# US 11,027,649 B2 · Vehicle with controller configured to acquire images to determine a number of boarding passengers, and method therefor

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- Number: US 11,027,649 B2
- Document ID: US11027649B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/560,800
- Filed: 2019-09-04
- Published: 2020-06-18
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-17
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
- Inventors: SeYoung Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027649B2

## CPC

- 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}
- B60R 16/02: electric {constitutive elements}
- B60R 1/074: for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle
- B60R 1/12: Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
- B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
- B60R 25/01: operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
- B60R 25/305: {using a camera}
- B60R 25/31: of human presence inside or outside the vehicle
- G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons
- G08B 21/24: Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
- B60R 25/24: using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
- B60R 2001/1253: {with cameras, video cameras or video screens}
- B60R 2011/004: {outside the vehicle}
- B60R 2011/0043: {for integrated articles, i.e. not substantially protruding from the surrounding parts}
- G08B 13/19647: {Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle}
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A vehicle includes an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image around the vehicle, and a controller configured to control the image acquisition unit to acquire an image of a predetermined area based on a positional relationship between a smart key and the vehicle, and an opening of at least one of rear doors of the vehicle, and determine the number of boarding passengers based on the image of the predetermined area.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle comprising:
an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images around the vehicle;
an output device; and
a controller configured to:
control the image acquisition unit to acquire at least one image of a predetermined area based on a positional relationship between a smart key and the vehicle, and an opening of at least one rear door of rear doors of the vehicle,
process the at least one image to determine a number of boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area,
determine a number of passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area when the at least one rear door of the rear doors of the vehicle is opened,
determine a number of non-boarding passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area when the rear doors are closed after the opening of the at least one rear door of the rear doors,
determine the number of the boarding passengers based on a difference between the number of the passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area and the number of the non-boarding passengers, and
output a confirmation message of whether a boarding passenger among the boarding passengers exits the vehicle to the output device when an engine of the vehicle is turned off.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
the controller is configured to determine a number of exiting passengers who leave from the predetermined area, and output a remaining passenger message to the output device based on a difference between the number of the boarding passengers and the number of the exiting passengers when at least one rear door of the rear doors of the vehicle is opened after the acquiring of the at least one image of the predetermined area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
the image acquisition unit is disposed on a side view mirror,
and the controller is configured to fold the side view mirror corresponding to at least one front door of front doors based on an opening of the at least one front door of the front doors of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:
the controller is configured to unfold the side view mirror based on the positional relationship between the smart key and the vehicle before the opening of the at least one front door to start to acquire the at least one image of the predetermined area.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
the controller is configured to determine the number of the boarding passengers as a final number of the boarding passengers when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:
the controller is configured to update the number of the boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area acquired by the image acquisition unit when an additional number of the boarding passengers is determined before an engine of the vehicle is turned off.

### Claim 7

A vehicle control method comprising:
acquiring, by an image acquisition unit, at least one image of a predetermined area based on a positional relationship between a smart key and a vehicle, and an opening of at least one rear door of rear doors of the vehicle;
processing the at least one image to determine a number of boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area,
wherein:
the determining of the number of the boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area includes,
determining a number of passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area when the at least one rear door of the rear doors of the vehicle is opened,
determining a number of non-boarding passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area when the rear doors are closed after the opening of the at least one rear door, and
determining the number of the boarding passengers based on a difference between the number of the passengers included in the at least one image of the predetermined area and the number of the non-boarding passengers; and
outputting, to an output device, a confirmation message of whether a boarding passenger among the boarding passengers exits the vehicle when an engine of the vehicle is turned off.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle control method according to claim 7, further comprising:
when at least one rear door of the rear doors of the vehicle is opened after the acquiring of the at least one image of the predetermined area,
determining a number of exiting passengers who leave from the predetermined area, and
outputting a remaining passenger message to the output device based on a difference between the number of the boarding passengers and the number of the exiting passengers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The vehicle control method according to claim 7, further comprising:
folding a side view mirror corresponding to at least one front door of front doors based on an opening of the at least one front door of the front doors of the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein:
the acquiring, by an image acquisition unit, of the at least one image of the predetermined area includes:
starting to acquire the at least one image of the predetermined area by unfolding the side view mirror based on the positional relationship between the smart key and the vehicle before the opening of the at least one front door.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The vehicle control method according to claim 7, wherein:
the determining of the number of the boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area includes:
determining the number of the boarding passengers as a final number of the boarding passengers when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The vehicle control method according to claim 7, further comprising:
updating the number of the boarding passengers based on the at least one image of the predetermined area acquired by the image acquisition unit when an additional number of the boarding passengers is determined before an engine of the vehicle is turned off.