On-vehicle flood alarm system

• US 6,650,244 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SIN ETKE Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: SIN ETKE Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Kuo-Rong, Lee, Chun-Chung, Huang, Cheng-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/200,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 340/618, 340/463, 340/621, 340/603, 340/605, 340/612, 340/619-623, 340/425.5, 340/438, 379/37-51
• US Class Current: 340/618
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

An on-vehicle flood alarm system is disclosed to install a water level sensor in the bottom side of the floor of the motor vehicle, which water level sensor works when the motor vehicle'"'"'s ignition switch turned off, and sends a control signal to a microprocessor when the distance between the water level sensor and the level of water accumulated on the ground became shorter than a predetermined distance, which microprocessor drives a GSM communication device to give a flood alarm short message to the owner of the motor vehicle when continuously received the control signal ten times within two minutes. By means of the aforesaid performance, the on-vehicle flood alarm system informs the owner of the motor vehicle to take the necessary action at an early stage, preventing soaking of the motor vehicle in water and reducing the cost of repairing.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle flood alarm system installed in a motor vehicle for detecting flood and giving an alarm signal upon detection of flood, comprising:

at least one water level sensor installed in a bottom side of said motor vehicle and spaced above the ground at a distance, said at least one water level sensor being adapted to detect accumulation water on the ground when the ignition switch of said motor vehicle turned off, and to send out a control signal when the distance between the level of accumulated water on the ground and the respective water level sensor became shorter than a predetermined distance;

an alarm device; and

a microprocessor electrically connected to said at least one water level sensor and said alarm device and adapted to receive said control signal from said at least one water level sensor and to further drive said alarm device to send out an alarm signal to inform the owner of said motor vehicle.

2. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one water level sensor each is an electric field induction type water level sensor adapted for detecting surrounding electric intensity.

3. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of said at least one water level sensor is one, which is installed in the center of the bottom side of the floor of said motor vehicle.

4. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm device is a wireless communication device adapted for providing a wireless alarm signal.

5. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 4, said wireless communication device is a GSM communication device adapted for providing a short message of wireless alarm signal.

6. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said microprocessor drives said alarm device to send out said alarm signal to inform the owner of said motor vehicle when received said control signal a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time interval.

7. The on-vehicle flood alarm system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined number of times is a continuous series of number of times.