Systems and methods for detecting seat belt tampering activity

Abstract

A method (300) for detecting a seat belt tampering activity performed by an occupant of a vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) having a seat (19) for supporting the occupant thereon, and a seat belt (23) configured to secure the occupant to the seat (19), the method (300) comprising: Receiving (304) sensor data (212) by a processor (44) generated by at least one sensing device (40a-40n) of the vehicle (10); Determining (306) by the processor (44) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred based on the sensor data (212), wherein the seat belt tampering activity occurs when the seat belt (23) of the vehicle (10) is latched while the occupant is not secured to the seat (19) with the seat belt (23); performing (310) a persistence check by the processor (44) to compare a frequency of seat belt tampering activity over a period of time with a minimum seat belt tampering activity threshold; Determining (312) by the processor (44) a classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant based on the persistence check; and generating (314) record data by the processor (44) including the classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant, wherein the sensor data (212) comprises activation data generated by a digital key sensing device, wherein determining (306) that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred is based on a determination (416) that a digital key remotely started the vehicle (10) and / or remotely locked a door (21) of the vehicle (10) while the seatbelt (23) was latched.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The technical field generally relates to the use of seat belts in vehicles, and more particularly to systems and methods capable of detecting certain seat belt tampering activities performed by an occupant of a vehicle, including determining whether a seat belt tampering activity has occurred in which the occupant has attempted to circumvent a vehicle system that encourages or requires the use of a seat belt.

[0002] Most modern passenger cars include a seat belt notification system designed to encourage drivers and other occupants to use seat belts while the vehicle is in operation. These notification systems are configured to warn a driver if the driver's seat belt is unlatched (i.e., unbuckled) when the vehicle's engine is started. The warnings typically include an intermittently flashing seat belt reminder light and a repeating audible chime. The warnings may sound for a specified duration while the seat belt is unlatched or indefinitely until the user fastens (i.e., latches / buckles) the seat belt or turns off the engine.

[0003] Certain vehicles, such as certain fleet vehicles, may include a seat belt requirement system designed to prevent vehicle operation while the driver's seat belt is unbuckled. For example, some seat belt requirement systems prevent the vehicle's engine from starting while the driver's seat belt is unbuckled. Other seat belt requirement systems prevent the driver from shifting out of Park while the driver's seat belt is unbuckled.

[0004] In certain types of businesses that utilize fleet vehicles, such as last-mile operations, fleet vehicle drivers are often required to make frequent stops and may operate under strict schedules and deadlines. In such situations, some drivers may attempt to tamper with the fleet vehicles' seat belt notification system and / or seat belt requirement system during operation so that drivers are not required to wear a seat belt. Such activities may include, for example, clipping the seat belt with a webbing strap located behind the driver, tampering with the seat belt or seat belt receptacle (i.e., buckle), and / or inserting a device other than the seat belt buckle (i.e., tongue plate) into the seat belt receptacle.

[0005] Seatbelt tampering activities such as those described above can increase the likelihood of driver injury in the event of a collision and / or expose the fleet vehicle owner to liability. Therefore, some fleet vehicle owners wish to detect and / or reduce the occurrence of seatbelt tampering activities.

[0006] Accordingly, it is desirable to have systems and methods capable of detecting and / or preventing seat belt tampering activities. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

[0007] The document US 2021 025 3255 A1 discloses a method in which a vehicle occupant's feigned seat belt wearing behavior is detected and recorded. SUMMARY

[0008] One object of the invention is to increase road safety.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle including a seatbelt tamper detection system according to various embodiments; Fig. 2 is a data flow diagram illustrating the elements of the vehicle's seat belt tamper detection system of Fig. 1 illustrates, according to various embodiments; Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a method for detecting seat belt tampering activities as performed by the seat belt tampering detection system of the vehicle of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to exemplary embodiments; Fig. 4 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein a determination of seatbelt tampering activities is based on seatbelt buckle status data generated by a seatbelt sensing device and activation data generated by a digital key sensing device; Fig. 5 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein a determination of seat belt tampering activities is based on position data generated by a range selector status sensing device; Fig. 6 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein a determination of seat belt tampering activities is based on door data generated by a door status sensing device; Fig. 7 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein a determination of seat belt tampering activities is based on occupancy data generated by a seat occupancy sensing device; Fig. 8 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein a determination of seat belt tampering activities is based on occupancy data generated by a driver monitoring system and seat belt webbing data generated by a seat belt pretension sensing device and / or a seat belt limit sensing device; and Fig. 9 is a flowchart of certain exemplary aspects of the method of Fig. 3, as detected by the vehicle’s seatbelt tamper detection system in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is performed, according to one embodiment, wherein the classification of the seat belt tampering activity is determined. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The following detailed description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any express or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, summary, or the following detailed description.As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic and / or processor device, individually or in any combination, including but not limited to: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (common, dedicated or group) and a memory that may include one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

[0012] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be understood that such block components may be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment of the present disclosure may utilize various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, or the like, that may perform a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in connection with any number of systems and that the systems described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] For the sake of brevity, a detailed description of conventional techniques for signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control, and other functional aspects of the systems (and the individual operating components of the systems) is omitted. Furthermore, the connecting lines depicted in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] With reference to Fig. 1 is a seatbelt tamper detection system, generally shown at 100, associated with a vehicle 10, according to various embodiments. The vehicle 10 may be one of any number of different vehicle types, such as a sedan, station wagon, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV), and may have two-wheel drive (2WD) (i.e., rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD), and / or various other vehicle types in certain embodiments. In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 may also consist of other types of mobile platforms and is not limited to an automobile.

[0015] As in Fig. 1, the exemplary vehicle 10 generally includes a chassis 13, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is disposed on the chassis 13 and substantially comprises components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 13 may together form a frame. The wheels 16-18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 13 near a corner of the body 14. The vehicle 10 further includes at least one door 21 coupled to the body 14 and operable to open and close to respectively allow and prevent access to the interior of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 includes at least one seat 19 for supporting an occupant thereon and at least one safety belt 23 for the seat 19 configured to secure the occupant to the seat 19.For simplicity, the safety belt 23 is described herein as a three-point safety belt comprising an integrated shoulder and lap belt (hereinafter referred to simply as a belt) that is secured by extending the belt from a safety belt retractor and then coupling a buckle of the safety belt 23 to a safety belt receptacle. However, it should be understood that the vehicle 10 may include more than one seat 19, more than one safety belt 23, and other types of safety belts.

[0016] The vehicle 10 further includes a drive system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a range selection device 25 (e.g., gear selector, shift lever, PRNDL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and Low), a sensor system 28, a communication system 30, at least one data storage device 32, at least one controller 34, a media system 36, and an ignition switch 48. The drive system 20, in various embodiments, may include an internal combustion engine, an electric machine such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell drive system. The transmission system 22 is configured to transfer power from the drive system 20 to the wheels 16-18 according to selectable gear ratios. According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may include a continuously variable automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or other suitable transmission.The range selector 25 is configured to select an operating range of the transmission (e.g., the gear ratio). The steering system 24 influences a position of the wheels 16-18. Although shown as including a steering wheel for illustrative purposes, the steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel in some embodiments contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. The ignition switch 48 is configured to be operable to activate and deactivate the drive system 20. In some embodiments, the ignition switch 48 may have an "on" and an "off" position, corresponding to activation and deactivation of the drive system 20, respectively.

[0017] The sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40a-40n that sense a status or condition of a corresponding component of the vehicle 10 and provide that status to other systems of the vehicle 10, such as the controller 34. The sensing devices 40a-40n may be provided during the manufacture of the vehicle 10 and accessible by the seatbelt tamper detection system 100, or they may be aftermarket components installed subsequently for use with the seatbelt tamper detection system 100. It is understood that the vehicle 10 may include any number of sensing devices 40a-40n. The sensing devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, a seatbelt sensing device (e.g., a sensing diagnostic module (SDM)) configured to detectwhether the seat belt 23 is latched or unlatched, i.e., whether the latch of the seat belt 23 is coupled to the seat belt receptacle, and generates seat belt buckle status data including information related to such detection; an ignition switch sensor configured to detect a position of the ignition switch 48 and / or an operating status of the drive system 20; a door status detection device configured to detect when the door 21 of the vehicle 10 is opened or closed and generates door data including information related to such detection; a digital key detection device configured to detect when a digital key is used to remotely lock or unlock the door 21 of the vehicle 10, or is used to remotely initiate the ignition of the engine of the vehicle 10, and generates activation data;which include information related to such detection; and a range selector status detection device configured to detect a position of a gearshift of the vehicle 10 and generate position data including information related to such detection. In various embodiments, the detection devices 40a-40n include a seat occupancy detection device configured to detect whether an occupant is sitting in the seat 19 (e.g., the driver's seat) and generate occupancy data including information related to such detection; a driver monitoring system (DMS) configured to monitor driver alertness and generate occupancy data including information about whether an occupant is sitting in the seat 19; a seatbelt pretension detection device and a seatbelt limit detection device configured tothat they independently or in combination detect the tension or loads on the webbing of the seat belt 23 and generate seat belt webbing data including information related to this detection. In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 does not include a seat occupancy detection device, a driver monitoring system (DMS), a seat belt pretension detection device, or a seat belt limit detection device, and is not configured to detect the occupancy of the seat 19, monitor the driver, or detect the tension or load on the webbing of the seat belt 23.

[0018] In various embodiments, the seatbelt tampering detection system 100 may detect seatbelt tampering activities in certain lower-trim vehicles that have only a limited number of sensing devices that can be used for such detection. As used herein, the term "trim level" of a vehicle refers to a version of a vehicle model that is equipped with certain features at the time of manufacture. Generally, lower-trim vehicles have fewer systems and features than higher-trim vehicles.For the convenience of the following description, low-equipment vehicles are referred to as those that include the seat belt status sensing device, the door status sensing device, the digital key sensing device, the range selector status sensing device, and the door status sensing device, but not the occupancy sensing device, the driver monitoring system (DMS), the seat belt pretension sensing device, or the seat belt limit sensing device. As such, low-equipment vehicles are therefore unable to detect seat occupancy, monitor the driver, or detect the tension or strain of a seat belt webbing corresponding to the seat.Optionally, one or more sensing devices, including but not limited to the occupancy sensing device, the driver monitoring system (DMS), the seatbelt pretension sensing device, and / or the seatbelt limit sensing device, may be installed in the low-spec vehicles as retrofit components for use with the seatbelt tamper detection system 100. High-spec vehicles include all of the sensing devices included in the low-spec vehicles, as well as the driver monitoring system (DMS), the seatbelt pretension sensing device, and the seatbelt limit sensing device.

[0019] The communication system 30 is configured to transmit and receive data between various systems of the vehicle 10, such as the seat belt tamper detection system 100, to and from data processing devices independent of the vehicle 10, external and / or remote. For example, in various embodiments, the communication system 30 includes a physical data port 42a configured to be coupled to a data cable, such as a standalone diagnostic tool, to exchange data therewith. In various embodiments, the communication system 30 includes a transceiver device 42b configured for wireless communication with a remote database.Such embodiments may, for example, enable a fleet vehicle owner to monitor occupant compliance with seat belt usage practices, manage occupant education, training, coaching, or instruction regarding proper seat belt usage, etc.

[0020] The data storage device 32 stores data for use in controlling the vehicle 10. As will be appreciated, the data storage device 32 may be part of the controller 34, separate from the controller 34, or part of the controller 34 and part of a separate system.

[0021] The controller 34 includes at least one processor 44, a communications bus 45, and a computer-readable storage device or medium 46. The processor 44 may be any custom or off-the-shelf processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor among multiple processors associated with the controller 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or generally a device for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or media 46 may include volatile and non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). A KAM is persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the processor 44 is powered off.The computer-readable storage device(s) or media 46 may be implemented using any number of known storage devices, such as PROMs (programmable read-only memories), EPROMs (erasable PROMs), EEPROMs (electrically erasable PROMs), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage devices capable of storing data, some of which may be executable instructions used by the controller 34 in controlling the vehicle 10. The bus 45 is used to transfer programs, data, status, and other information or signals between the various components of the vehicle 10. The bus 45 may be any suitable physical or logical means for interconnecting computer systems and components. This includes, but is not limited to, direct, hard-wired connections, fiber optic, infrared, and wireless bus technologies.

[0022] The instructions may comprise one or more separate programs, each comprising an ordered collection of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The instructions, when executed by processor 44, receive and process signals from sensor system 28, perform logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms to automatically determine the occurrence of seat belt tampering activities in vehicle 10, and generate record data to store classifications of seat belt tampering activities attributed to particular occupants of vehicle 10 based on the logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms. Although only one controller 34 in Fig. 1, embodiments of the vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate and cooperate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media to process the sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate the recording data.

[0023] In various embodiments, one or more instructions of controller 34 are embodied in seat belt tamper detection system 100 and, when executed by processor 44, receive data from sensor system 28 and process the data to monitor seat belt use by an occupant of vehicle 10, including determining whether certain seat belt tampering activities have occurred in which the occupant has attempted to circumvent vehicle safety systems associated with promoting or requiring seat belt 23 use.

[0024] It should be noted that the control unit 34 differs from the Fig. 1. For example, the controller 34 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems, such as as part of one or more of the vehicle devices and systems identified above.It should be appreciated that, although this exemplary embodiment is described in the context of a fully functional computer system, those skilled in the art will recognize that the mechanisms of the present disclosure may be distributed as a program product having one or more types of non-transitory, computer-readable, signal-bearing media used to store the program and its instructions and to effect its distribution, such as a non-transitory, computer-readable medium carrying the program and having computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor (such as processor 44) to implement and execute the program. Such a program product may take a variety of forms, and the present disclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer-readable, signal-bearing media used to effect distribution.Examples of signal-bearing media include writable media such as floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards, and optical disks, as well as transmission media such as digital and analog communication links. It should be appreciated that cloud-based storage and / or other technologies may also be used in certain embodiments. Similarly, it should be appreciated that the computer system of controller 34 may differ in other ways from the embodiment shown in FIG. Fig. 1, for example, in that the computer system of the control unit 34 may be coupled to one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems, or may otherwise utilize them.

[0025] The media system 36 is configured to provide in-vehicle coaching and / or instructions to an occupant of the vehicle 10. In various embodiments, the media system 36 may include a visual display device and / or an audio sound system.

[0026] With reference to Fig. 2 and with further reference to Fig. 1 illustrates a data flow diagram of the elements of the seat belt tamper detection system 100 of Fig. 1 according to various embodiments. As will be appreciated, various embodiments of the seatbelt tamper detection system 100 according to the present disclosure may include any number of modules embedded within the controller 34, which may be combined and / or further subdivided to implement the systems and methods described herein in a similar manner. Furthermore, inputs to the seatbelt tamper detection system 100 may be received from the sensor system 28, from other control modules (not shown) associated with the vehicle 10, and / or from other submodules (not shown) within the controller 34 of Fig. 1. Furthermore, the inputs may also be subjected to preprocessing, such as subsampling, noise reduction, normalization, feature extraction, missing data reduction, and the like. In various embodiments, the seatbelt tampering detection system 100 includes a seatbelt tampering detection module 204, a classification module 206, an occupant recording data storage 208, and an in-vehicle coaching module 210.

[0027] In various embodiments, the seatbelt tamper detection module 204 receives as input sensor data 212 generated by the sensor system 28. The sensor data 212 includes various data indicative of a state of the vehicle 10 and / or components thereof, such as the status of the seatbelt buckle (e.g., latched or unlatched), the door status (e.g., open or closed), the range selector device status (e.g., park), the seat occupancy status (e.g., occupied or unoccupied), the seatbelt status (e.g., stretched or unstretched), etc.

[0028] The seatbelt tampering detection module 204 evaluates and analyzes the sensor data 212 to determine whether seatbelt tampering activities have been performed by any of the occupants of the vehicle 10. A determination that seatbelt tampering activity has occurred is made when the seatbelt 23 of the vehicle 10 is latched while the occupant is not secured to the seat 19 with the seatbelt 23.In various embodiments, the seat belt tampering activities may include certain activities of the occupant intended to circumvent a seat belt notification system and / or a seat belt request system of the vehicle 10 during operation of the vehicle 10 such that the seat belt notification system and / or a seat belt request system falsely detects that the occupant is wearing the seat belt 23 when in fact the occupant is not wearing the seat belt 23.

[0029] In various embodiments, the classification module 206 receives as input the seat belt tampering activity data 216. The seat belt tampering activity data 216 includes various data indicating that the status or condition of the vehicle 10 and / or its components indicates that one of the occupants of the vehicle 10 may have performed the seat belt tampering activity.

[0030] The classification module 206 evaluates / analyzes the seat belt tampering activity data 216 to determine whether the occupant of the vehicle 10 has performed a seat belt tampering activity by comparing the frequency of the seat belt tampering activity over a certain period of time to one or more seat belt tampering activity thresholds.

[0031] In various embodiments, the in-vehicle coaching module 210 receives as input classification data 218. The classification data 218 includes various data indicating a classification of the seat belt tampering activity of the occupant of the vehicle 10.

[0032] The onboard coaching module 210 evaluates the classification data 218 to determine appropriate coaching programs to execute and / or initiate based on the classification of the seatbelt tampering activity attributed to the occupant. For example, the coaching programs may include audible and / or visual notifications of safety and / or policy information intended to educate the occupant on proper seatbelt use and / or to discontinue seatbelt tampering activities.

[0033] In various embodiments, the occupant recording data storage 208 receives as input the classification data 218 and stores information about records of seat belt tampering activities attributed to various occupants of the vehicle 10. In various embodiments, the occupant recording data storage 208 receives as input coaching data 220, which includes various data indicating coaching and / or instructions provided to various occupants of the vehicle 10, and stores information about the coaching and / or instructions received from the various occupants of the vehicle 10.

[0034] With reference now to Fig. 3 and with further reference to Fig. 1-2, a flowchart provides a method 300 for detecting seatbelt tampering activities performed by occupants of vehicle 10, as performed by seatbelt tampering detection system 100 according to exemplary embodiments. As will be appreciated in view of the disclosure, the order of operation within method 300 is not limited to the Fig. 3, but may be performed in one or more different orders, as applicable and consistent with the present disclosure. In various embodiments, method 300 may be scheduled to run based on one or more predetermined events and / or may run continuously during operation of vehicle 10.

[0035] In one example, method 300 may begin at 302. While the vehicle 10 is moving (e.g., running on a battery and / or having an engine that is operating), sensor data 212 is received at 304, including information from one or more of the sensing devices 40a-40n related to a condition or status of the vehicle 10 or a component thereof. The sensor data 212 is evaluated / analyzed at 306 to determine if seatbelt tampering activity has occurred in the vehicle 10 during operation thereof. If a determination is made that seatbelt tampering activity has occurred at 308, a persistence check is performed at 310 to determine the frequency of the seatbelt tampering activity over a certain period of time.Upon completion of the persistence check, the occupant of vehicle 10 is assigned a classification at 312 related to the level of tampering activity they have performed. At 314, a record of the classification assigned to the occupant based on the seatbelt tampering activities they have performed is stored. Optionally, at 316, the occupant may be provided with in-vehicle coaching and / or instruction based on the classification of tampering activity assigned to the occupant. At 318, the record assigned to the occupant may be transmitted to an independent, external, and / or remote computing device. Therefore, the method may end at 320.

[0036] Fig. 4-8 include flowcharts illustrating various non-limiting specific aspects of 306 of method 300, i.e., determining whether seat belt tampering activity has occurred based on sensor data 212. These aspects provide various example conditions that may indicate that the occupant of vehicle 10 has performed the seat belt tampering activities.

[0037] With reference to Fig. 4, the sensor data 212 are evaluated / analysed in a first determination process, which is Fig. 4-8 as 306A, the determination at 410 includes whether the seat belt 23 is latched or unlatched. If at any time during the evaluation it is detected that the seat belt 23 is unlatched, a determination is made at 414 that the seat belt tampering activity has not occurred. At 412, if a digital key is used to remotely lock or unlock the door 21 or to remotely start the vehicle 10 at any time while the seat belt 23 is latched, a determination is made at 416 that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred. If the seat belt 23 is latched but no detection of an action performed with the digital key occurs, the evaluation is repeated using the Fig. 5-8 (identified as 308B-308E). In particular, the aspects presented in Fig. The exemplary aspects of 306 illustrated in Figure 4 may be applicable to both low- and high-trim vehicles.

[0038] With reference to Fig. 5, a flowchart is provided for detecting seat belt tampering activities during parking and / or multiple-stop scenarios. During operation of the vehicle 10, if the range selector 25 is shifted to "Park" (e.g., by moving a gearshift lever to a Park position) while the seat belt 23 is latched at 510, a park timer is started at 512. The park timer is compared at 514 to a park threshold representing a maximum amount of time the vehicle 10 may be parked with the seat belt 23 latched before the seat belt tampering activity has occurred. If the park timer exceeds the park threshold, the park timer may be stopped and reset at 516, and a determination is made at 526 that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred.

[0039] If the vehicle 10 is parked but the parking timer is below the parking threshold, the status of the ignition switch (e.g., the vehicle key) may be monitored at 518 to detect whether the ignition is off. For example, if the ignition switch is turned to the "off" position (or the drive system 20 is otherwise disabled), a determination is made at 518 that it is unknown whether seat belt tampering activity has occurred. Conversely, if the ignition switch is left in the "on" position (or the drive system 20 is otherwise enabled), an idle timer is started at 520. The idle timer is compared to an idle threshold at 522, which represents a maximum amount of time the vehicle 10 may be stopped with the seat belt 23 latched and the engine running before the seat belt tampering activity has occurred.If the idle timer exceeds the idle threshold, the idle timer may be stopped and reset at 524, and a determination is made at 526 that seat belt tampering activity has occurred. While the parking timer and / or the idle timer are running, a sensing diagnostic module (SDM) of the vehicle 10 may remain active (i.e., awake).

[0040] If the range selector 25 is switched out of Park before the park timer and / or the idle timer exceed the Park threshold and the Idle threshold, respectively, a determination is made at 528 that it is not known whether the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. If the seatbelt 23 is latched, but the digital key has not been used and the range selector 25 has not been switched to Park, a determination is made at 528 that it is not known whether the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. In particular, the Fig. The exemplary aspects of 306 illustrated in Figure 5 may be applicable to both low- and high-trim vehicles.

[0041] With reference to Fig. 6, a flowchart is provided for detecting seat belt tampering activities associated with vehicle egress scenarios. When the vehicle 10 is operating and comes to a stop (with or without the range selector 25 being switched to park), at 610, if the door 21 is not opened and the seat belt is not latched, a door wait timer is started at 616. The door wait timer is compared at 622 to a door wait time threshold representing a maximum amount of time the door 21 may be latched with the seat belt 23 latched and the vehicle stopped before the seat belt tampering activity has occurred. If the door wait timer exceeds the door wait time threshold, the door wait timer may be stopped and reset at 628, and a determination is made at 634 that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred.

[0042] If the door 21 is opened while the seat belt 23 is latched at 610, but the door 21 is not subsequently closed at 612, the door wait timer is started at 616 and compared to the door wait timer at 622. If the door wait timer exceeds the door wait time threshold, the door wait timer may be stopped and reset at 228, and a determination is made at 634 that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred. If the door 21 is subsequently closed at 612 but remains unlocked at 614, a lock wait timer is started at 620. The lock wait timer is compared to a lock wait time threshold at 624, which indicates a maximum amount of time the door 21 may be locked and unlocked while the seat belt 23 is latched before the seat belt tampering activity has occurred.If the lock wait timer exceeds the lock wait time threshold, the lock wait timer may be stopped and reset at 632, and a determination is made at 634 that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. If the door 21 is subsequently locked at 614 while the seatbelt 23 remains latched, a determination is made at 634 that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. While the door wait timer and / or the lock wait timer are running, the sensing diagnostic module (SDM) may remain active (i.e., awake). In particular, the sequence of events described in . Fig. The exemplary aspects of 306 illustrated in Figure 6 may be applicable to both low- and high-trim vehicles.

[0043] With reference to Fig. 7, a flowchart is provided for detecting seat belt tampering activities associated with seat occupancy. During operation of the vehicle 10, if the seat belt 23 is latched and the seat 19 is occupied at 710, a determination is made at 712 that it is unknown whether the seat belt tampering activity has occurred. If the seat belt 23 is latched and the seat 19 is unoccupied, an occupancy timer is started at 714. The occupancy timer is compared to an occupancy threshold at 716, which indicates the maximum amount of time the seat 19 may be unoccupied with the seat belt 23 latched before the seat belt tampering activity has occurred.If the occupancy timer exceeds the occupancy threshold, the occupancy timer may be stopped and reset at 718, and a determination is made at 720 that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. If the seat 19 is occupied before the occupancy timer exceeds the occupancy threshold, a determination is made at 722 that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. In particular, the occupancy timer shown in FIG. Fig. The exemplary aspects presented in paragraph 4 may apply to both low- and high-equipment vehicles, provided that these vehicles are equipped with the seat occupancy detection device, the DMS, or both.

[0044] With reference to Fig. 8, a flowchart is provided for detecting seat belt tampering activities related to seat occupancy and belt tension. 810, 814, 816, and 818 are each substantially identical to those described above with reference to 710, 714, 716, and 718, respectively. At 812, the sensor data 212 is evaluated to determine whether the seat belt 23 is stretched (i.e., extended or unwound from a seat belt retractor). If the seat belt 23 is latched, the seat 19 is occupied, and the seat belt 23 is stretched (i.e., extended or unwound from a seat belt retractor), a determination is made at 822 that the seat belt tampering activity has not occurred. However, if the seat belt 23 is latched, the seat 19 is occupied, and the seat belt 23 is not stretched (i.e.,not extended or unwound from a seatbelt retractor), a determination is made at 820 that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred. Specifically, the determinations in . Fig. The exemplary aspects presented in Figure 8 may be applicable to vehicles with high equipment levels.

[0045] With reference to Fig.9, if the evaluation of sensor data 212 results in a determination that seatbelt tampering activity has occurred, a persistence check is performed to classify the seatbelt tampering activity as attributed to a particular occupant. The persistence check includes a comparison of all recorded seatbelt tampering activities detected within a calibration time window. If the frequency of seatbelt tampering activities is below a low tampering threshold at 910, the occupant is assigned a classification of "no seatbelt tampering activity" at 914.If the frequency of seatbelt tampering activity is greater than the low tampering threshold at 910 but less than the high tampering threshold at 912, the occupant is assigned a classification of "low seatbelt tampering activity" at 916. If the frequency of seatbelt tampering activity is greater than the high tampering threshold at 912, the occupant is assigned a classification of "high seatbelt tampering activity." It should be understood that the persistence check may include any number of seatbelt tampering activity thresholds corresponding to a corresponding number of seatbelt tampering activity classifications and is therefore not limited to the example low and high seatbelt tampering activity classifications described herein.

[0046] The systems and methods are not limited to any particular vehicle type, seat, or seat belt. Furthermore, the system and methods are primarily described with respect to a driver, a driver seat, a seat belt connected to (i.e., corresponding to) the driver seat, a door adjacent to the driver seat, etc.; however, the systems and methods are also applicable to other occupants, seats, seat belts, doors, etc. of the vehicle 10.

[0047] In this document, relational terms such as "first," "second," and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity or act from another, without presupposing or implying any actual relationship or order between those entities or acts. Numerical ordinals such as "first," "second," "third," etc., merely denote various members of a plurality and do not imply an order unless expressly defined in the claim language. The order of text in any of the claims does not imply that the method steps must be performed in a temporal or logical order according to that order, unless expressly defined by the claim language.The method steps may be interchanged in any order without departing from the scope of the invention, as long as such interchange does not contradict the wording of the claim and is not logically nonsensical.

Claims

[1] A method (300) for detecting a seat belt tampering activity performed by an occupant of a vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) having a seat (19) for supporting the occupant thereon, and a seat belt (23) configured to secure the occupant to the seat (19), the method (300) comprising: Receiving (304) sensor data (212) by a processor (44) generated by at least one sensing device (40a-40n) of the vehicle (10); Determining (306) by the processor (44) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred based on the sensor data (212), wherein the seat belt tampering activity occurs when the seat belt (23) of the vehicle (10) is latched while the occupant is not secured to the seat (19) with the seat belt (23); performing (310) a persistence check by the processor (44) to compare a frequency of seat belt tampering activity over a period of time with a minimum seat belt tampering activity threshold; Determining (312) by the processor (44) a classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant based on the persistence check; and generating (314) record data by the processor (44) including the classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant, wherein the sensor data (212) comprises activation data generated by a digital key sensing device, wherein determining (306) that the seatbelt tampering activity has occurred is based on a determination (416) that a digital key remotely started the vehicle (10) and / or remotely locked a door (21) of the vehicle (10) while the seatbelt (23) was latched. [2] A method (300) for detecting a seat belt tampering activity performed by an occupant of a vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) having a seat (19) for supporting the occupant thereon, and a seat belt (23) configured to secure the occupant to the seat (19), the method (300) comprising: Receiving (304) sensor data (212) by a processor (44) generated by at least one sensing device (40a-40n) of the vehicle (10); Determining (306) by the processor (44) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred based on the sensor data (212), wherein the seat belt tampering activity occurs when the seat belt (23) of the vehicle (10) is latched while the occupant is not secured to the seat (19) with the seat belt (23); performing (310) a persistence check by the processor (44) to compare a frequency of seat belt tampering activity over a period of time with a minimum seat belt tampering activity threshold; Determining (312) by the processor (44) a classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant based on the persistence check; and generating (314) record data by the processor (44) including the classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant, wherein the sensor data (212) comprises position data generated by a range sensing device configured to sense a status of a range selector device (25) configured to select a range of a transmission of the vehicle (10), wherein determining (306) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred is based on a determination (526) that the range selector device of the vehicle (10) was shifted to park while the seat belt (23) was latched, and the seat belt (23) remained latched for a period of time that exceeds a park threshold and / or an idle threshold. [3] A method (300) for detecting a seat belt tampering activity performed by an occupant of a vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) having a seat (19) for supporting the occupant thereon, and a seat belt (23) configured to secure the occupant to the seat (19), the method (300) comprising: Receiving (304) sensor data (212) by a processor (44) generated by at least one sensing device (40a-40n) of the vehicle (10); Determining (306) by the processor (44) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred based on the sensor data (212), wherein the seat belt tampering activity occurs when the seat belt (23) of the vehicle (10) is latched while the occupant is not secured to the seat (19) with the seat belt (23); performing (310) a persistence check by the processor (44) to compare a frequency of seat belt tampering activity over a period of time with a minimum seat belt tampering activity threshold; Determining (312) by the processor (44) a classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant based on the persistence check; and generating (314) record data by the processor (44) including the classification of the seat belt tampering activity attributed to the occupant, wherein the sensor data (212) comprises door data generated by a door status sensing device, wherein determining (306) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred is based on a determination (634) that a door (21) of the vehicle (10) was opened, closed, and / or locked while the seat belt (23) was latched, and the seat belt (23) remained latched for a period of time that exceeds a door wait time threshold or a latch wait time threshold. [4] The method (300) of at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor data (212) comprises occupancy data generated by a seat occupancy sensing device or a driver monitoring system, wherein determining (306) that the seat belt tampering activity has occurred is based on a determination (720) that the seat (19) was unoccupied while the seat belt (23) was latched, and the seat belt (23) remained latched for a period of time exceeding an occupancy threshold. [5] A system (100) for detecting a seat belt tampering activity performed by an occupant of a vehicle (10), the vehicle (10) having a seat (19) for supporting the occupant thereon and a seat belt (23) configured to secure the occupant to the seat (19), the system (100) comprising a computer system on board the vehicle (10) configured to carry out, through a processor (44), the method (300) according to at least one of the preceding claims.

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