Engine exhaust startup monitoring system

• US 6,983,726 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Ghabra, Riad, Luo, Yi, Tang, Qingfeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US10/982,127
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 123/179.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00314 Arrangements permitting a rapid heating of the heating liquid B60H1/00492, B60H1/03 take precedence; aiding engine start by heating of engine coolants F02N19/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 15/04 by alteration of volume of compression space without changing piston stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/10 Safety devices F02N11/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided for monitoring and mitigating exhaust gas emitted from a vehicle in a closable structure. A remote monitoring device within the closable structure is trained in response to a training signal transmitted from a remote transmitter device. A remote engine start signal is intercepted within a receiving circuit of the remote monitoring device during an actual remote engine start operation. The exhaust gas emitted from the vehicle is monitored in response to receiving the remote engine start signal. A determination is made if an exhaust gas concentration level is greater than a predetermined threshold. A control signal is transmitted to a mitigation device for mitigating the exhaust gas within the closable structure when the exhaust gas concentration level is greater than the predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and mitigating exhaust gas emitted from a vehicle in a closable structure, said method comprising the steps of:

training a remote monitoring device disposed within said closable structure in response to a training signal transmitted from a remote transmitter device;

intercepting a remote engine start signal within a receiving circuit of said remote monitoring device during an actual remote engine start operation;

monitoring exhaust gas emitted from said vehicle in response to receiving said remote engine start signal; and

determining if an exhaust gas concentration level is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

transmitting a control signal to a mitigation device for mitigating said exhaust gas within said closable structure when said exhaust gas concentration level is greater than said predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said remote engine start signal uses one of a plurality of predetermined message protocols, and wherein said step of training said remote monitoring device comprises the steps of:

receiving said training signal from said remote transmitting device;

iteratively decoding said training signal by utilizing said plurality of message protocols in succession until said training signal is successfully decoded; and

setting up said remote monitoring device for active monitoring using said message protocol that successfully decoded said training signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said data includes a transmitter identification uniquely identifying said remote transmitter device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of receiving said training signal from said remote transmitting device further includes the steps of:

tuning a receiver of said remote monitoring device to one of a plurality of frequencies associated with said predetermined message protocols;

determining a signal strength associated with said tuned to frequency; and

determining if said signal strength associated with said tuned to frequency is greater than a predetermined value;

if said signal strength is greater than said predetermined value, then continuing with said iterative decoding step, otherwise returning to said tuning step to tune to a different one of said frequencies.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting said control signal to said mitigation device includes transmitting a replicated remote engine stop signal to an engine stop switch in said vehicle for shutting off an engine of said vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting an alert signal to a home alert unit, said home alert unit providing an audible notification in response to receiving said alert signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said home alert unit further provides a visual notification in response to receiving said alert signal for providing a warning that said exhaust gas concentration level is above said predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said alert signal is received by said remote transmitting device for providing a warning to a user of said remote transmitter device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring exhaust gas concentration level after said engine is shutoff;

determining if said exhaust gas concentration level is below a second predetermined threshold; and

transmitting a replicated remote engine start signal to said vehicle for restarting said vehicle if said exhaust gas is below said second predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a control signal is transmitted to an exhaust ventilation system for ventilating said exhaust gas from said closable structure in response to said exhaust gas concentration level being greater than said predetermined threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said control signal comprises an activating signal to a garage door opening device for opening a garage door for ventilating said exhaust gas from said closable structure.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein said remote transmitting device is trained to identify message protocols and store identification codes of a plurality of remote transmitter devices.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said training signal transmitted from said remote transmitting devices includes a training signal selected from the group comprising a remote engine start signal, a remote engine stop signal, a remote door unlock signal, a remote door lock signal, a remote trunk unlock signal, and a panic alarm signal.

14. An engine exhaust monitoring system for monitoring and mitigating exhaust gas emitted from a vehicle during a remote engine startup of a vehicle in a closable structure, said system comprising:

a remote monitoring device disposed in said closable structure and remote from said vehicle for intercepting a remote engine start signal and for monitoring said exhaust gas concentration level emitted from said vehicle;

a remote transmitting device for transmitting a remote engine control signal;

a home alert unit for receiving an alert signal identifying an unsafe concentration of exhaust gas present in said closable structure, wherein said home alert unit outputs a warning indicator when said exhaust gas is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

at least one mitigation device for mitigating said exhaust gas emitted from said vehicle;

wherein said remote transmitting device initiates monitoring of said exhaust gas concentration level within said closable structure upon intercepting said remote engine start signal, wherein said remote monitoring device transmits at least one control signal for activating said at least one mitigation device if said exhaust gas concentration level exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and wherein said remote monitoring device transmits said alert signal to said home alert unit when transmitting said control signal.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said remote monitoring device includes a training program for iteratively decoding and decrypting a training signal associated with a remote transmitting device by utilizing a plurality of message protocols successively until said training signal is successfully decoded.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one control signal includes a ventilation activation signal and said at least one mitigation device includes an exhaust ventilation unit for removing said exhaust gas from said closable structure.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said at leasi one control signal includes a garage door activation signal and said at least one mitigation device includes a garage door opener unit.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one control signal includes a replicated remote engine stop signal and said at least one mitigation device includes an engine controller in said vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said remote monitoring device monitors said exhaust gas within said closable structure after said engine stop signal is transmitted, said remote monitoring device transmitting a replicated remote engine start signal to said vehicle for restarting said vehicle after said exhaust gas concentration level drops below a second predetermined threshold.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said remote monitoring device transmits an alert signal to said remote transmitter device in response to said exhaust gas concentration level, and wherein said remote transmitter device provides a warning indicator for alerting a person carrying said remote transmitting device of said unsafe exhaust gas concentration level in response to receiving said alert signal.