A Method for Operating a Motor Vehicle Safety System for an Unattended Dependent,a Computer Program Product,a Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Storage Medium

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle safety system 12 for an unattended dependent 18 comprises the steps of: capturing at least one occupant detection datum 22 (e.g. a microphone recording, carbon d

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of automobiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle safety system for an unattended dependent, for example an animal or child. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as to a corresponding safety system. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] According to the state of the art as exemplified in document CN 109 367 350, a motor vehicle may use sound recognition to determine that a child has been left behind in the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle may then automatically activate an air conditioning system to prevent temperatures dangerous to the child.

[0003] According to the state of the art as exemplified in document KR 10 194 824 981, a motor vehicle may make use of motion detection to determine that a child and / or animal has been left behind in the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle may then make use of a predefined phone number of a driver of the motor vehicle in order to send a message to the driver indicating that the child has been left behind in the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle may take into account the current season in order to determine an acceptable temperature range for an automatically activated air conditioning system. A photograph of a child left behind may be transmitted to the driver. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method, a corresponding computer program, a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as a corresponding safety system, by which flexibility in handling the current situation of an unattended dependent is increased. The invention is based on the idea of providing remote control of the systems on board a motor vehicle in a consolidated manner for a driver who has left a dependent inside the motor vehicle.

[0005] Up to now, the ability of the driver to react more flexibly to the current situation of a dependent left behind has been limited. For example, there has been no channel of communication between the driver and the child left behind.

[0006] The word “dependent” here refers to a human or animal passenger that may require assistance to exit the motor vehicle and / or recognize the onset of uncomfortable conditions, such as exposure to direct sunlight and lack of air circulation, within the motor vehicle. Examples include pets, infants, the disabled, and the elderly.

[0007] The object of the present invention is solved by a method, a corresponding computer program product, a corresponding non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, as well as a corresponding safety system according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0008] One aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle safety system for an unattended dependent. At least one occupant detection datum is captured by at least one occupant detection device of the safety system. The at least one occupant detection datum is classified according to an occupant detection criterion by an electronic computing device of the safety system, whereby the occupant detection criterion comprises a function that maps the at least one occupant detection datum to a plurality of pre-defined classes. At least one alert is sent to at least one predefined emergency contact by a telecommunication device of the safety system, depending on the above classification. At least one input from the at least one emergency contact for remote control of at least one occupant amenity device internal to the motor vehicle is listened for by the electronic computing device.

[0009] The word “unattended” here signifies that a dependent lacks the support necessary to exit the motor vehicle. For example, if an infant is strapped into a child safety seat without at least one adult in the vicinity of the motor vehicle aware of the infant and having access to the motor vehicle, the infant is unattended.

[0010] An “occupant detection datum” is a datum evaluated by the electronic computing device to determine the presence of humans and / or animals within the motor vehicle. Examples include microphone recordings, carbon dioxide levels within the motor vehicle cabin, camera recordings, and pressure on a car seat of the motor vehicle

[0011] An “occupant detection device” is a device that captures at least one occupant detection datum. Examples include microphones, carbon dioxide monitors, optical sensors such as cameras, and pressure sensors.

[0012] An “occupant detection criterion” is used to determine if the at least one occupant detection datum indicates the presence of at least one human or animal within the motor vehicle. For instance, this criterion may comprise a set of weights and biases in a logistic regression implementation for identifying the presence of at least one human or animal within a given image.

[0013] The word “alert” is used to refer to an automated communication from the safety system, stating at least that at least one dependent was left behind the motor vehicle. Examples of alert media include telephone call, SMS message, email, and in-app notification.

[0014] One example of an emergency contact is the driver of the vehicle. Emergency contacts are predefined in the sense that a memory unit of the electronic computing device contains, for each emergency contact, at least one datum with which an alert may be addressed, such as a telephone number, email address, or username.

[0015] Where the motor vehicle has multiple emergency contacts predefined, the safety system may send an alert to more than one. As an example, if an emergency contact has not confirmed receipt of the alert by, for instance, issuing at least one input for remote control of the at least one occupant amenity device within a preset time window, the safety system may proceed to send an alert to at least one other predefined emergency contact. As a further example, the safety system may send an alert to an emergency rescue service in the event that all predefined contacts failed to issue a confirmation of receipt of alert within a preset time window.

[0016] Examples of occupant amenity devices include climate control systems, power windows, video displays, speakers, and lights internal to the cabin. Examples of inputs for remote control of occupant amenity devices include target temperatures for climate control systems, heights to which power windows are raised, and songs for speakers to play. The inputs may be provided through, for instance, a manufacturer-approved smartphone application.

[0017] The term “internal to” implies an installation by a manufacturer of a device that is intended to be permanent. This term may describe a device for which no provision for removal has been included by the manufacturer, except for, for example, a repair of said device by at least one qualified professional. This term may describe a pre-installed device which is inseparably sold with a respective motor vehicle by a manufacturer.

[0018] “Listening” is here used in the sense of establishing an actively-monitored channel by which specific inputs may be acknowledged. For instance, the electronic computing device may listen for signals received by the telecommunication device that are signed by the manufacturer-approved smartphone application mentioned earlier.

[0019] As a result of execution of the method, an emergency contact may be notified of the presence of at least one dependent left unattended in a motor vehicle and furnished with a means by which the comfort of the at least one dependent may be increased until rescue may be effected. Therefore, execution of the method solves the problem introduced earlier.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least one of the at least one occupant detection datum is captured by an optical sensor. An example of an optical sensor is a camera.

[0021] According to the state of the art, it is known that an ultrasonic detector may be used to monitor motion within a motor vehicle. However, it is also known to the state of the art that motion detection may be performed via analysis of a video recording. It is therefore advantageous to simplify the safety system by performing motion detection with sensor readings from an optical sensor.

[0022] According to one embodiment, at least one audio input is accepted by the telecommunication device from the at least one emergency contact and played by at least one audio playback device internal to the motor vehicle. This embodiment may easily be extended with a microphone arranged inside the motor vehicle such that audio may be both played and recorded at both ends.

[0023] According to one embodiment, at least one emergency service is contacted by the telecommunication device in absence of a response from the at least one emergency contact.

[0024] For instance, the safety system may automatically dial 911 and request a rescue operation using a pre-recorded message. This embodiment may be extended with a communication channel between the safety system and a GPS-capable system onboard the motor vehicle. In this way, the at least one emergency service may also be notified of a precise location of the motor vehicle in which the dependent was left.

[0025] In one embodiment, the at least one occupant amenity device internal to the motor vehicle is adjusted by the electronic computing device according to a default program pending the at least one input from the at least one emergency contact.

[0026] This embodiment may lead to increased comfort for at least one unattended infant in the intervening time between at least one detection of at least one unattended dependent and at least one remote control input from at least one emergency contact.

[0027] As one instance of this embodiment, at least one light internal to the motor vehicle may be dimmed at advanced times of day. As another instance, the maximum acceptable temperature within the motor vehicle cabin may be lowered when an optical sensor detects high irradiance at optical wavelengths within the cabin, indicative of intense direct sunlight.

[0028] In one embodiment, the at least one occupant detection datum is saved in a computer-readable storage medium by the electronic computing device and / or transmitted to the at least one emergency contact by the telecommunication device.

[0029] Examples of computer-readable storage media include solid-state drives, SSDs; hard disk drives, HDDs; and flash memory devices such as USB flash drives.

[0030] This embodiment may facilitate the collection of evidence of crime. For example, an incident of motor vehicle burglary may result in identifying features of at least one burglar being captured by the at least one occupant detection device. If the at least one occupant detection datum captured therefrom is saved or transmitted to at least one emergency contact, it may be used later to support an insurance claim or police investigation.

[0031] In particular, the method is a computer-implemented method. Therefore, one aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions for performing a method according to the preceding aspect.

[0032] One aspect of the invention relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to the preceding aspect.

[0033] One aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle safety system for an unattended dependent, comprising at least one electronic computing device and at least one telecommunication device, wherein the safety system is configured for performing a method according to the preceding aspect. In particular, the method is performed by the safety system.

[0034] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising the safety system according to the preceding aspect.

[0035] An “electronic computing device” may in particular be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The electronic computing device may 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.

[0036] In particular, the electronic computing device 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 electronic computing device 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 or neural processing units, NPU. The electronic computing device may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0037] In various embodiments, the electronic computing device includes one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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

[0040] The drawings show in:

[0041] Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a motor vehicle comprising an embodiment of a safety system; and

[0042] Fig. 2 a schematic flowchart according to an embodiment of the method.

[0043] In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs.

[0044] The novel features and characteristics 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. 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. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the following detailed description of the example embodiments of the disclosure, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form parts hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are 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.

[0046] Fig 1 shows a schematic side view according to an embodiment of a motor vehicle 10 comprising a safety system 12. The safety system 12 may comprise at least one electronic computing device 14 and at least one telecommunication device 16. An unattended dependent 18, here a human infant, may sit alone in the motor vehicle 10. An occupant detection device 20, here, for example, an optical camera, may capture at least one occupant detection datum 22, here a photograph of the unattended dependent 18. The at least one occupant detection datum 22 may then be classified by the electronic computing device 14 according to an occupant detection criterion 24. At least one alert 26 may be sent by the telecommunication device 16 to at least one predefined emergency contact 28, depending on the above classification. At least one input 30 may be listened for, by the electronic computing device 14, from the at least one emergency contact 28 for remote control of at least one occupant amenity device 32 internal to the motor vehicle 10. The occupant amenity device 32 may be an audio playback device internal to the motor vehicle 10 and the input 30 is an audio input. The at least one occupant detection datum 22 may be saved in a computer-readable storage medium 34 by the electronic computing device 14 and / or transmitted to the at least one emergency contact 28 by the telecommunication device 16.

[0047] It is known from series vehicle construction that at least one telecommunication device 16, such as a dedicated short-range communications device, may be installed in a motor vehicle 10, for example to receive traffic information. Such a device may rely on at least one radio transmitter and at least one radio receiver, such as a Wi-Fi-enabled network interface controller. The telecommunication device 16 of the safety system 12 may be the same telecommunication device as one which, like the dedicated short-range communications device, is already installed for a different purpose.

[0048] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flowchart according to multiple embodiments of the method. In particular, Fig. 2 shows a method for operating a motor vehicle 10 safety system 12 for an unattended dependent 18. In a first step S1, the at least one occupant detection datum 22 may be captured by the at least one occupant detection device 20. In a second step S2, the at least one occupant detection datum 22 may be classified according to the occupant detection criterion 24 by the electronic computing device 14. In a third step S3, the at least one alert 26 may be sent to the at least one emergency contact 28 by the telecommunication device 16. In a fourth step S4, the at least one input 30 from the at least one emergency contact 28 for remote control of the at least one occupant amenity device 32 internal to the motor vehicle 10 may be listened for by the electronic computing device 14. In a fifth step S5, the at least one occupant amenity device 20 may be adjusted by the electronic computing device 14 according to a default program pending the at least one input 30 from the at least one emergency contact 28. According to an embodiment, in a sixth step S6, at least one emergency service may be contacted by the telecommunication device 16 in absence of a response from the at least one emergency contact 28.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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. Signs motor vehicle safety system electronic computing device telecommunication device unattended dependent occupant detection device occupant detection datum occupant detection criterion alert emergency contact input occupant amenity device computer-readable storage medium steps of the method

Claims

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle (10) safety system (12) for an unattended dependent (18), comprising the steps of:- capturing (S1) at least one occupant detection datum (22) by at least one occupant detection device (20) of the safety system (12);- classifying (S2) the at least one occupant detection datum (22) according to an occupant detection criterion (24) by an electronic computing device (14) of the safety system (12), whereby the occupant detection criterion (24) comprises a function that maps the at least one occupant detection datum (22) to a plurality of pre-defined classes;- sending (S3) at least one alert (26) to at least one predefined emergency contact (28) by a telecommunication device (16) of the safety system (12), depending on the above classification; and- listening (S4), by the electronic computing device (14) and depending on the classification, for at least one input (30) for remote control of at least one occupant amenity device (32) internal to the motor vehicle (10) from the at least one emergency contact (28).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one occupant detection datum (22) is captured by an optical sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one input (30) comprises at least one audio input, which is then played by at least one audio playback device among the at least one occupant amenity device (32).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one emergency service is contacted (S6) by the telecommunication device (16) in absence of a response from the at least one emergency contact (28).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one occupant amenity device (20) is adjusted (S5) by the electronic computing device (14) according to a default program pending the at least one input (30) from the at least one emergency contact (28).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, whereinthe at least one occupant detection datum (22) is saved in a computer-readable storage medium (34) by the electronic computing device (14) and / or transmitted to the at least one emergency contact (20) by the telecommunication device (16).

7. A computer program product containing computer-readable instructions for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the computer program product according to claim 7.

9. A motor vehicle (10) safety system (12) for an unattended dependent (18) comprising at least one electronic computing device (14) and at least one telecommunication device (16), wherein the safety system (12) is configured for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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