IP Library Granted Patent US 11,383,732
Granted Patent B2
US 11,383,732 · App. 16/709,221 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Unintended vehicle motion alert system

Inventors: Rohan Repale (Farmington Hills, MI); William Asa Hughes (Commerce Township, MI)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
B60W50/14B60T7/042B60T8/3205B60W40/08B60W2040/0818B60W2050/143B60W2050/146
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,383,732
App. No.
16/709,221
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driver alert arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a sensor detecting that the motor vehicle is in motion and transmitting a signal indicative of whether the motor vehicle is in motion. A driver monitoring camera captures images of a human driver of the motor vehicle. An electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the sensor, the driver monitoring camera, and to a user interface. The electronic processor receives the signal from the sensor, receives the images captured by the driver monitoring camera, determines from the images where the driver is looking, and alerts the driver via the user interface that the motor vehicle is in motion. The alerting is dependent upon the signal and where the driver is looking.

Claims (43)

1. A driver alert arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect whether the motor vehicle is in motion and transmit a signal indicative of whether the motor vehicle is in motion;

a driver monitoring camera configured to capture images of a human driver of the motor vehicle;

a user interface; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the sensor, the driver monitoring camera, and the user interface, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive the signal from the sensor;

receive the images captured by the driver monitoring camera;

determine from the images where the driver is looking; and

alert the driver via the user interface that the motor vehicle is in motion if the signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving, the alerting being dependent upon where the driver is looking.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a wheel tick sensor.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a global positioning system module.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver via the user interface that the motor vehicle is in motion if the signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving and if the processor determines from the images that the driver is not looking out a window of the vehicle and is not looking at a dashboard of the vehicle.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver that the motor vehicle is in motion via a visual indication.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the visual indication is provided by a head up display, an instrument cluster, or a head unit.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver that the motor vehicle is in motion via an audible chime.

8. A driver alert method for a motor vehicle, comprising:

detecting whether the motor vehicle is in motion;

transmitting a signal indicative of whether the motor vehicle is in motion;

capturing images of a human driver of the motor vehicle;

receiving the signal;

receiving the captured images;

determining from the images where the driver is looking; and

alerting the driver that the motor vehicle is in motion if the signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving, the alerting being dependent upon where the driver is looking.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting is performed by a wheel tick sensor.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting is performed by a global positioning system module.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the driver is alerted that the motor vehicle is in motion if the signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving and if it is determined from the images that the driver is not looking out a window of the vehicle and is not looking at a dashboard of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the driver is alerted that the motor vehicle is in motion via a visual indication.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual indication is provided by a head up display, an instrument cluster, or a head unit.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the driver is alerted that the motor vehicle is in motion via an audible chime.

15. A driver alert arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle motion sensor configured to detect whether the motor vehicle is in motion and transmit a vehicle motion signal indicative of whether the motor vehicle is in motion;

a brake pedal sensor configured to detect whether a brake pedal of the motor vehicle is depressed more than a threshold distance and transmit a brake pedal signal indicative of whether the brake pedal of the motor vehicle is depressed more than the threshold distance;

a user interface; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the vehicle motion sensor, the brake pedal sensor, and the user interface, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive the vehicle motion signal from the vehicle motion sensor;

receive the brake pedal signal from the brake pedal sensor; and

alert the driver via the user interface that the motor vehicle is in motion if the vehicle motion signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving, the alerting being dependent upon the brake pedal signal.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle motion sensor comprises a wheel tick sensor.

17. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle motion sensor comprises a global positioning system module.

18. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver via the user interface that the motor vehicle is in motion if the vehicle motion signal indicates that the motor vehicle is moving and if the processor determines from the brake pedal signal that the brake pedal of the vehicle is depressed more than a threshold degree.

19. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver that the motor vehicle is in motion via a visual indication.

20. The arrangement of claim 19 , wherein the visual indication is provided by a head up display, an instrument cluster, or a head unit.

21. The arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to alert the driver that the motor vehicle is in motion via an audible chime.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 72222 FRAME 267. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS AMERICA, LLC.
Reel/Frame 072930/0871 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2025
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 072222/0267 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: REPALE, ROHAN; HUGHES, WILLIAM ASA
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS COMPANY OF AMERICA, DIVISION OF PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
Reel/Frame 051234/0653 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62779042 · Dec 13, 2018
Related Publication 20200189615A1 · Jun 18, 2020