Vehicle security system siren to supplement light flash and associated methods

• US 6,753,763 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US10/165,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/425.5, 340/384.1, 340/384.4, 307/10.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics

Abstract

A vehicle security system includes at least one security sensor and a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes. The vehicle includes a horn being electrically operable, a horn switch permitting selective occasional operation of the horn by a user, at least one light being electrically operable, and a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the light by the user. The security controller also operates the light in a second pattern when switching between modes and the siren is sounded to supplement the light flashing.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system for a vehicle including a horn being electrically operable, a horn switch permitting selective occasional operation of the horn by a user, at least one light being electrically operable, and a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the at least one light by the user, the vehicle security system comprising:

at least one security sensor;

a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes, said security controller when in the armed mode for operating the horn in at least one first pattern to sound a horn security alarm responsive to said at least one security sensor;

said security controller for operating the at least one light in at least one second pattern when switching between modes; and

a siren sounding to supplement the horn based upon operation thereof in the at least one first pattern and not sounding based upon selective occasional operation of the horn by the user;

said siren also sounding to supplement the at least one light based upon operation thereof in the at least one second pattern and not sounding based upon selective occasional operation of the at least one light by the user.

2. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises an ignition switch being switchable between ON and OFF positions;

and wherein said siren sounds to supplement the at least one light with the ignition switch in the OFF position and does not sound with the ignition switch in the ON position.

3. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one second pattern of operating the at least one light comprises at least one light pulse having a predetermined duration.

4. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one second pattern of operating the at least one light comprises a plurality of light pulses, each having a predetermined duration and with successive pulses occurring within a predetermined time.

5. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the siren sounds to supplement the at least one light corresponding to the at least one second pattern.

6. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first pattern comprises a series of operations of the horn within a predetermined time.

7. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first pattern comprises a series of operations of the horn with each operation having a predetermined duration.

8. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first pattern of operating the horn comprises continuous operation of the horn for greater than a predetermined time.

9. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said siren has a start delay time so that sounding the siren security alarm is delayed after operation of the horn is started.

10. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said siren has a stop delay time so that sounding the siren security alarm continues until after operation of the horn is stopped.

11. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said siren comprises:

a housing;

an audible indicator carried by said housing; and

a light operation detector carried by said housing for detecting operation of the at least one light in the at least one second pattern and for operating said audible indicator responsive thereto.

12. A vehicle security system according to claim 11 wherein said audible indicator comprises:

a siren electrical signal generating circuit; and

an electrical/mechanical (E/M) transducer connected to said siren electrical signal generating circuit.

13. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein the horn and said siren are each mounted within a vehicle engine compartment.

14. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 wherein said siren further comprises at least one energy storage device.

15. A vehicle security system according to claim 1 further comprising a receiver connected to said security controller, and at least one remote transmitter communicating with said receiver.

16. A vehicle security system according to claim 15 wherein said receiver and said at least one remote transmitter operate with changing codes.

17. A vehicle security system for a vehicle including an ignition switch being switchable between ON and OFF positions, at least one light being electrically operable, and a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the at least one light by a user, the vehicle security system comprising:

at least one security sensor;

a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes and being responsive to said at least one security sensor when in the armed mode, said security controller for operating the at least one light in at least one pattern when switching between modes; and

a siren for sounding to supplement the at least one light based upon operation thereof in the at least one pattern and with the ignition switch in the OFF position and not sounding based upon selective occasional operation of the at least one light by the user and with the ignition switch in the ON position.

18. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein the at least one pattern comprises at least one light pulse having a predetermined duration.

19. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein the at least one pattern comprises a plurality of light pulses, each having a predetermined duration and with successive pulses occurring within a predetermined time.

20. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein said siren sounds to supplement the at least one light corresponding to the at least one pattern.

21. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein said siren comprises:

a housing;

an audible indicator carried by said housing; and

a light operation detector carried by said housing for detecting operation of the at least one light in the at least one pattern and for operating said audible indicator responsive thereto.

22. A vehicle security system according to claim 21 wherein said audible indicator comprises:

a siren electrical signal generating circuit; and

an electrical/mechanical (E/M) transducer connected to said siren electrical signal generating circuit.

23. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein said siren is mounted within a vehicle engine compartment.

24. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 wherein said siren further comprises at least one energy storage device.

25. A vehicle security system according to claim 17 further comprising a receiver connected to said security controller, and at least one remote transmitter communicating with said receiver.

26. A vehicle security system according to claim 25 wherein said receiver and said at least one remote transmitter operate with changing codes.

27. A siren for a vehicle including at least one light being electrically operable, a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the at least one light by a user, and a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes and for operating the at least one light in at least one pattern when switching between modes, the siren comprising:

a housing;

an audible indicator carried by said housing; and

a light operation detector carried by said housing for sounding said audible indicator responsive to detecting operation of the at least one light in the at least one pattern and not sounding the audible indicator responsive to selective occasional operation of the at least one light.

28. A siren according to claim 27 wherein the vehicle further comprises an ignition switch being switchable between ON and OFF positions;

and wherein said light operation detector sounds said audible indicator to supplement the at least one light with the ignition switch in the OFF position and does not sound said audible indicator with the ignition switch in the ON position.

29. A siren according to claim 27 wherein the at least one pattern of operating the at least one light comprises at least one light pulse having a predetermined duration.

30. A siren according to claim 27 wherein the at least one pattern of operating the at least one light comprises a plurality of light pulses, each having a predetermined duration and with successive pulses occurring within a predetermined time.

31. A siren according to claim 27 wherein said light operation detector sounds the audible indicator to supplement the at least one light corresponding to the at least one pattern.

32. A siren according to claim 27 wherein said audible indicator comprises:

a siren electrical signal generating circuit; and

an electrical/mechanical (E/M) transducer connected to said siren electrical signal generating circuit.

33. A siren according to claim 27 wherein the siren is mounted within a vehicle engine compartment.

34. A siren according to claim 27 wherein further comprising at least one energy storage device carried by said housing.

35. A method for upgrading a vehicle security system for a vehicle including an ignition switch being switchable between ON and OFF positions, at least one light being electrically operable, and a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the at least one light by a user, the vehicle security system comprising at least one security sensor, a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes and being responsive to the at least one security sensor when in the armed mode, the security controller for operating the at least one light in at least one pattern when switching between modes, the method comprising:

mounting a siren at the vehicle; and

sounding the siren to supplement the at least one light based upon operation thereof in the at least one pattern and with the ignition switch in the OFF position and not sounding the siren based upon selective occasional operation of the at least one light by the user and with the ignition switch in the ON position.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the at least one pattern comprises at least one light pulse having a predetermined duration.

37. A method according to claim 35 wherein the at least one pattern comprises a plurality of light pulses, each having a predetermined duration and with successive pulses occurring within a predetermined time.

38. A method according to claim 35 wherein the siren is sounded to supplement the at least one light corresponding to the at least one pattern.