US 12,420,820 B2
Vehicle systems and methods for monitoring and determining locations of external objects
Morgan Lee McCann, Royal Oak, MI (US); Toure Lee, Pontiac, MI (US); and Shihchye Allen Lin, Orlando, FL (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/172,760.
Prior Publication US 2024/0278798 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. B60W 50/14 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 50/14 (2013.01) [B60W 2050/146 (2013.01); B60W 2420/408 (2024.01); B60W 2554/4041 (2020.02); B60W 2554/4049 (2020.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of monitoring a vicinity of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a state of charge (SOC) and a state of health (SOH) of a battery system onboard the vehicle from a battery control module (BCM) when the vehicle is in a standby mode;
determining whether the SOC and the SOH are greater than respective enablement thresholds when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
transitioning a sensor system onboard the vehicle from a standby mode to a normal operating mode and a positioning system onboard the vehicle from a standby mode to a normal operating mode in response to a determination that the SOC and the SOH of the battery is greater than the respective enablement thresholds when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
identifying, using the sensor system onboard the vehicle, a detected object at a position within a field of view of the sensor system when the vehicle is in standby mode;
identifying a current geographic location of the vehicle using the positioning system onboard the vehicle when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
determining an estimated geographic location of the detected object based at least in part on the current geographic location of the vehicle and the position of the detected object within the field of view of the sensor system when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
obtaining a navigational map data for a region encompassing the current geographic location of the vehicle and the estimated geographic location of the detected object when the vehicle is in the standby mode; and
in response to the detected object, automatically providing a user notification comprising a navigational map of the region including a graphical indication of the detected object overlying the navigational map data at the estimated geographic location on the navigational map and causing a driver seat of the vehicle to vibrate when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
wherein:
the sensor system comprises a far infrared (FIR) sensing system configurable to identify the detected object when the vehicle is in the standby mode;
automatically providing the user notification comprises automatically pushing the user notification to an electronic device over a network via a telematics system onboard the vehicle, wherein the electronic device is configurable to display the navigational map;
identifying the detected object comprises receiving an estimated distance to the detected object and an estimated angle of the detected object in relation to a forward line of sight of the vehicle; and
determining the estimated geographic location of the detected object comprises calculating the estimated geographic location based at least in part on the estimated distance from the current geographic location of the vehicle in the estimated angle of the detected object in relation to the forward line of sight of the vehicle.