Vehicle Intruder Alert Detection and Indication

Abstract

Methods and systems for a detecting an intruder near or within a vehicle are disclosed. Specifically, a method to detect and identify a person near or within a vehicle as an authorized or an unauthorized user is provided. In the event an unauthorized user is detected within a vehicle, the system may take a number of actions. In one embodiment, the actions comprise providing notice to one or more authorized users of the vehicle, disabling the vehicle, notifying emergency personnel or police, and emitting a visual or audio alarm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving sensor data;   determining, from the sensor data, if a user is in contact with a vehicle;   determining if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user; and   taking an action if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving sensor data comprises receiving sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing the sensor data to stored authorized user profile data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the taking action comprises providing an alert. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the user is not an unauthorized user if one or more characteristics of the authorized user profile data match one or more characteristics of the user in contact with the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more vehicle sensors comprise an image sensor and a seat weight sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the providing an alert comprises a visual alert, an audio alert, emergency responder alert, and alert to one or more authorized users. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user comprises comparing biometric data of the user in contact with the vehicle with biometric data of authorized users. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more vehicle sensors comprises at least one image sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user comprises identifying facial features of the user in contact with the vehicle by the at least one image sensor and comparing the identified facial features with facial features of authorized users. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the taking action comprises disabling the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the alert is sent in real-time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recording sensor data associated with the user in contact with the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
 receiving sensor data;   determining, from the sensor data, if a user is in contact with a vehicle;   determining if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user; and   taking an action if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor data comprises sensor data from one or more vehicle sensors. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising comparing the sensor data to stored authorized user profile data. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more vehicle sensors comprises at least one image sensor, and wherein determining if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user comprises identifying facial features of the user in contact with the vehicle by the at least one image sensor and comparing the identified facial features with facial features of authorized users. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the taking action comprises providing an alert, the alert comprising a visual alert, an audio alert, emergency responder alert, and alert to one or more authorized users. 
     
     
         19 . An intruder alert system for a vehicle comprising a vehicle control system configured to:
 receive sensor data;   determine, from the sensor data, if a user is in contact with a vehicle;   determine if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user; and   take an action if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the vehicle control system is further configured to determine if a user in contact with the vehicle is an unauthorized user comprising comparing biometric data of the user in contact with the vehicle with biometric data of authorized users.