US 12,240,414 B2
Vehicle sensor control for optimized monitoring of preferred objects within a vehicle passenger cabin
Brendan Francis Diamond, Grosse Pointe, MI (US); Stuart C. Salter, White Lake, MI (US); Hussein H. Berry, Dearborn, MI (US); John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Novi, MI (US); and Tarik Safir, Chesterfield (GB)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/569,732.
Prior Publication US 2023/0211753 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 25/01 (2013.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60R 25/102 (2013.01); B60R 25/24 (2013.01); B60R 25/31 (2013.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/52 (2022.01); G06V 20/58 (2022.01); G06V 20/59 (2022.01); B60R 25/30 (2013.01)
CPC B60R 25/31 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00792 (2013.01); B60R 25/01 (2013.01); B60R 25/102 (2013.01); B60R 25/24 (2013.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01); G06V 20/52 (2022.01); G06V 20/58 (2022.01); G06V 20/59 (2022.01); B60R 25/305 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor programmed to:
upon detecting an absence of a user inside a passenger cabin of a vehicle, transition the vehicle from an ON state to a minimal power state, wherein in the ON state each of a first sensor positioned to face the passenger cabin, a second sensor positioned to face the passenger cabin, and an external sensor are activated, and in the minimal power state the first sensor remains activated at a reduced power consumption mode and each of the second sensor and the external sensor are deactivated;
while in the minimal power state, detect an object inside the passenger cabin based on data from the first sensor;
upon detecting the object, activate the second sensor;
based on data from the second sensor, classify the object as one of preferred or nonpreferred;
upon classifying the object as preferred, activate the external sensor to monitor an environment outside the passenger cabin based on determining the object is within a specified zone of the passenger cabin;
determine a priority level for the preferred object based on data from the external sensor, wherein the priority level is one of high or low, high priority being based on a presence of an unauthorized object; and
actuate a vehicle component to reduce the priority level based on determining the priority level for the preferred object is high.