Safety Alarm system

• US 20060103541A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preco Electronics Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Preco Electronics Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Esson, Earl Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.600
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A safety alarm system for use on moving vehicles and heavy equipment provides an added level of safety by not only indicating motion, but by adding a distinct audible warning according to a selected sound pattern template when danger is imminent to those in the local area of potential danger. The sound pattern is selected on the basis of signals from various combinations of signals detected from an object detection sensor and an ambient noise level sensor, thereby providing enhanced safety in the work environment.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion warning alarm comprising:

an object detection system;

an alarm sound transducer;

sound pattern storage for storing sound pattern templates; and

a controller coupled to said object detection system and operative to receive signals, and in response to said signals to select one of said sound pattern templates among at least two sound pattern templates, and to excite the alarm sound transducer according to said selected sound pattern template.

2. The vehicle motion warning alarm according to claim 1 wherein said signals include control signals from an operator selecting one of said specific sound pattern templates.

3. The vehicle motion warning alarm according to claim 2 wherein said signals include motion signals and wherein said controller is operative to select automatically in response to inputted information regarding location and relative speed of a detected object, one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said motion signals.

4. The vehicle motion warning alarm according to claim 3 further including an ambient noise level sensor, wherein said signals include ambient noise level signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said ambient noise level signals.

5. The vehicle motion warning alarm according to claim 1 wherein said signals include motion signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said motion signals.

6. The vehicle motion warning alarm according to claim 5 further including an ambient noise level sensor, wherein said signals include ambient noise level signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said ambient noise level signals.

7. A method for warning of a vehicle in motion comprising:

using a sensor for sensing for objects in a field of motion to produce sensing signals;

conveying said sensing signals to a controller;

in response to said sensing signals, selecting a sound pattern template from among at least stored two sound pattern templates; and

exciting an alarm sound transducer according to said selected sound pattern template.

8. The vehicle motion warning alarm method according to claim 7 further including allowing an operator to select one of said specific sound pattern templates.

9. The vehicle motion warning alarm method according to claim 8 wherein said signals include motion signals and wherein said controller is operative to select automatically one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said motion signals.

10. The vehicle motion warning alarm method according to claim 9 further including an ambient noise level sensor, wherein said signals include ambient noise level signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said ambient noise level signals.

11. The vehicle motion warning alarm method according to claim 7 wherein said signals include motion signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said motion signals.

12. The vehicle motion warning alarm method according to claim 11 further including an ambient noise level sensor, wherein said signals include ambient noise level signals and wherein said controller is operative to select one of said sound pattern templates appropriate to said ambient noise level signals.