Emergency warning system for approach of right of way vehicle

• US 20060255966A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Louis H. Mckenna
• Original Assignee: Louis H. Mckenna
• Inventors: McKenna, Louis H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,446,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

A common inexpensive device such as an automotive internal rear view mirror, cell phone, or CHMBL (center high mounted brake light) incorporates an emergency warning system to detect a predefined signal emitted by an right of way vehicle such as an ambulance, police car, fire engine, or train. The right of way vehicle sends out a specific predefined signal to a predefined area. The specific predefined signal is picked up by a receiver of the present emergency warning system, which is preferably housed in a rear view mirror or cell phone, and which is always on, whether the internal rear view mirror, cell phone, or CHMBL is powered on or powered off. Then, after verification of the specific predefined signal, the internal rear view mirror, cell phone or CHMBL emits a warning, preferably an audio warning from a speaker housed in the internal rear view mirror, cell phone, or CHMBL. The emergency warning system can be incorporated into a telematics unit.

Claims

1. An automotive internal rear view mirror, comprising:

a) a housing adaptable for engagement in an automobile;

b) a mirror element on the housing;

c) an electrical circuit in the housing;

d) a processor in the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

e) at least one of a speaker and display engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit; and

f) an emergency warning system for picking up a right of way vehicle predefined signal, with the emergency warning system engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit, with the emergency warning system comprising a receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with the emergency warning system emitting, when said right of way vehicle predefined signal has been picked up, at least one of an audio warning via said speaker and a visible warning via said display.

2. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system comprises a receiver responsive to a direct right of way vehicle predefined signal.

3. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal.

4. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system includes at least one of a 2.4 and 5.9 GHz receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal.

5. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system includes a digital radio receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal.

6. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system includes an IEEE 802.11 network receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, where IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

7. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the emergency warning system includes a wireless local area network receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal.

8. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein said emergency warning system is responsive to a right of way vehicle predefined signal that includes information on a distance between the rear view mirror and a source of the right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with at least one of said display and speaker emitting said information.

9. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein said emergency warning system is responsive to a right of way vehicle predefined signal that includes information on a type of right of way vehicle emitting said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with at least one of said display and speaker emitting said information.

10. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein said emergency warning system is responsive to an right of way vehicle predefined signal that includes information on a speed of a source of the right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with at least one of said display and speaker emitting said information.

11. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein said emergency warning system is responsive to an right of way vehicle predefined signal that includes information on an absolute location of a source of the right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with at least one of said display and speaker emitting said information.

12. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, and further comprising a battery engaged with the emergency warning system, with the battery being always on such that the emergency warning system is always on.

13. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a photocell responsive to light.

14. An automotive telematics unit that is capable of being in communication with a call center, comprising:

a) a processor;

b) a global positioning system in communication with the processor;

c) a microphone in communication with the processor;

d) a speaker in communication with the processor;

e) a cellular phone in communication with the processor; and

f) an emergency warning system capable of picking up a right of way vehicle predefined signal, with the emergency warning system comprising a receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with the emergency warning system emitting, when said right of way vehicle predefined signal has been picked up, an audio warning via said speaker.

15. The automotive telematics unit of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the automotive telematics unit is housed in an internal rear view mirror.

16. The automotive telematics unit of claim 14, and further comprising, in combination, an internal rear view mirror, with at least a portion of the automotive telematics unit being housed in the internal rear view mirror.

17. The automotive internal rear view mirror of claim 14, wherein the receiver comprises a photocell responsive to light.

18. A cell phone comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an electrical circuit in the housing;

c) a processor in the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

d) a cell phone antenna engaged to the housing;

e) a display engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

f) a keyboard engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

g) a microphone engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

h) at least one speaker engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

i) a cell phone receptor responsive to a cell phone signal and being in communication with the circuit and the cell phone antenna;

j) a cell phone transmitter for sending a cell phone signal and being in communication with the circuit and the cell phone antenna;

k) at least a first battery engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit; and

l) an emergency warning system for picking up a right of way vehicle predefined signal, with the emergency warning system engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit, with the emergency warning system optionally comprising an emergency warning system receiver and further optionally comprising an emergency warning system antenna in communication with the emergency warning system receiver, with at least one of the cell phone receptor and emergency warning system receiver being responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with the emergency warning system emitting, when said right of way vehicle predefined signal has been picked up, at least one of an audio warning via said speaker and a visible warning via said display.

19. A third brake light, comprising:

a) a housing adaptable for engagement in an automobile;

b) a light in the housing for lighting up a red plastic piece engaged on the housing when brakes are applied;

c) an electrical circuit in the housing;

d) a processor in the housing and being in communication with the circuit;

e) at least one of a speaker and display engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit; and

f) an emergency warning system for picking up a right of way vehicle predefined signal, with the emergency warning system engaged to the housing and being in communication with the circuit, with the emergency warning system comprising a receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with the emergency warning system emitting, when said right of way vehicle predefined signal has been picked up, at least one of an audio warning via said speaker and a visible warning via said display.

20. An emergency warning apparatus, comprising:

a) a processor;

b) at least one of a speaker and display;

c) an emergency warning system for picking up a right of way vehicle predefined signal, with the emergency warning system engaged being in communication with the processor, with the emergency warning system comprising a receiver responsive to said right of way vehicle predefined signal, and with the emergency warning system emitting, when said right of way vehicle predefined signal has been picked up, at least one of an audio warning via said speaker and a visible warning via said display; and

d) wherein said emergency warning system is housed in an apparatus selected from the group of apparatus consisting of an internal rear view mirror, an automotive telematics unit, a cell phone, and a third brake light.