Patent Publication Number: US-2021190516-A1

Title: In-Vehicle Sensing Module for Monitoring a Vehicle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/952,618, which is entitled “In-Vehicle Sensing Module for Monitoring a Vehicle” and was filed Dec. 23, 2019, to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/952,568, which is entitled “In-Vehicle Sensing Module for Monitoring a Vehicle” and was filed Dec. 23, 2019, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/952,623, which is entitled “In-Vehicle Sensing Module Having Cloud Connectivity” and was filed Dec. 23, 2019, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/116,133, filed on filed on even date herewith, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/116,142, filed on even date herewith, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The device and method disclosed in this document relates to in-vehicle sensing and, more particularly, to an in-vehicle sensing module. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to the prior art by inclusion in this section. 
     In shared vehicle services, such as ride sharing services, taxi services, and car rental services, shared vehicles are often driven by drivers or ridden in by passengers who are not the owner of the vehicle. A common problem with such services is that customers can be careless about how they treat the vehicle during their short time as a passenger or driver. In light of this, operators of such services often put in place various rules or policies regarding how the vehicle should be treated by the customer. However, modern incarnations of these services are technology driven and often entirely autonomous, so as to require little or no direct interaction with the owner of the vehicle or the operator of the service. As a result, effective enforcement of these rules or policies can be challenging and sometimes cost-prohibitive. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a system that enables autonomous detection of issues within the vehicle that minimizes the need for human intervention in enforcing rules or policies, as well as remedying violations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a sensing module for monitoring a cabin of a vehicle includes an environmental sensor configured to sense organic compounds in ambient air of the cabin and a particle sensor configured to detect particulate matter in the ambient air. The sensing module further includes a controller operably connected to the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and configured to receive sensor signals from the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and to transmit data to a remote server via the Internet. The sensing module has a housing configured to mount to a windshield of the vehicle. The housing supports the environmental sensor, the particle sensor, and the controller. 
     In another embodiment, a sensing module for monitoring a cabin of a vehicle includes an environmental sensor configured to sense organic compounds in ambient air of the cabin, a particle sensor configured to detect particulate matter in the ambient air, the particle sensor including an inlet, and a controller operably connected to the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and configured to receive sensor signals from the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and to transmit data to a remote server via the Internet. The sensing module further includes a housing configured to mount to a windshield of said vehicle. The housing defining an interior space in which the environmental sensor, the particle sensor, and the controller are supported, and the interior space has an inlet region from which the inlet of the particle sensor draws air. The inlet region is substantially isolated from a remainder of the interior space and has a volume that is less than 10% of an overall volume of the interior space. 
     In yet another embodiment, a sensing module for monitoring a cabin of a vehicle includes an environmental sensor configured to sense organic compounds in ambient air of the cabin, a particle sensor configured to detect particulate matter in the ambient air, and a controller operably connected to the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and configured to receive sensor signals from the environmental sensor and the particle sensor and to transmit data to a remote server via the Internet. A printed circuit board (“PCB”) is supported in the housing and operably connects the controller, the environmental sensor, and the particle sensor to one another. The controller and the environmental sensor are arranged on the PCB. In addition, the module includes at least one microphone arranged on the PCB, and a housing configured to mount to a windshield of said vehicle. The housing supports the environmental sensor, the particle sensor, the controller, and the PCB, and includes at least one opening assigned to each microphone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and other features of an in-vehicle sensing system are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  shows a simplified block diagram of a vehicle having an in-vehicle sensing system that includes an in-vehicle sensing module for monitoring the vehicle. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows photo of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 2  arranged in a roof bezel of a vehicle. 
         FIG. 4  shows a photo captured by the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 3  in which left behind objects are marked with boxes. 
         FIG. 5  shows a photo captured by the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 3  in which dirt on the floor of the vehicle is marked with boxes. 
         FIG. 6  shows a photo captured by the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 3  in which debris on the floor and seats of the vehicle is marked with boxes. 
         FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of another in-vehicle sensing module. 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7  with the housing cover shown transparent and partially removed from the housing base. 
         FIG. 9  shows a top view of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7  with the housing cover removed and inverted. 
         FIG. 10  shows a schematic view of the components of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the circuit board of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 12  shows a front view of the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7  mounted on the windshield of a vehicle. 
         FIG. 13  is a process diagram illustrating a method of operating the in-vehicle sensing module of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. It is further understood that the present disclosure includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the disclosure as would normally occur to one skilled in the art which this disclosure pertains. 
     System Overview 
       FIG. 1  shows a simplified block diagram of a vehicle monitoring system  100  having an in-vehicle sensing system  104  for monitoring at least a cabin  108  of a vehicle  102 . The vehicle monitoring system  100  is advantageous for use in the context of a shared vehicle service in which the shared vehicle  102  is driven by drivers or ridden in by passengers who are not the owner of the shared vehicle  102 . Such shared vehicle services might include, but are not limited to, a car rental service, an autonomous taxi service, or a ride sharing service. In many such shared vehicle services, a customer may engage the services of the shared vehicle service in an automated manner using a smartphone application, a website, an on-site kiosk, or the like, which involves little or no direct human intervention by the operator of the shared vehicle service. 
     The in-vehicle sensing system  104  advantageously enables operators of shared vehicle to monitor the condition of the vehicle  102 , enforce rules and policies, and provide additional benefits to the customer with minimal human intervention. Such rules and policies might include rules against smoking the vehicle  102  or surcharges for any required cleaning of the vehicle  102  after usage by the customer. Additionally, the operator can provide additional benefits to the customer, such as notifying the customer of personal property left in the vehicle after the conclusion of a ride. 
     The in-vehicle sensing system  104  includes an in-vehicle sensing module  112  having one or more integrated sensors  116  configured to monitor a status of at least the cabin  108 . In some embodiments, an in-vehicle sensing system  100  further includes additional external sensors  120  and a gyroscope/accelerometer module  122  arranged on or throughout the vehicle  102 , which are operably connected to the in-vehicle sensing module  108  via one or more communication buses  124 . In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  and at least the integrated sensors  116  are integrated in a chassis and/or enclosure, which is adapted for retrofitting into a particular make and model of the vehicle  102 . The sensors  116 ,  120  and algorithms (discussed below) used by the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may also be specific to particular make and model of the vehicle  102 . Alternatively, in some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing system  104  is usable in any desired vehicle, and the housing of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to be mounted on a surface within the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102 , such as, for example, a dash or windshield. 
     In addition to the in-vehicle sensing system  104 , the vehicle  102  includes a vehicle electronic controller (“ECU”)  128 , a drive system  132 , and a vehicle battery  136 . In one embodiment, the vehicle ECU  128  is configured to operate the drive system  132 , as well as various electronics of the vehicle, such as lights, locks, speakers, displays, etc. The vehicle ECU  128  may communicate with these various electronics and the drive system  132 , as well with as the in-vehicle sensing system  104 , via the one or more communication buses  124 . In one embodiment, the vehicle ECU  128  communicates certain telemetric data to the in-vehicle sensing module  112 , such as vehicle speed or travel direction and, thus, the vehicle ECU  128  may be considered one of the external sensors  120 . 
     The drive system  132  of the vehicle  102  includes a drive motor, for example an internal combustion engine and/or one or more electric motors, that drives the wheels of the vehicle  102 , and the steering and braking components that enable the vehicle  102  to be moved in a controlled manner. The vehicle battery  136  is configured to provide operating power (e.g., via a 12V accessory power line  140 , or the like) to the in-vehicle sensing module  112 , the external sensors  120 , the gyroscope/accelerometer module  122 , the vehicle ECU  128 , and/or any other vehicle electronics of the vehicle  102 . 
     The in-vehicle sensing module  112  includes at least a processor, a memory, and the one or more integrated sensors  116  integrated into a common enclosure that is installed into the cabin  108  of the vehicle. The in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to monitor a status of at least the cabin  108  of the vehicle. Particularly, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to process sensor data received from the sensors  116 ,  120  to infer one or more qualities, conditions, or statuses of the vehicle  102 . For example, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may detect whether the vehicle  102  is empty, whether the vehicle  102  is clean, whether the vehicle  102  has been damaged, whether the vehicle  102  has been subjected to cigarette smoke or other unpleasant smells, and/or whether an object has been left behind in the vehicle  102 . The in-vehicle sensing module  112  utilizes appropriate algorithms, models (e.g., artificial neural networks), or thresholds to interpret the sensor data and enrich the data with metadata and event detection. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the term “metadata” refers to any data that describes or gives information about other data (e.g., the sensor data). 
     To this end, depending on the particular qualities, conditions, or statuses of the vehicle  102  to be monitored, the sensors  116 ,  120  may comprise a wide variety of sensors including, for example, cameras, microphones, gyroscopes, accelerometers, smoke detectors or other air-quality/particle sensors, temperature sensors, and/or humidity sensors. The gyroscope/accelerometer module  122  may include, for example, a microphone, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer integrated in a single housing that is affixed to the chassis of the vehicle. 
     The in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to upload, by a cellular Internet connection, relevant sensor data, event data, or other metadata to a cloud storage backend  150  for storage thereat. The data uploaded to the cloud storage backend  150  is accessible by a third-party cloud backend  160 . The third-party backend  160  is, for example, associated with the shared vehicle service discussed above, such as a car rental service, an autonomous taxi service, or a ride sharing service. In this way, an operator of the shared vehicle service can monitor the condition of the shared vehicle  102 , enforce rules and policies, and provide additional benefits to the customer with minimal human intervention. 
     In-Vehicle Sensing Module with Integrated Camera 
       FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of one embodiment of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  configured for mounting in the overhead console of a vehicle. The in-vehicle sensing module  112  includes a heatsink  200 , a system on a module (SoM)  204 , a module printed circuit board (PCB)  208 , a camera  212 , a particle sensor  216 , a plurality of LED arrangements  220 , and a lower housing  224 . 
     The heatsink  200  is formed of thermally-conductive material, for example an aluminum alloy, and includes vents configured to allow air to flow away from the electronic components. Additionally, the heatsink  200  includes a plurality of fins that dissipate heat from the electronic components. The heatsink  200  defines a plurality of apertures or notches in the sides of the heatsink  200  that allow access to connection terminals of the module PCB  208  for connecting to other components in the in-vehicle-sensing module  112 . 
     The SoM  204  includes several components on one or more discreet modules or printed circuit boards. In the illustrated embodiment, the SoM  204  is configured as a single printed circuit board on which the several components are arranged. In particular, the SoM  204  includes at least a controller or control electronics having a processor and associated memory. It will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that a “processor” includes any hardware system, hardware mechanism, or hardware component that processes data, signals or other information. The processor may include a system with a central processing unit, graphics processing units, multiple processing units, dedicated circuitry for achieving functionality, programmable logic, or other processing systems. The memory may be of any type of device capable of storing information accessible by the processor, such as a memory card, ROM, RAM, hard drives, discs, flash memory, or any of various other computer-readable medium serving as data storage devices, as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. The memory is configured to store program instructions that, when executed by the processor, enable the in-vehicle sensing module  112  to perform various operations, including monitoring the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102 , as described below. 
     The SoM  204  may also include one or more sensors  116  integrated directly thereon. The SoM  204  may include, for example at least one temperature and/or humidity sensor, and a microphone integrated onto the printed circuit board. In further embodiments, the SoM  204  may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a transceiver, and/or other sensors and electronics components. 
     The SoM  204  is arranged on and electrically connected to a module printed circuit board (PCB)  208 . The module PCB  208  is operably connected to the vehicle battery  136  so as to receive electrical power from the vehicle battery  136 . The module PCB  208  also includes power supply electronics that convert the received power, for example 12V power, to a lower voltage, for instance 3V, to power the components in the in-vehicle sensing module  112 . The module PCB  208  is configured as a compact board to enable the in-vehicle sensing module  112  to have a small footprint. In one embodiment, the module PCB  208  is between approximately 5 and approximately 7 inches wide and between approximately 1.5 and approximately 2.5 inches long. In another particular embodiment, the module PCB  208  is approximately 6 inches wide and approximately 2 inches long. 
     Additionally, the module PCB  208  includes interfaces, headers, and/or connectors for communicating with sensors that are contained within or integrated within the in-vehicle sensing module  112 , such as, for example, the camera  212  and particle sensor  216 . Furthermore, the module PCB  208  has interfaces, headers, and/or connectors for communicating with additional sensors, for example the external sensor package discussed below, that are situated elsewhere in the vehicle  102  outside of the enclosure of the in-vehicle sensing module  112 . The interfaces, headers, and/or connectors may connect to a plurality of communication buses, which may for example take the form of one or more I 2 C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) buses, I 2 S (Inter-IC Sound) buses, USB (Universal Serial Bus) buses, and/or CAN (Controller Area Network) buses. Accordingly, the module PCB  208  may include suitable bus controllers for communicating with the sensors via the communication buses. 
     The module PCB  208  further includes one or more radio transceivers, including at least a wireless telephony transceiver  232  configured to communicate with the Internet via wireless telephony networks, such as, for example, Global System for Mobiles (“GSM”), Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”), and/or Long-Term Evolution (“LTE”) networks. Additionally, the radio transceivers of the module PCB  208  may further include a Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi transceiver configured to communicate locally with a smartphone or other smart device in the possession of the passenger or driver using the vehicle  102 , or with the external sensor package. The radio transceivers of the module PCB  208  may include corresponding antennas, as well as any processors, memories, oscillators, or other hardware conventionally included with radio communications modules. In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless telephony transceiver is operably connected to two flexible antennas  236 ,  240  via the module PCB  208 . The antennas  236 ,  240  may be, for example, 4G wide band antennas configured to receive and transmit at frequencies of between approximately 698 MHz and 3 GHz, though the reader should appreciate that other desired antennas may be used in other embodiments. 
     The module PCB  208  may also include additional sensors and electronics components. In addition, the reader should appreciate that any or all of the sensors and electronic components described as being included on the module PCB  208  may be instead arranged on the SoM  204 . Likewise, any or all of the sensors and electronic components described as being included on the SoM  204  may instead be arranged on the module PCB  208 . 
     The camera  212  of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is mounted on a camera PCB  248 , which is operably connected to the module PCB  208  for communication with the SoM  204  via, for example, a ribbon cable  252 . The camera  212  further includes a camera lens  256  ( FIG. 3 ) that is directed through a lens opening  260  in the lower housing  224  and is configured to capture images of the vehicle cabin  108 . The camera  212  includes an image sensor, for example a CCD (charge coupled device) or a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor), configured to capture images in optical and/or infrared wavelengths. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the particle sensor  216  of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is arranged beneath the module PCB  208  and is mounted to the lower housing  224  by a sensor cover  268 . Additionally, the particle sensor  216  is operably connected to the module PCB  208  via a particle sensor connector  272 , for example a ribbon cable, to receive electrical power from the module PCB  208  and communicate with the SoM  204  via the module PCB  208 . The particle sensor  216  includes an intake opening  276 , which is aligned with a particle sensor opening  280  defined in the lower housing  224 , to enable ambient air in the cabin  108  to pass directly into the particle sensor  216 . As discussed below, the particle sensor  216  is configured to sense particulate concentrations in the ambient air and transmit electronic signals corresponding to the detected particulate concentrations to the SoM  204 , which determines whether smoke or vapor is present in the cabin  108 . 
     The in-vehicle sensing module  112  of the illustrated embodiment has two LED arrangements  220 , one of which is located on each side of the camera  212 . Each LED arrangement  220  includes two LEDs  288 , an LED board  292 , and an LED cover  296 , which mounts the LED board  292  and the LEDs  288  to the lower housing  224 . The LED board  292  is operably connected to the module PCB  208  so as to receive electrical power from the module PCB  208  and communicate with the SoM  204  via the module PCB  208 . Each LED  288  is arranged so as to project light through an LED opening  300  defined in the lower housing  224 . The LEDs  288  may be configured to project white light, infrared light, or light of another suitable wavelength into the cabin  108  of the vehicle  102 . In one particular embodiment, one LED  288  of the LED arrangement  220  generates white light, while the other LED  288  produces infrared light. 
     The LEDs  288  are operated by the processor in the SoM  204  to illuminate the cabin  108  of the vehicle  102  so that the camera  212  can capture an image of sufficient quality. Additionally, the LEDs  288  of the LED arrangements  220  may be arranged in a common plane on the lower surface of the lower housing  224 , thereby enabling the light produced by the LEDs  288  to illuminate the cabin  108  evenly. 
     The module PCB  208  is connected to the SoM  204  and the heatsink  200  via a plurality of fasteners  304 , each of which extends upwardly through the module PCB  208 , a corresponding spacer  308 , the SoM  204 , and into a threaded opening (not shown) in the heatsink  200 . The heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , and module PCB  208  are therefore configured as a self-contained unit. The self-contained unit of the heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , and module PCB  208  is affixed to the lower housing  224  via a plurality of fasteners  312  that pass downwardly through corresponding openings in the heatsink  200  and module PCB  208 , into threaded openings in the lower housing  224 . 
     The camera  212  is affixed to the lower housing  224  by a plurality of fasteners  316  that pass downwardly through the camera PCB  248  and into corresponding threaded openings in the lower housing  224 . Similarly, the particle sensor  216  is mounted to the lower housing  224  by a plurality of fasteners  320  that pass through the particle sensor cover  268  and into corresponding threaded openings in the lower housing  224  to clamp the particle sensor  216  between the particle sensor cover  268  and the lower housing  224 . Each LED arrangement  220  is likewise mounted to the lower housing  224  by a plurality of fasteners  324  that pass through the LED cover  296  and the LED board  292  into corresponding threaded openings in the lower housing  224 , thereby clamping the respective LED board  292  and LEDs  288  between the LED cover  296  and the lower housing  224 . 
     As such, the camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , and LED arrangements  220  are mounted to the lower housing  224  independently of the self-contained unit of the heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , and module PCB  208 . In other words, the fasteners  316 ,  320 ,  324  that fasten the camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , and LED arrangements  220  to the lower housing  224  do not interact with the heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , or module PCB  208 . Likewise, the fasteners  312  that fasten the heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , and module PCB  208  to the lower housing  224  do not interact with the camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , or LED arrangements  220 . The heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , and module PCB  208  are therefore arranged so as to be physically spaced apart from the camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , and LED arrangements  220 . As a result, heat produced by the electronic components in the module PCB  208  and SoM  204  is not conducted downwardly into the camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , or LED arrangements  220 , and is instead conducted upwardly through the heatsink  200  and out of the top of the in-vehicle sensing arrangement  112 . Consequently, the in-vehicle sensing arrangement  112  provides effective heat management so as to prevent or minimize overheating of the components in the in-vehicle sensing arrangement  112 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured as a self-contained package. As a result, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is easily installed into existing vehicles as a retrofit. The lower housing  224  may be modified to conveniently fit in different vehicles, while the configuration of the heatsink  200 , SoM  204 , module PCB  208 , camera  212 , particle sensor  216 , and LED arrangements  220  can be the same across different configurations of the lower housing  224 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3 , in one particular embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to be received in a receptacle  340  in the roof bezel  344  of the vehicle  102 . More particularly, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may be arranged rearward of the rearview mirror  348 , and the receptacle  340  may be a sunglasses holder. Since many vehicles have a sunglasses holder in the roof bezel  344 , the in-vehicle sensing module  112  can be conveniently adapted to a variety of different vehicles with minimal modification of the arrangement of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  or the vehicle  102 . For example, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may be configured such that the lower housing  224  aesthetically matches the roof bezel  344  of the vehicle  102 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     Moreover, as seen in  FIGS. 4-6 , by mounting the in-vehicle sensing module  112  rearward of the rearview mirror  348 , the camera  212  has a direct view of the floors and seats in the cabin  108  of the vehicle  102 . As a result, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  enables suitable visual coverage of the vehicle with only the one camera  212 . 
     Furthermore, in the configuration of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the particle sensor opening  280  is arranged in the front portion of the lower housing  224  relative to the vehicle. The particle sensor opening  280  is therefore located, as viewed by the passengers, behind the main or lowered portion of the lower housing  224 . As a result, the particle sensor opening  280  is generally obscured from view by the passengers of the vehicle  102 . The passengers are therefore unlikely to be aware of the location of the particle sensor opening  280 , and are thus unlikely to tamper with the particle sensor opening  280  in an attempt to avoid detection of smoking or vaping in the vehicle cabin  108 . 
     Additionally, since the intake opening  276  of the particle sensor  216  is aligned with the particle sensor opening  280  of the lower housing  224 , ambient air can pass directly from the cabin  108  into the intake opening  276 . Accordingly, the ambient air does not disperse through the interior of the lower housing  224  where the ambient air could be diluted or heated by the components in the lower housing  224 . 
     As noted above, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may be connected to sensors located outside of the enclosure of the in-vehicle sensing module  112 . As an example, the gyroscope/accelerometer module  122  may be attached to the chassis of the vehicle  102  to provide improved sensitivity to small damage to the vehicle  102 . In one embodiment, the gyroscope/accelerometer module  122  also includes an additional microphone separate from the microphone in the SoM  204 . The gyroscope/accelerometer module  122  may be operably connected to the in-vehicle sensing module  112  by a cable or wired connection, or it may be operably connected to the in-vehicle sensing module  112  via a known wireless connection method. 
     In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may further include various indicator lights, user interfaces, speakers, or the like for locally conveying or receiving information to or from the passengers of the vehicle. 
     Operation of the in-Vehicle Sensing System Having a Camera 
     In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  of  FIGS. 2-3  is configured to detect whether a passenger is smoking within the cabin  108  of the vehicle  102  based on sensor data received from smoke detectors or other air-quality/particle sensors, which may be provided and/or accessed at a predetermined rate (e.g., once per second). In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  executes a smoke detection algorithm to monitor a curve of particulate matter concentrations detected by, for example, the particle sensor  216 , over time and compares the monitored particulate matter concentrations to reference data. In case of a smoke detection event, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  may also operate the camera  212  to take a photo of the cabin  108  of the vehicle  102  and/or to generate an audible alert in the vehicle. 
     Additionally, some embodiments of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  are configured to detect whether the vehicle  102 , in particular a car body of the vehicle  102 , has incurred damage during based on sensor data received from a gyroscope, acceleration sensor, vibration sensor and/or a microphone, e.g. from the gyroscope/accelerometer module  122 . In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  executes an appropriate learning algorithm (an artificial neural network) to collect and analyze the sensor data to detect that a small damage has occurred. In one embodiment, based on the sensor data received from the sensors, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  detects the location on the vehicle at which the damage occurred (e.g., front left) and classifies a grade of damage (e.g., hard or minor), based on the data received from the sensors. 
     In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to detect whether objects have been left behind by passengers of the vehicle, such as phones, keys, or glasses. In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  operates the LEDs  288  to illuminate the cabin  108  and the camera  212  to capture a sample photo after a ride is finished and the user has left the car. The in-vehicle sensing module  112  then executes an appropriate algorithm to analyze the sample photo and determine optimal parameters (e.g., exposure, gain, gamma, etc.) for subsequent photos. Directly afterwards, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  operates the LEDs  288  and camera  212  to capture a set of photos using the determined parameters to get the best results and form a high dynamic range (HDR) photo using the set of photos. The in-vehicle sensing module  112  executes an appropriate algorithm to analyze the HDR photo to detect lost or left behind objects in the vehicle  102 . The in-vehicle sensing module  112  marks the lost or left behind objects in the HDR photo, such as with boxes as shown in  FIG. 4 , and also lists the objects in metadata. In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  distinguishes and classifies the lost or left behind objects and includes these classifications in the metadata. In this way, a user can be informed immediately in case of detecting a lost or left behind object. Additionally, an operator can analyze the HDR photo and correct it in case of any doubts. 
     In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to detect whether the cabin  108  of the vehicle is clean or dirty. Dirt can assume several forms including dust, different varieties of soil, or even debris, scattered pieces of rubbish or remains. Common examples include sand or grass on the floor of the cabin  108 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , and crumbs or other debris on the floor or seats of the cabin  108 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  operates the LEDs  288  to illuminate the cabin  108  and the camera  212  to capture a sample photo and then a HDR photo, as described above for detecting lost or left behind objects. The in-vehicle sensing module  112  executes an appropriate algorithm to analyze the HDR photo to detect dirt or debris in the vehicle  102 . The in-vehicle sensing module  112  marks the dirt or debris in the HDR photo, such as with boxes as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , and also lists the dirt or debris in metadata. In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  classifies the detected dirt or debris (e.g., removable/not removable, trash, dangerous, liquid, etc.) and includes these classifications in the metadata. In this way, an operater can be informed immediately in case of a dirty vehicle can decide how to proceed (e.g., car has to be cleaned, repaired, etc.). Additionally, an operator can analyze the HDR photo and correct it in case of any doubts. 
     In at least one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  is configured to transmit sensor data and processing results to a remote server backend. In particular, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  operates one or more transceivers (e.g. the wireless telephony transceiver  232 ) thereof to transmit raw sensor data, enriched or annotated sensor data, and/or detected event data with relevant photos or the like to the remote server backend. In one embodiment, the remote server backend is associated with or accessible by an operator of a shared vehicle service for which the vehicle  102  is utilized. In this way, operators can evaluate the data and events on the backend and react in an appropriate way. Alternatively, remote server backend may be associated with an OEM of the vehicle  102  or with some other interested party. 
     In-Vehicle Sensing System with an Environmental Sensor 
     Another embodiment of an in-vehicle sensing module  400  is depicted in  FIGS. 7-12 . The in-vehicle sensing module  400  of  FIGS. 7-12  may be used in place of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  described above. The in-vehicle sensing module  400  is configured without a camera, however, so as to enable the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to be compact and easily installable on a vehicle windshield without obstructing the driver&#39;s view. 
     The in-vehicle sensing module  400  includes a housing  404 , which supports a PCB  408 , a particle sensor  412 , and a flexible antenna  416 . The housing  404  includes a base  420  and a cover  424 , best seen in  FIGS. 7-9 , which jointly define an interior space  426  in which the PCB  408  and the particle sensor  412  are arranged. The base  420  and cover  424  may be formed as plastic injection-molded components, though the reader should appreciate that the base  420  and cover  424  may be formed of any desired material. 
     The base  420  has a sidewall  428  that extends around a portion of the exterior circumference of the base  420  so as to at least partially define the interior space  426 . The base  420  further defines a plurality of projections that serve to aid in locating and mounting the various components arranged in the interior space  426 . One of the projections is configured as a separator  430 , which, as will be discussed in further detail below, separates an inlet region  454 , from which the particle sensor  412  collects air, from the remainder of the interior space  426 . 
     The interior space  426  is substantially enclosed by the housing  404  so as to reduce the flow of air and any other contaminants into and out from the interior space  426 . In one particular embodiment, exchange of air into and out from the interior space  426  is enabled only by a plurality of groups of openings  432 ,  434 ,  436 ,  438 . Two of the groups of openings  432 ,  434  open into the interior of respective cylindrical projections  440 ,  442 , which project from the top of the cover  424  into the interior space  426 . In particular, as will be discussed in detail below, the openings  432 ,  434  provide a substantially uninterrupted path for sound waves to travel from the cabin  108  to the microphones  580  arranged on the PCB  408 . 
     Another group of openings  436  allows ambient air to be pulled into an inlet  450  of the particle sensor  412 , while the group of openings  438  enables air expelled from an outlet  456  of particle sensor  412 , as well as the air in the remainder of the interior space  426 , to exit the interior space  426 . In addition, the cover  424  includes two separators  444 ,  446  extending into the interior space  426  between the openings  436 ,  438 . The two separators  444 ,  446  cooperate with the separator  430  of the base  420  to substantially or completely isolate the openings  436 ,  438 , from one another within the interior space  426 , and to substantially or completely isolate the inlet region  454  from the remainder of the interior space  426 . As used herein, substantially isolated means there are no gaps that connect the inlet region  454  and the remainder of the interior space  426 , or connecting the openings  436 ,  438 , with an area perpendicular to a nominal direction of airflow of greater than 10 mm 2 . In some embodiments, there are no gaps connecting the inlet region  454  and the remainder of the interior space having an area perpendicular to a nominal direction of airflow of greater than 5 mm 2 , while in other embodiments there are no gaps with an area of greater than 3 mm 2 . 
     The cover  424  also includes a sidewall  448  that extends circumferentially entirely around the cover  424  so as to enclose the interior space  426 . The sidewall  448  surrounds the sidewall  428  of the base  420  in such a way that the flexible antenna  416  is interposed between the two sidewalls  428 ,  448 . In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible antenna  416  extends entirely around two sides of the sidewall  448 , and partially around the other two sides of the sidewall  448 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the particle sensor  412  has an inlet  450  and an outlet  452  arranged on the same side of the particle sensor  412 . The inlet  450  and outlet  452  are both arranged on a side of the particle sensor that is adjacent to the sidewall  448  so that only a relatively small volume of air is present between the inlet  450  and outlet  452  and the sidewall  448 . The particle sensor  412  has a fan configured to produce airflow that draws air into the inlet region  454  and into the inlet  450  of the particle sensor  412 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet region  454  encompasses a relatively small portion of the interior space  426 . In particular, in one embodiment, the volume of the inlet region  454  is less than 10% of the overall volume of the interior space  426 . In other embodiment, the volume of the inlet region  454  is less than 5%, less than 3%, or less than 2% of the overall volume of the interior space. Since the inlet region is relatively small compared to the overall volume of the interior space  426 , the air drawn into the inlet region  454  has a small volume in which to disperse once being drawn into the inlet region  454 . As a result, the majority of the air drawn into the inlet region  454  proceeds directly from the openings  436  into the inlet  450  of the particle sensor  412 . The in-vehicle sensing module  400  therefore enables accurate sensing of the particulate matter in the air of the vehicle cabin  108 . 
     The particle sensor  412  is configured to sense particulate matter concentrations in the ambient air of the cabin  108 . In particular, the particle sensor  412  is at least configured to detect particulate matter having sizes or masses associated with smoke and, in particular, with tobacco smoke and/or marijuana smoke, but may also detect particulate matter associated with other airborne particles or water vapor. The particle sensor  412  processes the air received in the inlet  450  to analyze the air for the presence and size of particles, and then expels the air through the outlet  452  into the outlet region  456 . The air expelled into the outlet region  456  disperses through the interior space  426  and exits the housing  404  via the openings  438 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the PCB  408  supports and electrically interconnects a plurality of electrical components, including at least a controller  460 , an inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) sensor  464 , and a environmental sensor  468 . The IMU sensor  464  includes one or more gyroscope sensors and one or more accelerometers. In one particular embodiment, the IMU sensor  464  may be a 6-axis sensor having a tri-axial gyroscope and a tri-axial accelerometer. The IMU sensor  464  is operably connected to the controller  460  so as to transmit information sensed by the IMU sensor  464  indicative of speed and movement of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . The information sensed by the IMU sensor  464  is used by the controller  460  to determine whether the vehicle has been involved in a collision, and the severity of any detected collision events. 
     The environmental sensor  468  is configured to analyze the air inside the interior space  426  to determine one or more properties of the air in the vehicle cabin  108 . In one particular embodiment, the environmental sensor  468  is configured to detect properties indicative of the air quality in the cabin such as relative humidity, barometric pressure, temperature, and presence of organic compounds, more particularly volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”). Accordingly, the environmental sensor  236  includes a variety of individual sensors integrated into a single package. However, it should be appreciated that individual discreet sensors may alternatively be provided, including a VOC sensor, a humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor. The environmental sensor  468  is operably connected to the controller  460  so as to transmit signals indicative of the sensed parameters to the controller  460  via, for example, an I 2 C connection. 
     The controller  460  includes at least a processor  480  and associated memory  484 . As noted above, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that a “processor” includes any hardware system, hardware mechanism or hardware component that processes data, signals or other information. Accordingly, the processor  480  may include a system with a central processing unit, graphics processing units, multiple processing units, dedicated circuitry for achieving functionality, programmable logic, or other processing systems. The memory  484  may be of any type of device capable of storing information accessible by the processor, such as a flash memory card, ROM, RAM, hard drives, discs, or any of various other computer-readable media serving as volatile or non-volatile data storage devices, as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. The memory  484  is configured to store program instructions that, when executed by the processor  480 , enable the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to perform various operations, including monitoring the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102 , as described below. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the controller  460  takes the form of an Internet of Things (IoT) controller  460 , which has integrated features and functionalities beyond that of a generic multi-purpose controller. As such, in the illustrated embodiment, the IoT controller  460  is configured as a system on a chip (SoC), which is arranged on the PCB  408 . Alternatively, the IoT controller  460  may be equivalently configured as a system on a module (SoM) in which the sub-components thereof are arranged on at least one discreet PCB, which is connected to the PCB  408  by a cable and/or a module connector. In either case, the IoT controller  460  includes integrated features and functionalities beyond the processor  480  and memory  484 . 
     In the illustrate embodiment, the IoT controller  460  further includes a radio communication module, which is a cellular telephony modem  488  in the illustrated embodiment, that is operably connected to an antenna connector  496  on the PCB  408 . The antenna connector  496  is connected to the flexible antenna  416 , which is configured to improve the cellular reception of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . The cellular telephony modem  488  is configured to communicate with the Internet in conjunction with the antenna  416  via wireless telephony networks, such as, for example, GSM, Code CDMA, and/or LTE networks. The reader should appreciate that, while the illustrated embodiment depicts the cellular telephony modem  488  as being integrated with the controller  460 , in other embodiments the cellular telephony modem  488  may be arranged on the PCB  408  separate from the controller  460 . 
     The PCB  408  further includes a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card receptacle  512 , which is configured to accommodate a SIM card  516 . The SIM card receptacle  512  is operably connected to the controller  460 , and more specifically to the cellular telephony modem  488 , so as to provide identifying information to enable the cellular telephony modem  488  to access the wireless telephony network, as is generally known in the art. 
     In some embodiments, the IoT controller  460  advantageously provides integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) functionality. To this end, the IoT controller  460  comprises a GNSS receiver as well as any other processors, memories, oscillators, or other hardware conventionally included in a GNSS module  492 . The GNSS receiver is configured to receive signals from GNSS satellites from which location data can be determined. The GNSS receiver is configured to support one or more of, for example, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, and Galileo, or any other GNSS. The GNSS receiver is connected to a GNSS antenna  500  to enable reception of the GNSS signals. In the illustrated embodiment, the GNSS antenna  500  is arranged in or on the PCB  408 , but can alternatively be arranged separately inside or outside the housing  404 . It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, a discreet GNSS module can be provided on the PCB  408  separate from the controller  460 . 
     In some embodiments (not shown), the IoT controller  460  may further include integrated Bluetooth® and/or Wi-Fi® transceivers configured to communicate locally with a smartphone or other smart device in the possession of the passenger or driver using the shared vehicle  102 . Likewise, in some embodiments, discreet Bluetooth® and/or Wi-Fi® transceivers can be provided on the PCB  408  separately from the controller  460 . 
     In some embodiments, the IoT controller  460  advantageously comprises a variety of integrated data/peripheral interfaces for operably connecting with a variety of additionally components of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 , including general-purpose input/output (GPIO), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I 2 C or I2C), Inter-IC Sound (I 2 S or I2S), Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO), Universal Serial Bus (USB), USB High Speed Inter-Chip (HSIC), and universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART). In this way, the IoT controller  460  provides easy compatibility with a variety of external sensors that might be available within the shared vehicle  102 , as well as providing compatibility with a variety of configurations of integrated sensors. 
     In addition, the PCB  408  may include a removable storage medium holder  520 , for example a secure digital (“SD”) card reader or the like that is configured to accommodate and communicate with a removable memory storage device  524 , for example a secure digital (SD), SD High Capacity (SDHC), or SD Extended Capacity (SDXC) memory card, as well as any equivalent type of removable memory card or other non-volatile memory technology. The removable storage medium holder  520  may be connected to the controller  460  via, for example, a SDIO interface. The controller  460  may be configured to write the metadata processed from the sensor data to the removable memory storage device  524 , and to read instructions, program code, or other information from the removable memory storage device  524 . 
     In addition, the PCB  408  may, in some embodiments, also include an external device connector  528  connected to the controller  460 . The external device connector  528  enables an external computing device, such as a diagnostic tool or the like, to be temporarily connected to the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to read or receive data from the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . The external device connector  528  may, for example, take the form of a USB connector (e.g. USB-A, USB-C, micro-USB, etc.) or the like, configured to enable wired communication between the controller  460  and the external computing device. 
     In addition, the PCB  408  includes an input/output (“I/O”) connector  540 , which is connected to an external cable  544  that connects to the I/O connector  540  and exits the housing  404  via an opening  546  defined therein. In one embodiment, the external cable  544  includes a grommet  545  arranged at the opening  546 , which is configured to attach the external cable  544  to the housing  404  at the opening  546  to provide strain relief. The external cable  268  is configured to connect with one or more vehicle interfaces, busses, or systems of the shared vehicle  102 , at least including the power line  140 , via one or more wire harnesses, or equivalent, so as to receive a vehicle battery voltage  547  (e.g. 12V) from the vehicle battery  136 . Additionally, in at least some embodiments, the external cable  544  is configured to connect with the one or more communication buses  124  so as to receive data from external sensors and/or from the vehicle ECU  128 . In one particular embodiment, the external cable  544  is connected to the overhead bezel of the vehicle  102 . The reader should appreciate that, in some embodiments, the PCB includes or is operably connected to a dedicated battery in place of the external cable  544  or as a secondary power source if the power supply from the vehicle is interrupted. 
     The I/O connector  540  is operably connected to power supply circuitry  548  of the PCB  408 , configured to convert power from the vehicle battery  136  to suitable voltages for providing power to the controller  460  and other components of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . The power supply circuitry  548  also includes low power mode circuitry  552 , which is configured to provide power only to a select subset of components of the in-vehicle sensing module  400  in a low power mode, to avoid draining the vehicle battery  136  when the vehicle is off. 
     The PCB  408  further includes ignition sensing circuitry  556  that is operably connected to the I/O connector  540  and to the controller  460 . The ignition sensing circuitry  556  is configured to monitor the input voltage provided from the vehicle battery  136  to determine when the ignition of the vehicle  102  has been activated. The ignition sensing circuitry  556  then transmits an ignition signal to the controller  460 . As will be discussed further below, in at least some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  switches from a low power mode to an active state in response to the ignition signal. In other words, the ignition signal may act as a wakeup signal for the controller  460 . 
     The PCB  408  further includes battery monitoring circuitry  560 , which is operably connected to the controller  460  and the I/O connector  540  and functions to monitor the state of the vehicle battery. For instance, the battery monitoring circuitry  560  may be configured to monitor the voltage and current provided to the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . In some embodiments, a power state of the in-vehicle sensing module  400  (e.g., off, on, low power mode, active mode) is controlled or changed by the controller  460  depending on the voltage and current sensed by the battery monitoring circuitry  560 . 
     The PCB  408  also includes at least one microphone  580  operably connected to the controller  460 . Each microphone  580  comprises any desired type of acoustic sensor configured to record sounds within the cabin  108 . In one particular embodiment, each microphone  240  takes the form of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) microphone mounted directly on the PCB  208 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the PCB  408  includes two microphones  580  that are spaced apart from one another so as to record stereo audio in the cabin  108 . Each microphone  480  is surrounded by an acoustic seal gasket  584 , one end of which seals against the PCB  408 . The inner circumferential surface of each acoustic seal gasket  584  seals against an associated one of the cylindrical projections  440 ,  442  on the interior side of the housing cover  420 . The acoustic seal gaskets  584  therefore acoustically isolate the volume in which the microphones  580  are arranged so as to reduce interference in the sound transmitted through the openings  432 ,  434  and detected by the microphones  580 . 
     In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  includes an indicator light (e.g. an LED)  592  mounted on the PCB  408  or the housing  404 . The indicator light  592  is arranged so as to be visible through an opening  596  of the cover  424 , and is configured to emit light that indicates an operating status of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . 
     The PCB  408  also supports a particle sensor connector  600 , seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , which is operably connected to the controller  460  via electrical connections in the PCB  408 . The particle sensor connector  600  enables transfer of data between the controller  460  and the particle sensor  412 , and enables the power supply circuitry to supply the particle sensor  412  with electrical power. 
     In some embodiments, the PCB further includes camera trigger circuitry  608 . The controller  460  is configured to operate the camera trigger circuitry  608  to activate an external camera  612 , which is arranged within the shared vehicle and configured to capture images of the cabin  108 , to capture one or more pictures inside the vehicle cabin in a manner as described above. The controller  460  is configured to receive the captured images from the external camera  612  via the camera trigger circuitry  608  or via another data connection. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, as is seen in  FIG. 12 , the in-vehicle sensing module  400  is configured to be installed on the windshield  640  of the vehicle  102 . The in-vehicle sensing module  400  therefore includes a double-sided adhesive pad  520  configured to affix the back side of the housing base  420  (i.e. the side opposite the interior space  426 ) to the windshield  640  of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  is configured to be affixed to the windshield  640  on the side of the rearview mirror  644  opposite the driver side (i.e. to the right of the rearview mirror  644  in left-hand-drive vehicles). The in-vehicle sensing module  400  may be arranged between approximately 25 mm and 75 mm, or more particularly approximately 50 mm, from the top of the windshield  640 , and between 25 mm and 75 mm, or more particularly approximately 50 mm, from the rearview mirror  644  or an exterior sensing module  648 . This positioning enables the power supply cable  544  to be easily routed to the overhead bezel  652  without obstructing the driver&#39;s view. 
     Operation of the in-Vehicle Sensing Module with an Environmental Sensor 
     A variety of methods and processes are described below for operating the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . In these descriptions, statements that a method, processor, and/or system is performing some task or function refers to a controller or processor (e.g., the controller  460  of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 ) executing programmed instructions stored in non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., the memory  484  of the controller  460  of the in-vehicle sensing module  400  or the removable memory storage device  524 ) operatively connected to the controller  460  or processor  480  to manipulate data or to operate one or more components in the vehicle monitoring system  100  or the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to perform the task or function. Additionally, the steps of the methods may be performed in any feasible chronological order, regardless of the order shown in the figures or the order in which the steps are described. 
       FIG. 13  shows a method  700  for operating the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to monitor at least the cabin  108  of a shared vehicle  102 . The method  700  advantageously captures, and stores in a non-volatile memory (e.g. memory  484  and/or removable memory storage device  524 ), sensor data during operation of the shared vehicle  102 , for example in the context of a shared vehicle service, such as car rental service, an autonomous taxi service, a ride sharing service, or the like. Moreover, the method  700  advantageously processes the sensor data to provide metadata, which is also stored in the non-volatile memory  484  and/or  524 . The method  700  advantageously enables operators of such shared vehicle services to monitor the condition of the shared vehicle  102 , enforce rules and policies, and provide additional benefits to the customer with minimal human intervention. 
     The method  700  begins with powering on the in-vehicle sensing module (block  710 ). Particularly, as noted above, the battery monitoring circuitry  560  is configured to monitor a voltage and current of the power line  140  provided via the external cable  544  to the external I/O connector  540 . In some embodiments, the power line  140  is provided via an always-on power line of the shared vehicle  102 , which directly provides the battery voltage of the vehicle battery  136 . It will be appreciated that, if precisely measured, the battery voltage of the vehicle battery  136  can be used to estimate a state of charge of the vehicle battery  136 . In one embodiment, the battery monitoring circuitry  560  measures the battery voltage provided via the external cable  544  and, in response to the battery voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage, provides a turn-on signal to the controller  460  to at least partially turn on the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . The predetermined threshold voltage is a battery voltage corresponding to a predetermined state of charge of the vehicle battery. In one embodiment, the predetermined state of charge is one at which the vehicle battery  136  can still provide sufficient amperage to start the vehicle. In this way, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  will only operate with battery power if the vehicle battery  136  is sufficiently charged and will not cause the vehicle battery to unnecessarily drain if the shared vehicle  102  is not started for an extended period of time. 
     In alternative embodiments, the power line  140  connected to via the I/O connector  540  is a switched/accessory power line of the shared vehicle  102 , which only provides the battery voltage of the vehicle battery  136  if the ignition has been activated to start the shared vehicle  102  (generally by toggling an operating element of the ignition while pressing the brakes) or if accessory power of the shared vehicle  102  has been activated (generally by toggling an operating element of the ignition without pressing the brakes). Thus, in response to detecting the battery voltage from the vehicle battery  136 , the battery monitoring circuitry  560  provides a turn-on signal to the controller  460  to at least partially turn on. 
     The method  700  continues with operating the in-vehicle sensing module in a low power mode until a wakeup condition occurs (block  720 ). Particularly, in response to the turn-on signal, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  begins operation in a low power mode in which the controller  460  activates a subset of components of the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to turn on. Particularly, in one exemplary embodiment, in the low-power mode, only the IMU  564 , the environmental sensor  568 , the ignition sensing circuitry  556 , and the low power supply  552  of the power supply circuitry  548  are activated. Additionally, the controller  460  itself may operate in a low power state in which certain functionalities or sub-components, such as those related to cellular telephony and GNSS, are disabled. 
     The in-vehicle sensing module  400  operates in the low power mode until a wakeup condition is satisfied or, more particularly, until the controller  460  receives a wakeup signal. In response to receiving the wakeup signal, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  begins operation in an active mode in which the controller  460  activates all of the components of the in-vehicle sensing module  400  to turn on. In one embodiment, the ignition sensing circuitry  556  sends a wakeup signal to the controller  460  in response to detecting that the ignition of the shared vehicle  102  has been activated. In one embodiment, the IMU  564  sends a wakeup signal to the controller  460  in response to detecting a disturbance of the shared vehicle  102  (e.g., acceleration or gyroscopic measurements exceeding a threshold or matching a predetermined profile) indicating, for example, that a driver has unlocked the shared vehicle  102  and entered the cabin  108 . In one embodiment, if the cellular telephony functionality of the controller  460  is operational during low-power mode, the wakeup signal can be received from the cloud storage backend  150 . 
     The method  700  continues with receiving sensor data from the integrated sensors and the external sensors and writing the sensor data to a local non-volatile memory (block  730 ). Particularly, in the active mode, after receiving the wakeup signal, the controller  460  begins recording/writing sensor data from the integrated sensors and from the external sensors to the removable memory storage device  524 , the memory  484 , or to some other non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, the IoT controller  460  implements one or more ring buffers (which may also be referred to as circular buffers, circular queues, or a cyclic buffers) on the removable memory storage device  524  to manage storage of newly measured sensor data and the deletion of old sensor data. 
     The method  700  continues with processing the sensor data to determine metadata, including event data, and writing the metadata to the local non-volatile memory (block  740 ). Particularly, the controller  460  is configured to process the sensor data received from the integrated sensors or from the external sensors to enrich the data with metadata and, in particular, event detection. As discussed above, the sensors may comprise a wide variety of sensors including cameras (e.g. external camera  612 ), microphones (e.g. microphones  580 ), gyroscopes and accelerometers (e.g. IMU  564 ), smoke detectors (e.g. particle sensor  412 ) or other air-quality/particle sensors (e.g. environmental sensor  568 ), temperature sensors, and/or humidity sensors. The controller  460  processes the sensor data to determine one or more conditions, qualities, or statuses of the shared vehicle  102  and/or detect the occurrence of one or more events related to the one or more conditions, qualities, or statuses of the shared vehicle  102 . The IoT controller  460  stores the determined conditions, qualities, or statuses and the detected events related thereto on the memory  484  and/or the removable memory storage device  524  as metadata of the stored sensor data. 
     In at least some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to determine one or more conditions, qualities, or statuses of the shared vehicle  102  and/or detect the occurrence of one or more events related to the one or more conditions, qualities, or statuses of the shared vehicle  102 , using an algorithm or model, such as a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network). In one embodiment, the controller  460  is configured to receive updates for the algorithm or model from the cloud storage backend  150 , via the cellular telephony modem thereof. 
     In some embodiment, in response to detecting a particular quality, condition, status, or event, the controller  460  operates the camera trigger circuitry  608  to cause the vehicle camera  612  to capture an image or video of the cabin  108 . The controller  460  stores the captured image on the memory  484  and/or the removable memory storage device  524  as metadata of the sensor data from which the particular quality, condition, status, or event was detected. 
     In some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to determine whether the shared vehicle  102  has been involved in a collision or has been otherwise mechanically damaged based on the acceleration and gyroscopic measurements provided by the IMU  564  or by a similar external sensor (e.g. sensor  120 ). In one embodiment, the controller  460  is configured to detect a collision or damage event in response to the acceleration and/or the gyroscopic measurements exceeding a predetermined threshold or matching with a predetermined acceleration profile. In one embodiment, the controller  460  executes a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network) to detect a collision or damage event based on the acceleration and/or the gyroscopic measurements. In one embodiment, the controller  460  detects where the damage occurred (e.g., front left) and classifies a severity or grade of damage (e.g., hard), based on the acceleration and/or the gyroscopic measurements or other sensor data. In one embodiment, the controller  460  executes a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network) to classify the detected a collision or damage based on the acceleration and/or the gyroscopic measurements. In one embodiment, in response to a collision or damage event, the controller  460  operates the camera trigger circuitry  608  to cause the vehicle camera  612  to capture an image or video of the cabin  108 . 
     In some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to determine whether the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102  has an unpleasant or abnormal odor based on the VOC measurements provided by the environmental sensor  568 . In one embodiment, the controller  460  is configured to detect an unpleasant/abnormal odor event in response to the VOC measurements exceeding a predetermined threshold or matching with a predetermined profile. In one embodiment, the controller  460  executes a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network) to detect an unpleasant/abnormal odor event based on the VOC measurements. In one embodiment, in response to an unpleasant/abnormal odor event, the controller  460  operates the camera trigger circuitry  608  to cause the vehicle camera  612  to capture an image or video of the cabin  108 . 
     Additionally, the controller  460  may be configured in some embodiments to identify and/or categorize the scents or smells present in the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102  based at least on the VOC measurements provided by the environmental sensor  568 . For instance, based on the chemical profile of the VOCs sensed in the cabin  108 , and, in some embodiments, in conjunction with the sensed temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and particulate concentrations, the controller  460  identifies the scent as corresponding to a particular category of odors. For example, in some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to identify and categorize odors corresponding to one or more of: marijuana, tobacco, perfume, food, beverages, alcohol, urine, vomit, feces, animal odors, mold, gasoline, and other odors that may be detectable to users of the vehicle  102 . In one embodiment, the controller  460  is configured to execute a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network) to identify and categorize the odors in the vehicle cabin  108  based on the detected VOCs and, in some embodiments, further based on the temperature, humidity, pressure, and/or particle measurements. In some embodiments, in response to detection of certain categories of odors, the controller  460  operates the camera trigger circuitry  608  to cause the vehicle camera  612  to capture an image or video of the cabin  108 . 
     In some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to determine whether a driver or passenger is smoking within the cabin  108  of the shared vehicle  102  based on the particulate matter measurements provided by the particle sensor  564 . In one embodiment, the controller  460  is configured to monitor a curve of the particulate matter concentrations over time and detect a smoking event in response to the curve of particulate matter concentrations matching the reference profile/curve or exceeding the threshold concentration. In one embodiment, the controller  460  executes a machine learning model (e.g., an artificial neural network) to detect a smoking event based on the particulate matter measurements. In one embodiment, in response to a smoking event, the controller  460  operates the camera trigger circuitry  608  to cause the vehicle camera  612  to capture an image or video of the cabin  108 . 
     The method  700  continues with uploading at least the metadata to a cloud storage backend for remote storage (block  750 ). Particularly, the controller  460  is configured to operate the cellular telephony modem  488  to upload at least the determined metadata to the cloud storage backend  150 . The uploaded metadata at least includes the detected events and may include corresponding timestamps indicating the time at which each event occurred, as well as other contextual information regarding the detected events (e.g., an image captured in response to detecting an event). In some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to also upload the raw sensor data from which an event was detected, or intermediate data determined during the processing of the sensor data to detect an event. In some embodiments, the controller  460  is configured to upload all of the raw sensor data, regardless of whether the sensor data correspond to any detected events. In one embodiment, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  utilizes a secured and encrypted (TLS V1.2 encryption) connection to the cloud storage backend  150  using a public key infrastructure (PKI), or equivalent. In one embodiment, authentication is ensured by usage of certificates, which are signed by appropriate certificate authorities. 
     Additional Embodiments 
     The reader should appreciate that, in some embodiments, features disclosed above with regard to the in-vehicle sensing module  112  are integrated in the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . For instance, in some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  400  includes a camera, a heatsink, and/or a SoM configuration. Likewise, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  includes features described above with regard to the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . For example, in some embodiments, the in-vehicle sensing module  112  includes an environmental sensor, or a SoC configured as described with reference to the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . 
     Additionally, in various embodiments, any or all of the functions and operations described above for the in-vehicle sensing module  112  are integrated in the in-vehicle sensing module  400 . For example, in one embodiment of the in-vehicle sensing module  400 , the controller  460  is configured to analyze photos captured by an integrated camera or by the external camera  612  in a manner similar to that described above with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 . Likewise, embodiments of the in-vehicle sensing module  112  are configured to execute any one or more of the method steps of the method  700  described herein. 
     While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.