Mobile Alert System

• US 20160075296A1
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Child Adult Pet Safety LLC
• Original Assignee: Child Adult Pet Safety LLC
• Inventors: Alderman, David P., Alderman, Lauren Thomas, Alderman, Lukus Sampson
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

An alert system has a processing and communication unit located in a vehicle with a processor executing software and a coupled data repository, sensor interfaces to the processor from sensors located in the vehicle, a communication module enabled to send communications to an Internet network, and a global positioning system (GPS) coupled to the processor, determining geographic location of the vehicle. The processor monitors data from the plurality of sensors, consults preprogrammed status information based on one or both of one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, and selects and sends according to the one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, by the communications module, a preprogrammed communication addressed to a particular Internet destination.

Claims

1. An alert system comprising:

a processing and communication unit located in a vehicle and having a processor executing software from a non-transitory medium and a coupled data repository;

a plurality of sensor interfaces to the processor interfacing to a plurality of sensors located at a variety of locations in the vehicle;

a communication module coupled to the processor and enabled to at least send communications to an Internet network; and

a global positioning system (GPS) coupled to the processor, determining geographic location of the vehicle;

wherein the processor monitors data from the plurality of sensors, consults preprogrammed status information based on one or both of one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, and selects and sends according to the one or more sensor readings or combinations of sensor readings, by the communications module, a preprogrammed communication addressed to a particular Internet destination.

2. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprise one or more capacitive sensors in the vehicle to sense presence of a human or other animal, one or more temperature sensors, and one or more sensors sensing relative level of one or more gases in air in the vehicle.

3. The alert system of claim 2 wherein the one or more sensors sensing relative level of one or more gases in air in the vehicle, include one or more sensors sensing level of carbon dioxide gas.

4. The alert system of claim 2 wherein sensor status states are preprogrammed using specific threshold temperature and gas composition levels, and combinations of sensor input prejudged to indicate levels of danger to humans or other animals sensed to be in the vehicle.

5. The alert system of claim 4 wherein status states are categorized in ascending levels of danger or seriousness.

6. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the processing and communication unit is powered by rechargeable battery connected to a charging system of the vehicle, such that the unit is battery-powered when the vehicle not operating such that the vehicle charger system is not working.

7. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the alert system is disabled when the vehicle is running and moving, and is enabled when the vehicle is not running and moving.

8. The alert system of claim 2 further comprising a motion detector interfaced to the processor.

9. The alert system of claim 5 wherein the individual ones of the preprogrammed communications comprises a GPS location for the vehicle and a code uniquely related to a person responsible for the vehicle.

10. The alert system of claim 9 further comprising an Internet-connected server executing by a processor server software from an non-transitory medium, the Internet-connected server incorporating the particular Internet destination.

11. The alert system of claim 10 wherein the Internet-connected server, executing the server software, stores telephone numbers associated with the unique codes indicating the vehicle or person, and, upon receiving an alert communication initiates a telephone call to the person associated with the code, the telephone call providing information about the alert.

12. The alert system of claim 11 wherein the telephone call indicates an alert seriousness level to the person.

13. The alert system of claim 12 wherein, upon initiating the telephone call, the server starts a timer having a time period, and in the event the person does not answer or call back during the time period, the server initiates an alert to one or more emergency services either preprogrammed or determined by stored information related to the GPS location of the vehicle.

14. The alert system of claim 13 wherein the server determines available emergency services are too remote from the GPS location, and determines and alerts a business or individual determined to be closer to the GPS location.

15. The alert system of claim 13 wherein the server, receiving an answer or a call back from the individual associated with the code in an alert message during the time period, cancels the alert.

16. The alert system of claim 15 wherein the server continues to monitor messages from the vehicle, and if sensor conditions initiating an alert continue to indicate a dangerous situation, the server indicates new calls to the responsible individual, or in time to emergency services.