Directional back-up alarm

• US 7,463,165 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronic Controls Company (Truck-Lite Holdings 2 Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Preco Electronics Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Hessing, Dale C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Son M
• Application Number:
  US11/469,316
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425, 340/943, 340/932.2, 340435-438, 340903-904, 367/93, 367/94, 381/77
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A directional back-up alarm deployed in a vehicle moving in an open space, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes, in part, a first ultrasonic generator adapted to generate a first ultrasound signal; a second ultrasonic generator adapted to generate a second ultrasound signal; an audible sound generator adapted to generate an audible signal; a modulator adapted to modulate the first ultrasonic signal with the audible signal to generate a modulated signal; and a summing circuit adapted to receive and sum the modulated signal with the second ultrasonic signal to generate a combined signal. The combined signal is transmitted with a transmit antenna. The transmit antenna may include a Piezoelectric or silicon device.

Claims

1. A directional back-up alarm for use in a vehicle moving in an open space, the directional back-up alarm comprising:

a first ultrasonic generator adapted to generate a first ultrasound signal;

a second ultrasonic generator adapted to generate a second ultrasound signal;

an audible sound generator adapted to generate an audible signal;

a modulator adapted to modulate the first ultrasonic signal with the audible signal to generate a modulated signal; and

a summing circuit adapted to receive and sum the modulated signal with the second ultrasonic signal to generate a combined signal, a transmit antenna adapted to transmit the combined signal into a vehicle back-up open space.

2. The directional back-up alarm of claim 1 wherein the transmit antenna includes a Piezoelectric device.

3. The directional back-up alarm of claim 1 wherein the transmit antenna includes a silicon device.

4. A method of producing an audible alarm from a vehicle moving in an open space, the method comprising:

generating a first ultrasound signal;

generating a second ultrasound signal;

generating an audible signal;

modulating the first ultrasonic signal with the audible signal to generate a modulated signal; and

summing the modulated signal with the second ultrasonic signal to generate a combined signal, transmitting the combined signal over the air in the vehicle moving open space.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the combined signal is transmitted via a transmit antenna that includes a Piezoelectric device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the combined signal is transmitted via a transmit antenna that includes a silicon device.