System and method to prevent unintended vehicle travel

Abstract

A movement prevention system preventing undesired travel of a vehicle. A transmission gear sensor senses an out of park position of a vehicle transmission. An occupant detection system senses a presence of a driver in a driver seat of a vehicle in response to the vehicle transmission being out of the park position. A processor determines an imminent movement of a vehicle in response to a determination of the non-presence of the driver. A vehicle movement prevention device prevents movement of the vehicle in response to the processor determining imminent movement of the vehicle. Imminent movement is identified as actual movement of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle likely to occur.

1 . A method for deterring undesired movement of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
 sensing whether a vehicle transmission is out of a park position;   determining a non-presence of a driver in a driver seat of a vehicle by an occupant detection system in response to the vehicle transmission being out of the park position;   determining imminent movement of a vehicle in response to a determination of the non-presence of the driver; and   actuating a vehicle movement prevention device for preventing movement of the vehicle in response to determining imminent movement of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the movement prevention device includes a braking, wherein the vehicle brakes are autonomously engaged by the braking system for preventing movement of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the movement prevention device includes an electronic shift transmission, wherein the electronic shift transmission autonomously actuates the vehicle transmission to the park position. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and determining that an engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and the vehicle being positioned on an inclined surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein determining an imminent movement of the vehicle is a function of an emergency brake not engaged. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and a wheel speed sensing device detecting movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and a global positioning device detecting movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and a vehicle vision system detecting movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is a function of the vehicle transmission being in an out of park position and object detection sensors detecting movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         11 . A movement prevention system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a transmission gear sensor sensing an out of park position of a vehicle transmission;   an occupant detection system sensing a presence of a driver in a driver seat of a vehicle in response to the vehicle transmission being out of the park position;   a processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle in response to a determination of the non-presence of the driver; and   a vehicle movement prevention device preventing movement of the vehicle in response to the processor determining imminent movement of the vehicle, wherein imminent movement is identified as actual movement of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle likely to occur.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the movement prevention device includes an anti-lock braking system, wherein the vehicle brakes are autonomously engaged by the anti block braking system for preventing movement of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the movement prevention device includes an electronic shift transmission, wherein the electronic shift transmission autonomously actuates the vehicle transmission to the park position. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to determining that an engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a vehicle-based road incline sensor, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to the vehicle being positioned on an inclined surface as determined by the vehicle-based road incline sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising an emergency parking brake, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to the emergency parking brake not engaged. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a wheel speed sensing device, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to a wheel speed sensing device sensing movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a global positioning system, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to the global positioning device sensing movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a vehicle-base image capture device, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to the vehicle-based image capture device detecting movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising an object detection sensor, wherein the processor determining an imminent movement of a vehicle is further in response to the object detection sensors sensing movement of the vehicle over a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a remote control device, wherein the remote control device is actuated by a user remote from the vehicle for actuating the vehicle movement prevention device. 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 sensing an out of park position of a vehicle transmission;   determining a non-presence of a driver in a driver seat by an occupant detection system in response to the sensed out of park position;   determining imminent movement of a vehicle in response to determining a non-presence of the driver;   actuating a vehicle movement prevention device for preventing movement of the vehicle in response to determining imminent movement.