Automatic confined space monitoring and alert system

• US 20040155783A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Victor H. Shear
• Original Assignee: Victor H. Shear
• Inventors: Al-Sheikh, Zaher
• Application Number:
  US10/749,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155783A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/584
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A confined space monitoring system includes a mammalian body detector sensing a confined space. A thermocouple measures the temperature within the space relative to a thermal threshold. When the temperature in the space is beyond the thermal threshold and an occupant is detected within the space, an alarm subsystem communicates to a remote location the situation. In the instance of a vehicle confined space, when the temperature remains above the threshold for a predetermined amount of time, with the occupant within the vehicle, or in the instance of a building structure, when an auditory alarm triggered by the temperature exceeding the thermal threshold not being reset within a preselected amount of time. A video camera is optionally included to communicate to a remote location that an occupant is indeed present within the confined space.

Claims

1. A confined space monitoring system comprising:

a mammalian body detector sensing a confined space;

a thermocouple measuring a temperature within the confined space relative to a thermal threshold; and

an alarm subsystem communicating to a remote location that the temperature in the space is beyond the thermal threshold and an occupant is within the space subsequent to a condition precedent.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the confined space is selected from the group consisting of:

a building structure, a vehicle passenger compartment, and a vehicle trunk.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the alarm subsystem is a wireless transmitter.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the wireless transmitter is a cellular communication transmitter.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said alarm subsystem comprises an auditory alarm indicating that the temperature in the space exceeds a thermal threshold and the occupant is within the space.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition precedent is the temperature within a vehicle confined space being above the threshold for a predetermined amount of time with the occupant therein.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the condition precedent is failure to reset the auditory alarm within a preselected amount of time.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said alarm subsystem has a burglar detection mode that communicates an emergency signal to a remote location upon detecting the occupant within the space and independent of the temperature being beyond the thermal threshold.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a video camera activated to collect an image as part of the emergency signal.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a video camera.

11. The system of claim 5 wherein said video camera is activated upon the temperature within the confined space exceeding the thermal threshold and the occupant is within the space.

12. The system of claim 5 wherein a video image is transmitted remotely by the alarm subsystem.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said mammalian body detector comprises a type of sensor selected from the group consisting of:

infrared, vibration, and carbon dioxide.

14. The system of claim 3 further comprising a wireless receiver, said receiver comprising:

a housing;

a wireless antennae for receiving an emergency signal from said alarm subsystem;

a display for providing the emergency signal in human recognizable form;

a digital memory for storing images;

a data transmission portal; and

a receiver battery power supply.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the receiver housing has an aperture engaging a key ring.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the housing includes a coding label selected from the group consisting of:

a bar code, a one dimensional bar code, and a two dimensional bar code.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising location information communicated to the remote location by said alarm subsystem.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising a global positioning satellite system providing the geographic location information when the confined space is within a vehicle.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the alarm subsystem comprises a wireless transmitter.

22. The system of claim 18 further comprising a video camera.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the vehicle portal is selected from the group consisting of a window, sunroof, and trunk.

26. The system of claim 18 further comprising vehicle location information communicated to the remote location by said alarm subsystem.

27. The system of claim 25 further comprising a global positioning satellite system providing the geographic location information.

29. A wireless communication receiver comprising:

a housing;

a wireless antennae for receiving an emergency signal from an alarm subsystem of claim 1;

a display for providing the emergency signal in human recognizable form;

a digital memory for storing images recallable on said display;

a data transmission portal; and

a receiver battery power supply.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the receiver housing has an aperture engaging a key ring.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the housing includes a coding label selected from the group consisting of:

a bar code, a one dimensional bar code, and a two dimensional bar code.

33. The process of claim 31 further comprising the step of:

opening a portal in the space when the occupant is detected within the space and the temperature therein is beyond the threshold for the preselected amount of time.

34. The process of claim 33 wherein the wireless transmitter further communicates a location for the space.

35. The process of claim 33 wherein said wireless transmitter operates as a location triangulation beacon.

36. The process of claim 33 further comprising the step of disposing a video camera in the space and transmitting a video image by way of said wireless transmitter.

19. A confined space monitoring system comprising:

a mammalian body detector sensing a vehicle compartment;

a thermocouple measuring a temperature within the vehicle compartment relative to a thermal threshold;

a switch automatically opening a vehicle portal in response to the temperature within the vehicle compartment exceeding the thermal threshold and said detector sensing an occupant within the vehicle compartment; and

an alarm subsystem automatically communicating to a remote location that the temperature in the vehicle compartment is beyond the thermal threshold and the occupant is within the vehicle compartment.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising an auditory alarm indicating that said switch has been activated.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said video camera is activated upon the temperature within the vehicle compartment exceeding the thermal threshold and the occupant is within the vehicle compartment.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein a video image is transmitted remotely by the alarm subsystem.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein the cellular communication transmitter transmits a signal suitable for triangulation to locate the vehicle compartment.

32. A process for releasing a trapped occupant from a confined space comprising the steps of:

disposing a mammalian body detector in the space;

sensing a temperature within the space;

comparing the temperature with a preselected threshold temperature; and

activating a wireless transmitter alarm subsystem in response to a condition precedent of a failure to reset an auditory alarm or the temperature remaining above the threshold with the occupant present for a preselected amount of time.