Safety warning transceiver

• US 6,426,706 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1998
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation EEDS and Interiors Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: King, Joseph David
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/196,654
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/903, 340/901, 340/904, 340/905, 340/932, 180/167
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A safety warning system includes a safety warning transceiver which retransmits safety warning signals received by the safety warning transmitter in order to extend the range of safety warning transmitter systems. The safety warning transceiver also functions as a trainable garage door opener and interacts with the remote keyless entry system of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the safety warning transceiver can be installed and selectively removed from a docking station in the vehicle in order to prevent theft or install the safety warning transceiver into another vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for communicating a warning signal including the steps of:

(a) receiving a wireless first warning signal in a first vehicle, said first warning signal including a first propagation limit code indicative of whether a wireless second warning signal containing a second propagation limit code should be transmitted;

(b) analyzing said first propagation limit code in said first warning signal; and

(c) transmitting said wireless second warning signal from the first vehicle in response to said step (a) and based upon said step (b).

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

(d) transmitting said first warning signal from a first location remote from said first vehicle before said step (a).

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of:

(e) receiving the second warning signal in a second vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of

(f) slowing said second vehicle in response to said step (e).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first propagation limit code is a counter, said method further including the steps of:

(d) incrementing said counter;

(e) transmitting said second warning signal in said step (c) along with said incremented counter as said second propagation limit code only if said counter is below a counter limit.

6. A safety warning system comprising:

a safety warning transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, said first receiver being for receiving a wireless first warning signal from a first direction, and said first transmitter being for generating a wireless second warning signal in response to said first receiver receiving said first warning signal and transmitting said second warning signal in a second direction different from the first direction.

7. The safety warning system of claim 6, further including:

a second transmitter for transmitting said first wireless warning signal from a location remote from said safety warning transceiver, said safety warning transceiver being portable relative to said second transmitter.

8. The safety warning system of claim 6, wherein said first and second warning signals each indicate a type of road hazard.

9. The safety warning system of claim 8, wherein said first and second warning signals both indicate that a vehicle accident has occurred.

10. A safety warning system comprising:

a safety warning transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, said first receiver being for receiving a wireless first warning signal containing a first type of information, and said first transmitter being for generating a wireless second warning signal in response to said first receiver receiving said first warning signal,

said safety warning system further including code generation circuitry, said first transmitter selectively generating a wireless coded signal received from said code generation circuitry containing a second type of information different from the first type of information,

wherein said wireless coded signal is a garage door opener signal.

11. A safety warning system comprising:

a safety warning transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, said first receiver being for receiving a wireless first warning signal containing a first type of information, and said first transmitter being for generating a wireless second warning signal in response to said first receiver receiving said first warning signal,

said safety warning system further including code generation circuitry, said first transmitter selectively generating a wireless coded signal received from said code generation circuitry containing a second type of information different from the first type of information,

wherein said code generation circuitry includes a memory, said first receiver being for selectively storing code generation data in said memory, and said code generation circuitry being for generating said wireless coded signal based upon said code generation data.

12. The safety warning system of claim 11, wherein said code generation data indicates a frequency, said first transmitter generating said wireless coded signal at said frequency based upon said code generation data.

13. The safety warning system of claim 12, wherein said transmitter is capable of generating a plurality of frequencies.

14. A safety warning system comprising:

a safety warning transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, said first receiver being for receiving a wireless first warning signal, and said first transmitter being for generating a wireless second warning signal in response to said first receiver receiving said first warning signal; and

code analyzing circuitry for analyzing a code in a wireless first coded signal received by said first receiver and generating a door lock activation signal based upon said analysis of said first coded signal.

15. The safety warning system of claim 14, further including:

a portable fob including a second transmitter for generating said wireless first coded signal.

20. The safety warning system of claim 14, further including:

a second transmitter for transmitting said first wireless warning signal from a location remote from said safety warning transceiver, said safety warning transceiver being portable relative to said second transmitter.

21. The safety warning system of claim 14, wherein said first and second warning signals each indicate a type of road hazard.

22. The safety warning system of claim 21, wherein said first and second warning signals both indicate that a vehicle accident has occurred.

16. A safety warning system comprising:

a safety warning transceiver comprising a first receiver and a first transmitter, said first receiver being for receiving a wireless first warning signal, and said first transmitter being for generating a wireless second warning signal in response to said first receiver receiving said first warning signal,

wherein said first warning signal includes a propagation limit code, said first transmitter generating said second warning signal based upon said propagation limit code.

17. The safety warning system of claim 16, wherein said propagation limit code comprises a counter, said safety warning transceiver incrementing said counter and transmitting said second warning signal along with said incremented counter.

23. The safety warning system of claim 16, further including:

a second transmitter for transmitting said first wireless warning signal from a location remote from said safety warning transceiver, said safety warning transceiver being portable relative to said second transmitter.

24. The safety warning system of claim 16, wherein said first and second warning signals each indicate a type of road hazard.

25. The safety warning system of claim 24, wherein said first and second warning signals both indicate that a vehicle accident has occurred.

18. A safety warning system comprising:

a docking station installed in a vehicle interior trim panel, said docking station including a first connector; and

a safety warning receiver capable of receiving a wireless first warning signal, said safety warning receiver including a second connector matable with said first connector of said docking station.

19. The safety warning system of claim 18, wherein said first and second connectors are electrical connectors.

26. A device for operation in a first vehicle for communicating a warning signal comprising:

receiving means for receiving a wireless first warning signal in said first vehicle, said first warning signal including a first propagation limit code indicative of whether a wireless second warning signal containing a second propagation limit code should be transmitted;

analyzing means for analyzing said first propagation limit code in said first warning signal; and

transmitting means for transmitting said wireless second warning signal from the first vehicle in response to said receiving means receiving said first warning signal and based upon an analysis of said first propagation limit code by said analyzing means.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said first warning signal is transmitted from a first location remote from said first vehicle before said receiving means receives said first warning signal.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the second warning signal is adapted to be received in a second vehicle.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the second warning signal is for instructing the second vehicle to slow down.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said propagation limit code is a counter, said device further including means for incrementing said counter, said transmitting means being for transmitting said second warning signal along with said incremented counter only if said counter is below a counter limit.