System or the like

Abstract

To prevent a person or an object from being left in a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes a getting-off confirmation switch 14 and an emergency report switch 15. When an ACC is stopped, the vehicle starts music so as to allow a checker to confirm that nothing is left, and stops the music when the getting-off confirmation switch 14 arranged at the rearmost end in the vehicle is operated. When the emergency report switch 15 is operated in a monitoring mode, warning or alarm is output. The warning or alarm may be a horn output of the vehicle and may be transmitted to a transceiver / receiver 20 with the use of wireless communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system. [Background technology]

[0002] There have been cases where people or objects have been left behind inside vehicles. As a technique for preventing children from being left behind in vehicles and for preventing heatstroke of children in vehicles, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-57088 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional techniques have various problems. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a technique different from the conventional techniques, and to prevent, for example, a person or an object from being left behind in a vehicle.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that aim to obtain effects from parts of the configurations disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. For example, this specification discloses a problem in which the part described as "can be" in this specification is read as "the problem is to be". The problems are described as being independent, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for the configurations for solving each problem separately by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. Even if the problems are implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include part of the configurations described in this specification in the scope of the patent claim by amendment or divisional application. In addition, the applicant has disclosed a configuration that solves a problem that combines these independent problems, and intends to obtain rights for it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the following configuration is adopted. The present application includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems, and an example thereof is as follows. The system for monitoring people or objects in a vehicle may have a function of monitoring the people or objects and outputting information according to the monitoring results, thereby making it possible to prevent people or objects from being left behind in the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an abandoned object monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the interior of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a table showing examples of operations in various situations (goals) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a table showing examples of operations in various situations (returning) according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a state transition diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a state transition diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4C is a state transition diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an abandoned object monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a side view of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a plan view of the interior of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a method of mounting a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a method of mounting a sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an abandoned object monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below shows an example of a case where the present invention is implemented, and the present invention is not limited to the specific configuration described below. In implementing the present invention, a specific configuration according to the embodiment may be appropriately adopted.

[0009] Furthermore, as terms used in the following description, for example, the horizontal direction does not have to be strictly horizontal, but may be substantially horizontal. The same applies to the vertical downward direction, vertical, parallel, normal line, and the like.

[0010] [1. How the idea came about] First, the background to the conception of the present invention will be described. People, including infants and kindergarteners, can be left behind in vehicles. In an aging society, there are more opportunities to transport elderly people to day care services and rehabilitation facilities, but there are concerns that similar situations may occur with physically disabled elderly people. In addition, people may leave their luggage behind in buses, trains, and other vehicles, and it may take a lot of effort to retrieve it. Therefore, there is a need to develop a system that can prevent people or objects from being left behind in vehicles unintentionally.

[0011] In relation to this, in vehicles such as microbuses, the driver may get off the vehicle, lock the doors, and leave the vehicle without noticing that a passenger is still in the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is a shuttle bus for a kindergarten or nursery school and the passenger is a small child, it may be difficult for the small child left in the vehicle to unlock the door and get out of the vehicle by himself. The passenger may be left in the vehicle and be trapped in a hostile environment such as high temperature or low temperature, exposing them to physical danger.

[0012] As a monitoring system for preventing such abandonment in vehicles, a warning system has been proposed that starts an alarm inside the vehicle when the engine is turned off, and continues the alarm until a confirmation button installed at the rear of the vehicle is pressed. With this warning system, a person who should check that no child has been left inside the vehicle (typically the driver, a childcare worker accompanying the driver, etc., hereafter referred to as the "checker") must move to the rear of the vehicle to stop the alarm after the engine is turned off, and at that time can check whether any passengers (children) remain in the vehicle. The confirmation button is installed at the rear of the vehicle in a position that cannot be easily pressed by children.

[0013] In addition, as an abandoned vehicle monitoring system to prevent people from being left behind in vehicles, a system is also known in which the abandoned occupant (child) presses an alarm button inside the vehicle, which sounds an alarm (horn, lights up) outside the vehicle.

[0014] In the following explanation, an example will be described in which the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is applied to a bus that transports children to and from a kindergarten (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "kindergarten"). In the following explanation, "inside the vehicle" may be called "inside the car", but in both cases, it is used to mean the interior of the vehicle where people may be present (i.e., the inside of the car).

[0015] In the following description, the vehicle will be described as an internal combustion engine vehicle having an engine as a drive source, but the vehicle is not limited to this and may be a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a traction motor as a drive source, an electric vehicle having a traction motor as a drive source, etc. Also, the vehicle will be described as a small bus such as a microbus, but the vehicle is not limited to this and may be a large bus.

[0016] [2. Configuration of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an abandoned vehicle monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100, which monitors abandoned vehicles in a vehicle, is a system that monitors people in the vehicle and has a function of monitoring people and outputting information according to the monitoring result. The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 includes a main unit 11, a plurality of sensors 12a to 12d, a buzzer 13, a dismount confirmation switch 14, an emergency call switch 15, an answerback unit 16, a first drive recorder 17, a second drive recorder 18, a personal computer 19, a transceiver 20, a monitoring terminal 21, and a personal computer 22. The plurality of sensors 12a to 12b, the buzzer 13, the dismount confirmation switch 14, the emergency call switch 15, the answerback unit 16, the first drive recorder 17, and the second drive recorder 18 are connected to the main unit 11 to form an in-vehicle system. The main unit 11 is also configured to be able to connect to a personal computer 19 as necessary. A mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, or other terminal device may be used instead of the personal computer 19. At least the main unit 11, the multiple sensors 12a to 12d, the buzzer 13, the exit confirmation switch 14, the emergency call switch 15, the answerback unit 16, the first drive recorder 17, and the second drive recorder 18 are mounted on the vehicle side.

[0017] Furthermore, the main unit 11 is connected to the ACC (accessory power) input and horn output of the vehicle. The ACC input is a power line to which power from the ACC is input. The ACC is an example of a power source on the vehicle side. The horn output is a signal line to which an instruction to make the horn emit a sound is output. The horn is an example of an alarm unit that issues an alarm. A constant power source (+B) is connected to the main unit 11 as a power source for supplying power to the main unit 11 even after the engine or ACC is turned off. The main unit 11 is also connected to a power source line (GND) that supplies a ground potential. Note that the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may have, for example, a built-in battery or be connected to an external battery, and may be supplied with power from the battery so that the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 can operate even when the ACC is off.

[0018] The main unit 11 may further include a terminal for connecting an OBDII adapter that can be connected to an OBDII ("II" is the Roman numeral for "2") connector of the vehicle V. The OBDII connector is also called a fault diagnosis connector, and is connected to the ECU (Engine Control Unit) of the vehicle. This terminal is connected to an OBDII connector via an OBDII adapter, and various vehicle information is output from the terminal at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 0.5 seconds). By connecting this terminal to an OBDII connector via an OBDII adapter, the main unit 11 can receive power for operating the abandoned vehicle monitoring system and obtain vehicle information.

[0019] The vehicle information is information related to the state of the vehicle, such as the vehicle speed, engine RPM, engine load factor, throttle degree, ignition timing, percentage of remaining fuel, intake manifold pressure, intake air flow rate (MAF), injection open time, engine coolant temperature (coolant temperature), air temperature taken into the engine (intake air temperature), outside air temperature (outside air temperature), amount of remaining fuel in the fuel tank (remaining fuel amount), fuel flow rate, instantaneous fuel consumption, accelerator opening, turn signal information (operation of left and right turn signals (ON / OFF)), brake opening, steering wheel rotation angle, gear position, and door open / close state information.

[0020] The main unit 11 controls the entire system mounted on the vehicle side of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100. The main unit 11 is an example of a control unit that controls each unit mounted on the vehicle side of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100. The main unit 11 is, for example, a computer including a processor and a memory. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or a combination of a CPU, MPU ... The main unit 11 may have a graphics processing unit (GPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The memory may have a main storage device having a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and the like. The processor temporarily stores a program read from the ROM of the memory in the RAM. The RAM of the memory provides a working area for the processor. The processor performs various controls by temporarily storing data generated during the execution of the program in the RAM while performing arithmetic processing. The memory may further have a hardware disk, SSD, or other auxiliary storage device for permanently storing data. In addition to the above, the main unit 11 may have a timekeeping unit (e.g., a real-time clock) for measuring time, and other elements necessary for realizing each function described below.

[0021] The sensors 12a to 12d are configured by combining a Doppler sensor (which may be called a microwave sensor) and an IR (which may be called an infrared) sensor. In this embodiment, four sensors (sensors 12a to 12d) are attached to the vehicle, so that the entire interior of the vehicle or a spatial area appropriate for fulfilling the function of the abandoned object monitoring system 100 is targeted for detection by the sensors. However, three or less or five or more sensors may be attached to the vehicle. The sensors 12a to 12d are an example of sensors that detect the situation inside the vehicle.

[0022] The buzzer 13 outputs a buzzer sound in response to an instruction from the main unit 11. The alighting confirmation switch 14 is a push button switch that detects a pressing operation. The alighting confirmation switch 14 is a switch for alighting confirmation that is operated after the ACC is turned off and after the alighting confirmation of the occupants in the vehicle is confirmed. Therefore, the alighting confirmation switch 14 should be installed in consideration of the place that the occupant will always pass through when alighting confirmation is confirmed. For example, assuming that the person making the confirmation is the driver, the alighting confirmation switch 14 should be installed at the rear side of the vehicle, which is further back than the spatial area (boarding area) in which the seats are arranged, as seen from the driver's seat of the vehicle. Such a "alighting confirmation switch" may be referred to as a "rear switch" below. By operating the alighting confirmation switch 14, an operation signal indicating that the operation has been performed is supplied to the main unit 11. Furthermore, the main unit 11 is notified of the operation to the transceiver 20 via the answerback unit 16. Here, the alighting confirmation switch 14 includes a physical switch, but may be realized by an operation unit (first operation unit) that detects a contact operation using a touch panel or a non-contact operation using a proximity sensor.

[0023] The transceiver 20 is a computer device equipped with a display unit consisting of a liquid crystal panel or the like. The transceiver 20 may be a remote control used by the driver of the vehicle, but if it is a device used by someone other than the driver, such as a nursery school or kindergarten staff member within the facility, it will have a function for checking whether a third party other than the driver has gotten off the vehicle. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the transceiver 20 is assumed to be a tabletop transceiver placed within the kindergarten (within the kindergarten facility) that operates and manages the vehicle.

[0024] Furthermore, if the exit confirmation switch is not operated within a certain period of time after the ACC is turned off, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of that fact via the answerback unit 16 and sounds the vehicle horn. The transceiver 20 receives a notification or report from the vehicle side and reports information based on the notification or report.

[0025] The emergency call switch 15 is a push button switch that detects a pressing operation when the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 is in monitoring mode. The emergency call switch 15 is a switch for making an emergency call that is operated by an occupant when the occupant is left behind. By operating the emergency call switch 15, the main unit 11 reports an emergency to the transceiver 20 via the answerback unit 16 and sounds the vehicle horn. Here, the emergency call switch 15 includes a physical switch, but may be realized by an operation unit (second operation unit) that detects a contact operation using a touch panel or a non-contact operation using a proximity sensor.

[0026] In this way, when the button attached to the vehicle is pressed, a siren is activated, and a loud sound is emitted from a speaker such as a security product, so that it is possible to inform the outside that a person has been left inside the vehicle. The emergency call switch 15 is preferably designed to have a reaction force that even a child such as an infant can press. In addition, in order to prevent children from playing with the vehicle while it is running, the operation of the emergency call switch 15 may be linked to the ACC input, and for example, the emergency call switch 15 may be configured to operate only when the accessory power is off. For example, the main unit 11 may activate the siren in response to the operation of the emergency call switch 15 when the accessory power is off, but may not activate the siren in response to the operation of the emergency call switch 15 when the accessory power is on. Such an emergency call switch 15 may be called an anti-personnel-left-behind button or the like.

[0027] The monitoring mode is a predetermined operation mode for monitoring the inside of the vehicle. The main unit 11 starts the monitoring mode, for example, when the ACC power is turned off or when the engine of the vehicle is turned off. The main unit 11 ends the monitoring mode, for example, when the ACC power is turned on or when the engine of the vehicle starts to operate. The monitoring mode may be ended when it is determined that no person is present in the vehicle. The answerback unit 16 is a device having an answerback function. The answerback unit is a hardware element that can also be applied to a security system (car security system) for preventing theft of a vehicle or vandalism to a vehicle. In this way, if the car security system is diverted to another purpose such as an abandoned vehicle monitoring system, it is possible to simplify the manufacturing process and reduce manufacturing costs, and also to reduce the manufacturing of new parts and devices by diverting parts and devices, which leads to the provision of environmentally friendly technology and contributes to the SDGs.

[0028] The answerback unit 16 performs wireless communication with the transceiver 20, for example, using 429 MHz band radio. The 429 MHz band radio is, for example, a special low-power radio. The special low-power radio is a type of wireless communication that may also be used in car security systems. The wireless communication between the main unit 11 and the transceiver 20 is not limited to a method via the answerback unit 16, and may be performed using other wireless communication units (for example, a wireless communication module having a communication line and an antenna). The communication method is also not limited to a special low-power radio, and other communication methods such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used. For example, it is preferable that a communication environment is established in which the answerback unit 16 and the transceiver 20 can communicate with each other, taking into account the location and distance of the system mounted on the vehicle and the transceiver 20, and the environment thereof.

[0029] The first drive recorder 17 photographs the interior of the vehicle and records the video according to the control of the main unit 11. The first drive recorder 17 is an example of a first imaging device mounted on a vehicle to photograph the video. The first drive recorder 17 has a function of performing wireless communication with the monitoring terminal 21 using, for example, WiFi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The second drive recorder 18 photographs the interior of the vehicle and records the video according to input from the sensors 12a to 12d. The second drive recorder 18 is an example of a second imaging device mounted on a vehicle to photograph the video. That is, the second drive recorder 18 starts a recording operation triggered by the occurrence of an event that the sensors 12a to 12d detect an occupant. This recording operation may be a recording operation that is understood as a so-called event recording. The second drive recorder 18 further transmits the recorded video to the monitoring terminal 21 using wireless communication. The second drive recorder 18 may transmit the recorded video in parallel with the recording operation, and it is particularly preferable to transmit the recorded video so that the real-time video can be confirmed by an external device. When the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 transmit the video, they may transmit the video without going through the main unit 11, or the main unit 11 may receive the video from the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 and transmit the video. In this embodiment, the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 are used, but a photographing device (first photographing device, second photographing device) that is not recognized as a drive recorder may be used as long as it has a function of photographing and outputting the photographed video. The photographing device may have, for example, a CCD or CMOS as an image sensor. The photographing device may output the photographed video to the main unit 11 by wired or wireless communication.

[0030] The personal computer 19 is a computer device that is connected to the main unit 11 to perform various settings and obtain history information (for example, about 20 items) from the main unit 11.

[0031] The monitoring terminal 21 is a computer device for monitoring the state of the vehicle from a position away from the vehicle. If the monitoring terminal 21 is a device used by a person other than the driver of the vehicle, a monitoring function by a third party other than the driver can be performed. It is convenient to use a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet computer as the monitoring terminal 21, but a stationary terminal device or other information processing device may also be used. Like the transceiver 20, the monitoring terminal 21 is used within the kindergarten (for example, within the kindergarten facilities) that operates and manages the vehicle. The personal computer 22 is a computer device that is connected to the transceiver 20 as necessary to send emails when an alarm occurs and to manage documents.

[0032] Although not shown, each computer device such as the personal computer 19, the transceiver 20, the monitoring terminal 21, and the personal computer 22 has a processor (e.g., a CPU) and a memory (e.g., a RAM), and realizes various functions by reading and executing a program into the memory. Each device such as the personal computer 19, the transceiver 20, the monitoring terminal 21, and the personal computer 22 may have a component device required to realize each function described later, such as an operation unit, a display unit, and a communication unit.

[0033] [3. Example of vehicle configuration] Fig. 2A is a side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2B is a plan view of the interior of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the examples of Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, the vehicle 50 is a small bus called a microbus that can accommodate about 10 to several dozen passengers. A driver's seat 51 is provided at the front of the vehicle 50, and a boarding / alighting door 52 is provided at the center of the side opposite the driver's seat 51, slightly toward the front, and multiple seats 54 for passengers are provided on both sides of a central aisle 53.

[0034] 2A and 2B, a main unit 11 and an answerback unit 16 are provided at the front of a vehicle 50, an emergency call switch 15 is provided at a boarding / alighting entrance 52, and an alighting confirmation switch 14 is provided at the rear of the vehicle 50. Four sensors 12a-12d are installed at intervals on the ceiling of the vehicle 50 so as to detect passengers in multiple seats 54. The number of sensors 12a-12d may be more or less than four depending on the size of the vehicle (the number of seats).

[0035] [4. Operation Example of the Abandonment Monitoring System 100] The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 operates as follows. First, the operation from the start of monitoring to the end of monitoring (in other words, when in monitoring mode) is as follows. When the ACC is turned off, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of that effect via the answerback unit 16. At this time, the main unit 11 may also sound the buzzer 13, but since there is a high possibility that an occupant is still in the vehicle, it is preferable for the occupant not to sound the buzzer. Then, if the exit confirmation switch 14 is not pressed within a specified time after the ACC is turned off, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of that effect via the answerback unit 16, sounds the buzzer 13, and sounds the horn. It is preferable that the specified time at this time be configured to be changeable by settings. Sounding the buzzer 13 and the horn are examples of notifying or warning.

[0036] Also, if the exit confirmation switch 14 is operated within the specified time, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of the operation and sounds the buzzer 13. The exit confirmation switch 14 is set to secure a delay time during which the switch is not immediately accepted after the ACC is turned off (the accepted operation is invalidated). That is, the exit confirmation switch 14 needs to be operated after the first specified time has elapsed after the ACC is turned off and before the second specified time has elapsed. This is desirable because, even if the exit confirmation switch 14 is pressed by an occupant such as a small child or the driver presses the exit confirmation switch 14 without thoroughly checking the interior of the vehicle, the operation is not valid, but the checker (e.g., the driver) moves around the vehicle to check the interior and then presses the exit confirmation switch 14, which is treated as a valid operation. The first and second specified times are preferably configured to be changeable by settings. For example, the first and second specified times are considered to differ depending on the number of people in the vehicle or the number of seats.

[0037] During the period from after the first specified time has elapsed until the second specified time has elapsed, while waiting for the operation of the alighting confirmation switch 14, the main unit 11 sounds the buzzer 13 to notify the person making the confirmation that he or she should operate the alighting confirmation switch 14. The transceiver 20 may also have a fail-safe function of counting a specified time from receiving a notification that the ACC has been turned off, and issuing an alarm (buzzer sound, display, etc.) in the transceiver 20 if no notification is received that the alighting confirmation switch 14 has been operated.

[0038] After the ACC is turned off, the main unit 11 starts monitoring by activating the sensors 12a to 12d after a specified time has elapsed, regardless of the operation of the exit confirmation switch 14. It is preferable that the specified time until monitoring starts and the specified time until monitoring ends can be changed by settings. The main unit 11 cancels monitoring when the ACC is next turned on, and the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of this fact via the answerback unit 16 and sounds the buzzer 13.

[0039] The operation of issuing an alarm or warning is as follows. When any of the sensors 12a to 12d detects an occupant, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of an alarm via the answerback unit 16, sounds the buzzer 13, and sounds the horn. In this case, the main unit 11 continues to sound the buzzer 13 and the horn until a specified operation is performed. The specified operation is preferably a predetermined operation performed after checking the interior of the vehicle 50, for example, pressing the exit confirmation switch 14. Also, when the emergency call switch 15 is operated, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 of an alarm via the answerback unit 16, sounds the buzzer 13, and sounds the horn.

[0040] When a button is operated to stop the alarm, the transceiver 20 notifies the main unit 11 of this button operation. The main unit 11 receives the notification of this button operation via the answerback unit 16 and temporarily stops the sound of the buzzer 13. If the transceiver 20 does not cancel the alarm within a specified time (e.g., five minutes), the main unit 11 makes the buzzer 13 sound again.

[0041] When the horn of the vehicle 50 is sounding, the sounding of the horn can be stopped by turning on the ACC of the vehicle 50 or by operating the exit confirmation switch 14. When the sounding of the horn is stopped, the main unit 11 notifies the transceiver 20 to that effect via the answerback unit 16.

[0042] As described above, the transceiver 20 has the functions of receiving and displaying notifications of ACC on and off, receiving and displaying notifications of operation of the alighting confirmation switch 14 and displaying an alarm if the alighting confirmation switch 14 is not operated within a predetermined period of time, displaying an alarm or warning based on detection by the sensors 12a to 12d, receiving and displaying notifications of operation of the emergency call switch 15, checking history (e.g., 20 items) by button operation, and making various settings (e.g., settings can be changed by entering a PIN number).

[0043] A personal computer 22 is also connected to the transceiver 20. The personal computer 22 realizes a function of managing and recording documents. The document records the date and time when the ACC was turned on, the date and time when the ACC was turned off, the date and time when the disembarking confirmation switch 14 was operated, the date and time when the sensors 12a to 12d detected an occupant and issued an alarm or warning, the date and time when the emergency call switch 15 was operated, and the like. Furthermore, by connecting the personal computer 22 to the transceiver 20, a function is realized in which the personal computer 22 transmits, for example, text data to a registered email address when an alarm is issued.

[0044] As described above, in the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 of this embodiment, the emergency call switch 15 is provided in the vehicle, and when the emergency call switch 15 is operated during monitoring, the main unit 11 sounds the horn to notify the outside. At this time, the main unit 11 may also turn on the hazard lamps or turn on the headlights. Furthermore, in an emergency, the main unit 11 transmits (sends) the images recorded by the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 to the outside, and notifies the external transceiver 20 and the monitoring terminal 21 by radio that an emergency situation (abandonment has occurred) occurs. In this case, the images captured by the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 may be displayed on the transceiver 20 and the monitoring terminal 21.

[0045] [5. Other Configuration Examples or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 1] Other configuration examples or operation examples of the abandoned object monitoring system 100 will be described below. Two or more of the following configuration examples or operation examples can be appropriately combined. In addition, the configuration examples or operation examples can be appropriately combined with other configuration examples or operation examples in this specification.

[0046] The sensors 12a to 12d may be attached to the ceiling of the vehicle 50 using a bracket that prevents the children from removing it. On the premise that the children cannot reach the ceiling of the vehicle 50, the sensors 12a to 12d may be attached to the ceiling in some manner. The sensors 12a to 12d may be attached to a position other than the ceiling that is out of reach of the children.

[0047] The exit confirmation switch 14 is a switch operated by the person who checks that nothing has been left behind, and is not a switch that should be operated by the child, so it may be a valet switch that is ineffective even if pressed by the child. In this case, the valet switch may be operated by inputting a two-digit number using two buttons (stopping the sounding of the buzzer 13). For example, the valet switch may be required to be operated to a degree that does not cause stress to the person who checks, such as pressing the left button twice and the right button three times. The valet switch is an operation unit that may be used in a car security system for authentication to confirm that the user is a legitimate user of the vehicle. If this authentication is successful, the security monitoring state is released. The valet switch is preferably placed in a place that is difficult for the legitimate user of the vehicle to understand, for example, in a position that is not visible or difficult to see from outside the vehicle. Therefore, the exit confirmation switch 14, which is a valet switch, is preferably placed in a position that is not visible or difficult to see from outside the vehicle, such as the bottom of the rearmost part.

[0048] Incidentally, if a loud sound is sounded within 10 seconds after the engine is turned off, it is unlikely that all the children will get off the vehicle within 10 seconds after the engine is turned off, and a sound of 85 dB or more will start sounding while the children are still in the vehicle, and the driver, acting as a checker, will rush to the exit confirmation switch 14. In this case, the loud sound will be bad for the children's mental state, and the children will head to the exit gate while the driver heads in the opposite direction, which may lead to a collision between the driver and the inside of the vehicle. A method that does not require panicking is to have the children get off the vehicle with the engine running, but this may also be undesirable. Therefore, the main unit 11 may play a soft sound, melody, or voice (hereinafter collectively referred to as "soft sound, etc.") immediately after the vehicle engine is turned off, to remind the driver not to forget to press the exit confirmation switch 14 (for example, the rear valet switch). In this case, it is preferable not to set a time limit before the sound is sounded. This is because soft sounds are not painful for the driver or the children to hear, and are, for example, comfortable. When the driver thinks that all the children have got off, he or she can go and slowly operate the alighting confirmation switch 14. This is because the purpose is to patrol the inside of the vehicle. Also, the main unit 11 does not go into monitoring mode while waiting for the alighting confirmation switch 14 to be operated. When the driver presses the alighting confirmation switch 14, the main unit 11 stops the soft sounds. The driver looks around the inside of the vehicle, gets off, and closes the door. The main unit 11 may go into monitoring mode only after detecting that the door is closed. If the main unit 11 detects that the door is closed without operating the alighting confirmation switch 14, it may sound a siren (e.g., a buzzer 13 or a horn). A sensor for detecting door closure, which will be described later, may be used to detect door closure.

[0049] Alternatively, in the above embodiment, the main unit 11 sounds the buzzer 13 when the ACC is turned off. Instead, the buzzer 13 may be sounded when the engine is turned off to prompt the person checking to see if the child has been left behind and to operate the dismount confirmation switch 14. In this case, there is no need to set a time limit for operating the dismount confirmation switch 14. According to this specification, the person checking can take a sufficient amount of time to check that all children have dismounted. Furthermore, the main unit 11 does not enter monitoring mode while waiting for the dismount confirmation switch 14 to be operated. In other words, the main unit 11 disables the operation of the emergency call switch 15. This makes it possible to prevent an alarm or warning from being issued even if the child operates the emergency call switch 15 when dismounting.

[0050] A sensor for detecting door closure may be provided at the boarding / alighting entrance 52. In this case, the person checking confirms that nothing has been left behind in the vehicle and operates the alighting confirmation switch 14, and the main unit 11 stops the buzzer 13 and closes the door, detecting this door closure and starting the monitoring mode. If the main unit 11 detects door closure without operating the alighting confirmation switch 14, it may sound a single warning siren.

[0051] In addition, the main unit 11 may notify the transceiver 20 of events inside the vehicle, such as turning off the engine, operating the exit confirmation switch 14, and detecting door closure, at any time, and keep a history or document the history.

[0052] In this way, the monitoring mode may be started by both the child and the person checking the vehicle getting off and closing the door. In this case, for example, the person may later realize that they left something behind inside the vehicle and open the door again. In this case, the sensor will detect the door being open. Even if the sensors 12a to 12d detect an occupant thereafter, no alarm or warning is issued because the door is open. Therefore, the main unit 11 may issue an alarm or warning after confirming that the engine is off and the door is closed (for example, with a delay of about one second) rather than immediately issuing an alarm or warning when the sensors 12a to 12d detect an occupant.

[0053] Also, when the vehicle 50 departs from the departure point, it is possible that the engine is off and the door is closed and children are in the vehicle. That is, this is the case when the engine is started after all the children have boarded and the door is closed. For example, this is the case when the vehicle 50 is about to depart. In this state, it is necessary to prevent an alarm from being issued. In this case, the monitoring mode is released when the door is opened, and then when the driver gets in and closes the door, the engine is still off at this time, so the conditions of engine off and door closing are met, but the order of operation of the reset button on the driver's seat 51, operation of the exit confirmation switch 14, and door closing are not met, so the main unit 11 does not release the monitoring mode. That is, the order of operation of the exit confirmation switch 14 is added to the condition of engine off and door closing, so that the monitoring mode is entered. By doing this, the monitoring mode may not be started in the above-mentioned situation.

[0054] It is conceivable that a child may operate the alighting confirmation switch 14 while all the children are alighting. To prevent this, a reset button may be provided in the driver's seat 51, and the driver, who is the person in charge of checking, may operate the reset button in the driver's seat 51 after confirming that all the children have alighted, and then move around the vehicle 50 to operate the alighting confirmation switch 14. When the reset button is pressed, the main unit 11 may disable the operation of the alighting confirmation switch 14, even if the alighting confirmation switch 14 has been operated. In this way, the occurrence of inconveniences caused by the operation of the alighting confirmation switch 14 by children can be prevented.

[0055] The volume of the buzzer 13 for encouraging the person to visually check the rear seat may be changeable by settings. The main unit 11 may be configured to emit a sound from the buzzer 13 at a volume according to the setting.

[0056] Alternatively, the main unit 11 may be configured as a speaker with adjustable volume for encouraging the rear seat passengers to visually check the vehicle after the engine is turned off. If the volume exceeds a certain volume as specified by the standard, a sound source that generates a sound above the certain volume, such as a siren, may be used to emit a sound. The certain volume is, for example, 85 dB, but is not limited to this.

[0057] [6. Other Configuration Examples or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 2] The following configuration or operation examples can be appropriately combined with other configuration or operation examples in this specification. In a monitoring system for preventing children from being left behind in vehicles, the most important thing is to be able to detect when a child has been left behind on a bus. However, in reality, the bus departs from the parking lot empty, passes through the pick-up and drop-off point, takes children and teachers to the nursery school or kindergarten, and returns the vehicle 50 to the parking lot. It is also assumed that the engine will be stopped during the pick-up and drop-off process, and that teachers and drivers will leave children on the bus and get off. In addition, after dropping off the children, the bus may be returned to the parking lot, the vehicle may be taken to a dealer for inspection, the bus may go on a field trip, or the children may touch the rear button, and various other situations may be considered. The problem is what operation or action should be performed at each time.

[0058] 3A and 3B are tables showing examples of actions in various situations. Fig. 3A shows actions for going, i.e., taking children to the kindergarten, and Fig. 3B shows actions for returning, i.e., taking children from the kindergarten to the pick-up and drop-off location.

[0059] In FIG. 3A, S11 to S18 are as follows. S11: When teachers, children, and parents are dropped off at the school, the bus is moved and parked in the parking lot / When teachers are dropped off at the pick-up and drop-off station and children are picked up S12: When a teacher gets off the car before the children at the kindergarten / When the engine is turned off at the pick-up station and the teacher goes to pick up the children (the engine may be turned off because the noise of the engine may disturb the neighbors) S13: When you arrive at the school and a child gets off first S14: When we arrive at the school and teachers and students are still on the bus / When students are getting on the bus at the pick-up and drop-off station S15: When everyone gets off at the kindergarten or parking lot / When everyone gets off at the pick-up and drop-off station (When the teacher goes to pick up the children and the driver gets off for other business without the children still on board) S16: When the driver and teacher get off the bus at the kindergarten and the children are still on the bus / When the driver and teacher get off at the pick-up station (the teacher goes to pick up the children and the driver gets off for other business) S17: When only the teacher is on the bus at the kindergarten / When only the teacher is on the bus at the pick-up / drop-off station (when the driver gets off for other business) S18: If the driver gets off at the park first / If the driver gets off at the shuttle station for other business

[0060] In FIG. 3A, A11 to A18 are as follows. A11: Melody A12: Driver's seat 51 (for example, a switch on the driver's seat 51 side (for example, a valet switch)) A13: Rear button (disembarkation confirmation switch 14) A14: Melody A15: Door close A16: Siren A17:Retry A18:Monitoring mode

[0061] In addition, in FIG. 3A, A51 to A55 are as follows. A51: Encourage patrols A52: Resetting rear buttons by children A53: Stop the melody A54: Encourage patrols A55: Report failure to enter monitoring mode

[0062] In FIG. 3B, S21 to S25 are as follows. S21: When the bus is moved from the parking lot to the kindergarten and parked at the kindergarten (before teachers and children board) / When all teachers and children get off at the pick-up station S22: When a bus is moved from the parking lot to the kindergarten, parked at the kindergarten, and children board first / When a teacher gets off first at the pick-up / drop-off station / When a teacher gets off first at the pick-up / drop-off station and children are getting off S23: When the teacher gets on at the kindergarten and the children have not yet boarded / When all the children get off at the pick-up station and the teacher gets on / When all the children get off at the pick-up station without the teacher getting off S24: When all teachers and children are aboard at the kindergarten (just before departure) / When teachers are aboard and children are aboard at the kindergarten / When the engine has just been turned off at the pick-up and drop-off station / When teachers are aboard the bus and children are getting off at the pick-up and drop-off station S25: When the child arrives at the kindergarten and everyone gets off the bus / When the teacher gets off at the pick-up station, the child gets off, and the driver gets off for other business.

[0063] In FIG. 3B, A21 to A28 are as follows. A21: Melody A22: Driver's seat 51 (for example, a switch on the driver's seat 51 side (for example, a valet switch)) A23: Rear button (disembarkation confirmation switch 14) A24: Melody A25: Door close (door closed) A26: Siren A27:Retry A28:Monitoring mode

[0064] In addition, in FIG. 3B, A61 to A65 are as follows. A61: Encourage patrols A62: Resetting rear buttons by children A63: Stop the melody A64: Encourage patrols A65: Notify (notify, inform) of failure to follow the procedure for switching to monitoring mode

[0065] In the above embodiment, the vehicle 50 is provided with two drive recorders, the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18, but only one of them may be provided. Recording by these drive records may be performed only when the sensors 12a to 12d react when there is absolutely no one in the vehicle (i.e., when the vehicle is in monitoring mode). This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary recording when it is not necessary. In this way, the main unit 11 is configured so that the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 can be connected and recording inside the bus is also possible. However, assuming that there are cases where it is not acceptable to record children, recording should be performed only when there is absolutely no one in the vehicle. When no one is supposed to be in the vehicle, the sensors 12a to 12d (here, the microwave sensor and the IR sensor) do not react (i.e., the presence of a person is not detected), and therefore, when the sensors 12a to 12d react (i.e., the presence of a person is detected), the main unit 11 may cause the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 to record. Furthermore, when the sensors 12a to 12d do not react (i.e., the presence of a person is not detected), the main unit 11 may not cause the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18 to record, in other words, stop recording. Other conditions may be used as conditions indicating that no one is supposed to be in the vehicle.

[0066] Moreover, the report creation is realized by the main unit 11 sending operational events such as engine on, engine off, button operation, door opening / closing, and operational errors, and operational events such as door opening / closing, sensor detection, and alarm generation to the transceiver 20, and then sending the history from the transceiver 20 to the personal computer 22. The report (history) created in this way can be utilized for the education of drivers and teachers.

[0067] [7. Other Configurations or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 3] The following configuration or operation examples can be appropriately combined with other configuration or operation examples in this specification. As described above, the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may be configured to activate the monitoring mode at the timing of closing the door when the reset operation, rear button operation, and door closing are detected in this order, but in this case, the alarm mode will also be activated when the driver closes the door inside the bus. In response to this, GPS may be used to distinguish between places where an alarm must be issued, such as kindergartens and parking lots, and places where an alarm should not be issued, such as pick-up and drop-off stations. For this reason, the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may have a location information acquisition unit as a function of acquiring location information using GPS. The vehicle 50 may be equipped with a GPS receiver. In the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100, places such as kindergartens, parking lots, and pick-up and drop-off stations are registered as areas (so-called my areas) that are permitted to issue an alarm based on location information. The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may issue an alarm (an example of an alarm) only in places registered as an alarm issuing area, such as kindergartens, and may only report to the transceiver 20 without issuing an alarm in places not registered or places where a GPS signal cannot be received.

[0068] In this way, locations where an emergency alert should be issued may be registered, and the alert may be issued only when the vehicle is in such a location, or conversely, locations where an alert should not be issued may be registered, and an alert may not be issued when the vehicle 50 is in such a location. This makes it possible to achieve both safety assurance to prevent vehicles from being left behind and convenience in canceling alerts at specific locations (gas stations, vehicle inspection locations, etc.).

[0069] In this specification, the description of GPS may be replaced with GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The function of performing positioning using such GPS or GNSS and acquiring position information indicating the determined position is an example of a position information acquisition unit. The position information acquisition unit acquires position information indicating the position of the vehicle (more specifically, the current position). The main unit 11 may acquire the position information from this position information acquisition unit. The position of the vehicle can be regarded as the position of the person (passenger) riding in the vehicle and the position of each device mounted on the vehicle. The position information acquisition unit acquires position information (latitude information and longitude information) based on a signal from GPS (Global Positioning System), which is one of the GNSS, for example, and the position information acquisition unit may also acquire position information based on QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System). The location information acquisition unit may also acquire location information by a method of identifying an access point of a connected wireless LAN or a method of base station positioning. In this way, location registration can be used to provide notifications (eg, generate alerts) when appropriate.

[0070] [8. Other Configurations or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 4] The following configuration or operation examples can be appropriately combined with other configuration or operation examples in this specification. The CAN invader countermeasure device has an area detection function. The area detection may be used to control the monitoring mode. In this case, it is assumed that the driver has a transceiver (hereinafter, also referred to as a "remote control") 20. The remote control may be a key (e.g., a smart key) for the driver to lock or unlock the vehicle 50, but it is preferable to use a remote control that is separate from the key and is carried along with the key. For example, such a remote control may be a remote control developed for a car security system, and may have a function of receiving the vehicle's locked or unlocked state and the state of the vehicle 50, for example, the state detected by the sensors 12a to 12d, from the main unit 11 and notifying the driver. The communication between the main unit 11 and the remote control 20 is performed, for example, by a special low-power radio, but other communication methods such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) may also be used.

[0071] Area detection is a function to detect whether the remote control 20 is present within a predetermined area (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "detection area") based on the position of the main unit 11, in other words, the vehicle 50 on which the main unit 11 is mounted. "Whether the remote control 20 is present" may be read as "whether a person holding the remote control 20 is present." The person holding the remote control 20 is a confirmer who is a driver here. Detecting whether the remote control 20 is present essentially means detecting whether a person holding the remote control 20, in this example, a driver, is present. An example of area detection will be described. To explain a first method of area detection, the main unit 11 transmits a first wireless signal of a predetermined strength to the remote control 20. The first wireless signal may include, for example, information requesting notification of the reception strength of the first wireless signal. When the remote control 20 receives the first wireless signal, it calculates the reception strength of the first wireless signal. The reception strength may be a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), but other values ​​that are indicative of the reception strength may also be used. The remote control 20 transmits a second wireless signal including information on the calculated reception strength of the first wireless signal to the in-vehicle system side, here the main unit 11. The main unit 11 compares the reception strength of the first wireless signal determined based on the received second reception strength with a predetermined threshold, and if the reception strength of the first wireless signal is equal to or greater than the threshold, determines that the remote control 20 is present within the predetermined detection area, and if it is less than the threshold, determines that the remote control 20 is not present within the predetermined detection area. The threshold may be set in advance, for example, during initial setup before the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 is started to be used.

[0072] The method of area detection is not limited to this. To explain the second method of area detection, the remote control 20 transmits a third wireless signal of a predetermined strength, and the main unit 11 compares this third wireless signal with a predetermined threshold value. If the reception strength of the third wireless signal is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the remote control 20 may be determined to be present within the predetermined detection area, and if it is less than the threshold value, the remote control 20 may be determined to be absent within the predetermined detection area. A third method may be a combination of the first and second methods, and the main unit 11 may determine that the remote control 20 is present within the predetermined detection area if one or both of the reception strength of the first wireless signal and the reception strength of the third wireless signal are equal to or greater than the threshold value, and otherwise determine that the remote control 20 is not present within the predetermined detection area. In addition, the remote control 20 may be configured to compare the reception strength with a threshold value and transmit (notify) the result of the comparison, for example, whether or not it is within the predetermined detection area, to the main unit 11. It is particularly preferable that the first wireless signal and the third wireless signal are transmitted without an explicit instruction from the user, for example, by transmitting them at a predetermined cycle.

[0073] The range of area detection (in other words, the range of the detection area) can be changed by setting a threshold value. The smaller the threshold value, the more the detection area can be limited to the vicinity of the vehicle 50, and the larger the threshold value, the more the detection area can include positions farther from the vehicle 50. By setting the threshold value, for example, the main unit 11 is configured to set the range of area detection in 100 stages and to use the threshold value according to the set stage. For example, a case is assumed in which the range of the area is set to about 100 m (for example, a radius of 100 m). If the main unit 11 determines that the remote control 20 is within the detection area based on the area detection, it does not start the monitoring mode. However, the main unit 11 operates the sensors 12a to 12d, and reports to the remote control 20 when the sensors 12a to 12d detect an occupant. When the remote control 20 receives this report, it is preferable for it to notify the driver by sounding a sound or displaying on a display unit. If the main unit 11 determines that the remote control 20 is outside the detection area, it starts the monitoring mode.

[0074] The main unit 11 and the remote control 20 operate as follows, for example. Here, the range of area detection is set to 100 m. If the driver is within 100 m and goes to retrieve a forgotten item, the main unit 11 will not activate the monitoring mode no matter what he does. When the driver is within 100 m when putting children on the bus, the main unit 11 will not activate the monitoring mode. Even if the sensors 12a to 12d enter the monitoring mode to detect an occupant, the main unit 11 will not sound the siren, but will notify the remote control 20. The remote control 20 will notify the driver by sounding a sound or the like upon receiving this notification. After dropping off the children, the driver goes to the parking lot, stops the vehicle 50, and when the remote control 20 is outside the 100 m range of the vehicle 50, the main unit 11 will activate the monitoring mode. When the parking lot of the vehicle 50 is within 100 m from the driver, the main unit 11 will not activate the monitoring mode, but will notify the remote control 20 if the sensors 12a to 12d detect an occupant. The remote control 20 receives this report and notifies the driver by sounding a sound or the like.

[0075] When the driver forgets the remote control 20, it is not desirable to have a way to easily release the remote control 20 even if the driver forgets the remote control 20, so it is desirable to give a penalty when the remote control 20 is forgotten. For example, the main unit 11 may sound a siren at the pick-up station when the remote control 20 is forgotten. To avoid this, the engine of the vehicle 50 may not be turned off at the pick-up station. Since area detection is not possible, the main unit 11 may impose a penalty of recording the fact that the remote control 20 has been forgotten in a storage unit such as an SD card. The storage unit may be, for example, a storage medium provided in at least one of the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18, or may be a storage unit separate from these.

[0076] The area detection may be a function that detects whether the remote control 20 or a person holding the remote control 20 is in the detection area, and a method other than the above may be adopted. Also, the area detection may be a function that does not require the use of the remote control 20, and another method may be adopted for detecting whether a person who is to check is in the detection area. In this way, based on the area detection, a notification (for example, sounding a siren or reporting to the remote control 20) can be made when appropriate.

[0077] [9. Other Configuration Examples or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 5] The configuration using the position information acquisition unit described in [7. Other configuration examples or operation examples of the abandoned object monitoring system 100, part 3] and the configuration related to area detection described in [8. Other configuration examples or operation examples of the abandoned object monitoring system 100, part 4] may be combined as follows. In addition, the following configuration examples or operation examples can be appropriately combined with other configuration examples or operation examples in this specification.

[0078] Based on the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit, the main unit 11 first performs location registration using GPS, and distinguishes between locations where a siren may be activated and locations where a siren may not be activated. Location registration is thus a function for registering locations where a siren may be activated (one example of an alarm) and locations where a siren may not be activated. An area defined based on a registered location may be referred to as a "registered area" or a "GPS registered area" below. The registered area is, for example, an area of ​​a predetermined size (for example, a circular range with a radius of 50 m) centered on the registered location. The location information acquired by the position information acquisition unit (for example, the positioning result of the GNSS receiver) may be used not only for the purpose of location registration, but also for operation management (for example, management of information on when and where the vehicle traveled). It is preferable that a user can use an external device such as a personal computer 22 to perform location registration and registration of locations where a siren may be activated and locations where a siren may not be activated. The external device transmits the registered information to the main unit 11. The main unit 11 stores (registers) the received information.

[0079] Next, the relationship between the location registration, the area detection by the remote control 20, and the button operation of the remote control 20 is as follows. First, when the vehicle 50 is in a siren activation permitted location and the remote control 20 is outside the area detection area, the main unit 11 activates the siren and notifies the remote control 20. If the remote control 20 is within a communication range with the main unit 11, it issues an alarm (e.g., an alarm sound). In this case, the remote control 20 accepts a button operation by the driver to stop the alarm (e.g., an alarm sound) of the remote control 20 and transmits a signal to the main unit 11 to instruct the main unit 11 to stop the siren activation. When the main unit 11 receives this signal, it stops the siren. If the remote control 20 is outside the communication range with the main unit 11, the remote control 20 does not issue an alarm. Therefore, the remote control 20 does not operate a button to stop the alarm, and even if a button is operated, the alarm siren does not stop in the vehicle 50.

[0080] When the vehicle 50 is in a location where siren activation is permitted and the remote control 20 is within the area detection area, the main unit 11 does not activate the siren but reports this to the remote control 20. The remote control 20 issues an alarm (e.g., an alarm sound) in response to this report. Here, if no button operation is performed for a certain period of time to stop the alarm on the remote control 20, in other words, if a signal instructing to stop the siren activation is not received from the remote control 20, the main unit 11 activates the siren. Also, in response to button operation on the remote control 20, the alarm (e.g., an alarm sound) on the remote control 20 and the siren on the vehicle 50 side stop in the same manner as described above.

[0081] If the vehicle 50 is in a siren prohibited area and the remote control 20 is outside the area detection area, the main unit 11 will not activate the siren but will report it to the remote control 20. Also, the remote control 20 will issue an alarm (e.g., an alarm sound) if it is within a communication range with the main unit 11. In this case, the remote control 20 will stop the alarm (e.g., an alarm sound) of the remote control 20 upon receiving a button operation by the driver. The siren will not be activated. If the remote control 20 is outside the communication range of the main unit 11, the remote control 20 cannot issue an alarm (e.g., an alarm sound).

[0082] When the vehicle 50 is in a siren-prohibited area and the remote controller 20 is within the area detection area, the main unit 11 does not activate the siren and does not notify the remote controller 20. In this way, by appropriately combining location registration, area detection, and button operations on the remote control, it is possible to give a notification (for example, sounding a siren or reporting to the remote control 20) when appropriate.

[0083] The area detection of the remote control 20 may be performed by setting two types of areas. Fig. 4A to Fig. 4C are state transition diagrams of an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the vehicle 50 is monitored based on the position grasped by GPS. In the example of Fig. 4A to Fig. 4C, one remote control 20 is used, and the vehicle 50 does not issue an alarm if it is within the detection area. There are area 1 and area 2 as detection areas. Area 2 is a range larger than area 1. Area 1 is the periphery of the vehicle, and area 2 is within a radius of 100 m of the vehicle. Area 1 is set on the assumption that the driver is in the vicinity of the vehicle 50 by narrowing the area when it is not possible to confirm disembarking, and area 2 is set on the assumption that the driver is not in the vicinity of the vehicle 50 by widening the area in the case where a forgotten item or a child gets on the vehicle 50 before the driver (the driver comes later) while monitoring.

[0084] The remote control 20 is carried along with the key to the vehicle 50. That is, it is assumed that the remote control 20 is together with the key and carried by the driver or located within the park. Only the doors at the entrance and exit of the vehicle 50 are monitored. The dashed and dotted lines indicate the case where the door is open, and the dashed lines indicate the case where the door is closed. In any state, it is reset by turning on the ACC. When the ACC is on, the location information of the vehicle 50 (e.g., GPS location information) is recorded as a log, and events such as ACC on / off, door open / close, monitoring state, switch operation (disembarkation confirmation switch 14, emergency call switch 15), remote control communication (communication between the main unit 11 and the remote control 20), and siren activation are recorded as a log together with the date and time.

[0085] In FIGS. 4A to 4C, S41 to S75 and A41 to A56 are as follows. S41: Special operation of the switch (e.g. valet switch) on the driver's seat 51 side S42:ACC ON S43: Door open S44: Door closed S45:ACC off S46: Within GPS registered area S47: Door open S48: Outside GPS registered area S49: Within GPS registered area S50: Switch on the driver's seat 51 side (e.g. valet switch) S51: Door open / operation error buzzer S52: Switch on the driver's seat 51 side (e.g., valet switch) S53: Switch on the driver's seat 51 side (e.g., valet switch) S54: Exit confirmation switch (rear switch) 14 / Melody stop S55: Timeout 5 minutes S56: Remote control 20: Communication error S57: Remote control 20: Area 1 outside judgment S58: Remote control 20: Area 1 judgment S59: Exit confirmation switch (rear switch) 14 / Melody stop S60: Door open S61: No confirmation operation on remote control 20 S62: Remote control 20 confirmation operation S63: Door closed S64: Door open S65: Emergency call switch 15 S66: Surveillance standby S67: Emergency call switch 15 S68: Monitoring sensor detection operation S69: Door open S70: Remote control 20: Communication error S71: Remote control 20: Area 2 outside judgment S72: Remote control 20: Area 2 judgment S73: Door closed S74: Remote control 20 confirmation operation S75: No confirmation operation on remote control 20

[0086] A41: Announcement: "Monitoring area has been registered." / "Monitoring area has been canceled." A42: Announcement: "You are in the surveillance area." / Melody 1 begins A43: Announcement: "Outside the monitoring area. If you want to monitor, please operate the switch." A44: Announcement: "You are in the surveillance area." / Melody 1 begins A45: Announcement: "Please confirm that you are ready to disembark." A46: Unconfirmed disembarkation / remote control notification A47: Announcement: "Please confirm that you are ready to disembark." A48: Announcement: "When the door is opened or closed, the system will switch to monitoring mode." A49: Announcement: "When you close the door, the system will switch to monitoring mode." A50: Siren sounds / 30 second interval / Repeat until ACC is turned on A51: Announcement: "Please turn on ACC and reset." / Repeat until ACC is on A52: Announcement: "Switching to monitoring mode." A53: Detects abandoned items / notifies remote control 20 A54: Announcement: "Surveillance mode will be cancelled." A55: Melody 2 A56: Siren sounds for 30 seconds / Emergency call switch 15 sounds every 30 seconds

[0087] [10. Other Configurations or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 6] The following configuration examples or operation examples can be combined in two or more suitable combinations, and can also be combined with other configuration examples or operation examples in this specification.

[0088] Modifications of the rear button (disembarkation confirmation switch) (hereinafter simply referred to as the "button") 14 will be described. It is desirable to prevent the button 14 from being pressed by people being picked up or dropped off (for example, kindergarteners, children in special schools, elderly people, etc.). Therefore, the following first to third example configurations may be adopted.

[0089] The first example relates to a modification of the button 14 itself. For example, a lock may be provided on the button 14 itself so that the button 14 cannot be pressed unless the lock is released. Also, a cover may be provided to access the button 14 so that it cannot be easily opened.

[0090] Also, the main unit 11 may only cancel the alarm when the button 14 is pressed in a predetermined manner. In particular, when there is only one button 14, the alarm may be cancelled only when the button 14 is pressed, for example, in Morse code. In this case, the manner in which the button is pressed may be different depending on the person or role (driver, passenger, etc.), and the main unit 11 may have a function of identifying and recording which person pressed the button, and the button 14 may be multiple, and the alarm may be cancelled when the multiple buttons 14 are pressed correctly, or the button 14 may be a numeric keypad, and the main unit 11 may cancel the alarm when the numbers entered on the numeric keypad match the numbers set in advance.

[0091] Also, buttons 14 may be provided in a number of different locations, and main unit 11 may determine that confirmation is complete when a number of predetermined buttons 14 are pressed from among the different locations. In this case, main unit 11 may determine that confirmation is complete when a number of predetermined buttons 14 are pressed in a predetermined order. Also, it is advisable to provide an indication that allows pressed buttons 14 to be distinguished from unpressed buttons 14, such as by turning on a lamp provided for the pressed button.

[0092] In addition, when a route bus or the like that already has a button as an alighting confirmation switch is used for transportation, the existing alighting confirmation switch may be connected to the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100, and the main unit 11 may have a function of assigning an alarm release function to the existing alighting confirmation switch. In this case, the alighting confirmation switch corresponding to the seat may be connected, and a function of using it for roll call (counting the number of passengers) may be provided.

[0093] The second example relates to the location where the button 14 is installed. For example, the button 14 may be installed on the underside of the seat. In this case, the confirmed operation can be performed while checking whether someone has crawled under the seat. The button 14 may also be installed on the underside of the seat at the rearmost position. Furthermore, the button 14 may be installed on the underside of the seat in each row or every other row.

[0094] Furthermore, the relationship between the installation position of the human detection sensor, the detection range of the human detection sensor, and the installation position of the button 14 may be set so that the installation position of the button 14 is a position where the human detection sensor (for example, sensors 12a to 12d) is difficult to detect. In this case, the human detection sensor may be a human detection camera that is a camera for detecting people. The button may also be provided in a housing integrated with the sensor. In this case, there is an advantage that wiring is simplified. Furthermore, the installation position of the button 14 may be set to a position where the human detection sensor is difficult to detect, and the button 14 may also be provided in a housing integrated with the sensor. That is, the sensor itself may be installed under the seat (with the detection range facing upward).

[0095] Also, a button 14 (which may be called a stop switch) may be provided near the driver's seat. Also, the button 14 may be provided in the trunk. Also, the button 14 for the tour conductor to press may be provided under the tour conductor's seat, near the boarding door, or on the tour conductor's portable remote control, and the tour conductor may press this button 14 when all the children have disembarked. When the button 14 is pressed, an alarm sounds, and the alarm can be stopped by another person, such as the driver, checking the seats again and pressing a button on the back. Since the tour conductor may forget to press the button, it is preferable that the main unit 11 starts an alarm sound when the boarding door is closed. The main unit 11 does not sound an alarm if the tour conductor button on the remote control is pressed after stopping the alarm sound, but may sound an alarm if the door button is pressed.

[0096] The third example relates to a device for indicating completion of confirmation using a method other than a button. For example, a mechanism may be used in which the alarm is released by holding up an object such as an employee ID or a smartphone. In this case, the main unit 11 may have a function for identifying the person who held up the alarm. In this case, a technology such as NFC may be used. The main unit 11 may stop the alarm when it is recognized by gesture detection that a specific seat is being confirmed. Here, the gesture may be a pointing gesture (toward the seat (downward)) or a specific gesture indicating completion of confirmation (such as making a circle with the hands). The above-mentioned "specific seat" may be the rearmost seat, or may be all the seats in the row.

[0097] Furthermore, when a crouching motion is confirmed by posture detection, processing may be performed in the direction in which the confirmation motion was made.

[0098] [11. Other Configuration Examples or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 7] The following configuration examples or operation examples can be combined in two or more suitable combinations, and can also be combined with other configuration examples or operation examples in this specification.

[0099] The relationship between the situation, the viewer, and the device functions (for example, functions realized by the main unit 11) may be as shown in Table 1. Note that the configurations shown in parentheses in the table are configurations that are more preferable to have, and it is possible to have a configuration that does not have these configurations. [Table 1] TIFF2025004085000003.tif171153TIFF2025004085000004.tif215153TIFF2025004085000005.tif245153TIFF2025004085000006.tif189153

[0100] [12. Other Configurations or Operation Examples of the Left Behind Monitoring System 100: Part 8] The following configuration examples or operation examples can be appropriately combined in two or more. Also, they can be appropriately combined with other configuration examples or operation examples in this specification. As other embodiments for preventing abandonment, first to third examples will be described.

[0101] In the first example, an application program (hereinafter referred to as "app") of a smartphone (hereinafter referred to as "smartphone"), which is an example of a terminal device, automatically switches the smartphone camera to video recording mode when it detects that the vehicle has entered a pre-registered drop-off location or a parking spot after disembarking through the smartphone GPS (GPS function of the smartphone), detection of a specific WiFi (registered trademark) ID, detection of a beacon (BT beacon) in Bluetooth communication, etc. This screen displays the video being recorded in real time, and is provided with a still image capture button and a disembarking confirmation switch 14 (hereinafter also referred to as the "left behind confirmation completion button"). In this example, the driver or the passenger holds the smartphone and takes pictures of each row of vehicles to check whether anything has been left behind. Then, when there is something to inform the business, such as a forgotten item or dirt that needs cleaning, the still image capture button is pressed, and the video is transmitted to the business terminal or the employee's smartphone, etc., and can be viewed from the business terminal or the employee's smartphone, etc.

[0102] In this example, if the abandoned vehicle confirmation completion button is pressed too soon after the start of recording, the pressing is invalid if the video recording time is short. Alternatively, the abandoned vehicle confirmation completion button may be made unpressable for a predetermined time from the start of recording. In this case, for example, the button may be grayed out or a message saying "Please check your seat" may be displayed.

[0103] In the second example, a marker is provided at a position far from the boarding / alighting door (for example, at the rear end of the vehicle), and when the marker is recognized as being a predetermined size or larger (for example, the size when photographed at a position where confirmation is complete), a function is provided that automatically completes confirmation without pressing a confirmation completion button. In this example, confirmation is not completed when the marker is recognized as being smaller than the predetermined size. When the marker is detected at this position for a predetermined period of time or longer, a notification such as "Please check all the way to the last seat and point the camera at the marker" may be issued. The marker may be a QR code (registered trademark), but it may also be an image of a predetermined object in the vehicle, such as an emergency exit sign.

[0104] Since the relationship between the size of the marker and the approach distance changes depending on the angle of view of the smartphone camera, it is a good idea to photograph the marker from the confirmation completion position in advance for each smartphone and register it as a comparison image, and then make a judgment based on the relationship in size between that image and the image being photographed.

[0105] In the third example, the "smartphone" in the first and second examples may be a wearable camera with smartphone-like functions, an action camera, or other portable battery-powered dedicated camera. As such a dedicated camera, a camera of a live broadcast system that delivers the state of children at daycare to parents can be used.

[0106] [13. Other embodiments] Further modified examples will be described below. The following modified examples can be combined in two or more suitable combinations. In addition, the modified examples can be combined with other configuration or operation examples in this specification.

[0107] The vehicle abandonment prevention system may have a temperature notification function using a temperature sensor. This vehicle abandonment prevention device may have a function of activating a human sensor, taking pictures with an in-vehicle camera, and transmitting the in-vehicle image, the human detection status, and the temperature to an office when the temperature reaches or is about to reach a temperature that would be dangerous if a person were present.

[0108] The introduction of child monitoring tags (with GPS function) is also being considered. Therefore, it is advisable to utilize this GPS location information for picking up and dropping off children and for roll calls (e.g., counting the number of people). Specifically, when a child has not yet arrived at the pick-up / drop-off location based on the GPS function of the monitoring tag, the system for preventing children from being left behind may notify the child from the vehicle or the tour conductor's smartphone (e.g., by display or voice), and may provide a button to postpone the pick-up / drop-off, or may automatically send a postponement email to the guardian's smartphone. The system for preventing children from being left behind may also count the number of passengers when the GPS location of each child matches the GPS location of the vehicle 50 "while moving." When the vehicle 50 is stopped, passengers are getting on and off, so the information may not be used for counting.

[0109] The system for preventing children from being left behind should have a function to compare the number of children who had been on board with the number of children in the nursery after a certain time (boarding and disembarking time +α) from the vehicle 50 arriving at the nursery, using GPS location information, and if there is a difference, to notify the difference from the vehicle, office terminal, staff member's smartphone, etc. At this time, the system may be set up to identify the children who are the difference and notify their names, etc., along with a map of their current detected location, etc.

[0110] It may also be linked to security cameras. Specifically, the abandonment prevention system is equipped with a connection unit that connects to the video signal line of the security camera already installed at the entrance of the nursery or to a wireless communication system such as WiFi, and counts the number of people entering from the entrance using image recognition. This counting should start a specified time after the person who picks up or drops off the child enters the nursery. The number of people who get off may be counted using a (security) camera installed to capture an area including the boarding and alighting door of the shuttle vehicle from the outside, or a camera inside the vehicle. If there is a discrepancy, it is recommended to have a function to notify from the vehicle, office terminal, employee's smartphone, etc.

[0111] In addition, a tilt-type security camera can be used, and when the person arrives at the nursery, the camera can change its direction (or the zoom range if zoomed) to face the entrance of the facility or the person. Once the count is complete, the camera can be returned to its original shooting range.

[0112] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an abandoned vehicle monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The same configuration as that of the example of FIG. 1 will not be described. The monitoring system 101 includes a valet switch 23. The valet switch 23 is provided at the driver's seat and connected to the main unit 11. A siren 24, a speaker 25, a GPS receiver 26, and an indicator 27 are also connected to the main unit 11. A wireless communication module 28 that can be connected to a mobile phone network or WiFi is also connected to the main unit 11. The wireless communication module 28 can communicate with a mobile terminal 30 via the Internet. A memory card 29 reader is also connected to the main unit 11. In FIG. 5, the constant power supply (+B) and GND are omitted due to space restrictions.

[0113] Fig. 6A is a side view of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 6B is a plan view of the interior of the vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention. Regarding Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the same configuration as Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B will not be described. As shown in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, the valet switch 23 is installed on the dashboard of the driver's seat.

[0114] 7 is a diagram showing a method of mounting a sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Mounting holes are drilled in ceiling lining 71, and ceiling lining 71 is sandwiched between mounting screws 72 and sensor unit 73 to fix sensor unit 73. Washers 74 are sandwiched and tightened between mounting screws 72 and ceiling lining 71. Sensor unit 73 includes a Doppler sensor 75 and an IR sensor lens 76. In this example, sensor unit 73 is fixed to ceiling lining 71 at two points (two mounting screws 72) to prevent sensor unit 73 from rotating.

[0115] 8 is a diagram showing a method of mounting a sensor unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. A hole for an IR sensor and a hole for a clip are drilled in ceiling lining 71, and sensor unit 73 is fixed to ceiling lining 71 with washer clip 77 and clip 78 for the IR sensor. Washer clip 77 is used to consider the appearance when a hole for the IR sensor is drilled, and also to fix sensor unit 73 in place.

[0116] 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an abandoned vehicle monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 90 includes an on-board camera 91a, an off-board camera 91b, a GPS receiver 92, a verification system 93, a management system 94, an administrator terminal 95, and a guardian terminal 96. The on-board camera 91a, the off-board camera 91b, and the GPS receiver 92 are provided in a vehicle 50. The verification system 93 is also provided in the vehicle 50. The management system 94 is provided on a communication network. The administrator terminal 95 is provided in a facility such as a kindergarten or a nursery school, and the guardian terminal 96 is carried by the guardian of the child.

[0117] The boarding camera 91a is installed facing outward at the boarding / alighting entrance 52 so as to capture the faces of children getting on. The disembarking camera 91b is installed facing inward at the boarding / alighting entrance 52 so as to capture the faces of children getting off. The boarding camera 92a and the disembarking camera 93b transmit the captured images to the matching system 93. The GPS receiver 92 transmits position information based on the received radio waves to the matching system 93. The matching system 93 includes a database 931 as a storage device, a matching device 932, and a communication device 933. The database 931 stores facial images of registered children together with detailed information about the children (such as name, age (class), boarding and alighting location, etc.).

[0118] The matching device 932 acquires images transmitted from the on-board camera 91a and the off-board camera 91b, matches them with images stored in the database 931, and identifies the child whose face was photographed by the on-board camera 91a or the off-board camera 91b. The matching device 932 may have a machine learning model that has learned the facial images of registered children, and may identify the child by inputting the facial images of the child photographed by the on-board camera 91a and the off-board camera 91b into the machine learning model. The machine learning model may be one that uses SVM, may be one that uses principal component analysis, or may be one that uses a neural network.

[0119] The boarding camera 91a and the disembarking camera 91b may continuously capture images and transmit the images to the matching device 932. In this case, the matching device 932 may continuously perform face detection processing and start the above-mentioned face recognition processing by detecting a face in the face detection processing. A machine learning model can also be used for this face detection.

[0120] The communication device 923 is a device that can connect to the Internet via a mobile phone network. The communication device 923 transmits information on the child identified by the verification device 922 to the management system 94 together with information on whether the child is getting on or off the train (whether the verification was based on the image from the on-board camera 91a or the image from the off-board camera 91b), the location information received from the GPS receiver 92, and the time information.

[0121] The management system 94 includes a communication device 941, a status management device 942, and a database 943. The communication device 941 receives the information of the children, the boarding and alighting information, the location information, and the time information transmitted from the collation system 93. The status management device 942 stores the information received by the communication device 941 in the database 943. In the database 942, a record is generated for each pick-up and drop-off operation of the vehicle 50, and each record stores the boarding and alighting information of each child. In this record, when a child boards the vehicle, it is recorded as boarding, and when a child alights, it is recorded as alighting, and for children who board the vehicle but do not alight after alighting, it is recorded as being aboard. Therefore, by referring to this database 943, it is possible to confirm whether each child is aboard or not.

[0122] The state management device 942 transmits the information stored in the database 943 via the communication device 941. The database 943 also stores information on the guardian terminal for each child. Each time the state management device 942 obtains new boarding or disembarking information for each child from the communication device 941, it transmits the boarding and disembarking information to the administrator terminal 95 and the guardian terminal 96 corresponding to the child via the communication device 941. This boarding and disembarking information includes information on the corresponding child, information on the boarding or disembarking distinction, the boarding or disembarking location, and the boarding or disembarking time.

[0123] In addition, the status management device 942 periodically refers to the database 943, and if there is a child who has not disembarked even after a predetermined time (e.g., one hour) has passed since boarding, it sends alert information via the communication device 941 to the administrator terminal 95 and the parent terminal 96 corresponding to that child.

[0124] According to this abandoned child monitoring system 90, the face of the child who boards the vehicle is photographed and face authentication is performed to identify the child who boarded the vehicle, and in the latter case, the face of the child is photographed and face authentication is performed to identify the child who disembarked, and by managing the boarding and disembarking information in an integrated manner, it is possible to know that the child is in the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to know the presence of a child who is riding at a time when he or she should not be riding (i.e., who has been left behind in the vehicle 50).

[0125] In addition, in the above-mentioned abandoned vehicle monitoring system 90, the database 931 and / or the matching device 932 of the matching system 93 may be provided on a communication network external to the vehicle 50, and they may be integrated with the management system 94.

[0126] In addition, the boarding camera 91a and the disembarking camera 91b may be configured as one camera. In this case, the one camera may be provided with an instruction function for specifying either boarding or disembarking. Alternatively, in each of the pick-up time zone in which the pick-up service is expected and the drop-off time zone in which the drop-off service is expected, the boarding may be determined when the camera first recognizes the person, and the disembarking may be determined when the camera recognizes the person again.

[0127] In addition, the specified time for issuing alert information may be set for each child as a time adding a margin to the expected riding time (for example, 20 minutes with a 10-minute margin for a child with an expected riding time of 10 minutes, or 35 minutes with a 15-minute margin for a child with an expected riding time of 20 minutes).

[0128] In addition, in the above-mentioned abandoned vehicle monitoring system 90, children are identified using their facial appearance (image) as their biometric information, but children getting on and off may also be identified using other biometric information such as fingerprints, veins, irises, and voiceprints, or alternatively, an ID may be stored on a wireless tag carried by the child, and the wireless tag may be read using an antenna and reader when the child gets on and off to identify the child getting on and off.

[0129] Alternatively, the following may be done. (1) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may be provided with a connection unit for connecting to an alarm system that starts an alarm when the engine of the vehicle is turned off and stops the alarm when a button installed at the rear of the vehicle in a position where the child cannot press is pressed, as an abandoned vehicle monitoring system that is retrofitted to the alarm system. The connection unit may be configured to receive a signal from the alarm system, for example, by having a connector for electrically connecting to the alarm system. The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may be an abandoned vehicle monitoring system that controls a function for detecting a person (passenger) in the vehicle or a function for recording the person in the vehicle based on an electrical state acquired through the connection unit. In this way, the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 itself can perform control according to the detection result of the person in the vehicle even if it does not have a sensor for detecting the person (passenger) in the vehicle. The control according to the detection result of the person in the vehicle can be various controls described in this specification. The function for recording the person in the vehicle may be, for example, at least one of the first drive recorder 17 and the second drive recorder 18.

[0130] (2) The drive recorder installed in the vehicle may have a power supply function that starts an alarm when the vehicle engine is turned off, and operates while the alarm is sounding when a button installed at the rear of the vehicle in a position that cannot be pressed by the child is pressed. In other words, the drive recorder may be operated to confirm that the child has left the vehicle by pressing a button. The power supply function may be realized, for example, by a control unit that controls the supply of power from a power source. The power source may be, for example, a built-in battery of the drive recorder or an external battery for the drive recorder, or a power source on the vehicle side. The control unit may continue recording by receiving power from the power source even after the vehicle engine is turned off and the alarm is started, and when the button installed at the rear of the vehicle in a position that cannot be pressed by the child is pressed, the control unit may end recording and turn off the power source of the device without receiving power from the power source. The drive recorders may be, for example, a first drive recorder 17 and a second drive recorder 18. The button located in a position where children cannot press may be the button in (1) “located in a position where children cannot press” or it may be the alighting confirmation switch 14.

[0131] (3) The above-mentioned (1) or (2) video recording may be provided with a function to continue even when the engine is turned off, and may be stopped when it detects the pressing of a button attached to the rear end in a position where children cannot press it. The stopping of recording triggered by the detection of the pressing of the button may be set to stop a predetermined time after the detection. In this case, the "stop" may be a complete stop, or it may be changed to parking surveillance recording. Parking surveillance recording is a mode for recording while the vehicle is parked, and is a mode different from the above-mentioned recording mode, which allows long-term recording while saving storage resources by, for example, lowering the frame rate, or is a mode for recording when an impact or other predetermined event is detected in the vehicle while parked.

[0132] (3-1) The above "function to continue even if the engine is turned off" should preferably be a function that starts recording video when the engine is turned off, but should also record a predetermined time before the engine is turned off. In the configurations of (1) and (2) above, an alarm sounds when the engine is turned off, so there is a possibility that children may get on and off the car without turning off the engine, but even in such a case, it is possible to record video including the children getting on and off. The predetermined time before the engine is turned off should preferably be several minutes, and should preferably be configurable.

[0133] (3-2) The above recordings (1) and (2) may be recorded as events other than parking monitoring events, such as in the “Exit Confirmation” folder.

[0134] (3-3) In addition to the above-mentioned “button at the rear in a position where the children cannot press it,” a button for the children in a position where they can press it may be provided, and the recording of the above (1) and (2) may be recorded as two separate events.

[0135] (4) The "children's button located where a child can press" in (3) may be a large button, and may be configured so that at least the part that should be pressed is lit up by a motion sensor even when the engine is off. Also, this child's button may be made to light up when a motion sensor detects a child, even when the button is not pressed or the engine is off, and may light up brightly when pressed. The motion sensor may be any of the sensors 12a to 12d described above. The control of lighting up the child's button may be performed by the main unit 11, or may be performed by a control unit provided in the child's button.

[0136] (5) The above-mentioned "children's button located where children can press it" is located near the boarding / alighting entrance 52, and children are instructed to press it when getting on and off. This reduces the resistance to pressing the button when children are left behind. In this case, the main unit 11 may detect the open / closed state of the boarding / alighting entrance 52, and count the number of boarding / alighting when the button is pressed with the boarding / alighting entrance open. For example, the main unit 11 may set a relationship between time and location, such as counting the number of boardings when the time is morning and the current location is a place other than the kindergarten, and counting the number of disembarkings when the time is afternoon and the current location is a place other than the kindergarten, and may compare the setting with the current state to determine which number to count. It is preferable for the main unit 11 to count repeated presses as one count.

[0137] In relation to the "children's button located where they can be pressed," the following (5-1) may be adopted. (5-1) The "children's button located where children can press" functions as a button that counts the number of people who get on and off the vehicle 50. Children touch once when they get on and once when they get off, so that it is possible to know that the number of children getting on and off does not match, and it is expected that children will not be left behind. The "children's button located where children can press" may be attached to the vehicle 50 or may be hand-held by staff members. In addition, the "children's button located where children can press" may have a cute design or mechanism that children will want to press, such as a button with a specific pattern such as a floral pattern or a character that is popular with children. In this way, a system for counting people can be introduced at a lower cost than sensors or existing entrance IC card systems.

[0138] (6) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may include a camera for capturing an image of the face of the person who has boarded the vehicle, and may transmit the image of the face of the person to an external device such as a server, a smartphone, or a personal computer. The process of transmitting the image of the face of the person who has boarded the vehicle may be performed by the main unit 11, or may be performed by a communication function provided in the camera itself. The camera for capturing an image of the face of the person who has boarded the vehicle may be integrated with the first drive recorder 17 or the second drive recorder 18, or may be a separately provided camera.

[0139] (6-1) The above-mentioned "external device such as a server, smartphone, or personal computer" may classify images (photos) of the faces of people who get on and display them like an album recording their growth.

[0140] (7) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may have a function of detecting that the vehicle 50 is locked, and the main unit 11 may have a function of outputting a sound loud enough to wake up anyone in the vehicle 50 when the vehicle is locked or after a predetermined time (up to several minutes) shortly after the locking is detected. This makes it possible to wake up the person left behind before he or she suffers from heatstroke.

[0141] (8) When the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 detects that there is a person in the vehicle with the engine turned off, the main unit 11 may control the vehicle to perform a predetermined operation, in particular to start the engine, open the windows, or operate the air conditioner. In this way, the predetermined operation is preferably a vehicle operation that is desirable for ensuring the safety of the person in the vehicle, but may also be an operation that helps to inform people outside the vehicle that there is a person in the vehicle.

[0142] (9) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may include multiple types of sensors that detect the presence of a person in the vehicle, and the main unit 11 may have a function to transmit or record information about which type of sensor detected the person. For example, whether the detection was made by a millimeter wave radar, a microwave sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, a mat, an AI camera, or an ultrasonic sensor may be recorded and used for (manufacturer) diagnosis of whether there is a false detection or a malfunction.

[0143] (10) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may have a function of providing a plurality of sensors in different locations in the vehicle to detect the presence of a person in the vehicle, and superimposing a display showing the position and detection range of the detected sensor on the image of the viewer that displays the image of the camera capturing the inside of the vehicle 50. The sensors may be the above-mentioned sensors 12a to 12d. The function of the viewer may be realized by a device that plays (displays) the image captured by the camera, and may be realized by the function of the first drive recorder 17 or the second drive recorder 18, for example, or may be realized by a device other than a camera, such as a personal computer 22. Also, a program for causing a computer to realize the function of the viewer may be distributed through a network.

[0144] (11) The abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may further include a device that provides a plurality of sensors at different locations in the vehicle to detect the presence of a person in the vehicle and notifies the detected location by voice. The sensors may be the above-mentioned sensors 12a to 12d. The device that notifies the person may be the main unit 11 or another device. The method of notifying the person may be that the main unit 11 issues a voice to people around the vehicle 50, or the main unit 11 may send a report to the transceiver 20, the monitoring terminal 21, or the personal computer 22 to notify the person.

[0145] (12) Abandonment becomes a problem when a child is left behind when the engine of the vehicle is turned off, the driver gets off the vehicle, and all the doors are closed. In this case, the abandoned child monitoring system 100 may have a function in which, under the conditions that the engine is off, the presence of the driver is not detected using a state detection means for detecting the state of the driver such as a seating sensor in the driver's seat 51, a DMS (Driver Monitoring System), or a simple pyroelectric sensor, and all the doors of the vehicle 5 are closed, the main unit 11 issues an alarm by sounding an alarm from the vehicle 50, and the alarm is turned off by a predetermined operation of an alarm sound turning off unit provided in the rear of the vehicle 50. The alarm may be issued from the remote control 20 instead of or in addition to the vehicle 50. The alarm sound turning off unit may also be the exit confirmation switch 14. The main unit 11 may not issue an alarm such as sounding an alarm when the engine is on. When the presence of a driver is detected by a state detection means such as a seating sensor in the driver's seat 51, a DMS, or simply a pyroelectric sensor, the main unit 11 may be configured not to issue an alarm such as an alarm sound. Also, the main unit 11 may be configured not to issue an alarm such as an alarm sound when all the doors are not closed. In this way, it is possible to prevent the driver from panicking in response to the alarm and taking inappropriate driving operations, and also to prevent the driver from being left behind.

[0146] (13) Abandonment becomes a problem when the door is locked while a child is left behind. Therefore, when the main unit 11 detects that the door of the vehicle 50 is locked, it may cancel the door lock (for example, without locking the door) and issue an alarm including an alarm sound from the vehicle 50 with a voice such as "The door has not been locked yet. Please check if anything has been left inside the vehicle and perform a specified operation." For example, the main unit 11 may issue an alarm when it detects that the door of the vehicle 50 is locked. For example, the main unit 11 may issue an alarm when it detects that the vehicle 50 is locked by operating the remote control 20 or that the vehicle 50 is locked from outside the vehicle 50. The main unit 11 may receive a signal indicating that the vehicle is locked from the remote control 20 or from the vehicle 50 side. Furthermore, the remote control 20 may issue a similar alarm.

[0147] Furthermore, thereafter, for example, the driver may cancel the alarm by performing a predetermined operation of an alarm canceling unit (e.g., exit confirmation switch 14) provided at the rear of the vehicle 50, and when the door of the vehicle 50 is locked again from the remote control 20 or from outside the vehicle 50 after the alarm is cancelled, the main unit 11 may lock the door. In this way, when the driver gets off the car in a parking lot and tries to lock the door for the first time, it is possible to prevent the car from being left behind, and it is also possible to reduce the possibility that the driver will behave inappropriately and cause an accident due to the alarm being sounded at other times, and it is also possible to prevent forgetting to lock the door.

[0148] (14) In some situations, such as when filling up with gasoline, it is troublesome to stop the alarm every time. Therefore, the main unit 11 may determine whether or not the vehicle is in a state to fill up with gasoline, and when the vehicle is in a state to fill up with gasoline, the main unit 11 may be configured not to issue an alarm even in the above states (12) and (13). Filling up with gasoline at a gas station is completed in a short time, and it is unlikely that the vehicle will be left behind. However, even if a child is in the vehicle, opening the entrance and exit door at the gas station may be dangerous. In this way, the driver can be prevented from taking inappropriate actions when filling up with gasoline at a gas station. The state to fill up with gasoline may be, for example, a state in which the driver is about to fill up with gasoline. The state to fill up with gasoline may be detected based on a fuel filler image taken of the area around the fuel filler, a switch, or whether the position of the vehicle 50 (for example, the position measured by GNSS) is a gasoline station or a previously registered location, etc.

[0149] (14-1) The main unit 11 may be configured to stop all alarms when the fuel filler cap is open. In this case, the main unit 11 returns to an alarm state when the fuel filler cap is closed. In this manner, the vehicle inspection company only needs to be informed that no alarm will be issued if the fuel filler cap is open, and the main unit 11 returns to an alarm state simply by closing the fuel filler cap, so that it is possible to prevent the vehicle from being left behind with the alarm deactivated.

[0150] (15) The main unit 11 of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system 100 may have a function of issuing an alarm based on the result of detecting the presence of a tag carried by a child in a vehicle. The tag may be a so-called smart tag having a function of wireless communication. The main unit 11 may detect the presence of the tag by communicating with the tag using a predetermined communication method with the inside of the vehicle as the communication range. The communication method may be, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), but may be other than this. The tag may be provided in an item carried by the child. The item may be, for example, clothing worn by the child (for example, a uniform), a name tag attached to the clothing, a bag carried by the child, or other items carried by the child on a daily basis. In particular, if the item carried is a name tag equipped with a smart tag, the smart tag and the name tag have a high affinity in terms of size and thickness in terms of design, and are attractive in terms of commercialization. Furthermore, since smart tags have become quite inexpensive in recent years, they may be an attractive product that may be accepted as a somewhat expensive name tag. This will also reduce the administrative work of staff (teachers). Given the current situation where long hours of overtime work are the norm due to a shortage of childcare workers, this could be a motivation for introducing the system.

[0151] It is particularly preferable that the main unit 11 issues an alarm when it detects the presence of the tag in a case where a predetermined condition indicating that no child should be present in the vehicle is satisfied. For example, when the main unit 11 detects the presence of the tag during a predetermined time period, such as after the opening hours of the kindergarten, it may report to an external terminal or notify by using a buzzer, alarm, or horn output. The predetermined time period may be the time when the kindergarten is open, such as from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The predetermined time period may be determined according to the schedule of the person to be detected, such as from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the case of a nursery school or school. A staff member inputs information on the predetermined time period, such as schedule information, in advance via the personal computer 22, and this information is notified to the main unit 11. The main unit 11 may determine whether or not it is a predetermined time period based on this information.

[0152] (16) The portable object of (15) may further have a light-emitting function. The portable object may have, for example, an LED or other light-emitting body and may have a function of making the light-emitting body emit light in dark conditions such as at night. In this way, it is possible to improve safety when walking in dark conditions such as at night. The portable object may have, for example, a light-emitting unit and a control unit. The control unit may make the light-emitting body emit light at a predetermined time when the surroundings are dark, such as at night. The portable object may further have a sensor (for example, an illuminance sensor) that detects the brightness of the surroundings, and the control unit may make the light-emitting body emit light when the brightness detected by the sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined brightness. Alternatively, the portable object may have a switch or other operating unit, and the control unit may be configured to switch whether or not to make the light-emitting body emit light in response to the operation of the operating unit. Note. Such a portable object may operate using a battery provided inside as a power source.

[0153] (17) The item of (15) or (16) may further have an IC chip as a memory unit that stores information about the child. The IC chip is easily integrated into a thin housing, and may store (contain) information such as the child's grade, name, and blood type. The IC chip may be configured to read information without contact. When the child boards the vehicle or arrives at the vehicle, an external reading device such as a smartphone or tablet may read the information from the IC chip, and based on the read information, the IC chip may record the child's attendance in the attendance book (for example, automatically record the child's attendance). This may reduce the amount of clerical work for teachers. Even if a child is injured in a bus accident, the child's blood type, allergies, and other medical conditions may be identified based on the information read from the IC chip, allowing the child to receive appropriate treatment.

[0154] (18) The functions realized by the main unit 11 or the abandoned object monitoring system 100 are not limited to the main unit 11, and may be realized by other elements in the abandoned object monitoring system 100 as appropriate. Alternatively, they may be realized as part of the functions of a system other than the abandoned object monitoring system 100, such as a server device. The term "alarm" explained in the above embodiment may be read as a warning, a notification, a report, or the like. In addition, the means used for the alarm (e.g., sound, display, light emission) and the contents of the alarm (e.g., the contents of the message and the contents of the display) may be changed as appropriate within the scope in which the purpose of the alarm can be achieved.

[0155] (19) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the embodiment of the present invention was applied to a bus that transports kindergarten children. However, the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to being applied to buses that transport kindergarten children and may also be applied to buses that transport elderly people.

[0156] So far, the bus has been described as a shuttle bus that mainly transports kindergarten children, but the target audience may also be infants, pupils, students, and other children, or the elderly and other adults. The vehicle is not limited to being used for transportation. For example, the vehicle may be a vehicle other than a bus that runs on a road (e.g., a general vehicle), or a vehicle that runs on a track such as a train, monorail, or linear motor car (e.g., a public transport vehicle). It is preferable for the vehicle to be one in which it is not possible or difficult to see the entire interior of the vehicle from the boarding / alighting entrance or its vicinity, or from outside the vehicle, and it is particularly preferable for the vehicle to be one that has seats. This is because a person may be hidden behind the seats.

[0157] The object that may be left behind may be something other than a person. For example, such an object may be a passenger's luggage such as a bag. Therefore, the above-mentioned abandoned object monitoring system may be applied to the construction of a system that suppresses the occurrence of a situation in which an object other than a passenger is unintentionally left behind in a vehicle. In the case of detecting an object, for example, a function of performing object detection based on an image taken inside the vehicle may be adopted. For object detection, an object detection technology that performs image recognition on the taken image to identify the presence or absence of an object and its type may be used. The photographing function may be provided by the first drive recorder 17 or the second drive recorder 18, but other photographing devices may be used. In addition, the present invention is not limited to vehicles, and may also be applied to aircraft, elevators, gondolas, and other transportation equipment or vehicles.

[0158] (20) Some of the controls and operations performed by each device described in each of the above-mentioned embodiments may be omitted or modified. Furthermore, the configuration described in the above-mentioned embodiments as transmission may be read as an output configuration. The output may be an output other than transmission, for example, an output by recording (storage) or printing. Furthermore, the functions of the main unit 11 and other control units may be realized by one or more hardware resources, one or more software resources, or a combination of these. For functions realized by software resources, a program for realizing the function may be distributed via the Internet or other networks.

[0159] (21) Each function described in the above embodiment may be realized by one or more hardware elements, one or more software elements, or a combination of these. Furthermore, each function may be realized by one device that is physically or logically coupled, or by two or more devices that are physically or logically separated.

[0160] The storage medium storing the program described in the above embodiment is not limited to the one described in the above embodiment, and may be any storage medium readable by a computer. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium include storage media of various storage methods such as semiconductor storage media, optical storage media, and magnetic storage media. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium include storage media built into a device that realizes a function based on a program, storage media external to the device, storage media of a server connected to the device via an electric communication line (e.g., wired and / or wireless), and other storage media.

[0161] Furthermore, the functions realized by the programs may be realized by programs such as application programs, operating systems, middleware, and firmware.

[0162] Furthermore, notification of specified information is not limited to being done explicitly as long as the user is able to recognize the notification, but may also be done implicitly (i.e., without explicitly notifying the specified information).

[0163] The embodiments and variants of this specification as described above can prevent people or objects from being left behind in vehicles, thereby, for example, ensuring human lives, enabling people to live safe and secure lives, and even contributing to the SDGs by realizing the development of cities where people can continue to live safely and securely.

[0164] [Note] The above-described embodiment discloses at least the following configurations. The monitoring system for a person or object in a vehicle may have a function of monitoring the person or object and outputting information according to the monitoring result. For example, it is possible to prevent a person or object from being left behind in the vehicle.

[0165] Such a monitoring system may have, for example, a function for detecting the current position of the vehicle, a function for registering points at which an alarm is issued or not issued based on the results of the monitoring, and a function for controlling the issuance of an alarm based on whether the vehicle is within a predetermined area. In this way, an alarm can be issued when appropriate based on the registered points.

[0166] Moreover, such a monitoring system may have, for example, a function for detecting the current position of the vehicle, a function for registering points at which an alarm is issued or points at which an alarm is not issued based on the results of the monitoring, a function for detecting whether or not there is a person holding a specified remote control within a specified area from the vehicle, and a function for controlling the generation of an alarm on the vehicle side and on the remote control based on the current position of the vehicle, the registered points, and the detection result of whether or not there is a person holding the remote control within the specified area. In this way, an alarm can be issued when appropriate based on the relationship between the registered points and the positions of the remote control or the person holding the remote control.

[0167] Furthermore, the function of controlling the generation of the alarm may be configured to control the generation of the alarm based on an operation on the remote controller, so that an alarm can be generated when appropriate by appropriately combining location registration, area detection, and button operation on the remote controller.

[0168] Furthermore, as an example of the above-mentioned monitoring system, an abandoned vehicle monitoring system may be configured as follows.

[0169] The first aspect of the present invention is an abandoned vehicle monitoring system that monitors whether or not a passenger has been left behind in a vehicle, and is equipped with a connection unit that connects to an alarm system that initiates an alarm inside the vehicle when the vehicle's drive engine is turned off and continues the alarm until a confirmation button installed at the rear of the vehicle is pressed, and is configured to detect people in the vehicle or record people in the vehicle based on the electrical status obtained via the connection unit.

[0170] The second aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the first aspect, further comprising a function of recording video even when the power source is turned off, and is configured to stop the recording function in response to detecting that the button has been operated.

[0171] A third aspect of the abandoned item monitoring system of the present invention is the abandoned item monitoring system of the first or second aspect, wherein the button is configured so that at least the part to be pressed is lit up by a human presence sensor, even when the driving source is turned off.

[0172] A fourth aspect of the abandoned item monitoring system of the present invention is an abandoned item monitoring system of any one of the first to third aspects, in which the button is configured to light up when a human presence sensor detects it, even if the button is not pressed or the drive source is turned off, and to light up brightly when pressed.

[0173] A fifth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is a abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the button is installed near the boarding and alighting entrance of the vehicle and is configured to be pressed by passengers getting on and off the vehicle.

[0174] The sixth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is the fifth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system, which is further equipped with a sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the boarding / alighting door, and is configured to count the number of passengers getting on and off when the button is pressed with the boarding / alighting door open.

[0175] The seventh aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is an abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a camera for photographing the face of a person who has boarded a vehicle, and is configured to send an image of the face of the person who has boarded a vehicle to a server, a smartphone, or other terminal device.

[0176] An eighth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is an abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any one of the first to seventh aspects, further comprising a sensor for detecting locking of the vehicle, and is configured to output an alarm sound inside the vehicle when the sensor detects locking or a predetermined time after the sensor detects locking.

[0177] A ninth aspect of the vehicle abandonment monitoring system of the present invention is configured in such a way that, in the vehicle abandonment monitoring system of any one of the first to eighth aspects, when the power source is turned off and a person is detected in the vehicle, the power source is started to open the windows and / or the air conditioner is operated.

[0178] The tenth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is a abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any of the first to ninth aspects, which is provided with multiple types of sensors that detect the presence of a person in the vehicle, and is configured to transmit or record information about which type of sensor detected the person.

[0179] An eleventh aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is an abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any one of the first to tenth aspects, further comprising a plurality of sensors for detecting the presence of a person in the vehicle, the plurality of sensors being provided at different locations within the vehicle, and configured to superimpose a display indicating the position and detection range of the detected sensor on an image of a viewer displaying image from a camera capturing image inside the vehicle.

[0180] The twelfth aspect of the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the present invention is a abandoned vehicle monitoring system of any one of the first to eleventh aspects, which is further configured to include a plurality of sensors that detect the presence of a person in the vehicle, the plurality of sensors being provided in multiple locations in the vehicle, and further including a device that notifies the detected location by voice.

[0181] The drive recorder of the thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a drive recorder in the abandoned vehicle monitoring system of the first aspect that captures and records video inside the vehicle, and is configured with at least a power supply function that operates when an alarm is output that starts when the drive source is turned off and stops when a button attached to the rear end of the vehicle is pressed.

[0182] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations expressly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. Although the configurations of the present invention that are sought to be patented are specified in the appended claims, it is the intention of the present inventors to claim configurations disclosed in this specification that are not currently specified in the claims.

[0183] The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above-mentioned embodiment. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any components of each of the embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined with any components described in the means for solving the invention or any components that embody any components described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to acquire rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications. Even if there is a description such as "in the case of" or "when", this is not intended to describe a configuration that is limited to that case or time. We also disclose configurations that are not in these cases or times, and we intend to acquire rights to them. Furthermore, the parts described in order are not limited to this order. We also disclose configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed, and we intend to acquire rights to them.

[0184] In addition, we intend to obtain rights to the overall design or partial design by converting to a design registration application. The drawings depict the entire device in solid lines, but they include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for a part of the device. For example, a part of the device may be a partial design, or a part of the part may be a part of the device. We intend to obtain rights to the overall design, as well as partial designs in which any part of the solid line part of the drawing is drawn as a broken line part. In addition, all of the modules, parts, and components inside the device's casing shown in the drawings are subject to trade independently, and we intend to obtain rights to them by converting to a design registration application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0185] 100 Abandonment Monitoring System 11 Main Unit 12a~12d Sensors 13 Buzzer 14. Exit confirmation switch (rear button) 15 Emergency call switch 16 Answerback Unit 17 First Drive Recorder 18 Second Drive Recorder 19 Personal Computers 20 Transmitter / receiver (desktop transmitter / receiver, remote control) 21 Monitoring terminal 22 Personal Computers 23 Valley Switch 24 Siren 25 Speakers 26 GPS receiver 27 Indicators 28 Wireless communication module 29 Memory Card 71 Ceiling Lining 72 Mounting screw 73 Sensor unit 74 Washer 75 Doppler Sensor 76 IR sensor lens 77 Washer clip 78 clips

Claims

1. A sensor unit used in an abandoned vehicle monitoring system that monitors whether an occupant has been abandoned in a vehicle, comprising: The sensor unit includes: A fixing means for fixing to a vehicle; A Doppler sensor; An IR sensor; A sensor unit comprising:

2. The fixing means is configured to open a mounting hole in the interior lining of the vehicle's ceiling and fix the sensor unit by clamping the interior lining of the ceiling between a mounting screw and the sensor unit. The sensor unit according to claim 1 .

3. The fixing means is configured to fix the sensor unit to the ceiling lining with two mounting screws so that the sensor unit does not rotate. The sensor unit according to claim 1 .

4. The fixing means is configured to open a hole for the IR sensor and a hole for the clip in the ceiling lining, and fix the sensor unit to the ceiling lining with a washer clip for the IR sensor and a clip. The sensor unit according to claim 1 .

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