IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,241,934
Granted Patent B2
US 11,241,934 · App. 16/236,142 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Techniques to optimize vehicular systems for occupant presence and condition

Inventors: Grace Credo (San Mateo, CA); Joelle Alcaidinho (Santa Clara, CA); Wael Guibene (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
B60H1/00792B60H1/00742B60H1/00785B60H1/00828B60H1/00871B60N2/002B60Q9/00G08B5/00G08B21/22H04L12/40B60N2/58B60R16/0231B60R22/48B60R2022/4858H04L2012/40215H04L2012/40273
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 11,241,934
App. No.
16/236,142
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus relating to optimization of vehicular systems for occupant presence and condition are described. In one embodiment, logic circuitry detects presence and/or condition of one or more occupants of a vehicle based on sensor data. Memory (e.g., non-volatile memory) stores information corresponding to one or more functions of the vehicle. The logic circuitry transmits a request to the vehicle to cause an adjustment to the one or more functions of the vehicle. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Claims (24)

1. An apparatus comprising:

logic circuitry to detect presence or condition of one or more occupants of a vehicle based on sensor data; and

memory to store information corresponding to one or more functions of the vehicle,

wherein the logic circuitry is to transmit a request to the vehicle to cause an adjustment to the one or more functions of the vehicle based at least in part on the stored information, wherein the logic circuitry is coupled to a vehicle seat cover, wherein one or more sensors are coupled to the vehicle seat cover to generate the sensor data, wherein the one or more sensors are attached or embedded in a fabric of the vehicle seat cover, wherein the fabric is capable of changing color in response to contact with one or more chemicals or molecules linked to stress.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuitry is detachable from the vehicle seat cover.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle seat cover is capable of lying flat in a portion of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fabric is further capable of changing color in response to at least one of contact with moisture and excessive heat.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuitry is to detect presence and/or location of the one or more occupants based on a distribution of pressure exercised on a plurality of sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are to be located in a matrix format to generate the sensor data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stored information comprises Controller Area Network Bus (CANBUS) information corresponding to the one or more functions of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more functions comprise one or more of: a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), vent direction, fan direction, fan speed, seatbelt warning, interior lighting, or entertainment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuitry is coupled to analog front end to receive signals from one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are to generate the sensor data.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuitry is coupled to a wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit the request to one or more components of the vehicle via a Controller Area Network Bus (CANBUS).

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a smart phone is to transmit the information to the logic circuitry.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuitry is coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) to communicate data and/or charge a battery coupled to the logic circuitry.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors to generate the sensor data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of: a moisture sensor, a pressure sensor, a chemical or biomolecular sensor, or temperature sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the pressure sensor comprises a flexible strain sensor or an ultrasensitive pressure sensor fabricated on a flexible substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are attached or embedded in a non-conductive spacer foam or spacer textile of the vehicle seat cover, the spacer foam or the spacer textile coupled between an electrode array and a back electrode of the vehicle seat cover.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions that when executed on at least one processor configure the at least one processor to perform one or more operations to:

detect presence or condition of one or more occupants of a vehicle based on sensor data; and

store information corresponding to one or more functions of the vehicle in memory,

wherein the at least one processor is to transmit a request to the vehicle to cause an adjustment to the one or more functions of the vehicle based at least in part on the stored information, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to a vehicle seat cover, wherein one or more sensors are coupled to the vehicle seat cover to generate the sensor data, wherein the one or more sensors are attached or embedded in a fabric of the vehicle seat cover, wherein the fabric is capable of changing color in response to contact with one or more chemicals or molecules linked to stress.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising one or more instructions that when executed on the at least one processor configure the at least one processor to perform one or more operations to cause detection of presence and/or location of the one or more occupants based on a distribution of pressure exercised on a plurality of sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are to be located in a matrix format to generate the sensor data.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising one or more instructions that when executed on the at least one processor configure the at least one processor to perform one or more operations to cause generation of an alarm or a notification to indicate that the one or more occupants remain in the vehicle after vehicle shut down.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2019
From: ALCAIDINHO, JOELLE; CREDO, GRACE; GUIBENE, WAEL
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047992/0846 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190381860A1 · Dec 19, 2019