Method for intelligent crescendo system

• US 7,612,659 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nattel Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nattel Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Rajesh, Nath, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/446,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 340/474, 340/457, 340/692
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A method and system for warning an operator of a vehicle of a vehicular task that is being performed beyond a pre-determined time for execution of the task involving incrementally increasing audio and visual warnings as the task continues to be performed past the pre-determined time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring one or more tasks associated with an apparatus to determine if one or more time durations for executing corresponding said one or more tasks exceed corresponding one or more pre-determined time durations; and

providing one or more warning signals with an intensifying value of at least one of said one or more warning signals as time elapses after at least one time duration of the one or more time durations, if said at least one time duration exceeds a corresponding pre-determined time duration of said one or more pre-determined time durations for executing at least one task of said one or more tasks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is one of:

a machine, a motor, an automobile, a truck, a bus, a tractor, a crane, and a 2- or 3-wheel conveyance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a vehicle and the one or more tasks comprises reversing or correcting at least one condition of:

vehicle operation with continuous activation of turn signals;

vehicle operation without using a seat belt;

vehicle operation with continuous activation of hazard signals;

vehicle operation in reduced light and visibility conditions without appropriate lights activated; and

vehicle operation in the presence of a malfunction as warned by an onboard computer control system provided by a manufacturer.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is an audio signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is a visual signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, if said at least one of the one or more tasks is not executed during a predefined time interval following said at least one time duration, the method further comprises:

providing a constant value or a maximum constant value of at least one of said one or more warning signals after said predefined time interval;

and wherein, if said at least one of the one or more tasks is executed during said predefined time interval, the method further comprises;

automatically terminating said one or more warning signals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said predefined time interval is one of one or more predefined time intervals for corresponding said one or more tasks, and said predefined time interval is different than at least one of said one or more predefined time intervals.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein one or more of the following parameters are modifiable through a setup or user interface:

said one or more tasks, said one or more pre-determined time durations, said one or more predefined time intervals, at least one incremental value per unit time for changing said intensifying value of the at least one of said one or more warning signals.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is a beeping or a continuous audio signal with increasing intensity.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium embodying a computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor with said computer program code, wherein said computer program code comprises instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

11. A device, comprising:

a controller, configured to monitor one or more tasks associated with an apparatus to determine if one or more time durations for executing corresponding said one or more tasks exceed corresponding one or more pre-determined time durations; and

one or more interface controllers, configured to provide one or more warning signals with an intensifying value of at least one of said one or more warning signals as time elapses after at least one time duration of the one or more time durations, if the at least one time duration of the one or more time durations exceeds a corresponding pre-determined time duration of said one or more pre-determined time durations for executing at least one task of said one or more tasks.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is an audio signal, and wherein one of said one or more interface controllers is an audio interface.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is a visual signal, and wherein one of said one or more interface controllers is a display controller.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein, if said at least one of the one or more tasks is not executed during a predefined time interval following said at least one time duration, said device is configured to provide a constant value or a maximum constant value of at least one of said one or more warning signals after said predefined time interval, and wherein if said at least one of the one or more tasks is executed during said predefined time interval,

said device is configured to automatically terminate said one or more warning signals.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a memory, configured to store said one or more pre-determined time durations, and said one or more predefined time intervals.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

a setup interface, configured to provide modification of one or more of;

said one or more tasks, said one or more pre-determined time durations, said one or more predefined time intervals, and at least one incremental value per unit time for changing said intensifying value of the at least one of said one or more warning signals.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more warning signals is a beeping or continuous audio signal with increasing intensity.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein an integrated circuit comprises selected or all modules of said device.

19. The device of claim 11, further comprising:

a connecting module, configured to provide an interface between the device and the apparatus.

20. A module, comprising:

a controller, configured to monitor one or more tasks associated with an apparatus to determine if one or more time durations for executing corresponding said one or more tasks exceed corresponding one or more pre-determined time durations; and

one or more interface controllers, configured to provide one or more warning signals with an intensifying value of at least one of said one or more warning signals as time elapses after at least one time duration of the one or more time durations, if the at least one time duration exceeds a corresponding pre-determined time duration of said one or more pre-determined time durations for executing at least one task of said one or more tasks.