Method and system for adjusting performance based on vehicle occupants

Abstract

A vehicle having a system is provided. The system has at least one operating output. The system includes an occupant module and a vehicle system module. The occupant module receives at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within the vehicle, and determines a current number and location of occupants in the vehicle based on the occupant signal. The vehicle system module receives as input the current number of occupants located in the vehicle. The vehicle system module is configured for determining whether the current number of occupants located in the vehicle is less than a total number of occupants the vehicle is configured to seat. The vehicles system module is configured for adjusting the at least one operating output of the system if the current number of occupants located in the vehicle is less than the total number of occupants the vehicle is configured to seat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle having a vehicle system, the vehicle system having at least one operating output, comprising:
 an occupant control module receiving at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within the vehicle, the occupant control module determining a number of the occupants currently located within the vehicle based on the at least one occupant signal; and   a vehicle system module receiving as an input the number of occupants located in the vehicle, the vehicle system module configured to:
 determine if the number is less than a total number of occupants that the vehicle is configured to seat; and 
 adjust the at least one operating output when the number of occupants located in the vehicle is less than the total number, 
   wherein the at least one operating output includes at least one of a multi-zone control or a surround sound setting.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the occupant control module determines a specific seating position for each of the occupants currently located within the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle in  claim 2 , wherein the vehicle system module adjusts the at least one operating output based on the specific seating position for each of the occupants currently located within the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle in  claim 2 , wherein the specific seating position is one of a driver position, a front passenger position, a second row position, and a third row position. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle system is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the multi-zone control is one of a single-zone mode of operation, a dual zone mode of operation, a tri-zone mode of operation, and a quad-zone mode of operation. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle system module configured to adjust the multi-zone control to correspond to the number of occupants located in the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle system is an audio system. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one operating output includes lighting of an interior lighting system. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle system is an active noise cancellation system and the at least one operating output includes attenuation of unwanted noise. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle in  claim 10 , wherein an amount of sound cancellation provided to one of the occupants currently located within the vehicle is reduced by the active noise cancellation system to provide sound cancellation to a remaining set of the occupants currently located within the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle in  claim 10 , wherein powertrain and engine modules of the vehicle are aggressively tuned for fuel economy or vehicle performance when the active noise cancellation system reduces an amount of sound cancellation provided to one of the occupants currently located within the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the occupant signal is generated by a plurality of seatbelt sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle in  claim 1 , wherein the occupant signal is generated by a plurality of occupant sensors, wherein each of the plurality of occupant sensors is located in a corresponding seat. 
     
     
         15 . A method of modifying at least one operating output of a vehicle system for a vehicle, comprising:
 receiving at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within the vehicle by an occupant control module;   determining a number of the occupants currently located within the vehicle based on the occupant signal;   receiving as an input the number by a vehicle system module;   determining if the number is less than a total number of occupants that the vehicle is configured to seat by the vehicle system module; and   adjusting the at least one operating output of the vehicle system based on when the number is less than the total number,   wherein the at least one operating output includes a multi-zone control or a surround sound setting.   
     
     
         16 . The method in  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle system is one of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system or an audio system. 
     
     
         17 . The method in  claim 15 , wherein the multi-zone control is one of a single-zone mode of operation, a dual zone mode of operation, a tri-zone mode of operation, and a quad-zone mode of operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method in  claim 15 , wherein the vehicle system module configured to adjust the multi-zone control to correspond to the current number of occupants located in the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one operating output includes lighting of an interior lighting system. 
     
     
         20 . A vehicle having a vehicle system, the vehicle system having at least one operating output, comprising:
 an occupant control module receiving at least one occupant signal indicative of occupants currently located within the vehicle, the occupant control module determining a number of occupants currently located within the vehicle based on the occupant signal and a specific seating position for each of the occupants currently located within the vehicle; and   a vehicle system module receiving as input the number, the vehicle system module configured to:
 determine if the number is less than a total number of occupants that the vehicle is configured to seat, and 
 adjust the at least one operating output of the vehicle system based on when the number is less than the total number and based on the specific seating position for each of the occupants currently located within the vehicle, 
   wherein the at least one operating output includes a multi-zone control or a surround sound setting.