Method and apparatus for notification that a living entity remains in a vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsFrederic STEFAN, Uwe GUSSEN, Christoph ARNDT, Frank PETRI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for notifying a driver who is leaving a stationary motor vehicle that there is still a person or an animal in the motor vehicle is presented. Exemplary notification modes include a notification mode in which the notification of the driver also depends on whether the current time falls in preset times; a notification mode in which the notification also depends on whether the motor vehicle is located within preset geographical areas; and a notification mode in which the notification also depends on whether preset or learned patterns of driver behavior have been detected.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- determining that a driver has left a vehicle;
- determining that a living entity remains within the vehicle;
- determining that a condition including a time-identifying condition, vehicle location, or driver-behavior matching previously observed driver-behavior corresponding to leaving the vehicle for more than a predetermined time period, exists;
- and
- notifying the driver that the living entity remains in the vehicle based on the condition determination.
A system comprising:
- a processor configured to:
- determine that a driver has left a vehicle;
- determine that a living entity remains within the vehicle;
- determine that a condition including a time-identifying condition, vehicle location, or driver-behavior matching previously observed driver-behavior corresponding to leaving the vehicle for more than a predetermined time period, exists;
- and
- notify the driver that the living entity remains in the vehicle based on the condition determination.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
- determining that a driver has left a vehicle;
- determining that a living entity remains within the vehicle;
- determining that a condition including a time-identifying condition, vehicle location, or driver-behavior matching previously observed driver-behavior corresponding to leaving the vehicle for more than a predetermined time period, exists;
- and
- notifying the driver that the living entity remains in the vehicle based on the condition determination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.