Emergency vehicle alert device

• US 5,933,093 A
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John H. Austin II
• Original Assignee: John H. Austin II
• Inventors: Austin, John H. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/026,576
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/901, 340/943, 340/904, 340/903, 340/907, 340/906, 340/825.34, 340/825.36, 340/825.73, 340/825.57, 340/825.72, 340/825.54, 455/45, 375/1
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

An emergency vehicle alert device including a transmitter secured within an emergency vehicle. A receiver is secured within a non-emergency vehicle. The receiver cooperates with the transmitter for receiving a signal therefrom. The receiver couples with an existing emergency flasher fuse in a fuse box of the non-emergency vehicle for activation of emergency flashers upon receiving a signal from the transmitter.

Claims

1. An emergency vehicle alert device for warning driver'"'"'s of vehicles of an approaching emergency vehicle and providing a signal theretofore comprising, in combination:

a transmitter secured within an emergency vehicle, the transmitter comprising a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and a hollow interior therebetween, the transmitter having a power line extending outwardly of the housing to couple with a battery of the emergency vehicle, a transmitting means secured within the hollow interior, the transmitting means coupled with the power line, a range adjuster being linked to the top surface of the housing, the range adjuster coupled with the transmitting means, an antenna extending outwardly of the housing, the antenna coupled with the transmitter, an on/off switch being linked to a top surface of the housing, the on/off switch coupling with the transmitting means for selective activation or deactivation thereof, a timer incorporated within the transmitter, the timer having a duty cycle of 7 seconds of transmission followed by 3 seconds of delay;

a receiver secured within a non-emergency vehicle, the receiver comprising a receiver housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and a hollow interior therebetween, a signal receiving means secured within the top surface of the receiver housing, the signal receiving means cooperating with the transmitting means of the transmitter, the duty cycle of the timer functioning to prevent a receiver which is leaving the presence of an emergency vehicle from being completely activated, a first power line extending outwardly of the receiver housing from the signal receiving means therein to couple with a battery of the non-emergency vehicle, a second power line extending outwardly of the signal receiving means of the receiver housing to couple with an existing emergency flasher fuse in a fuse box of the non-emergency vehicle, a speaker secured within the top surface of the receiver housing and coupled with the signal receiving means.

2. An emergency vehicle alert device comprising:

a transmitter secured within an emergency vehicle, a timer incorporated within the transmitter, the timer having a duty cycle of 7 seconds of transmission followed by 3 seconds of delay;

a receiver secured within a non-emergency, the receiver cooperating with the transmitter for receiving a signal therefrom, the duty cycle of the timer functioning to prevent a receiver which is leaving the presence of an emergency vehicle from being completely activated, the receiver coupling with an existing emergency flasher fuse in a fuse box of the non-emergency vehicle.

3. The emergency vehicle alert device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter comprising a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and a hollow interior therebetween, the transmitter having a power line extending outwardly of the housing to couple with a battery of the emergency vehicle, a transmitting means secured within the hollow interior, the transmitting means coupled with the power line, a range adjuster linked to the top surface of the housing, the range adjuster coupled with the transmitting means, an antenna extending outwardly of the housing, the antenna coupled with the transmitter, an on/off switch linked to a top surface of the housing, the on/off switch coupling with the transmitting means for selective activation or deactivation thereof.

4. The emergency vehicle alert device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the receiver comprising a receiver housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and a hollow interior therebetween, a signal receiving means secured within the top surface of the receiver housing, the signal receiving means cooperating with the transmitter, a first power line extending outwardly of the receiver housing from the signal receiving means therein to couple with a battery of the non-emergency vehicle, a second power line extending outwardly of the signal receiving means of the receiver housing to couple with the emergency flasher fuse in the fuse box of the non-emergency vehicle, a speaker secured within the top surface of the receiver housing and coupled with the signal receiving means.