Aural warning system for buses

• US 6,580,362 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alertstar Safety Corporation USA
• Original Assignee: Harold B. Zimmerman, Zimmerman C. Jay
• Inventors: Zimmerman, C. Jay, Zimmerman, Harold B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/124,005
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 340/433, 340/425.5, 340/441, 340/521, 340/522, 340/691.1, 340/692, 340/936, 340/905, 340/994, 340/468, 362/478, 362/481
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic

Abstract

An aural warning system for buses is provided which comprises a logic controller circuit board in electrical communication with an audible alarm. The logic controller circuit board actuates the audible alarm in a preprogrammed response to input data. The input data is provided by one or more loading lights which sending an on/off signal to the logic controller circuit board, a speed sensor which provides information as to the speed of the bus to the logic controller circuit board, and an open/closed switch providing information regarding the open/closed status of one or more doors of the bus. The preprogrammed response actuates the audible alarm when the one or more loading lights are on, the speed sensor when the speed of the bus is less than a threshold speed and the one or more doors are closed.

Claims

1. An aural warning system for buses comprises:

a logic controller circuit board,

one or more loading lights which provides an on/off signal to the logic controller circuit board,

a speed sensor which provides information as to the speed of the bus to the logic controller circuit board,

an open/closed switch providing information regarding the open/closed status of one or more doors of the bus,

an audible alarm in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board, the logic controller circuit board in a preprogrammed response to the on/off signal, the speed sensor and the open/closed switch causing the audible alarm to sound thereby warning nearby individuals that said bus is in motion or about to be in motion.

2. The aural warning system of claim 1 further comprising a override switch for actuating the audible alarm manually.

3. The aural warning system of claim 1 wherein the audible alarm comprises a front speaker and an rear speaker.

4. The aural warning system of claim 1 further comprising a system malfunction light in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board, the logic controller circuit board actuating said system malfunction light in the event a system malfunction is detected by the logic controller circuit board.

5. The aural warning system of claim 1 further comprising a system operating light in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board and is actuated when the logic controller circuit board is powered.

6. The aural warning system of claim 1 further comprising an interface module in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board which allows users to alter the preprogrammed response of the logic controller circuit board.

7. The aural warning system of claim 6 wherein the preprogrammed response of the logic controller circuit board being altered is response to the speed being provided by the speed sensor and the volume of the audible alarm.

8. The aural warning system of claim 1 wherein the preprogrammed response actuates the audible alarm when the one or more loading lights are on, the bus is traveling at a speed less than a threshold speed and the one or more doors are closed.

9. The aural warning system of claim 8 wherein the threshold speed is fifteen miles per hour.

10. An aural warning system for buses comprises:

a logic controller circuit board,

one or more loading lights which provides an on/off signal to the logic controller circuit board,

a speed sensor which provides information as to the speed of the bus to the logic controller circuit board,

an open/closed switch providing information regarding the open/closed status of one or more doors of the bus,

an audible alarm in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board,

the logic controller circuit board, in a preprogrammed response to the on/off signal provided when the one or more loading lights are on, the speed sensor when the speed of the bus is less than a threshold speed and the open/closed switch when the one or more doors are closed, causing the audible alarm to sound thereby warning nearby individuals that said bus is in motion or about to be in motion.

11. The aural warning system of claim 10 further comprising a override switch for actuating the audible alarm manually.

12. The aural warning system of claim 10 wherein the audible alarm comprises a front speaker and an rear speaker.

13. The aural warning system of claim 10 further comprising a system malfunction light in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board, the logic controller circuit board actuating said system malfunction light in the event a system malfunction is detected by the logic controller circuit board.

14. The aural warning system of claim 10 further comprising a system operating light in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board and is actuated when the logic controller circuit board is powered.

15. The aural warning system of claim 10 further comprising an interface module in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board which allows users to alter the preprogrammed response of the logic controller circuit board.

16. The aural warning system of claim 15 wherein the preprogrammed response of the logic controller circuit board being altered is the threshold speed and the volume of the audible alarm.

17. The aural warning system of claim 10 wherein the threshold speed is fifteen miles per hour.

18. An method for providing an aural warning for buses comprises the steps of:

providing a logic controller circuit board,

providing an on/off switch providing information as to the on/off status of one or more loading lights to the logic controller circuit board;

providing information as to the speed of the bus to the logic controller circuit board,

providing information regarding the open/closed status of one or more doors of the bus,

providing an audible alarm in electrical communication with the logic controller circuit board,

sounding the audible alarm when the one or more loading lights are on, the speed of the bus is less than a threshold speed and the one or more doors are closed thereby warning nearby individuals that said bus is in motion or about to be in motion.