Method and apparatus for vehicular item tracking

A vehicle comprising includes lights and a controller. The controller, responsive to reception of signals indicative of an opening and closing of a door of the vehicle, the vehicle being within boundaries of a predetermined locale, and an item being within the vehicle, blinks the lights.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application is generally related to systems and methods to construct and notify changes in item inventory while entering and exiting a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

As personal schedules become increasingly packed, society as a whole becomes increasingly chaotic as individuals hectically travel from place to place. For example, a family may have to balance getting kids ready for school or getting ready for an after-school event while getting oneself or a spouse ready for work while maintaining a residence. Due to these demands, often an individual travels to a destination and after arriving, discovers that they forgot to bring a key item needed. Currently people make a list to remind them, or even place an object in plain sight so they do not forget, only to overlook the item (i.e., article) and still depart either a location or a vehicle without the item.

SUMMARY

A vehicle includes lights and a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to reception of signals indicative of an opening and closing of a door of the vehicle, the vehicle being within boundaries of a predetermined locale, and an item being within the vehicle, blink the lights.

A computer-implemented method includes activating, by a controller, a horn of a vehicle responsive to reception of signals indicative of an opening and closing of a door of the vehicle, the vehicle being within boundaries of a predetermined locale, and an item being within the vehicle.

A vehicle includes a chime, passenger compartment lights, and a controller configured to, responsive to reception of signals indicative of a key-on request for the vehicle, the vehicle being within boundaries of a predetermined locale, and an item being within the vehicle, activate the chime and blink the lights.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A common problem that people experience is forgetting to bring an item (also referred to as an article) when traveling to a locale or leaving an item behind when departing from a locale. One example of this is driving to work then once at the destination locale (workplace) realizing that you forgot an identification badge, an entry badge, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a brief case, a wallet/purse, or other item. This problem may be exacerbated if the discovery of the missing item is timely required, e.g. after dining out then not being able to pay a bill, arriving at a workplace just in time for a meeting and not being able to get in without an access card, having to send an emergency email and not having a laptop or tablet, etc. Currently the average person does not use any technology to track and locate their belongings.

Here, an in-vehicle item tracking system and method is disclosed that may be configured to: 1) Remind users of required, predicted, and desired items based on a date, time, location, weather, etc. 2) Record and maintain a list of items found in the vehicle prior to departure, prior to arrival at a locale, or after leaving a vehicle at a destination locale. 3) Remotely scan for items via a controller such as a vehicle system controller (VSC). The key features of this system include, a reminder message sent to customers responsive to required, desired, and predicted items. Also, the system may employ a learning algorithm that will learn over time when and what items are required based on criteria such as a weather forecast (such as a 24-hour weather forecast with a prediction of rain), a day of the week, a time of the day, a locale as determined by a GPS signal, triangulation of radio signals (e.g., cellular towers), vehicular dead reckoning, etc. The system may also allow the user to manually configure the system. For example, the user may choose that they would only like reminders for their laptop and work badge on weekday mornings. The system may also configure itself automatically, by observing the habits of the customer. For example, the system may learn that an Identification badge and laptop are traditionally required during weekdays, so if they are not detected before the vehicle departs from an originating location en-route to a workplace, the system may beep a horn of the vehicle, activate an in-vehicle chime, display a message on an in-vehicle display (e.g., Driver Information Console, infotainment center, instrument cluster, etc.), or send a message to a nomadic device (e.g., Cellular phone, key FOB, tablet, smart watch, etc.). Also, the system may output an audible message, for example the system may output an audible message “have you forgot your wallet? Likewise, the system may recommend an item based on data such as a weather forecast (e.g., a 24-hour forecast), a day of the week, a destination locale, in which the item may include an umbrella, a jacket, boots, bathing suit, a hat, sunglasses, a portable chair, a snack, a water bottle, etc. based on the weather forecast indicative of rain, snow, a cold front, a heat spell, a sunny day, or the destination being an outdoor venue such as an outdoor amphitheater, a park, a hike & bike trail, a beach or swim pool, etc. Alternatively, the customer can specify when they want the system to remind them about specific items. For example, a user can enter items into an application on a nomadic device or a vehicle computing system along with characteristics associated with the items such that they are flagged for display and notification in the event the items are not detected upon departure from a originating location or when exiting the vehicle at a destination location. Also, the system may look at vehicle conditions or vehicle signals including signals from a door switch or a door sensor indicative of an occupant entering or exiting the vehicle.

The system may further be configured to activate the alert based on if someone is entering the vehicle without an item or exiting the vehicle without an item. For example, when exiting the vehicle without an item the system may activate exterior alerts (e.g., vehicle horn, headlights, exterior turn signal lights, running lights, back-up lights, and transmit a message to a nomadic device). While when entering the vehicle without an item the system may activate interior alerts (e.g., interior chime, interior lights, ambient lights, output a message on an in-vehicle display/infotainment system, output an audible message on an infotainment system, and transmit a message to a nomadic device). The system may further operate in response to a signal from a passenger occupant detection system (PODS). For example, when dropping off a child at school, the system may responsive to changes in the door sensor and the PODS indicating that a person left the vehicle, while the location is a school, activate both the interior alert and exterior alert if a school tablet is detected within the vehicle. Also, prior to leaving a residence, the interior alert may be activated if the PODS detects both an operator and passenger without detection of a presence of a pre-programmed item (e.g., backpack, school tablet, cellular phone). These items may use the similar or different wireless frequencies and protocols, for example, the cell phone may be detected via Bluetooth, the school tablet via Wi-Fi, and the backpack via an RFID tag.

The system may also keep a record of items in the vehicle. The logging feature may also include a user supervisor mode to include additional control. This feature may be useful for tracking down lost items. For example, if an item is lost, the user may be able to display the last known location of the item and an associated time. Further, the system may be remotely scan for items based on integration with an infotainment system (e.g., SYNC Connect) that may allow the vehicle to remotely scan for items, and inform the customer immediately upon request. Thus, allowing the user to quickly check if a particular item is in their vehicle from a remote location (e.g., a nomadic device).

The detection of the location of the item in the vehicle may include use of the electromagnetic spectrum including a radio frequency (RF) based system, (e.g., Radio-frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), etc.), a vision based system that scans images (e.g., a digital photograph or digital video) recognizes the item, or the system may be a user prompted system. The RFID systems use electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to items. The tags contain electronically stored information such as an identification number, (e.g., a tag number) and may also include a serial number, a group number, a unit number, or other classification number. RFID tags may be either passive tags, or active tags. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's interrogating electromagnetic waves, this is usually limited to less than one meter in distance and typically in the range of 10 cm. Active tags have a local power source such as a battery and may operate at distances of multiple meters from the RFID reader (e.g., 2 m up to 100 m or more). These systems typically operate at different frequencies, for example, low-frequency (LF) (i.e., frequencies less than 300 kHz) tags may operate at 125-134.2 kHz and/or 140-148.5 kHz) (LowFID), high-frequency (HF) (i.e., frequencies between 300 kHz-30 MHz) tags may operate at 13.56 MHz (HighFID), very high-frequency (VHF) (i.e., frequencies between 30 MHz-300 MHz) tags and ultra-high-frequency (UHF) (i.e., frequencies between 300 MHz-3 GHz) tags may operate at 865-928 MHz (Ultra-HighFID or UHFID) in one embodiment, UHFID operate between 902-928 MHz (specifically at ±13 MHz from the 915 MHz center frequency). This system is not limited to a single frequency/monitoring type. For example, use of a 134.2 Khz RFID active tag implanted in an animal may be used with a UHFID passive tag for an identification badge, and a low frequency inductive charging system to detect a nomadic device (e.g., mobile phone, smart watch, etc.). Here, the vehicle can inform the user that an animal is in the vehicle (such as a pet dog or cat) and the weather forecast is hot and sunny thereby posing a risk for the animal if left in the vehicle. Or that the user has left the vehicle with the nomadic device charging on an in-vehicle charging system. Lastly, the system may use multiple antennas to triangulate a location of the items RF tag to determine a location of the item. This may also be used to determine if an item has been left on top of the vehicle or has fallen out of the vehicle.

FIG. 1illustrates an example block topology for a vehicle based computing system1(VCS) for a vehicle31. An example of such a vehicle-based computing system1(e.g., an infotainment system) is the SYNC system manufactured by THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. A vehicle enabled with a vehicle-based computing system may contain a visual front end interface4located in the vehicle. The user may also be able to interact with the interface if it is provided, for example, with a touchscreen display. In another illustrative embodiment, the interaction occurs through button presses, spoken dialog system with automatic speech recognition, and speech synthesis.

In the illustrative embodiment 1 shown inFIG. 1, a processor3controls at least some portion of the operation of the vehicle-based computing system. Provided within the vehicle, the processor allows onboard processing of commands and routines. Further, the processor is connected to both non-persistent5and persistent storage7. In this illustrative embodiment, the non-persistent storage is random access memory (RAM) and the persistent storage is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. In general, persistent (non-transitory) memory can include all forms of memory that maintain data when a computer or other device is powered down. These include, but are not limited to, HDDs, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, solid state drives, portable USB drives and any other suitable form of persistent memory.

In one illustrative embodiment, the system1uses the BLUETOOTH transceiver15to communicate17with a user's nomadic device53(e.g., cell phone, smart phone, PDA, or any other device having wireless remote network connectivity). The nomadic device (hereafter referred to as ND)53can then be used to communicate59with a network61outside the vehicle31through, for example, communication55with a cellular tower57. In some embodiments, tower57may be a Wi-Fi access point.

Exemplary communication between the ND53and the BLUETOOTH transceiver15is represented by signal14.

Pairing the ND53and the BLUETOOTH transceiver15can be instructed through a button52or similar input. Accordingly, the CPU is instructed that the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver will be paired with a BLUETOOTH transceiver in a nomadic device.

In another embodiment, the ND53includes a modem for voice band or broadband data communication. In the data-over-voice embodiment, a technique known as frequency division multiplexing may be implemented when the owner of the nomadic device can talk over the device while data is being transferred. At other times, when the owner is not using the device, the data transfer can use the whole bandwidth (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz in one example). While frequency division multiplexing may be common for analog cellular communication between the vehicle and the internet, and is still used, it has been largely replaced by hybrids of Code Domain Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA), Space-Domain Multiple Access (SDMA) for digital cellular communication. If the user has a data-plan associated with the nomadic device, it is possible that the data-plan allows for broadband transmission and the system could use a much wider bandwidth (speeding up data transfer). In yet another embodiment, the ND53is replaced with a cellular communication device (not shown) that is installed to vehicle31. In still another embodiment, the ND53may be a wireless local area network (LAN) device capable of communication over, for example (and without limitation), an 802.11g network (i.e., Wi-Fi) or a Wi-Max network.

Also, or alternatively, the CPU could be connected to a vehicle based wireless router73, using for example a Wi-Fi (IEEE 803.11)71transceiver. This could allow the CPU to connect to remote networks in range of the local router73.

In addition to having exemplary processes executed by a vehicle computing system located in a vehicle, in certain embodiments, the exemplary processes may be executed by a computing system in communication with a vehicle computing system. Such a system may include, but is not limited to, a wireless device (e.g., and without limitation, a mobile phone) or a remote computing system (e.g., and without limitation, a server) connected through the wireless device. Collectively, such systems may be referred to as vehicle associated computing systems (VACS). In certain embodiments, particular components of the VACS may perform particular portions of a process depending on the particular implementation of the system. By way of example and not limitation, if a process has a step of sending or receiving information with a paired wireless device, then it is likely that the wireless device is not performing that portion of the process, since the wireless device would not “send and receive” information with itself. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand when it is inappropriate to apply a particular computing system to a given solution.

With respect to the illustrative embodiments described in the figures showing illustrative process flows, it is noted that a general purpose processor may be temporarily enabled as a special purpose processor for the purpose of executing some or all of the exemplary methods shown by these figures. When executing code providing instructions to perform some or all steps of the method, the processor may be temporarily repurposed as a special purpose processor, until such time as the method is completed. In another example, to the extent appropriate, firmware acting in accordance with a preconfigured processor may cause the processor to act as a special purpose processor provided for the purpose of performing the method or some reasonable variation thereof.

In the illustrative embodiments, whenever a user wants to travel a route or use a transportation service, the process can use the illustrative embodiments and the like, to determine if parental approval is required before transportation can proceed. So, in the case of a personal vehicle, inputting an impermissible route may require approval before the route guidance will begin. In the case of an on-demand service, the type of service, a planned route or a destination may require approval before the user can actually access a service to hire the vehicle. This can allow guardians to provide their charges with on-demand transportation services, without fear of unapproved rides or destinations. This feature could be integrated into a parental watchdog application or into various on-demand applications directly, among other possible implementations.

FIG. 2is a flow diagram of an item tracking system for a vehicle. Here at step202, a controller determines what items should be in the vehicle based on system input including a location204that may be based upon a GPS signal, or a dead reckoning algorithm of a vehicular system, a time206, and a day of the week208. The controller also predicts based on the input a destination location in step210.

In step212, the system predicts who entered the vehicle and then forwards this information to step210. In step212, the vehicle may use vision systems, safety systems, or passenger detection systems to determine who is in the vehicle. For example, at8:00the vehicle may detect if there is a single passenger (parent going to work) or multiple passengers in the back seat (kids being driven to school) or multiple passengers in the front (ride sharing). The vehicle may also use data from a vehicle bus (e.g., CAN bus or LIN bus) that is indicative of a vehicle door being opened and closed in conjunction with data from a passenger occupancy detection system (PODS) to determine if people are entering or have exited the vehicle. The vehicle may also use a position or a transition of an ignition key or ignition switch.

Based on this information, the system may determine items that have entered the vehicle in step214, along with items currently in the vehicle in step216, both based on a database of possible items218. If multiple passengers in the back seat are detected, the controller may scan for a presence of backpacks along with work items. As the controller may determine that the predicted destination is school followed by work in step210. The predicted destination determined in step210is forward to step220in which the controller predicts which items should be in the vehicle and which items does the user wish to be reminded about.

In step220, the controller also receives data from step222that is what items are not present, and step224that is a last known location of each item. The controller in step226outputs a reminder of the predicted desired items. The reminder includes activating a horn of the vehicle, activating lights of the vehicle (e.g., headlights, exterior turn signal lights, running lights, interior lights, ambient lights), displaying a message on a display in the vehicle, activating a passenger compartment chime, flashing interior lights of the vehicle or changing the interior ambient light color and flashing the interior lights at a distinct color. For example, if the ambient lights are programmed to green, the controller may flash the ambient lights in the red spectrum to indicate that an item is potentially missing, if the ambient light color is already red, the controller may flash a light blue color so the flashes are distinguishable from a standard ambient light color. The controller will continue to monitor the system in step228to determine if the missing items are retrieved. If the item is retrieved, the controller will increase a priority of the item in step230and store that updated information in system memory in step232.

FIG. 3is frontal view a reminder message being displayed on a nomadic device. Here, the system300transmits a message from a vehicle to a nomadic device302the nomadic device302displays the message in a graphic user interface304that includes a header306, details308, and either a response button310, or multiple possible responses, such as 1) Dismiss the Message, 2) Call the Driver, 3) Send a Text to the Driver.

FIG. 4is frontal view a query message being displayed on a nomadic device. Here, the system400transmits a message from a vehicle to a nomadic device402the nomadic device402displays the message in a graphic user interface404that includes a header406, details408, and either a response button410, or multiple possible responses, such as 1) Dismiss the Message, 2) Hold the Driver, 3) Call the Driver, 4) Send a Text to the Driver.

FIG. 5is frontal view a message indicative of trackable items being displayed on a nomadic device. Here, the system500transmits a message from a vehicle to a nomadic device502the nomadic device502displays the message in a graphic user interface504that includes an icon of items506(e.g., a laptop icon506A, an identification badge icon506B, a key icon506C, and an umbrella icon506D) and either a response button510, or multiple possible responses, such as 1) Add Item, 2) Set Item Properties, 4) New Item, 5) Erase Item.

FIG. 6is frontal view an informative message indicative of a possible location of an item being displayed on a nomadic device. Here, the system600transmits a message from a vehicle to a nomadic device602the nomadic device602displays the message in a graphic user interface604that includes a header, details, and either a response button606, or multiple possible responses, such as 1) View Map, 2) Call the Location, 3) Dismiss the Message. Here, the system may, based on searching a remote database, determine a business or household associated with the last known location and based upon the location determine a phone number to call so the user can attempt to retrieve the item.

FIG. 7is frontal view a geographic message indicative of a possible location of an item being displayed on a nomadic device. Here, the system700transmits a message from a vehicle to a nomadic device702the nomadic device702displays the message in a graphic user interface704that includes a map706, and either a location708

FIG. 8is frontal view a message indicative of trackable items being displayed on a vehicular computing system.

Here, the system800displays, via a graphic user interface, icons of items506(e.g., a laptop icon, an identification badge icon, a key icon, a mobile phone icon, etc.), in which each item includes a select/deselect soft key804, and a function soft key806, or multiple possible function soft keys, such as 1) Add Item, 2) Edit Item Properties, 4) New Item, 5) Erase Item.