Localized accident notification

• US 20050275522A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klimek, Kenneth J., Nitz, Karl H., Boushek, Gary L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,129,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/471
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A localized accident notification system includes an accident detector that detects a crash of a vehicle and an external alert system to provide an external alert by the vehicle that can be noticed by any people in the vicinity of the crash. Upon an indication of a crash from the accident detector a controller can direct the external alert. The external alert can have special notification properties. The accident detector may only operate if the vehicle ignition is on to discriminate between a theft alarm. The accident detector can include accelerometers, air bag detectors, or tilt sensors.

Claims

1. A method of providing localized accident notification, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an accident in a vehicle; and

providing an external alert.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining that the ignition switch is on at the time of the accident.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining that there is an occupant in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes detecting a tilt of the vehicle, wherein a tilt that is greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes detecting a deployment of an air bag as an indication of an accident.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes detecting an acceleration of the vehicle, wherein an acceleration greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step includes providing at least one of the group of sounding the vehicle horn and flashing the vehicle lights.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step includes sounding the vehicle horn in a predefined sequence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step includes providing a manual activation control for the external alert.

10. A localized accident notification apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an accident detector;

an external alert system; and

a controller coupled to the accident detector and external alert system, wherein upon an indication of a crash from the accident detector the controller directs the external alert system to provide an external alert.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an ignition switch status detector wherein the ignition switch must be on for the apparatus to operate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the accident detector includes an accelerometer, wherein an acceleration greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the accident detector includes a tilt sensor, wherein a vehicle tilt greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the external alert system includes at least one of the vehicle horn and the vehicle lights.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the external alert system controls the vehicle lights to flash and horn to sound when a crash is detected by the accident detector.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the external alert system controls the horn to sound in a predefined sequence.

17. A localized accident notification apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an ignition switch status detector, wherein the ignition switch must be on for the apparatus to operate;

an accident detector, the accident detector including an accelerometer wherein an acceleration greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident;

an external alert system for sounding a horn of the vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the accident detector and external alert system, wherein upon an indication of a crash from the accident detector the controller directs the external alert system to sound the horn.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the accident detector includes a tilt sensor, wherein a vehicle tilt greater than a predetermined limit along with an acceleration greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the external alert system also flashes at least one light of the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the external alert system controls the horn to sound in a predefined sequence.