# US 12,183,182 B2 · Method for scanning for presence inside a locked vehicle, associated device and scanning system

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- Number: US 12,183,182 B2
- Document ID: US12183182B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/137,064
- Filed: 2023-04-20
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2022-04-26
- Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH
- Applicants: Continental Automotive GmbH
- Inventors: Mohamed Cheikh; Alexis Morin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183182B2

## CPC

- G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons
- G08B 21/24: Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
- H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services
- H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A method for scanning for presence inside a vehicle, using a scanning device including at least one internal and one external ultra-wideband transceiver module for locating portable “hands-free” access equipment carried by a user. The device has an Ultra High Frequency communicator for communicating with the equipment. The method includes: a) detecting locking of the vehicle; b) for a predetermined duration: i) scanning for presence inside the vehicle with the internal module; ii) simultaneously transmitting a request to the equipment for detecting a U-turn by the user; iii) if a U-turn signal is received, stopping scanning and determining the position of the user with the two modules; iv) if presence is detected inside the vehicle, stopping scanning and transmitting a warning; c) when the duration has elapsed, if no U-turn signal is received and if no presence is detected, the position of the user is determined with the two modules.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for scanning for presence inside a vehicle, using a scanning device comprising at least one internal ultra-wideband transceiver module capable of transmitting toward the inside of the vehicle and at least one external ultra-wideband transceiver module capable of transmitting toward the outside of the vehicle, and capable of locating portable “hands-free” access equipment carried by a user, said method being characterized in that the scanning device is previously equipped with Ultra High Frequency communication means for communicating with said equipment and in that the method comprising:
a) detecting locking of the vehicle;
b) for a predetermined duration:
i) scanning for presence inside the vehicle using the internal ultra-wideband transceiver module, and comparing a profile of waves reflected and received by said internal module with at least one predetermined wave profile;
ii) simultaneously transmitting, via Ultra High Frequency, a request to the portable equipment for detecting a U-turn by the user;
iii) if a U-turn signal is received, stopping scanning and determining a position of the user using the internal module and the external module; and
iv) if presence is detected inside the vehicle, then stopping scanning and transmitting a warning to the user; and
c) otherwise, at the end of the predetermined duration, if no U-turn signal is received and if no presence is detected inside the vehicle, then determining the position of the user using the internal module and the external module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The scanning method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if presence is detected inside the vehicle, then a signal to stop detecting a U-turn is transmitted to the portable equipment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The scanning method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising:
a) at the same time as scanning, a step of determining a distance between the user and the vehicle that is carried out by the external module;
b) if a U-turn signal is received, a step of checking that values of said distance represent a U-turn; and
c) scanning is only stopped and determining the position of the user is only carried out using the internal module and the external module if said check is confirmed.

### Claim 4

A scanning device intended to be placed on board a motor vehicle comprising at least one internal ultra-wideband transceiver module capable of transmitting toward the inside of the vehicle and at least one external ultra-wideband transceiver module capable of transmitting toward the outside of the vehicle, and capable of locating portable “hands-free” access equipment carried by a user, the device being equipped with a clock and is capable of:
a) communicating with said equipment using Ultra High Frequency;
b) detecting the locking of the vehicle;
c) scanning for presence inside the vehicle using the internal ultra-wide band wave transceiver module and comparing a profile of waves reflected and received by said module with at least one predetermined wave profile;
d) simultaneously transmitting a request for detecting a U-turn of the user to said equipment;
e) as a function of a U-turn signal received from the portable equipment or of the detection of presence inside the vehicle:
(i) stopping scanning; and
(ii) determining the position of the user using the internal module and the external module; and
f) transmitting a warning to the user if presence is detected inside the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The scanning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device is capable of sending a request to stop the measurements of a gyroscope to the portable equipment as a function of the detection of presence inside the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

A scanning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device is capable of:
a) determining a distance between the user and the vehicle by the external module;
b) checking, as a function of the U-turn signal, that the values of said distance correspond to a U-turn; and
c) stopping scanning and determining the position of the user using the internal and external modules as a function of the result of the check.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A computer program product, comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the scanning method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

A motor vehicle, comprising a scanning device as claimed in claim 4.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

A scanning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is capable of:
a) determining a distance between the user and the vehicle by the external module;
b) checking, as a function of the U-turn signal, that the values of said distance correspond to a U-turn; and
c) stopping scanning and determining the position of the user using the internal and external modules as a function of the result of the check.