# US 11,908,302 B1 · Vehicle as a beacon > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,302 B1 - Document ID: US11908302B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/875,537 - Filed: 2022-07-28 - Published: 2024-02-01 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-28 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Stephanie Gage; Raymond Theodore Gage - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908302B1 ## CPC - G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons - B60Q 1/50: for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking - B60Q 5/005: {automatically actuated} - 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} - G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks} - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G08B 21/24: Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - G07C 2009/00769: {with data transmission performed by wireless means} - G07C 2209/63: Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A vehicle determines that a trigger state designated for user assistance for a user traveling away from a vehicle has occurred. The vehicle determines that an alert action to be taken, defined in conjunction with the trigger state and determines that a user has not returned to a vehicle based on a failure to detect a user wireless device. The vehicle automatically executes the alert action responsive to the trigger state occurrence and failure to detect the user device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: one or more processors configured to: determine that a trigger state designated for user assistance for a user traveling away from a vehicle has occurred; determine that a user has not returned to the vehicle based on a failure to detect a designated user device; determine an alert action to be taken, defined in conjunction with the trigger state; and automatically execute the alert action responsive to the trigger state occurrence and the failure to detect the user device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the trigger state includes a time having lapsed for a user to return and a user device not detected by a signal search for the device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the trigger state includes a user being beyond a predefined distance from the vehicle based on mobile device coordinates communicated to the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the trigger state includes a determination that at least one type of predefined weather has occurred or will occur above a threshold based on at least one of sensor observation or forecast data obtained by the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert action includes at least one of sounding vehicle exterior audible systems or flashing vehicle lights. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert action includes lowering vehicle windows and playing an audible alert through an interior vehicle sound system at a predefined volume. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert action includes contacting emergency services. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert action includes attempting to discover one or more mobile devices proximate to the vehicle and communicating with the one or more mobile devices to provide location data related to the user based on planned travel data indicated by the user prior to the user traveling away from the vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert action includes attempting to discover one or more mobile devices proximate to the vehicle and communicating with the one or more mobile devices to provide location data related to the user based on last communication between the vehicle and the user indicating a last known user position. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: determining that a trigger state designated for user assistance for a user traveling away from a vehicle has occurred; determining an alert action to be taken, defined in conjunction with the trigger state; and determining that a user has not returned to the vehicle based on a failure to detect a designated user device; automatically executing the alert action responsive to the trigger state occurrence and the failure to detect the user device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger state includes a time having lapsed for a user to return and a user device not detected by a signal search for the device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger state includes a user being beyond a predefined distance from the vehicle based on mobile device coordinates communicated to the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger state includes a determination that at least one type of predefined weather has occurred or will occur above a threshold based on at least one of sensor observation or forecast data obtained by the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the alert action includes at least one of sounding vehicle exterior audible systems or flashing vehicle lights. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the alert action includes lowering vehicle windows and playing an audible alert through an interior vehicle sound system at a predefined volume. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the alert action includes contacting emergency services. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the alert action includes attempting to discover one or more mobile devices proximate to the vehicle and communicating with the one or more mobile devices to provide location data related to the user based on planned travel data indicated by the user prior to the user traveling away from the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the alert action includes attempting to discover one or more mobile devices proximate to the vehicle and communicating with the one or more mobile devices to provide location data related to the user based on last communication between the vehicle and the user indicating a last known user position. ### Claim 19 A vehicle comprising: one or more processors configured to: determine that a time threshold, designated by a user in advance of a journey away from a vehicle, has lapsed; responsive to the lapsed threshold, scanning for wireless signals associated with a device correlated to the user; and responsive to a failure to detect the device, engage in at least one predefined alert action. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the alert action includes at least one of sounding vehicle audible alerts and flashing vehicle lights or sending communication to emergency services.