Driver dozing prevention system with moving alarm sound

• US 5,923,256 A
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimotani, Mitsuo, Satake, Toshihide, Nishida, Minoru, Seki, Makito
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/957,021
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340/576, 340/575, 340/692, 340/691.1, 340/691.2
• US Class Current: 340/575
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A driver dozing preventing apparatus includes a device for issuing a doze prevention alarm signal, and a device for outputting an alarm sound having a moving acoustic image of a fundamental sound when the alarm signal is issued.

Claims

1. A driver dozing preventing apparatus comprising:

means for issuing a doze prevention alarm signal; and

means for outputting an alarm sound having a moving acoustic image of a fundamental sound when the alarm signal is issued from said issuing means.

2. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said issuing means issues the doze prevention alarm signal when a degree of driver'"'"'s wakefulness has been reduced.

3. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm sound includes a plurality of moving acoustic images.

4. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm sound is selected from an available plurality of alarm sounds.

5. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alarm sound is selected from an available alarm sound having a first fundamental sound and an available alarm sound having a second fundamental sound different from the first fundamental sound.

6. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alarm sound is selected from an available alarm sound having a first transfer mode of an acoustic image and an available alarm sound having a second transfer mode of an acoustic image, which is different from the first transfer mode.

7. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outputting means outputs the alarm sound plural times.

8. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said outputting means outputs a second alarm sound different from a first alarm sound after the first alarm sound has been outputted.

9. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first or second alarm sound is an alarm sound having a fixed acoustic image.

10. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a time interval of a first alarm sound output by said outputting means differs from a time interval of a second alarm sound output by said outputting means.

11. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein time intervals between alarm sounds are different from each other.

12. A driver dozing preventing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in response to said alarm signal the apparatus further outputs at least one of vibrations, odors and cold air.