System, method and apparatus for communication with occupants of a vehicle

• US 8,872,563 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eddie B. Lofton
• Original Assignee: Eddie B. Lofton
• Inventors: Lofton, Eddie B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US13/963,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 455 39- 48, 455 59- 90
• US Class Current: 327/203
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/008 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound

Abstract

A vehicle communication system for communicating with a person who is within a vehicle includes a device for hearing audible noises that emanate within the vehicle at locations external to the vehicle without making physical contact with the vehicle. Communication from the person in the vehicle to a person external to the vehicle is performed by aiming a light beam from the vehicle and receiving reflections of the light beam. The light beam is modulated by vibration of the vehicle caused the audible noises from within the vehicle. The received light beam is then processed to reproduce the audible noises so that the audible noises can be heard from a location outside of the vehicle, even when the vehicle is sealed (windows closed, etc.).

Claims

1. A vehicle communication apparatus comprising:

a light source located outside of a vehicle and directed onto the vehicle, the light source emits light in a direction towards the vehicle;

a detector positioned to receive at least part of the light that is reflected from the vehicle, the detector converts the at least part of the light into an electrical signal;

an audio detector operatively coupled to the detector, the audio detector receives the electrical signal and the audio detector extracts an audio signal from the electrical signal; and

an audio output device operatively coupled to the audio detector, the audio output device receives the audio signal from the audio detector and reproduces the audio signal to be audible outside of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source emits a laser light.

3. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is a semiconductor laser diode.

4. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector is a photo diode.

5. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio detector further comprises a filter, the filter removing at least some environment noise from the audio signal.

6. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter, the radio frequency transmitter modulates a second audio signal onto a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency transmitter being located outside of the vehicle;

a radio receiver associated with the vehicle and located within the vehicle, the radio receiver demodulates the second audio signal from the radio frequency signal and presents the second audio signal for listening within the vehicle.

7. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the radio frequency transmitter, the light source, the detector, the audio detector, and the audio output device are associated with a second vehicle.

8. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 6, wherein the radio frequency transmitter, the light source, the detector, the audio detector, and the audio output device are associated with an entry station of a protected facility.

9. A method of communicating between a person within a vehicle and a person external to the vehicle, the method comprising:

providing the vehicle communication apparatus of claim 6;

modulating the second audio signal on a radio frequency by the radio frequency transmitter;

receiving the radio frequency by the radio receiver within the vehicle;

demodulating the second audio signal from the radio frequency and reproducing the second audio signal by the radio receiver within the vehicle such that the second audio signal is audibly reproduced within the vehicle;

emitting a light beam from the light source towards the vehicle;

receiving at least some of the light beam reflected from the vehicle by the detector;

extracting the audio signal from the reflected light beam by the audio detector; and

amplifying the audio signal by the audio output device to be audible at a location external to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of emitting the light beam includes emitting light from a laser light source.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of emitting the light beam includes emitting light from an infra-red light source.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving includes a photo diode positioned to receive at least part of the light that is reflected from the vehicle, the photo diode converts the at least part of the light into the electrical signal.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising after the step of extracting, a step of filtering noise from the audio signal to remove at least some environment noise.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the radio frequency transmitter, the light source, the detector, the audio detector, and the audio output device are associated with a second vehicle which is a law-enforcement vehicle.

15. A vehicle communication apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter, the radio frequency transmitter receives a first audio signal and modulates the first audio signal onto a radio frequency signal;

a radio associated with a vehicle, the radio receives the radio frequency signal and demodulates the first audio signal from the radio frequency signal, amplifies the first audio signal, and emits the first audio signal from a transducer for listening within the vehicle;

a light source, the light source is directed towards the vehicle, the light source emits light onto the vehicle;

a detector, the detector receives at least part of the light reflected from the vehicle, the detector converts the at least part of the light that is reflected from the vehicle into an electrical signal;

an audio detector operatively coupled to the detector, the audio detector extracts a second audio signal from the electrical signal; and

an audio output device, the audio output device receives the second audio signal from the audio detector and reproduces the second audio signal to be audible external to the vehicle.

16. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the audio detector further comprises a filter, the filter removing at least some environment noise.

17. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency transmitter, the light source, the detector, the audio detector, and the audio output device are affixed to a law-enforcement vehicle and the vehicle is in proximity of the law-enforcement vehicle.

18. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 17, wherein the light source and the detector are mounted on a roof of the law-enforcement vehicle.

19. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the light source emits a laser light.

20. The vehicle communication apparatus of claim 15, wherein the radio frequency transmitter, the light source, the detector, the audio detector, and the audio output device are integrated into an entry station for a protected facility.