Protecting children and passengers with respect to a vehicle
First Claim
1. A system operated by at least one user, for protecting at least one child from potential danger associated with a vehicle, the vehicle having equipment elements including:
- a plurality of sensors,a plurality of operable devices, anda plurality of alert systems useful for providing at least one warning signal, the system comprising;
at least one indicator operatively coupled to the equipment elements, and adapted to receive input commands,a report module operatively coupled to the equipment elements and adapted to sample and report a status condition of each one of the equipment elements,a control module operatively coupled to the at least one indicator, to the report module, and to the equipment elements, and adapted to control, manage, and operate the system, the control module being configured to;
receive input commands from the at least one indicator,receive the status condition from the report module,execute control programs responsive to information received from the at least one indicator and from the report module, andcontrol activation and deactivation of the system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a system and methods for mitigation of the potential dangers to which at least a child, and passengers, are exposed to prior to, during travel and after travel, when outside and adjacent a vehicle. Potential dangers to which a child is exposed are risks associated with driving and non-driving behavior of the driver, when the child is inside and outside the vehicle, when the vehicle is driven on public roads and on private property grounds, and as a result of deficient of mistaken operation of child and passenger related devices. The system and methods require input commands into an indicator to operate equipment elements aboard the vehicle, including sensors, operable devices and alert systems, and are operative for communication with remote stations, with adjacent-driven vehicles, and with the vehicle owner.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A system operated by at least one user, for protecting at least one child from potential danger associated with a vehicle, the vehicle having equipment elements including:
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a plurality of sensors, a plurality of operable devices, and a plurality of alert systems useful for providing at least one warning signal, the system comprising; at least one indicator operatively coupled to the equipment elements, and adapted to receive input commands, a report module operatively coupled to the equipment elements and adapted to sample and report a status condition of each one of the equipment elements, a control module operatively coupled to the at least one indicator, to the report module, and to the equipment elements, and adapted to control, manage, and operate the system, the control module being configured to; receive input commands from the at least one indicator, receive the status condition from the report module, execute control programs responsive to information received from the at least one indicator and from the report module, and control activation and deactivation of the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for implementing a system operated by at least one user, for protecting at least one child from a potential danger associated with a vehicle, the vehicle having equipment elements including:
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a plurality of sensors, a plurality of operable devices, and a plurality of alert systems useful for providing at least one warning signal, the method comprising the steps of; coupling operatively at least one indicator to the equipment elements, and adapting the at least one indicator to receive input commands, coupling operatively a report module to the equipment elements and adapting the report module to sample and report a status condition of each one of the equipment elements, providing a control module operatively coupled to the at least one indicator, to the report module, and to the equipment elements, and adapted to control, manage, and operate the system, the control module being configured for; receiving input commands from the at least one indicator, receiving a status condition from the report module, executing control programs responsive to information received from the at least one indicator and from the report module, and controlling activation and deactivation of the system. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for implementing a system for a vehicle having equipment elements comprising a configuration for providing an integrative protection suite, or protection envelope, in response to a complete cycle of operation of the vehicle to protect at least one passenger child being driven by a driver in the vehicle as a passenger, or at least one child outside and adjacent the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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associating the at least one child passenger with an identified passenger seat VSj, providing automatic disablement of an interior door-opening-handle and of a power window-switch adjacent the identified passenger seat, in response to at least one of a signal commanding locking of all doors of the vehicle, and a dedicated signal command, providing control of either one of both airbag reduced speed/size and airbag shape of deployment and when appropriate, suppressing deployment of airbag(s) associated with the identified passenger seat, applying appropriate pre-tension of belt force to the identified passenger seat prior to detection of an unavoidable collision, communicating automatically with a crash notification system response center to report presence of the at least one child, activating an alert signal to remind the driver that the at least one child is left unattended in the vehicle when the vehicle resides in parked mode, including a child'"'"'s presence message in a vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocol, activating a child-parking alert when appropriate, activating a doors-left-unlocked alert when appropriate, overriding signals attributed to incorrect use or to misuse of devices by a user, detecting driver errors including providing alerts, warnings, instructions and guidance advising correction of driver errors, detecting an ICSS or a child safety seat undesired disposition in the vehicle seat VSj and advising correction, detecting seat belt misuse, and advising correction, detecting incorrect use of an airbag cut-off switch including overriding of signals attributed to incorrect use, and advising correction, warning the driver against smoking in an interior of the vehicle, advising the driver to initiate a check to determine if the child is eligible for restraint in a booster seat, moderating operation(s) of climate control device(s), cooperating with driving assistance systems and driver condition warning systems, channeling services to at least one of the driver and the at least one child, controlling the vehicle'"'"'s door locks to prevent a child from gaining access to the vehicle when parked, controlling disconnection of power to a cigarette lighter to prevent accidental setting on fire of the vehicle, notifying the driver of activation of an interior trunk-lid release apparatus, and recording of a predetermined set of child-related-data to enable accident inquiry. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for protecting at least one child from hazards presented by a vehicle, the vehicle having equipment elements, the method comprising the steps of:
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retrieving data selected alone and in combination from the group consisting of a passenger of the vehicle, an occupant of a specific vehicle seat, an occupant of an ICSS operatively coupled to the vehicle seat, and vehicle owner attributes, and operating equipment elements according to the retrieved data, the equipment elements being selected alone and in combination from the group of equipment elements consisting of category A, category B, category C, and category D. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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Specification