracks its geographical position / proximity.While certain vehicle system sensors can communicate exclusively with the sensor subsystem 216, other sensors can communicate with both the sensor subsystem 216 and the vehicle control system 204, or can communicate indirectly with the sensor subsystem 216 via the vehicle control system 204. The external device interface 218 of the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 can communicate with one or more external devices 220, including a mobile device such as a mobile phone (e.g., via a Bluetooth connection) or another Bluetooth-enabled device. Other external devices can communicate with the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 either wirelessly or via connections, without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the external devices 220 can communicate with the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 via the external device interface 218 over a network, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, a direct cable connection, and / or a direct wireless connection. The vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 can be connected to one or more acoustic reproduction devices, such as a vehicle audio system 222, which includes electromagnetic transducers, such as loudspeakers, via an audio device interface 224. The vehicle audio system 222 can be passive or active, for example, by including a power amplifier. In some examples, the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 can be the sole audio source for the acoustic reproduction device, or other audio sources can be connected to the audio reproduction system (e.g., external devices, such as a mobile phone). The connection of any external devices to the audio reproduction device can be analog, digital, or any combination of analog and digital technologies. As shown, the vehicle's onboard computer system 200 can include an antenna 226. The antenna 226 is shown as a single antenna, but in some embodiments it can comprise one or more antennas. The vehicle's onboard computer system can have wireless broadband internet access via the antenna 226 and can also receive transmitted signals, such as radio, television, weather, traffic signals, and the like. The vehicle's onboard computer system can receive positioning signals, such as GPS signals, via the one or more antennas 226. The vehicle's onboard computer system can also receive wireless commands via RF, such as via the antenna(s) 226, or via infrared or other means through suitable receiver devices. One or more elements of the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 can be controlled by a user interface 228. The user interface 228 can include a graphical user interface presented on a touchscreen, such as the touchscreen 108 shown in Fig. 1, and / or user-operated buttons, switches, knobs, sliders, etc. For example, user-operated elements can include steering wheel controls, door and / or window controls, instrument panel controls, and the like. In some embodiments, a user can provide input to the user interface 228 to interact with one or more applications of the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200. Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a mobile device 300 that can be placed in a vehicle and remain in the vehicle after a user has left the vehicle. The mobile device 300 can be any suitable mobile device, including, but not limited to, a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone), a tablet computer, a laptop, a pendant such as a key fob, and / or another suitable mobile device. Similar to the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200, the mobile device can include one or more processors 302 for executing instructions stored on a memory device 304 (e.g., non-volatile memory) to perform one or more actions related to alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle, as described below. The mobile device 300 can further include volatile memory 306.The volatile memory 306 can be working memory (RAM). The storage device 304 can store application data to enable the mobile device 300 to run an application for connecting and / or pairing with the vehicle's onboard computer system in order to provide an alarm to a user to remove the mobile device when the user leaves the vehicle. A microphone 308 may be included in the mobile device 300 to receive voice commands from a user and / or to measure background noise in the vehicle, and a speech processing unit 310 may process the received voice commands. One or more additional sensor(s) may be included in a sensor subsystem 312 of the mobile device 300. For example, the sensor subsystem 312 may include a camera, an accelerometer, and / or any other suitable sensor. As shown, the mobile device 300 can include an antenna 314. The antenna 314 is shown as a single antenna, but in some embodiments it can include one or more antennas. The mobile device 300 can have wireless broadband internet access via the antenna 314 using a cellular or other wireless network and can also receive transmitted signals, such as radio, television, weather, traffic signals, and the like. The mobile device 300 can receive positioning signals, such as GPS signals, via the one or more antennas 314. The mobile device 300 can also receive wireless commands via RF, such as through the antenna(s) 314, or via infrared or other means using suitable receiver devices. The mobile device 300 can include one or more output devices, including a speaker system 316 for providing audio output (e.g., an audible alarm) and a haptic feedback module 318 for providing tactile output (e.g., a tactile alarm) via a vibration device. A user can control and / or interact with the mobile device via a user interface 320. For example, the user interface 320 can include a touch-sensitive display device for showing a graphical user interface. The user interface 320 can also include one or more user-operated elements for controlling the mobile device 300. The user interface 320 can be used to provide a visual alarm to a user and / or to present one or more user controls for ignoring the alarm and / or retrieving further information about the alarm. The mobile device can include an external device interface 322 for communicating with one or more external devices, such as the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 shown in Fig. 2. The mobile device 300 can communicate with external devices, such as the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200, either wirelessly or via connections of the external device interface 322, without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the mobile device 300 can communicate with the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 via the external device interface 322 over a network, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, or a direct cable connection and / or a direct wireless connection. Figure 4 is a flowchart of Method 400 for notifying a user of the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle after the user has exited the vehicle. Method 400 can be executed by any suitable in-vehicle computing system, such as the in-vehicle computing system 200 shown in Figure 2. In 402, Method 400 involves connecting a mobile device to an in-vehicle computing system, such as the in-vehicle computing system 200 shown in Figure 2. The mobile device can be connected to the in-vehicle computing system via any suitable wireless and / or wired communication configuration, including, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Near-Field Communication (NFC), etc. Communication protocols based on proximity between the systems to be connected can be used to indicate the relative locations of the systems.The connection between the mobile device and the vehicle's onboard computer system (402) can be established automatically and / or by an application running on the mobile device and / or the onboard computer system. For example, a user can launch an application on the mobile device and locate the onboard computer system to complete a connection between the two systems. The user can instruct the application to save the connection, allowing the application to automatically connect the two systems whenever the mobile device is within range of the onboard computer system. While the mobile device is connected to the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system, the in-vehicle computer system determines in 404 whether the vehicle has shut down. For example, shutting down the vehicle may occur separately (e.g., after) shutting down the engine and may involve shutting down another system or systems of the vehicle in addition to the engine. If the vehicle has shut down, the presence of the user may be determined in 405 to identify whether the user is leaving the vehicle. Examples of determining whether a user is leaving the vehicle are described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 5. In one or more embodiments, the in-vehicle computer system may have been pre-connected to the mobile device.For example, the vehicle's onboard computer system may have been connected to the mobile device during vehicle operation before being switched off (but after any prior shutdown), sharing data with the device and / or receiving instructions from the mobile device, including music, playlists, etc. This connection, which may involve near-field communication, can in itself indicate the location and presence of the mobile device in the vehicle to the onboard computer system. Alternatively, the onboard computer system may use this connection to receive GPS coordinates from the mobile device and compare them with the vehicle's GPS coordinates to identify the mobile device's presence inside the vehicle.In another example, while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle's onboard computer system can compare GPS position changes of the mobile device with GPS position changes of the vehicle itself, based on data received through the connection to the mobile device. This allows the system to identify that the mobile device is moving with the vehicle (and therefore located inside it). It is understood that the connection between the vehicle's onboard computer system and the mobile device can be initiated by either the onboard computer system and / or the mobile device, and can be automatically established based on whether a previous connection between the onboard computer system and the mobile device has been established and is stored in the memory of the onboard computer system and / or the mobile device. In another embodiment, the vehicle's onboard computer system can connect to the mobile device in response to the vehicle being powered off. In this example, the vehicle's computer system may have been previously connected to the mobile device but was not connected when the vehicle was powered off. Therefore, in response to the power-off, the vehicle's onboard computer system can initiate a connection to the mobile device to identify its location. As described above, data can also be exchanged over the connection, including a GPS location of the mobile device for comparison with the vehicle's GPS location to identify whether the mobile device is inside the vehicle. As described herein, the connection between the vehicle's onboard computer system and the mobile device can be a near-field connection, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, and / or other connections.If it is determined that the user is not leaving the vehicle, procedure 400 may proceed to 406, where no alarm is provided. If, optionally, no alarm is provided to the user, procedure 400 returns to 404 to monitor the user's absence. Conversely, if it is determined that the user is absent, procedure 400 proceeds to 408 to determine whether the mobile device is present. Examples of determining whether a mobile device is present are described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 6. If, in 408, it is determined that the mobile device is not present, procedure 400 proceeds to 406, optionally withholding an alarm, before proceeding to 404 to monitor the user's presence. If the presence of the mobile device is determined in 408, procedure 400 continues with 410 to notify the user that the mobile device is in the vehicle. Providing the alarm may optionally include instructing the mobile device to provide a visual and / or audible alarm, as described in 412. For example, the vehicle's in-vehicle system may send an instruction to the mobile device via an external device interface to display an alarm on a display device of the mobile device and / or to produce an audible alarm through one or more speakers of the mobile device. A displayed alarm may include any suitable image, pattern, message, etc. In some embodiments, the displayed alarm may include a graphical user interface to allow a user to interact with the alarm.For example, the graphical user interface can allow a user to view more information about the alarm, configure the alarm, silence the alarm, and / or perform any other action related to the alarm. An audible alarm can include any suitable sound generation, including, but not limited to, a tone pattern, a continuous or pulsed system beep, a specific message output in a language assigned to the mobile device user, and / or any combination of sound outputs through a speaker on the mobile device and / or an audio output device connected to the mobile device (e.g., headphones, external speakers, etc.). The audible alarm can be set by the vehicle's onboard computer system and / or use audio patterns or songs stored on the mobile device.In some embodiments, the visible and / or audible alarm may include or be accompanied by a tactile alarm, such as a vibration. The alarm can optionally include a visual and / or audible alert via the vehicle system, as specified in 414. For example, a display on the vehicle's onboard computer system and / or the vehicle's speakers can be instructed to provide one or more of the alerts described above. A visual / audible alert can additionally or alternatively be sent to a second mobile device, as specified in 416. For example, a secondary mobile device can be connected to the vehicle's onboard computer system via a direct wireless or wired connection, via a primary mobile device (such as the mobile device whose presence is determined in 408), and / or via a network. The secondary mobile device can be selected by the user and / or automatically based on the connection and / or proximity of the secondary mobile device to the vehicle's onboard computer system.For example, the secondary mobile device can be the user's own secondary mobile device or a mobile device belonging to a second user, such as a family member of the user and / or a passenger in the vehicle. In some embodiments, the secondary mobile device may include a vehicle key fob and / or a detachable keyring to which a vehicle key is attached. Since the user is less likely to leave their keys in the vehicle than the mobile device, the alarm instruction can be sent to the key fob to provide a visual, audible, and / or tactile alarm for the user. In some embodiments, the alarm may involve changing a function of one or more vehicle systems via a vehicle-wide communication module to provide a user with an indication that a condition exists which may require the user's attention. For example, the alarm may involve preventing one or more doors from locking, as described in 418. By preventing the door(s) from locking in response to a user instruction, the user may pause before exiting the vehicle to determine the reason for the prevented locking, thus providing more time to detect the presence of the mobile device in the vehicle. In some embodiments, it may be possible to lock the vehicle doors by user input after a limit number of attempts to lock the doors has been reached.In additional or alternative embodiments, preventing the locking of the door(s) may include temporarily preventing the locking of the doors and automatically locking the doors after a limit period has elapsed since the user request to lock the doors and / or another reference time. The type of alarm used can be selected and / or configured by the user and / or the vehicle's onboard computer system. For example, the alarm type used upon initial connection between the mobile device and the vehicle's onboard computer system can be selected based on a previously successful alarm (e.g., an alarm that elicited a user response during past events) or from a list of alarms. In some examples, the alarm volume can be increased if the vehicle's onboard computer system and / or mobile device detects an increased level of background noise in and around the vehicle. In additional or alternative examples, an audible and / or tactile alarm can be selected in bright ambient light environments, as bright ambient light can make it difficult to perceive an alarm displayed on a screen.It goes without saying that multiple alarms can be used simultaneously and / or individually in any combination. Procedure 400 may involve terminating the alarm upon reaching an alarm threshold to provide fewer or no alarms, as described in 420. The alarm threshold may be selected and / or configured by a user or automatically selected and / or configured by the vehicle's onboard computer system. For example, as described above with respect to the alarm type, the alarm threshold may be selected based on historical data (e.g., the average time elapsed before a user response in previous successful alarm events) or selected from a list of alarm thresholds upon initial connection between the mobile device and the vehicle's onboard computer system. The vehicle's onboard computer system may modify the alarm threshold over time based on user behavior in response to the alarm and / or conditions at the time of the alarm.In some embodiments, the alarm may be terminated after a limit period and / or when a limit number of alarm cycles have elapsed since the start of the alarm or another reference point, as specified in 422. For example, an alarm cycle may correspond to a subset of repeating patterns, a single pulse of a pulsed system beep, etc. The alarm threshold can correspond to a user response, including the recognition of user input, as illustrated in 424, and / or movement of the mobile device, as illustrated in 426. For example, a user may acknowledge an alarm by selecting a user interface element of the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system and / or the mobile device, by operating an element related to a vehicle system (e.g., inserting and / or turning a key in an ignition lock or door, pressing a key fob button, operating a button on the steering wheel, door, instrument panel and / or console, a switch, lever and / or slider, etc.), by moving the device, and / or by performing any suitable action indicating that the alarm has been acknowledged. Acknowledgment may involve performing one or more of the actions described in 408 and illustrated with reference to Fig.The provisions described in section 6 are used to determine whether the mobile device is present. After the alarm is deactivated, it may be reactivated based on how it was deactivated, in response to a change in the vehicle's status, the user's presence, and / or the presence of the mobile device. For example, the alarm may be reactivated after it is detected that the user has returned and exited the vehicle again, and / or after it is detected that the mobile device has returned and remains present during a subsequent exit of the vehicle by the user. As briefly described above, the vehicle's onboard computer system can determine whether a user is leaving the vehicle in order to determine whether an alarm should be triggered. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure 500 for determining whether a user is present in the vehicle. For example, the procedure 500 can be executed in step 405 of Figure 4 to determine whether the user is leaving the vehicle. In some embodiments, the procedure 500 can be executed continuously to monitor changes in user presence. The procedure 500 can be executed by a suitable computer system, such as the vehicle's onboard computer system 200 from Figure 2, the mobile device 300 from Figure 3, and / or an external computer connected to the vehicle's onboard computer system via a network. As described with reference to Fig. 4, the procedure 500 can be executed during a determination that the vehicle is or has been switched off, and / or in response thereto. If it has been determined that the vehicle is switched off, the procedure 500 proceeds to 502 to determine whether a key fob RFID signal (which was previously detected and identified as authorized to operate the vehicle) is no longer present. If so, it can be determined that a user, such as the driver, has left the vehicle, and the procedure 500 proceeds to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or has left the vehicle. In one or more embodiments, the method described in 504 determines whether a delay period has elapsed. If the delay period has elapsed and / or if no delay period is used, the method 500 proceeds to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or leaving the vehicle. For example, a delay timer may be configured for the delay period to immediately begin shutting down the vehicle and / or detecting one or more other conditions (such as those described in the remaining steps of the method 500) that indicate that a user is leaving the vehicle. In embodiments that include a delay threshold, the method 500 may continue monitoring user presence activity while the delay timer expires. If the answer to 502 is NO, procedure 500 may proceed to 508 to determine if door activity has been detected. For example, detecting door activity may include detecting the opening and / or closing of the door, requesting the locking and / or unlocking of the door, operating the door window, and / or any other vehicle-related activity indicating that a user is leaving, intends to leave, and / or has left the vehicle. If door activity is detected, procedure 500 may optionally proceed to 504 to determine if the delay threshold has been reached before selectively proceeding to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or leaving the vehicle. If no door activity is detected under 508, procedure 500 may proceed to 510 to determine, using a seat sensor, whether a pressure change is detected.For example, the seat sensor can indicate that a pressure decreases by more than a pressure change threshold when the user leaves the seat. Accordingly, a pressure decrease greater than the pressure change threshold can cause a change to be detected in 510, while a pressure increase or decrease less than the pressure change threshold can cause no change to be detected in 510. In some embodiments, the pressure change threshold can be determined based on an average pressure level measured by the seat sensor when a user is seated, compared to an average pressure level measured by the pressure sensor when the user is absent.The pressure change limit can be predetermined based on user input and / or historical measurements tracked by the vehicle's internal computer system and / or the vehicle control system, or it can be updated over time. If a pressure change is detected in 510, procedure 500 may optionally proceed to 504 to determine whether the delay threshold has been reached before selectively proceeding to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or leaving the vehicle. In response to no pressure change being detected in 510, procedure 500 may proceed to 512 to determine whether a change in humidity and / or noise in the vehicle cabin is detected. When users leave a vehicle, the humidity and / or noise level in the vehicle cabin may increase. Accordingly, one or more sensors in the vehicle and / or mobile device may measure humidity and / or noise levels to determine whether a humidity / noise change threshold has been exceeded, indicating a change in the number of users in the vehicle.The humidity / noise level limit may be predetermined based on user input and / or historical measurements tracked by the vehicle's onboard computer system and / or vehicle control system, or it may be updated over time. If the humidity / noise level limit in 512 is exceeded, procedure 500 may optionally proceed to 504 to determine if the delay limit has been reached before selectively proceeding to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or leaving the vehicle. If the humidity / noise level limit in 512 is not exceeded, procedure 500 may proceed to 514 to determine if a degradation of a signal from another user device is detected. In embodiments involving the connection of two or more mobile devices to the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system, the presence or absence of one mobile device, compared with the other mobile device(s), can be used to determine whether a user is leaving the vehicle. For example, if a user takes one mobile device but leaves the other behind, the signal from the first mobile device to the in-vehicle computer may degrade as the user leaves the vehicle, while the signal from the second mobile device remains unchanged. Accordingly, the degradation can signal the user's exit, at which point Method 500 optionally proceeds to 504 to determine whether the delay threshold has been reached, before selectively proceeding to 506 to indicate that the user is absent or leaving the vehicle.If, however, none of steps 502 or 508 through 514 is determined to be true, procedure 500 proceeds to 516 to indicate that the user is present and / or does not intend to leave the vehicle. Indicating the user's presence can be used in step 405 of procedure 400. For example, indicating that the user is present can be used to determine that the user will not leave the vehicle in 405, while indicating that the user is present can be used to determine that the user will leave the vehicle in 405. It is understood that Method 500 may include additional or alternative steps to those shown in Fig. 5 and / or that one or more of the steps may be omitted. The steps of Method 500 may be arranged in any suitable manner, and some of the steps may be performed substantially concurrently with other steps. For example, all or some determinations may be performed before indicating whether the user is present or absent. In such examples, the user may be determined to be absent in response to a threshold number of conditions determined to be detected in steps 502 and 508 through 514.In some embodiments, the user can be determined as present if one of the conditions specified in steps 502 and 508 to 514 is not detected, while in other embodiments the user can be determined as absent if any of the conditions specified in steps 502 and 508 to 514 is detected. With reference to Fig. 6, a flowchart for a method 600 for determining the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle is shown. The method 600 can be executed by any suitable computer system, such as the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system 200 from Fig. 2, the mobile device 300 from Fig. 3, and / or an external computer connected to the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system via a network. For example, the method 600 can be executed in step 408 of Fig. 4 to determine whether the mobile device is present. In some embodiments, the method 600 can be executed continuously to monitor changes in the presence of the mobile device. Method 600 involves determining whether an absence of motion is detected by a mobile device sensor, as described in 602. For example, exceeding a threshold value by motion from a mobile device's accelerometer may indicate that the mobile device has been picked up or otherwise removed from the vehicle, while motion from the mobile device's accelerometer below the threshold may indicate that the mobile device is stationary in the vehicle. In some embodiments, the threshold may be dependent on a second mobile device, such that motion below the threshold corresponds to a significant difference between the motion measured by the first and second mobile devices. In response to the detection of motion that does not exceed the threshold, Method 604 proceeds to indicate that the mobile device is present.If movement exceeding the threshold is detected in 602, procedure 600 proceeds to 606 to determine whether a signal is detected from the mobile device. For example, the vehicle's onboard computer system can determine whether a signal is being received from the mobile device and / or monitor whether such a signal has degraded. A loss and / or degradation of a signal from a mobile device may indicate that the mobile device has been moved or is moving away from the vehicle. If a signal from the mobile device is detected in 606 and / or the signal quality remains unchanged, procedure 600 proceeds accordingly to 604 to indicate that the mobile device is present. Conversely, if no signal from the mobile device is detected in 606 and / or it is determined that a signal quality has changed, the procedure proceeds to 608 if a connection is detected at a physical connector.For example, a connection of a mobile device to a physical, wired connection element can indicate that the mobile device is present. If the mobile device is connected to the physical connection element in 608, procedure 600 accordingly proceeds to 604 to indicate that the mobile device is present. In response to the detection in 608 that the mobile device is not connected and / or changes in a connection state indicating a disconnection have occurred, procedure 600 proceeds to 610 to indicate that the mobile device is absent. It is understood that Method 600 may include additional or alternative steps to those shown in Fig. 6 and / or that one or more of the steps may be omitted. The steps of Method 600 may be arranged in any suitable manner, and some of the steps may be performed substantially concurrently with other steps. For example, all or several determinations may be performed before indicating whether the mobile device is present or absent. In such examples, the mobile device may be determined to be absent in response to a threshold number of conditions determined to be detected in steps 602, 606, and 608.In some embodiments, the mobile device can be indicated as present if any of the conditions specified in steps 602, 606, and 608 are determined, while in other embodiments, the mobile device can be indicated as absent if any of the conditions specified in steps 602, 606, and 608 are not detected. Fig. 7 shows a flowchart for a method 700 for providing an alarm to a vehicle user in embodiments involving multiple mobile devices. The method 700 can be executed by any suitable in-vehicle computer system, such as the in-vehicle computer system 200 from Fig. 2. In 702, the method 700 involves connecting a plurality of mobile devices to the in-vehicle computer system.For example, each mobile device can be coupled to the vehicle's onboard computer system using an application running on each mobile device. Method 700 involves receiving information from each mobile device, as shown in 704. The information can include sensor information indicating the presence of a user and / or a mobile device, as shown in 706. For example, each mobile device can include one or more sensors for measuring environmental conditions, motion, user input, and the like, and the measurements can be sent to the vehicle's onboard computer system for processing. In some embodiments, the mobile devices can process sensor information to determine the presence of a user and / or a mobile device and send the processed sensor information to the vehicle's onboard computer system. In 708, method 700 involves receiving information from one or more vehicle systems, which in some embodiments is received via a vehicle-wide communication module. As shown in 710, the information may include sensor information indicating the presence of a user, such as temperature and / or humidity measurements, background noise levels, air conditioning output, audio system usage, pressure measurements from a pressure sensor in a vehicle seat, door activity from a door sensor, user input directed to the user interface of the vehicle's onboard computer system, and / or any other suitable information indicating user presence in the vehicle.As shown in 712, the information may include information indicating an operating state of the vehicle, such as an ignition state, energy state, engine speed, transmission state and / or gear setting, brake information and / or any other suitable vehicle operating state to indicate a switched-off state of the vehicle, the presence of a user and / or an intention of the user to leave the vehicle. Method 700 involves detecting that a user is exiting the vehicle while at least one mobile device is present, as described in 714. For example, the vehicle's onboard computer system in 704 and 708, respectively, can use information received from the mobile device and / or the vehicle systems to determine whether a user is exiting the vehicle and whether a mobile device is present. As described in 716, the detection can involve detecting movement of another mobile device or devices while the at least one mobile device is stationary. In this way, the movement of other mobile devices can indicate that the user intends to leave the vehicle while inadvertently leaving behind the at least one mobile device. In 718, Method 700 includes determining whether a vehicle shutdown is detected.Procedure 700 can, for example, determine whether the vehicle has been switched off by analyzing information received from one or more vehicle systems, as described in 708. The vehicle switching-off condition may indicate that the user has not left the vehicle or plans to leave it for a short period and does not intend to remove the mobile device. If no vehicle switching-off is detected, Procedure 700 can accordingly continue receiving and monitoring information received from the mobile device(s) and vehicle systems. If it is determined in 718 that the vehicle is switched off, procedure 700 continues with 720 to notify the user that the mobile device is in the vehicle. As shown in 722, the alarm is terminated by generating fewer or no alarms once an alarm threshold is reached. For example, the alarm may be terminated in response to user input on the stationary and / or moving mobile device(s), as shown in 724. It is understood that the detection of the presence of a user and / or a mobile device, the alarm, and the alarm threshold may correspond to the respective presence and alarm conditions described above with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 8 shows a flowchart of a method 800 for providing alarms based on a user's readiness and / or location. The method 800 can be executed by any suitable in-vehicle computer system, such as the in-vehicle computer system 200 from Fig. 2. The method 800 involves connecting an in-vehicle computer system to one or more mobile devices in 802. The method 800 involves receiving information from each mobile device in 804. For example, the in-vehicle computer system can receive sensor information indicating the presence of a user and / or a mobile device, as shown in 806, following similar steps outlined in 706 of Fig. 7. In 808, the method 800 involves receiving information from vehicle systems.For example, the vehicle's internal computer system can receive sensor information indicating the presence of a user, as shown in 810, and / or a vehicle operating state, as shown in 812, according to similar steps carried out in 710 and / or 712 from Fig. 7. In 814, the procedure involves detecting that the vehicle is being switched off. In response to the detection of the vehicle being switched off, the vehicle's onboard computer system notifies the user, via the first alarm provisioning system, that the mobile device is in the vehicle, as shown in 816. The first alarm provisioning system may include the display and / or speaker of a mobile device, as shown in 818, and / or a display and / or speaker in a vehicle (e.g., a display of the vehicle's onboard computer system and / or the vehicle's speaker system), as shown in 820. For example, when a vehicle being switched off is detected, it may be determined that the user is in the vehicle and intends to exit.To prevent the user from leaving the vehicle without removing the mobile device, the first alarm deployment system can deploy the alarm inside the vehicle to remind the user of the presence and / or location of the mobile device. In 822, method 800 includes detecting that a user has left the vehicle. For example, the user's exit can be determined by detecting one or more of the conditions in steps 508 to 514 of Fig. 5. In one example, the method detects that at least two passengers have left the vehicle. In 824, method 800 includes detecting the presence of the mobile device in the vehicle. For example, the presence of the mobile device can be determined by detecting one or more of the conditions in 602, 606, and 608 of Fig. 6. In response to the detection of a user exiting while the mobile device is present in the vehicle, method 800 includes alerting the user, by means of a second alarm provisioning system in 826, that the mobile device is in the vehicle.The second alarm delivery system may include an external vehicle alarm system, as shown in 828. For example, the second alarm delivery system may deliver alarms to the user by illuminating lights on the outside of the vehicle, emitting audio from the vehicle's horn and / or other external speakers, preventing the vehicle from locking and / or responding to user requests, displaying information on a screen visible from the outside of the vehicle, sending one or more messages to a mobile device other than the mobile device whose presence in the vehicle has been determined to deliver an alarm, and / or by any other system to deliver an alarm to the user while the user is outside the vehicle. Method 800 can include detecting movement of the mobile device in 830 and, in response, terminating the alarm by providing fewer or no alarms in 832. In some embodiments, the alarm can be deactivated without detecting movement of the mobile device. For example, the alarm can be deactivated after a limit period or a number of alarm cycles have elapsed and / or as soon as a user input acknowledges the alarm. Fig. 9 shows a flowchart of Method 900 for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device in a vehicle. Method 900 can be performed by any suitable mobile device, such as the mobile device 300 from Fig. 3. In 902, Method 900 involves connecting the mobile device to an in-vehicle computer system, such as the in-vehicle computer system 200 from Fig. 2. For example, the mobile device can be connected to the in-vehicle computer system by means of an application running on the mobile device. The application can enable access, via the in-vehicle computer system, to one or more system(s) and / or module(s) of the mobile device and communication between the mobile device and the in-vehicle computer system. Method 900 involves monitoring environmental conditions, as shown in 904. For example, environmental conditions such as ambient light, noise, motion, etc., can be monitored.measured by one or more sensors of the mobile device. In 906, procedure 900 involves sending environmental condition information to the vehicle's internal computer system. The mobile device can receive instructions to alert the user in 908 to the presence and / or location of another mobile device. As shown in 910, the alarm can be generated and / or delivered to the user based on instructions received in 908. For example, the mobile device can notify the user that the mobile device is in the vehicle if the mobile device is in the vehicle, while the mobile device can inform the user that another mobile device is in the vehicle if the mobile device is not in the vehicle. The instructions can indicate that the mobile device should issue a visual alarm in 912, an audible alarm in 914, and / or a tactile alarm in 916. The mobile device can terminate the alarm upon reaching an alarm threshold by delivering fewer or no alarms, as shown in 918.For example, the mobile device can stop sounding the alarm after a period of time and / or a number of alarm cycles have elapsed, as shown in 920. The mobile device can stop sounding the alarm in response to user input on the mobile device, as shown in 922. For example, the mobile device can stop sounding the alarm in response to motion detection, receiving a user selection on the mobile device's user interface, etc. In response to receiving the user input, the mobile device can send information to the vehicle's onboard computer system indicating the received user input and / or that the alarm has been turned off. As shown in 924, the mobile device can receive instructions to turn off the alarm from the vehicle's onboard computer system and turn off the alarm in response to those instructions. The description of the embodiments is presented for illustrative and descriptive purposes only. Suitable modifications and variations of the embodiments can be implemented in light of the above description or become apparent from the implementation of the methods. Unless otherwise specified, one or more of the described methods can be carried out by a suitable device and / or combination of devices, such as the vehicle's in-vehicle computer system and / or the mobile device described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The described methods and associated actions can also be carried out in different sequences, in parallel, and / or simultaneously, in addition to the sequence described in this application. The described systems are exemplary and may include additional elements and / or omit elements.The subject matter of the present invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations and other disclosed features, functions and / or properties. As used in this application, an element or step listed in the singular and accompanied by the word "a" or "an" is to be interpreted as referring to a plurality of the corresponding elements or steps, unless such exclusion is indicated. Furthermore, references to "an embodiment" or "an example" of the present disclosure are not to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also include the listed features. The designations "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used merely as identifiers and are not intended to specify numerical requirements or a particular order of position of the objects. The subsequent claims refer in particular to subject matter from the above disclosure that is considered novel and not obvious.

Claims

Method (800) comprising: Identifying (806) a vehicle (102) and the presence of a mobile device (300) by means of an in-vehicle computer system (200);and providing (816) an alarm in response to a user leaving the vehicle (102) while the mobile device (300) is still inside the vehicle (102), wherein the alarm is provided in response to a detection (814) of the vehicle (102) being switched off via a first alarm provisioning system, the first alarm provisioning system comprising one or more of an in-vehicle display device, an in-vehicle loudspeaker system, a display of a mobile device (300) and a loudspeaker system (316) of a mobile device (300), further wherein a user exiting is detected (822) after the alarm has been provided via the first alarm provisioning system, and wherein the alarm is a first alarm and further wherein, in response to the detection of the user exiting, a second alarm is provided via a second alarm provisioning system (826, 828).; Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein the second alarm provisioning system includes a vehicle-external alarm system. Method (800) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the vehicle-internal computer system (200) was previously connected to the mobile device (300) and connected to the mobile device (300) in response to the vehicle (102) being switched off. Method (800) according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle-internal computer system (200) determines that the user is leaving the vehicle (102) by detecting one or more of a door activity event, a change in pressure on a seat of the vehicle (102) and a change in humidity in a cabin of the vehicle. Method (800) according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle-internal computer system (200) determines that the user is leaving the vehicle (102) by determining that a delay limit has elapsed since it was detected that the vehicle (102) is switched off, wherein a delay time begins when the vehicle (102) is switched off. Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein identifying the presence of the mobile device in the vehicle (102) further comprises detecting one or more signals from the mobile device (300), movement from a sensor of a mobile device (300) that is below a movement threshold, and a power connection at a physical port of the vehicle's internal computer system (200). Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein providing the alarm further comprises providing an audible alarm from an audio output device of the vehicle (102). Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein providing the alarm further comprises providing a visible alarm by means of a display device of one or more of the vehicle (102) and the vehicle's internal computer system (200). Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein providing the alarm further comprises providing an audible alarm from an audio output device of the mobile device (300). Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein providing the alarm further comprises providing a visible alarm via a display device of the mobile device (300). Method (800) according to claim 1, wherein providing the alarm further comprises preventing one or more vehicle doors from being locked. Method (800) according to claim 1, further comprising terminating the alarm after a movement of the mobile device (300) has been detected which exceeds a movement limit. Method (800) according to claim 1, further comprising terminating the alarm after a limit period has elapsed and sending one or more messages to another mobile device (300) indicating a location of the mobile device (300). In-vehicle computer system (200) comprising: a processor (201); a vehicle-wide communication module (206); an external device interface (218); and a storage device (208) that stores instructions executable by a processor (201) to: be connected to a mobile device (300) via the external device interface (218); receive information from the mobile device (300) indicating one or more indications of the presence of a user and the presence of a mobile device (300); receive information from one or more vehicle systems of a vehicle (102) via the vehicle-wide communication module (206); detect the shutdown of the vehicle (102) separately from the shutdown of the engine;to provide an alarm that the mobile device (300) is in the vehicle (102), wherein the instructions can further be executed to provide the alarm in response to a detection of the vehicle (102) being switched off via a first alarm provisioning system, wherein the first alarm provisioning system includes one or more of an in-vehicle display device, an in-vehicle loudspeaker system, a display of a mobile device (300) and a loudspeaker system (316) of a mobile device (300), wherein the instructions can further be executed to detect a user exiting the vehicle after the alarm has been provided via the first alarm provisioning system, and wherein the alarm is a first alarm, and wherein the instructions can further be executed to provide a second alarm via a second alarm provisioning system in response to the detection of the user exiting the vehicle. Vehicle-internal computer system (200) according to claim 14, wherein the second alarm provisioning system includes a vehicle-external alarm system. Vehicle-internal computer system (200) according to one of claims 14 or 15, wherein the instructions can further be executed to detect a movement of the mobile device (300) and, in response to the detected movement, to terminate at least one of the first alarms and the second alarm. Method (700) for alerting a user to the presence of a mobile device (300) in a vehicle (102), the method comprising: connecting (702) a plurality of mobile devices (300) to an in-vehicle computer system (200); receiving (704) information from each mobile device (300) indicating one or more instances of the presence of the user and the presence of a mobile device (300) for each mobile device (300); receiving (708) information from one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle (102); detecting (714) the exit of a user while at least one mobile device (300) is in the vehicle (102); detecting (718) that the vehicle (102) is switched off;Providing (720) an alarm indicating that the at least one mobile device (300) is in the vehicle (102), wherein the alarm is provided in response to a detection (814) of the vehicle (102) being switched off via a first alarm provisioning system, the first alarm provisioning system comprising one or more of an in-vehicle display device, an in-vehicle loudspeaker system, a display of a mobile device (300) and a loudspeaker system (316) of a mobile device (300), wherein furthermore a user exit is detected (822) after the alarm has been provided via the first alarm provisioning system, and wherein the alarm is a first alarm and furthermore, in response to the detection of the user exiting, a second alarm is provided via a second alarm provisioning system (826, 828). Method (700) according to claim 17, wherein the second alarm provisioning system includes a vehicle-external alarm system Method (700) according to one of claims 17 or 18, wherein the alarm is provided to the plurality of mobile devices (300) via a moving mobile device (300), wherein the moving mobile device (300) is not located in the vehicle (102). Method (700) according to claim 17, wherein the detection of a user exiting while at least one mobile device (300) is present includes the detection of a movement of a moving mobile device (300) of the plurality of mobile devices (300) while the at least one mobile device (300) is stationary, and wherein the detected exit includes at least two passengers leaving the vehicle (102).

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