Method of protection against forgetting a child in a motor vehicle.

Abstract

The invention relates to a protection method designed for implementation in a motor vehicle to prevent a living being from being left in the parked vehicle. The method comprises a first step (1) of determining the presence of at least one living being in the vehicle's passenger compartment, seated in a seat other than the driver's seat. The method comprises a second step (2) of implementing observation means designed to observe the driver's behavior to determine whether the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle. The first (1) and second (2) steps are followed by a third step (3) of determining whether the living being has been left behind, when the first step (1) has determined that a living being is present and when the second step (2) has determined that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Method for protection against forgetting a child in a motor vehicle.

[0001] The technical field relates to protection methods aimed at preventing a child from being left in a motor vehicle and to vehicles implementing such methods.

[0002] Car manufacturers are particularly attentive to offering their customers vehicles that guarantee the comfort and safety of their occupants. Thus, occupant safety can be a concern even when the vehicle is parked and its driver leaves the vehicle.

[0003] Indeed, when a vehicle occupant leaves the passenger compartment, they may inadvertently forget that a child is in a child seat, which is itself installed in a passenger seat. Such a situation can be dangerous for the child, particularly when the vehicle is parked in the sun, as the temperature inside the passenger compartment can be fatal in certain circumstances. For example, since 1998, in the United States, more than 900 children have died in overheated cars parked in the sun.

[0004] To prevent such an oversight, it is known to equip the vehicle with a child seat occupancy alert system for a child seat installed in a passenger seat. This alert system is designed to generate a signal when a child is placed in this child seat, in the event of a powertrain failure. However, in practice, these alert systems prove to be ineffective. Indeed, they can generate false alarms when the driver temporarily leaves the vehicle, or alerts that are triggered too late, after the driver has already left the vehicle.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to prevent a child from being left in a parked vehicle while ensuring that the alert is issued in a timely manner, when the driver permanently leaves the vehicle.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing a child from being left behind, which alerts the driver when the child permanently leaves the vehicle.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a protection method designed to be implemented in a motor vehicle to prevent a living being from being left in the parked vehicle, the method comprising a first step consisting of determining the presence of at least one living being in the vehicle's passenger compartment installed in a seat other than the driver's seat, the method comprising a second step consisting of implementing observation means designed to observe the driver's behavior to decide that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle, the first and second steps being followed by a third step consisting of determining that the living being has been forgotten, when the first step has determined that a living being is present and when the second step has determined that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle.

[0008] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising observation means and designed to allow the implementation of the method according to the invention.

[0009] Thus, the method according to the invention, through the implementation of the first step, makes it possible to determine the presence of a living being, in particular a child seated in a vehicle. The method then monitors the driver's intention through the implementation of the second step, which, using observation means, monitors the driver's behavior and posture to determine when the driver intends to leave the vehicle. In particular, at that moment the method determines whether the driver is aware of the child's presence in the vehicle. Thus, an oversight can be detected. For example, if the driver observes the child, it is then evident that they have not forgotten the child and intend to return. If this observation is not made, the method then determines that the driver is permanently leaving the vehicle and that they are likely to have forgotten the child.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the observation means are designed to detect that the driver is looking at the living being when leaving the vehicle.

[0011] According to one possibility of the method, the second step involves detecting a look from the driver towards the living being, preferably a look through a window of the vehicle or with the help of a rearview mirror of the vehicle.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the method, the observation means employ at least one camera.

[0013] According to one possibility, the first step determines that a living being is present following the activation of a dedicated manual control.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the third step is followed by a fourth step consisting of alerting the driver or another person outside the vehicle to the forgetting of the living being, when the third step has determined that the living being has been forgotten.

[0015] Advantageously, the third step is followed by a fifth step consisting of taking at least one action aimed at preserving the habitability of the vehicle's passenger compartment, when the third step has determined that the living being has been forgotten.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the method, the first step determines the presence on at least one rear seat.

[0017] Advantageously, the living being is a child or an animal.

[0018] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a diagram showing the steps of the process according to the invention.

[0020] A protection method according to the invention, schematically illustrated in the figure, is designed to be implemented in a motor vehicle according to the invention, in order to prevent a living being from being left in the parked vehicle. In particular, the method according to the invention is implemented to prevent a human being or an animal, especially a child, from being left behind.

[0021] The method according to the invention comprises a first step 1, shown schematically in the figure, consisting of determining the presence of at least one living being in the vehicle's passenger compartment, seated in a seat other than the driver's seat. In particular, the first step 1 determines the presence of a living being in at least one rear seat. The first step 1 is implemented, for example, by using information provided by at least one pressure sensor located in a seat other than the driver's seat, by detecting the locking of a child seat, or by locking a seat belt in a seat other than the driver's seat. Detecting the opening of a rear door of the vehicle according to the invention, before the driver enters the vehicle, is also used, for example, to determine that a living being is seated in a seat other than the driver's seat.Finally, the first step 1, in a preferred implementation mode, involves the analysis of images provided by at least one camera filming the interior of the vehicle, and in particular the vehicle seats.

[0022] Alternatively, in one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the first step 1 of the method according to the invention determines that a living being is present following the activation of a dedicated manual control. This control is, for example, activated by the driver.

[0023] The method according to the invention includes a second step 2 which consists of implementing observation means designed to observe the driver's behavior in order to determine whether the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle. According to one embodiment of the method, the observation means are designed to detect that the driver is looking at the living being when leaving the vehicle. This observation is, for example, carried out when the driver's door is opened from inside the vehicle. This observation is, for example, also carried out when the driver has left the vehicle and is located at or passing by a rear door of the vehicle. For this purpose, the observation means implement, for example, at least one camera. Thus, the second step 2 The device involves detecting when the driver looks at the living being, preferably through a vehicle window or using a rearview mirror. Thus, if a look at the living being is detected during step 2, step 2 determines that the driver is aware of the living being's presence, and therefore the possibility of forgetting the living being is ruled out. For example, in a particular embodiment of the invention, the detection of a look at the living being triggers a predetermined timer, at the end of which, if the driver has not returned to the vehicle, step 2 determines that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle.

[0024] The first 1 and second 2 steps are followed by a third step 3 which consists of determining that the living being has been forgotten when the first step 1 has determined that a living being is present and when the second step has determined that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the third step 3 is followed by a fourth step 4 consisting of alerting the driver, or another person located outside the vehicle, that the living being has been left behind, when the third step 3 has determined that the living being has been left behind. This alert is, for example, carried out by emitting a sound, for example via the vehicle's horn or multimedia system, a light signal, for example using the vehicle's lights, or by sending a notification to a mobile phone.

[0026] In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, step 3 is followed by a fifth step 5, which consists of taking at least one action to preserve the habitability of the vehicle's passenger compartment when step 3 has determined that the living being has been left behind. Such an action is, for example, using the vehicle's air conditioning system to condition the passenger compartment air to maintain the temperature within a predetermined range, thus avoiding risks to the living being related to excessive heat or cold. Another action that can be taken by the method according to the invention, if necessary, is to unlock the vehicle to allow a person or emergency services to open a vehicle door or at least one window.

[0027] Thus, the method according to the invention, through the implementation of the first step 1, makes it possible to determine the presence of a child seated in a vehicle seat. The method then monitors the driver's intention through the implementation of the second step 2, which, using observation means, monitors the driver's behavior and posture to determine when the driver intends to leave the vehicle. In particular, at that moment the method determines whether the driver is aware of the child's presence in the vehicle. Thus, an oversight can be detected. For example, if the driver is observing the child, it is then evident that they have not The driver may have forgotten the child and intend to return. If this observation is not made, the procedure determines that the driver has permanently left the vehicle and is likely to have forgotten the child.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the method of implementing the process according to the invention described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be devised by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. A protection method designed to be implemented in a motor vehicle in order to prevent a living being from being forgotten in the parked vehicle, the method comprising a first step (1) consisting of determining the presence of at least one living being in the passenger compartment of the vehicle installed on a seat other than the driver's seat, the method comprising a second step (2) consisting of implementing observation means designed to observe the behavior of the driver and to detect that the driver is looking at the living being when leaving the vehicle, the detection of a look directed at the living being then triggering a predetermined time delay at the end of which, if the driver has not returned to the vehicle, the second step determines that the driver intends to definitively leave the vehicle, the first (1) and second (2) steps being followed by a third step (3) consisting of determining that the living being has been forgotten,when the first step (1) has determined that a living being is present and when the second step (2) has determined that the driver intends to permanently leave the vehicle.,

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second step (2) comprises detecting a look from the driver towards the living being carried through a window of the vehicle or using a rear-view mirror of the vehicle.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the observation means implement at least one camera.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first step (1) determines that a living being is present following the actuation of a dedicated manual control.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the third step (3) is followed by a fourth step (4) consisting of alerting the driver or another person located outside the vehicle of the forgetting of the living being, when the third step (3) has determined that the living being has been forgotten.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the third step (3) is followed by a fifth step (5) consisting of taking at least one action aimed at preserving the habitability of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, when the third step (3) has determined that the living being has been forgotten.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first step (1) determines the presence on at least one rear seat.

8. Motor vehicle comprising observation means and designed to allow the implementation of the method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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