SYSTEM TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL LOCKING OF A PERSON IN A VEHICLE

• US 20120154136A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joseph E. Connelly Jr
• Original Assignee: Joseph E. Connelly Jr
• Inventors: Connelly, Joseph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US12/970,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20120154136A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A system for detecting presence of a living being in an unattended vehicle is disclosed. The system includes: a driver seat occupancy sensor; a living being detector; a vehicle door sensor and an alerting device. The alerting device is activated if the driver seat occupancy sensor detects that a driver is not in the seat for a predetermined period of time, and the vehicle door sensor detects that said vehicle doors are closed and the living being detector detects a living being in the vehicle after the predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. A system for detecting presence of a living being in an unattended vehicle comprising:

a driver seat occupancy sensor;

a living being detector;

a vehicle door sensor and

an alerting device, wherein

said alerting device is activated if said driver seat occupancy sensor detects that a driver is not in the seat for a predetermined period of time, said vehicle door sensor detects that said vehicle doors are closed and said living being detector detects a living being in the vehicle after said predetermined period of time.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said alerting device is deactivated if said vehicle door sensor detects that a vehicle door is ajar after the activation of said alerting device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said alerting device is reactivated after a second predetermined period of time if said vehicle door sensor detects that all of said vehicle doors are again closed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said alerting device comprises an audible alarm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said alerting device comprises a radio frequency transmitter or an infrared transmitter adapted to transmit an alert message.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said alert message is transmitted at a frequency monitored by law enforcement personnel.

7. The system of claim 6, where in said alert message is transmitted to a satellite that relays said message to a monitoring system.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said alert message is transmitted via a cellular network or a mesh network.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ignition key position sensor, wherein said alerting device is only activated if the ignition key position is in an off position.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said living being detector is selected from the group consisting of:

a motion detector, an infrared light sensor, a microphone, a switch and a vibration detector.

11. A method of detecting and alerting someone of the presence of a living being in an unattended vehicle comprising:

detecting that a driver seat of the vehicle is not occupied;

detecting that all of the doors of the vehicle are locked;

detecting the presence of the living being in the vehicle a predetermined period of time after said driver seat becomes unoccupied and said doors are locked and

activating an alerting device.

12. A system for ensuring the welfare of a living being in an unattended vehicle having electrically controlled windows comprising:

a driver seat occupancy sensor;

a living being detector;

a vehicle door sensor and

wherein

at least one of said windows is opened if said driver seat occupancy sensor detects that a driver is not in the seat for a predetermined period of time, said vehicle door sensor detects that said vehicle doors are closed and said living being detector detects a living being in the vehicle after said predetermined period of time.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein at least one of said windows are opened after said predetermined time if the temperature sensor indicates temperature above a predetermined threshold and said windows are opened after a second predetermined time if said temperature sensor indicates temperature below said threshold.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising an alerting device, wherein said alerting device is activated when said widows are opened.