System for detecting and releasing a person locked in the trunk of a vehicle

• US 7,109,853 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Cherry Corporation (ZF Electronics Corp.)
• Inventors: Mattson, Daniel J., Kunin, Kenneth C., Berland, Kerry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/558,386
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/576, 340/438, 340/426.29, 340/426.26, 340/525.5, 340/457.3, 340/573.1, 340/632, 296/76, 205/782.5, 205/781, 204/432, 73/16, 73/232, 73/233, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 70/92, 454/229, 236/94
• US Class Current: 340/426.29
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment

Abstract

A vehicle safety system automatically detects the presence of a person sealed in the trunk of an automobile by sensing the CO₂ respiration of the person. Visible, audio and radio alarms are generated in response to the detection of a person in the trunk. If the vehicle is stopped, the trunk will automatically open and allow the person to escape.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the trunk of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting the respiration of a living person or animal in the closed trunk of a vehicle;

detecting the operational condition of the vehicle; and

automatically opening the trunk of the vehicle in response to a predefined safe operational condition of the vehicle and the detection of the respiration of the living person or animal in the trunk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting the respiration of a living person or animal includes the step of detecting the CO₂ exhaled by the person or animal in respiration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting the respiration of a living person or animal includes the step of detecting a rise in the level of CO₂ in the trunk over time in relation to a predefined baseline CO₂.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting the respiration of a living person or animal includes the steps of:

detecting a baseline concentration of CO₂ after the trunk has been opened;

comparing the concentration of CO₂ measured for a time after the trunk is closed to the baseline concentration of CO₂; and

detecting the respiration of a living person or animal when the concentration of CO₂ in the trunk exceeds the baseline concentration by a predetermined amount for a predetermined time.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of providing a lighted switch in the trunk;

and having a person in the trunk manually activate the switch to open the trunk from the inside.

6. The method of claim 1, including the step of automatically opening the trunk of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped and a living person or animal is detected in the trunk.

7. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing an alarm but not opening the trunk when a living person or animal is detected in the trunk and the vehicle is moving.

8. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing an alarm but not opening the trunk when a living person or animal is detected in the trunk and a back seat of the vehicle is unlatched to ventilate the trunk.

9. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing an audible alarm in the vehicle in response to detecting a living person or animal in the trunk.

10. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing a visible alarm in the vehicle in response to detecting a living person or animal in the trunk.

11. The method of claim 1, including the step of providing an alarm signal to a security center in response to detecting a living person or animal in the trunk.

12. The method of claim 1, including the step of activating the horn of the vehicle in response to detecting a living person or animal in the trunk.

13. The method of claim 1, including flashing the headlights of the vehicle in response to detecting a living person or animal in the trunk.

25. The method of claim 1, including providing an alarm when the respiration of the living person or animal is detected.

26. The method of claim 1, including providing an alarm when the respiration of the living person or animal is detected and selecting the type of alarm based upon the operational condition of the vehicle.

14. A method for determining the respiration of a living person or animal in an enclosure, comprising the steps of:

ventilating the enclosure to ambient air and automatically sensing a base line concentration of CO₂ in the vented enclosure;

closing the enclosure to ambient air and automatically sensing an increase in the concentration of CO₂ above said base line concentration for a predetermined time after the enclosure is closed to ambient air; and

providing a rescue operation in response to detecting CO₂ above said base line concentration which is consistent with what would be produced by respiration of a living person or animal in the closed enclosure.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the steps of using a vehicle trunk as the enclosure and automatically opening the trunk of the vehicle as a rescue operation when the vehicle is stationary.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the steps of providing a lighted switch in the trunk;

and having a person in the trunk manually activate the switch to open the trunk from the inside.

17. The method of claim 14, further including the steps of using a passenger compartment of a vehicle as the enclosure and automatically ventilating the compartment as a rescue operation.

18. The method of claim 14, further including the step of detecting the respiration of a living person or animal when the concentration of CO₂ in the closed enclosure exceeds the base line concentration of CO₂ by a predetermined amount for a predetermined time.

19. An apparatus for sensing the presence of a person in the trunk of a vehicle, comprising:

a CO₂ sensor for detecting a baseline concentration of CO₂ after the trunk has been opened and the concentration of CO₂ for a time after the trunk is closed; and

a microcontroller for comparing the concentration of CO₂ when the trunk is closed to the baseline concentration Of CO₂ and generating an alarm indicating the presence of a person in the trunk when the concentration of CO₂ in the closed trunk exceeds the baseline concentration of CO₂ by a predetermined amount for a predetermined time.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, including a lighted switch disposed in the trunk for manually opening the trunk from the inside.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, including means for sensing the movement of the vehicle and means for opening the trunk when a person is sensed in the trunk and the vehicle is stopped.

22. A method for determining the presence of a person in a closed trunk of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

sensing a base line concentration of CO₂ in the trunk with at least one opening to ambient air;

sensing an increase in concentration of CO₂ above said base line concentration when the trunk is closed to ambient air; and

generating an alarm in response to detecting CO₂ above said base line concentration which is consistent with what would be produced by respiration of a person in the closed trunk.

23. The method of claim 22, further including the steps of ventilating the trunk in response to said alarm.

24. The method of claim 22, further including the step of ventilating the trunk in response to said alarm and the detection of a predefined temperature in the closed trunk.

27. A method for controlling a vehicle having a compartment that is opened and closed, comprising the steps of:

detecting the respiration of a living person or animal in the closed compartment of the vehicle;

detecting the operational condition of the vehicle; and

automatically opening the compartment of the vehicle to ambient air in response to a predefined operational condition of the vehicle and the detection of the respiration of the living person or animal in the compartment.

28. A method for controlling a vehicle having a trunk that is opened and closed, comprising the steps of:

detecting the respiration of a living person or animal in the closed trunk of the vehicle;

detecting the operational condition of the vehicle;

automatically selecting at least one of a plurality of alarms based upon the operational condition of the vehicle and the detected respiration of the living person or animal in the trunk; and

activating the at least one selected alarm.

29. A method for controlling a vehicle having a trunk that is selectively opened and closed, comprising the steps of:

detecting the respiration of a living person or animal in the closed trunk of the vehicle; and

automatically opening the trunk in response to at least detecting the respiration of the living person or animal in the trunk.

30. A method for detecting an unsafe condition within a trunk of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

disposing a living person or animal within the closed trunk of the vehicle; and

detecting the respiration of the living person or animal in the trunk.

31. A detection system for use within a vehicle of the type having a trunk which is selectively movable between an open and a closed position, said detection system being adapted to detect the breathing of a breathing individual within said trunk, said detection system comprising:

a breathing detector which is disposed within said trunk, which is adapted to detect the breathing of said individual, and which generates a signal upon the detection of said breathing; and

a controller assembly which is communicatively coupled to said breathing detector, which receives said signal, and which opens said trunk upon receipt of said signal.

32. The detection system of claim 31, wherein carbon dioxide is emitted by said individual as said individual breathes and wherein said breathing detector detects the presence of said carbon dioxide within said trunk.

33. The detection system of claim 31, wherein said vehicle is of the further type which includes an ignition switch which may be selectively moved to a certain position and wherein said controller assembly is coupled to said ignition switch, senses said placement of said ignition switch in said certain position, and causes said trunk to be opened in response to said signal from said breathing detector only if said ignition switch is placed in said certain position.

34. The detection system of claim 31, wherein said vehicle is of the type which is selectively driven and wherein said controller assembly prevents said trunk from being open when said vehicle is driven.

35. The detection system of claim 31, further including an illuminated switch which is disposed within said trunk, which is coupled to said controller assembly, and which selectively communicates a second signal to said controller assembly upon being touched.

36. The detection system of claim 35, wherein said controller assembly, upon receipt of said second signal, opens said trunk.

37. The detection system of claim 32, wherein said breathing detector measures the amount of carbon dioxide which is resident within said trunk, stores a certain value, compares said measured amount of carbon dioxide to said certain value, and generates said signal only if said measured amount of said carbon dioxide is greater than said certain value.

38. The detection system of claim 31, wherein said controller assembly further includes a timer which allows said detection system to be operable for a certain period of time.

39. The detection system of claim 31, wherein said individual comprises a child.

40. A method for detecting the presence of a child within a trunk of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring an amount of carbon-dioxide within said trunk of said vehicle; and

using said measured amount of carbon dioxide to determine the presence of said child within said trunk of said vehicle.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of detecting said presence of said child only when said vehicle is stationary.

42. An assembly for detecting the presence of an individual within a trunk of a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a sensor which is mounted within said trunk and that detects the occurrence of breathing of said individual; and

a controller assembly which is communicatively coupled to said sensor and which provides a signal when said sensor detects the occurrence of breathing of said individual.

43. The assembly of claim 42, wherein said sensor comprises a carbon dioxide sensor.