Thermosafe life alert system

• US 20050024188A1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dale Sider
• Original Assignee: Dale Sider
• Inventors: Sider, Dale
• Application Number:
  US10/734,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.500
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00642 Control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating devices B60H1/3201 - B60H1/3208, B60H1/3225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00814 Control systems or circuits characterised by their output, for controlling particular components of the heating, cooling or ventilating installation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A vehicle safety system for preventing injury or death to persons or animals at risk of exposure to extreme temperatures within the vehicle. The system determines when a temperature within a vehicle is greater than or less than predetermined temperatures and also detects movement within the vehicle. As a result of a temperature being determined to be critical and movement being detected within a vehicle, certain responsive measures are automatically taken to alert the owner/operator and/or would-be rescuers of the potentially injurious situation present within the vehicle and/or to assist in a possible rescue.

Claims

1. A method of preventing injury or death to an occupant within a vehicle comprising the steps of:

determining if a temperature within a portion of the vehicle is critical;

detecting whether there is motion within a portion of the vehicle; and

if the temperature is determined to be critical and motion is detected within a portion of the vehicle, initiating a rescue sequence including the step of unlocking at least one door of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rescue sequence includes sounding a car horn.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the rescue sequence includes the step of sounding an audible alarm.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of sounding an audible alarm includes playing a recorded voice message.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of automatically calling a phone number and conveying global positioning data.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of automatically calling a user entered phone number.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of lowering a window.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of wirelessly transmitting an electronic image produced within the vehicle.

9. A method of preventing injury or death to an occupant within a vehicle comprising the steps of:

determining if a temperature within a portion of the vehicle is critical;

detecting whether there is motion within a portion of the vehicle; and

if a temperature is critical and motion is detected within the vehicle, initiating a rescue sequence, said rescue sequence including the step of placing an automated telephone call to a predetermined phone number.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said automated telephone call is made to a user entered number.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said automated telephone call is made to an emergency response number.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the rescue sequence further includes placing successive automated telephone calls to different predesignated phone numbers.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of the successive telephone calls includes the step of conveying global positioning data.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of activating a climate control system within the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of automatically sending electronic images captured from within the vehicle.

16. A method of preventing injury or death to an occupant within a vehicle comprising the steps of:

determining if a temperature within a portion of the vehicle is critical;

detecting whether there is motion within a portion of the vehicle; and

if the temperature is critical and motion is detected within a portion of the vehicle, initiating a rescue sequence including the step of unlocking a locked door of the vehicle and making a plurality of automated telephone calls.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the rescue sequence further comprises the step of wirelessly transmitting images from within the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of said calls is made to an emergency response number.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of making at least one of said calls includes the step of transmitting global positioning data.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the rescue sequence comprises the step of flashing the headlights on the vehicle.