Vehicular cabin monitoring system

A vehicular cabin monitoring system, the vehicular cabin monitoring system comprising:

• a radar sensor disposed at an interior cabin of a vehicle, the radar sensor sensing at least a portion of the interior cabin of the vehicle;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises (i) at least one transmitter that transmits radio signals and (ii) a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software;
• wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises a processor operable to process radar data captured by the radar sensor to generate a heat map image comprising range and angle information;
• wherein radar data captured by the radar sensor is transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system, via processing by the processor, defines a plurality of zones within the heat map image, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones corresponds to a different seat of the vehicle;
• wherein the radar sensor operates at a frequency that is different than a frequency at which an advanced driver assist system (ADAS) of the vehicle operates;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system, via processing by the processor of radar data captured by the radar sensor, determines occupancy of each respective seat of the vehicle, and wherein the determined occupancy of each seat of the vehicle comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) the respective seat of the vehicle is not occupied, (ii) the respective seat of the vehicle is occupied by an adult and (iii) the respective seat of the vehicle is occupied by a child;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system generates an alert at least in part responsive to (i) determination that a seat of the vehicle is occupied by a child and (ii) determination that no seat of the vehicle is occupied by an adult;
• and
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system generates the alert at least in part responsive to determination that (i) the seat of the vehicle is occupied by the child and (ii) no seat is occupied by an adult for a threshold period of time.

A vehicular cabin monitoring system, the vehicular cabin monitoring system comprising:

• a radar sensor disposed at an interior cabin of a vehicle, the radar sensor sensing at least a portion of the interior cabin of the vehicle;
• wherein the radar sensor comprises (i) at least one transmitter that transmits radio signals and (ii) a plurality of receivers that receive radio signals;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software;
• wherein the electronic circuitry of the ECU comprises a processor operable to process radar data captured by the radar sensor to generate a heat map image comprising range and angle information;
• wherein radar data captured by the radar sensor is transferred to the ECU;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system, via processing by the processor, defines a plurality of zones within the heat map image, wherein each zone of the plurality of zones corresponds to a different seat of the vehicle, and wherein the plurality of zones comprises a first row of seats and a second row of seats;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system, via processing by the processor of radar data captured by the radar sensor to process each zone of the plurality of zones, determines occupancy of each seat of the vehicle, and wherein the determined occupancy of each respective seat of the vehicle comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) the respective seat of the vehicle is not occupied, (ii) the respective seat of the vehicle is occupied by an adult and (iii) the respective seat of the vehicle is occupied by a child;
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system generates an alert at least in part responsive to (i) determination that a seat of the vehicle is occupied by a child and (ii) determination that no zone of the vehicle is occupied by an adult;
• and
• wherein the vehicular cabin monitoring system generates the alert at least in part responsive to determination that (i) the seat of the vehicle is occupied by the child and (ii) no seat is occupied by an adult for a threshold period of time, and wherein the threshold period of time comprises a threshold period of time after the vehicle is turned off.