# US 10,482,747 B2 · Vehicle occupant detection system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,747 B2 - Document ID: US10482747B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/204,479 - Filed: 2018-11-29 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-08 - Assignees: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama - Applicants: The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama - Inventors: Timothy Austin Haskew; Edward Sazonov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482747B2 ## CPC - G08B 21/14: Toxic gas alarms (G08B21/16 takes precedence) - B60C 9/00: Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres (inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00) - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - G08B 25/08: using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL ## Abstract Various implementations of an occupant detection system may be used in a vehicle to detect the presence of a living occupant (human or otherwise) and generate a warning. The warning may be communicated to another person(s) or to other vehicle systems to alert people in the vicinity of the vehicle. The system prevents injury and death to people and pets that may be accidentally within a parked car and unable to egress. The system may be integrated into a new vehicle or housed in a separate device that can be plugged into a power outlet within the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An occupant detection system within a vehicle comprising: an electrical signal sensor; an accelerometer; a carbon dioxide sensor; and a processor in communication with a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, said instructions cause the processor to: receive a first signal from the electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off, receive a second signal from the accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion, and receive a third signal from the carbon dioxide sensor associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion, store data associated with the third signal in the memory at a first time interval periodically, in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion, compare an absolute value of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected absolute value of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle and store the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and in response to the absolute value of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level, generate and communicate an alarm signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the processor is integrated into an on-board diagnostic computing system in the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, further comprising a cellular modem, and wherein the cellular modem communicates the alarm signal to a cellular device over a wireless communication network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, further comprising a local area network communication device, and wherein the local area network communication device communicates the alarm signal to a computing device disposed outside of the vehicle over a wireless communication network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one door of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one window of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on an air conditioning system of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to communicate with an on-board communication system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to sound a horn of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The occupant detection system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to flash at least one headlight or taillight of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 A method of occupant detection within a vehicle, said method comprising: receiving, by a processor, a first signal from an electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off; receiving, by the processor, a second signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion; receiving, by the processor, a third signal from a carbon dioxide sensor, wherein the third signal is associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle; storing, by the processor, data associated with the third signal in a memory associated with the processor at a first time interval periodically in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion; comparing, by the processor, an absolute value of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected absolute value of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion and storing, by the processor, the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and generating and communicating an alarm signal, by the processor, in response to the absolute value of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the processor causes a cellular modem associated with the processor to communicate the alarm signal to a cellular device over a wireless communication network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the processor causes a local area network communication device associated with the device to communicate the alarm signal to a computing device disposed outside of the vehicle over a wireless communication network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one door of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to open at least one window of the vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on an air conditioning system of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to turn on the vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to communicate with an on-board communication system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to sound a horn of the vehicle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with a communication bus of the vehicle, and the alarm signal comprises an instruction to flash at least one headlight or taillight of the vehicle. ### Claim 24 A method of occupant detection within a vehicle, said method comprising: receiving, by a processor, a first signal from an electrical signal sensor indicating whether power to the vehicle is on or off; receiving, by the processor, a second signal from an accelerometer indicating whether the vehicle is in motion; receiving, by the processor, a third signal from a carbon dioxide sensor, wherein the third signal is associated with a concentration of carbon dioxide in an enclosed space of the vehicle; storing, by the processor, data associated with the third signal in a memory associated with the processor at a first time interval periodically in response to the first signal indicating that the power is on or the second signal indicating that the vehicle is in motion; comparing, by the processor, a rate of change of the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of an expected rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration within the enclosed space of the vehicle in response to the first signal indicating that the power is off and the second signal indicating that the vehicle is not in motion and storing, by the processor, the data associated with the third signal in the memory at a second time interval periodically, and generating and communicating an alarm signal, by the processor, in response to the rate of change of the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to compare the data associated with the third signal with a threshold level of carbon dioxide concentration within the vehicle, and in response to the data associated with the third signal exceeding the threshold level of carbon dioxide concentration, generate and communicate the alarm signal. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the second time interval is more frequent than the first time interval.