# US 11,999,294 B2 · Vehicle and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,294 B2 - Document ID: US11999294B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/692,496 - Filed: 2022-03-11 - Published: 2022-10-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-11 - Assignees: Ndai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Youngbeom Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999294B2 ## 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} - G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons - B60R 11/0247: {for microphones or earphones} - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G08B 21/24: Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms - B60Q 5/005: {automatically actuated} - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle includes a first speaker, a microphone, an output device, and a control device configured to output a first sound signal through the first speaker, receive a second sound signal through the microphone, identify whether there is an occupant in a rear seat of the vehicle based on the first sound signal and the second sound signal, and control the output device to output a warning sound based on the presence of the occupant in the rear seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a first speaker; a microphone; an output device; and a control device configured to output a first sound signal through the first speaker, receive a second sound signal based on the output of the first sound signal through the microphone, output a third sound signal with a time difference from the first sound signal through the first speaker, receive a fourth sound signal based on the output of the third sound signal through the microphone, identify whether there is an occupant in a rear seat of the vehicle based on a difference between a sound pressure level of the second sound signal and a sound pressure level of the fourth sound signal being out of a predetermined reference range, and control the output device to output a warning sound based on the presence of the occupant in the rear seat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first sound signal comprises a high frequency signal with a higher absorption rate than a low frequency sound. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls to output the first sound signal through the first speaker based on an ignition off of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising at least one sensor, wherein the control device identifies whether a door of a driver seat of the vehicle is opened through the at least one sensor, and controls to output the first sound signal through the first speaker further based on the opening of the door. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising at least one of a second speaker or a display device, wherein the control device controls to perform, based on the presence of the occupant in the rear seat, at least one of outputting a warning sound signal through the second speaker or outputting a warning message through the display device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the output device comprises a virtual engine sound system, and the control device identifies whether the open door of the driver seat is closed through the at least one sensor, and controls the virtual engine sound system to output the warning sound further based on the closing of the open door of the driver seat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a communication device, wherein the control device controls to transmit a warning message through the communication device further based on the closing of the open door of the driver seat. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device further identifies that the occupant is present in the rear seat based on a frequency band the second sound signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device identifies that the occupant is present in the rear seat based on a frequency band of the second sound signal corresponding to a predetermined reference frequency band. ### Claim 10 A control method of a vehicle comprising: outputting a first sound signal through a first speaker of the vehicle; receiving a second sound signal based on the output of the first sound signal through a microphone of the vehicle; outputting a third sound signal with a time difference from the first sound signal through the first speaker; receiving a fourth sound signal based on the output of the third sound signal through the microphone; identifying whether there is an occupant in a rear seat of the vehicle based on a difference between a sound pressure level of the second sound signal and a sound pressure level of the fourth sound signal being out of a predetermined reference range; and outputting a warning sound through an output device of the vehicle based on the presence of the occupant in the rear seat. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control method according to claim 10, wherein the first sound signal comprises a high frequency signal with a higher absorption rate than a low frequency sound. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control method according to claim 10, wherein the outputting of the first sound signal is performed based on an ignition off of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control method according to claim 12, wherein the outputting of the first sound signal is performed further based on a door of a driver seat of the vehicle being open. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control method according to claim 13, further comprising performing, based on the presence of the occupant in the rear seat, at least one of outputting a warning sound signal through a second speaker of the vehicle or outputting a warning message through a display device of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control method according to claim 13, wherein the output device comprises a virtual engine sound system, and the outputting of the warning sound through the output device of the vehicle comprises identifying whether the open door of the driver seat is closed, and outputting the warning sound through the virtual engine sound system further based on the closing of the open door of the driver seat. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control method according to claim 13, further comprising transmitting a warning message through a communication device of the vehicle further based on the closing of the open door of the driver seat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The control method according to claim 10, wherein the identifying of whether there is an occupant in the rear seat further comprises identifying that the occupant is present in the rear seat based on a frequency band the second sound signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The control method according to claim 10, wherein the identifying of whether there is an occupant in the rear seat comprises identifying that the occupant is present in the rear seat based on a frequency band of the second sound signal corresponding to a predetermined reference frequency band.