Vehicle having a thermal protection arrangement for toddlers and pets

• US 6,263,272 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jonathan Liu, Liu, Christine
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Liu, Liu, Christine
• Inventors: Liu, Christine, Liu, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/440,193
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/53, 701/36, 701/65, 236/44.C, 374/132, 324/158.1
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/243 located in the lateral area (e.g. doors, pillars)
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/245 located in the roof

Abstract

The present invention includes a temperature-dependent power window and sunroof system for an automotive vehicle. This system according to the present invention is activated when the vehicle is presumably parked and left unattended by a vehicle operator. One aspect of the invention is directed to the detection of actions by the vehicle operator as input for system activation and deactivation, for example, the operator removes the ignition key, opens the driver door, closes the driver door and locks the door. Advantageously, if the vehicle operator stays in the vehicle after the key is removed from the ignition cylinder, the present invention remains inactivated whereby affording the maximum flexibility to the car driver. One preferred embodiment maintains a “comfortable” temperature range for the interior of the vehicle over the time period the vehicle is parked and left unattended. Moreover, to actively maintain the “comfortable” temperature range for the vehicle interior, a separate algorithm may be used. Another aspect of the invention includes means of communications to alert the vehicle operator and others in case of exceedingly high or low temperatures in the vehicle interior that might be life-threatening to those toddlers, pets or other incapacitated living beings who are left unattended in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle having a temperature-dependent system for intelligently controlling the temperature of a vehicle interior after the vehicle being left unattended by a vehicle operator, said temperature dependent system comprising:

a vehicle micro-controller located in the automotive vehicle and said vehicle micro-controller being operatively coupled to an activation and de-activation evaluator, a temperature sensing circuit, a communications system, a power window system and a power sunroof system, said micro-controller having access to a first pre-defined temperature range which having a first high value and a first low value and having access to a second pre-defined temperature range which having a second high value and a second low value;

the activation and de-activation evaluator including electronics to first detect the vehicle being parked and left unattended by a vehicle operator, said evaluator further informing the vehicle micro-controller in response to such first detection for activating said temperature-dependent system, said activation and de-activation evaluator further including electronics to second detect the vehicle operator returning to drive the vehicle away, said evaluator further informing the vehicle micro-controller in response to such second detection for de-activating said temperature-dependent system;

the temperature sensing circuit located in the vehicle for providing a temperature reading of the vehicle interior in response to an access by the vehicle micro-controller;

the vehicle micro-controller being responsive to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value by directing the power window and power sunroof systems to maintain the temperature reading to be within the first temperature range for as long as possible; and

the vehicle micro-controller causing the communications systems to alert the vehicle operator if the temperature reading being above the second high value or below the second low value, the vehicle micro-controller further causing the power window and the power sunroof systems to move to CLOSED positions if the temperature reading being below the first low value of the first temperature range, the micro-controller causing the power window and the power sunroof systems to move to pre-defined OPENED positions if the temperature reading being above the first high value of the first temperature range.

2. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the evaluator for the first detection of the vehicle being parked and left unattended by the vehicle operator requires for system activation an ignition key removed signal, a driver door OPENED signal and a subsequent driver door CLOSED signal.

3. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the evaluator for the second detection of the vehicle operator returning to drive the vehicle away requires for system de-activation a driver door OPENED signal, a driver door CLOSED signal and a subsequent ignition switch ON signal.

4. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications system including a pager electronics configured for signaling a beeper being carried by the vehicle operator.

5. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle micro-controller in response to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value by directing the power window and power sunroof systems to move to the CLOSED positions if the temperature reading being in the lower half of the first pre-defined temperature range and to move to the OPENED positions if the temperature reading being in the upper half of the first pre-defined temperature range.

6. An automotive vehicle having a temperature-dependent system for intelligently controlling the temperature of a vehicle interior after the vehicle being left unattended by a vehicle operator, said temperature-dependent system comprising:

a vehicle micro-controller located in the automotive vehicle and said vehicle micro-controller being operatively coupled to an activation and de-activation evaluator, a temperature sensing circuit, a communications system, a power window system and a power sunroof system, said micro-controller having access to a first pre-defined temperature range which having a first high value and a first low value and having access to a second pre-defined temperature range which having a second high value and a second low value;

the activation and de-activation evaluator including electronics to first detect the vehicle being parked and left unattended by a vehicle operator, said evaluator further informing the vehicle micro-controller in response to such first detection for activating said temperature-dependent system, said activation and de-activation evaluator further including electronics to second detect the vehicle operator returning to drive the vehicle away, said evaluator further informing the vehicle micro-controller in response to such second detection for de-activating said temperature-dependent system;

the temperature sensing circuit located in the vehicle for providing a temperature reading of the vehicle interior in response to an access by the vehicle micro-controller;

the vehicle micro-controller causing the communications systems to alert the vehicle operator if the temperature reading being above the second high value or below the second low value, the vehicle micro-controller further causing the power window and the power sunroof systems to move to CLOSED positions if the temperature reading being below the first low value of the first temperature range, the micro-controller causing the power window and the power sunroof systems to move to pre-defined OPENED positions if the temperature reading being above the first high value of the first temperature range.

7. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first high value and the second high value being the same and wherein the first low value and the second low value being the same.

8. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the communications system including a pager electronics configured for signaling a beeper being carried by the vehicle operator.

9. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the communications system including a vehicle alarm and a headlight flashing system.

10. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the communications system including a GPS system for obtaining vehicle location information and a telephone system for automatically dialing a pre-determined number to convey digitized information.

11. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the communications system including a living being sensor, said communications systems being responsively inactivated for alerting the vehicle operator if the living being sensor not detecting any presence of living being inside the vehicle interior.

12. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the vehicle micro-controller being responsive to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value by directing the power window and power sunroof systems to maintain the temperature reading to be within the first pre-defined temperature range for as long as possible.

13. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the vehicle micro-controller in response to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value by directing the power window and power sunroof systems to move to the CLOSED positions if the temperature reading being in the lower half of the first pre-defined temperature range and to move to the OPENED positions if the temperature reading being in the upper half of the first pre-defined temperature range.

14. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the vehicle micro-controller in response to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value by directing the power window and power sunroof systems to move in accordance with fuzzy logic electronics.

15. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the evaluator for system de-activation includes a manual de-activation switch to be operated by the vehicle operator.

16. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first high value of the first temperature range is 25°

C., and the first low value of the first temperature range is 20°

C.

17. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the second high value of the second temperature range is 35°

C., and the second low value of the second temperature range is 10°

C.

18. The temperature-dependent system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first and second pre-defined temperature ranges may be adjusted by the vehicle operator using a control panel located in the vehicle interior.

19. A method for intelligently controlling the temperature of a vehicle after the vehicle being left unattended by a vehicle operator, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a vehicle micro-controller to an activation and de-activation evaluator, a temperature sensing circuit, a communications system, a power window system and a power sunroof system, said micro-controller being located in the automotive vehicle and having access a first pre-defined high value and a second pre-defined high value;

detecting first by the activation and de-activation evaluator the vehicle being parked and left unattended by a vehicle operator, the first detecting step further including informing the vehicle micro-controller for activating said temperature-dependent system;

detecting second by the activation and de-activation evaluator the vehicle operator returning to drive the vehicle away, the second detecting step further including informing the vehicle micro-controller for de-activating said temperature-dependent system;

providing by a temperature sensing circuit a temperature reading of the vehicle interior in response to an access by the vehicle micro-controller; and

alerting the vehicle operator using the communications system if the temperature reading being above the second high value; and

causing the power window system to move to pre-defined OPENED positions if the temperature reading being above the first high value of the first temperature range.

20. The method for intelligently controlling the temperature of a vehicle after the vehicle being left unattended by a vehicle operator as claimed in claim 19, said method comprising:

said coupling step further including the vehicle micro-controller having access to a first pre-defined temperature range as defined by the first high value and a first low value and having access to a second pre-defined temperature range as defined by the second high value and a second low value, said second high value being higher than the first high value and said second low value being lower than the first low value;

directing the power window system in response to the temperature reading being in between the first high value and the first low value to maintain the temperature reading to be within the first pre-defined temperature range for as long as possible;

said alerting the vehicle operator step further including activating the communications system if the temperature reading being below the second low value; and

said causing step further including causing the power window system to move to pre-defined CLOSED positions if the temperature reading being below the first low value of the first temperature range.