Motor vehicle occupancy and high temperature alarm module

• US 6,940,400 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark S. Pelletier
• Original Assignee: Mark S. Pelletier
• Inventors: Pelletier, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/802,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/449, 340/425.5, 340/430, 340/426.6, 340/426.28, 340/426.29, 340/541, 340/545.1, 340/565
• US Class Current: 340/449
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01566 Devices for warning or indicating mode of inhibition

Abstract

A machine to turn on the occupancy sensor(s) of a motor vehicle using a temperature sensing element. The temperature element senses a dangerously high temperature in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and energizes the occupancy sensors. The occupancy sensors energize for a time period sufficient to determine the presence or absence of an occupant. If no occupant is detected, the occupancy sensors de-energize after a set period of time. If an occupant is detected, an audible alarm is enabled to draw attention to the motor vehicle. Once the alarm is active, a key must be used to reset it. If no occupant is detected each operation of a door switch will cause an additional sensing provided the temperature remains dangerously high. This logic is only energized or enabled when a passenger compartment is dangerously high.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a vehicle compartment, comprising:

an occupancy sensor for generating a first signal indicative of the compartment being occupied;

a temperature element for generating a second signal indicative of a vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeding a preset limit; and

a logic circuit for generating an alarm signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated during a sampling period,

wherein the sampling period is initiated after expiration of a delay period following each simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door and the second signal being generated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is activated when the sampling period is initiated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sampling period is reset and initiated after expiration of a delay period following each simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door, a vehicle being off, and the second signal being generated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is energized and communicatively coupled to an occupant restraint control system when a vehicle is off.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor is energized and communicatively coupled to an occupant restraint control system when a vehicle is on.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sampling period ends a preset time after it is initiated.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further including means for resetting to reset the alarm signal, wherein after the alarm signal is generated, the logic circuit seals-in the alarm signal until interrupted by the means for resetting.

8. A system for monitoring a vehicle having a compartment, comprising:

an occupancy sensor for sensing whether the compartment is occupied;

a temperature sensor for measuring a vehicle compartment ambient temperature;

a logic component connected to the occupancy sensor and the temperature sensor to determine whether to initiate an alarm based upon information received from the occupancy and temperature sensors;

an alarm component connected to the logic component for producing an alarm when initiated by the logic component; and

a vehicle door sensor to indicate an open/closed condition of a vehicle door,

wherein the logic component includes a sampling period that is initiated after each simultaneous occurrence of the occupancy sensor indicating the vehicle is occupied, the vehicle door sensor indicating that a vehicle door condition has changed between open and closed, and the temperature sensor indicating a temperature exceeding a preset limit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the compartment is a trunk.

10. The system of claim 8, further including an ignition sensor to indicate an on/off condition of the vehicle and wherein the logic component includes a sampling period that is reset and initiated after each simultaneous occurrence of the occupancy sensor indicating the vehicle is occupied, the ignition sensor indicating that the vehicle is off, and the temperature sensor indicating a temperature exceeding a preset limit.

11. The system of claim 8, further including a vehicle door sensor to indicate an open/closed condition of a vehicle door and wherein the logic component includes a sampling period that is reset and initiated after each simultaneous occurrence of the occupancy sensor indicating the vehicle is occupied, the vehicle door sensor indicating that a vehicle door is closed, and the temperature sensor indicating a temperature exceeding a preset limit.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the occupancy sensor senses whether a seat within the compartment is occupied.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a means for testing the system by generating a set of conditions that will cause the logic component to initiate the audible alarm.

14. A method of monitoring a vehicle having a compartment, comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of the compartment being occupied;

generating a second signal indicative of a vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeding a preset limit; and

generating an alarm signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated during a sampling period,

wherein the sampling period is initiated after expiration of a delay period following each simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door and the second signal generated.

15. The method of claim 14, further including activating at least one occupancy sensor when the second signal is generated.

16. The method of claim 14, further including resetting the sampling period when the vehicle is indicated as being on.

17. The method of claim 14, further including resetting the sampling period when a vehicle door is indicated as being open.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an occupancy component for generating a first signal indicative of a vehicle compartment being occupied;

a temperature component for generating a second signal indicative of a vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeding a preset limit;

a logic component for generating an alarm signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated; and

a delay component that delays the generation of the alarm for a period of time upon an indication of a vehicle door closing;

wherein the period of time is initiated after each simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door and the second signal being generated.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least two of the occupancy, temperature, logic, and delay components are combined in a single electrical circuit.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the logic component is enabled in response to the second signal being generated.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the logic component generates the audible alarm signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated during a sampling period.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sampling period is expired, the occupancy sensor is disabled.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sampling period is initiated when the second signal is generated.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sampling period is ended if the period ends without the simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door and the second signal being generated.

25. An apparatus for monitoring a vehicle compartment, comprising:

an occupancy component for generating a first signal indicative of the compartment being occupied;

a temperature component for generating a second signal indicative of a vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeding a preset limit; and

a logic component for generating an alarm signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated during a sampling period,

wherein the sampling period is initiated after each simultaneous occurrence of an indication of a closed vehicle door and the second signal being generated.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the temperature component generates a second signal when the vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeds a high temperature limit.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the temperature component generates a second signal when the vehicle compartment ambient temperature exceeds a low temperature limit.