System to detect intent to exit vehicle and automatically unbuckle seatbelts

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat belt release system 12 of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric seat belt buckle 14 at a respective seat 20 of the vehicle and an electronic control unit 16.The electronic control unit is configured to evaluate a state of an exit intention related to a passenger 18 on the respective seat of the motor vehicle as a function of input data 28 provided to the electronic control unit; the electronic control unit is configured to send a release signal 22 to the electric seat belt buckle at the respective seat, when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger on the respective seat satisfies a predefined condition; and the electric seat belt buckle is configured to release the seat belt 24 upon reception of the release signal. The input data may comprise: image data of the passenger; a state of a navigation route; a gear state of the vehicle; motion data of the vehicle; location data of the vehicle; seat data describing a pressure acting on the seat.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a seat belt release system of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a corresponding method. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] Seatbelts are a crucial passive safety feature. However, unbuckling after each drive is annoying and takes extra time. Furthermore, it is inconvenient when the hands are already full. And for passengers in the back seats, when the row is full, it can be hard to find and access the release button, further adding to the inconvenience. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat belt release system as well as a corresponding method, by which an automatic release of a seat belt depending on an intent of a passenger is realized.

[0004] This object is solved by a seat belt release system, as well as a corresponding method according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention is related to a seat belt release system of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric seat belt buckle at a respective seat of the vehicle and an electronic control unit.

[0006] The electronic control unit is configured to evaluate a state of an exit intend related to a passenger on the respective seat of the motor vehicle as a function of input data provided to the electronic control unit.

[0007] The electronic control unit is further configured to send a release signal to the electric seat belt buckle at the respective seat, when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger on the respective seat satisfies a predefined condition.

[0008] The electric seat belt buckle is configured to release the seat belt upon reception of the release signal.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise image data of the passenger, provided by a camera device of the seat belt release system inside a cabin of the motor vehicle.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise a state of a navigation along a route, set in a navigation device of the motor vehicle.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise a gear state of the motor vehicle.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise motion data describing a current motion of the vehicle.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise location data describing a current location of the vehicle.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the input data comprise seat data describing a pressure acting on the seat of the passenger.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the state of the exit intend related to the passenger is evaluated by means of a heuristic model and / or a machine learning model.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method to operate a seat belt release system of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric seat belt buckle at a respective seat of the vehicle and an electronic control unit. The method comprises the following steps.

[0017] The method comprises a step of evaluating a state of an exit intend related to a passenger on the respective seat of the motor vehicle as a function of input data by the electronic control unit.

[0018] The method comprises a step of sending a release signal to the electric seat belt buckle at the respective seat, by the electronic control unit when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger on the respective seat satisfies a predefined condition.

[0019] The method comprises a step of releasing a seat belt by the electric seat belt buckle upon reception of the release signal.

[0020] Advantageous embodiments of the method are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the seat belt release system. The seat belt release system comprises means for performing the method.

[0021] A computing unit may in particular be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The computing unit can therefore in particular process data to perform computing operations. This may also include operations to perform indexed accesses to a data structure, for example a look-up table, LUT.

[0022] In particular, the computing unit may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The computing unit may also include one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The computing unit may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0023] In various embodiments, the computing unit includes one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units.

[0024] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0025] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0027] The drawings show in:

[0028] Fig. 1 a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle, comprising a seat belt release system; and

[0029] Fig. 2 a schematic illustration of a method to operate a seat belt release system of a motor vehicle.

[0030] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0032] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0033] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0034] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle, comprising a seat belt release system.

[0036] The motor vehicle 10 may comprise a seat 20 for a passenger 18 inside a cabin of the motor vehicle 10. The seat 20 may comprise a seatbelt that may be hold by an electric seatbelt buckle 14. The motor vehicle 10 may comprise a control unit configured to evaluate a state of an exit intend related to the passenger 18 on the respective seat 20 of the motor vehicle 10. The control unit may be configured to evaluate the state of the exit intend as a function of input data 28 provided to the electric control unit. The input data 28 may comprise image data showing the passenger 18 provided by a camera device 26 of the vehicle 10, arranged inside a cabin of the motor vehicle 10. The camera device 26 may be oriented towards the passenger 18 on the seat 20. The control unit may be configured to recognise gestures and movements of the passenger 18 in the image data that may be associated with an exit intend of the passenger 18.

[0037] The vehicle 10 may comprise a navigation device 30 configured to guide a driver of the vehicle 10 along a predefined route. The navigation device 30 may be configured to provide input data 28 to the control unit comprising navigation data describing a state of the navigation along the route. The state of the navigation along the route may for example comprise a value giving a current distance of the vehicle 10 to a target of the route. The state of navigation may for example describe that the motor vehicle 10 has arrived at the target of the route.

[0038] The vehicle 10 may provide input data 28 to the electronic control unit 16 comprising a current gear state of a gear of the vehicle 10. The gear state may indicate that the gear is in a parking state.

[0039] The vehicle 10 may provide input data 28 to the electronic control unit 16 comprising motion data describing a current of motion of the vehicle 10. The motion data may for example describe a current speed of the vehicle 10

[0040] The input data 28 may comprise location data describing a current location of the vehicle 10. The current location may for example comprise GPS-coordinates data and / or data indicating that the vehicle 10 is on a parking place.

[0041] The motor vehicle 10 may comprise a seat 20 sensor device 32 providing seat 20 data to the control unit seat 20 data may describe pressure acting on the seat 20 of the passenger 18.

[0042] The electronic control unit 16 may be configured to determine the state of the exit intend related to the passenger 18 on the seat 20 by means of an heuristic model and / or a machine learning model. The electronic control unit 16 may be configured to send a release signal 22 to the electric seatbelt buckle 14 of the respective seat 20 when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger 18 on the respective seat 20 satisfies a predefined condition.

[0043] The electric seatbelt buckle 14 is configured to release the seatbelt upon reception of the release signal 22.

[0044] Fig. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a method to operate a seat belt release system 12 of a motor vehicle 10.

[0045] The seat belt release system 12 may comprise an electric seat belt buckle 14 at a respective seat 20 of the vehicle 10 and an electronic control unit 16.

[0046] The method may comprise a step S1 of reception of input data 28 by the electronic control unit 16.

[0047] The method may comprise a step S2 of evaluating a state of an exit intend related to a passenger 18 on the respective seat 20 of the motor vehicle 10 as a function of input data 28 provided to the electronic control unit 16 by the electronic control unit 16.

[0048] The method may comprise a step S3 of sending a release signal 22 to the electric seat belt buckle 14 at the respective seat 20, by the electronic control unit 16 when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger 18 on the respective seat 20 satisfies a predefined condition.

[0049] The method may comprise a step S4 of releasing a seat belt by the electric seat belt buckle 14 upon reception of the release signal 22.

[0050] A luxurious and smart vehicle 10 should automatically detect whether a given passenger 18 wants to exit the vehicle 10. If the seat belt release system 12 detects the exit intent of a passenger 18 to exit the vehicle 10, it may automatically unbuckle the seat belt at the seat 20 of the respective passenger 18. If available for that position, the seatbelt is automatically retracted to release the passenger 18 using an already present seatbelt retraction system.

[0051] To detect the exit intent, a cabin camera, a current location, seat 20 detection sensor data, a current vehicle 10 state, and other inputs e.g., arrived-at-destination signal from the navigation app, previous behavior may be used along with a software system e.g., based on Machine Learning models.

[0052] The seat belt release system 12 saves time, provides a more luxurious experience to a passenger 18, allows a smarter vehicle 10 and offers an easier exit, especially if hands of the passenger 18 are already full with other items. It may be possible that the seat belt release system 12 only allows an automatic unbuckling when the vehicle 10 is in parking mode for maximum safety. The seat belt release system 12 may use an exit intent prediction to avoid false positive unbuckling, such as if a passenger 18 parks but they don’t want to exit the vehicle 10 e.g., for pick up.

[0053] The parking mode may only be set when the car is actually standing still. The park position could be a precondition before the unbuckling mechanism triggers. The seat belt release system 12 may ensure this by checking the motion sensors of the vehicle 10 as well as a wheel odometer of the vehicle 10. Also past data may be used by the seat belt release system 12 to ensure that the car is not an accident situation.

[0054] A first pre-condition may be that the car is in a “Parked” gear / setting, ensuring that the vehicle 10 is not capable of moving, which may be different than being stopped. Therefore it may be prevented, that the seat belt is unbuckeld in a situation such as automatic braking for a pedestrian. The seat belt release system 12 may tap into an existing car infrastructure and may have an option of the vehicle 10 verbally asking the passenger 18 if it should actually unbuckle, which the passenger 18 may just respond with Yes or No.

[0055] The seat belt release system 12 may be extended to unbuckling other seats 20 in the vehicle 10. Thereforre the unbuckling may work for all seats 20 of the vehicle 10. The seat belt release system 12 may consider a seat 20 detection and prevent unbuckling if there are concerns of unbuckling kids car seats 20 for example.

[0056] The seat belt release system 12 does not necessarily need to use a learningbased system. The control unit may use a heuristic model like an expert model based on a rule set. For a learning-based variant, the seat belt release system 12 could leverage an available enormous fleet telemetry data set to train a good “base model” that may generalize on all passengers 18. For example, the model could learn that after using the Active Park Assist or after reaching the destination of their navigation route, drivers usually unbuckle. Additionally, there could be a user-specific refinement comprising a personalization like in ‘Routines’ that may learn from data collected for that specific driver. For example, the model could learn that the passenger 18 always unbuckles after parking in their private garage and then use that geospatial cue to refine the exit intent prediction for unbuckling.

[0057] The control unit may use heuristics and / or a fully-ML-based system for evaluating the exit intend. signs vehicle seat belt release system electric seat belt buckle electronic control unit passenger seat release signal seat belt camera device input data navigation device seat sensor device steps of a method

Claims

1. A seat belt release system (12) of a motor vehicle (10), comprising an electric seat belt buckle (14) at a respective seat (20) of the vehicle (10) and an electronic control unit (16), characterized in that- the electronic control unit (16) is configured to evaluate a state of an exit intend related to a passenger (18) on the respective seat (20) of the motor vehicle (10) as a function of input data (28) provided to the electronic control unit (16);- the electronic control unit (16) is configured to send a release signal (22) to the electric seat belt buckle (14) at the respective seat (20), when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger (18) on the respective seat (20) satisfies a predefined condition; and- the electric seat belt buckle (14) is configured to release the seat belt (24) upon reception of the release signal (22).

2. The seat belt release system (12) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise image data of the passenger (18), provided by a camera device (26) of the seat belt release system (12) inside a cabin of the motor vehicle (10).

3. The seat belt release system (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise a state of a navigation along a route, set in a navigation device (30) of the motor vehicle (10).

4. The seat belt release system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise a gear state of the motor vehicle (10).

5. The seat belt release system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise motion data describing a current motion of the vehicle (10).

6. The seat belt release system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise location data describing a current location of the vehicle (10).

7. The seat belt release system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in thatthe input data (28) comprise seat data describing a pressure acting on the seat (20) of the passenger (18).

8. The seat belt release system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in thatthe state of the exit intend related to the passenger (18) is evaluated by means of a heuristic model and / or a machine learning model.

9. Method to operate a seat belt release system (12) of a motor vehicle (10), comprising an electric seat belt buckle (14) at a respective seat (20) of the vehicle (10) and an electronic control unit (16), the method comprising the steps of:- evaluating a state of an exit intend related to a passenger (18) on the respective seat (20) of the motor vehicle (10) as a function of input data (28) provided to the electronic control unit (16) by the electronic control unit (16);- sending a release signal (22) to the electric seat belt buckle (14) at the respective seat (20), by the electronic control unit (16) when the state of the exit intend related to the passenger (18) on the respective seat (20) satisfies a predefined condition;and- releasing a seat belt (24) by the electric seat belt buckle (14) upon reception of the release signal (22).

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