Safety system for a compartment of a vehicle

• US 20060290518A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Koops, Roger L., Uhlmann, Eugenie V., Taylor, David W., Teowee, Gimtong, McCarthy, Kevin C., Schofield, Kenneth, Lynam, Niall R., Bingle, Robert L., Bos, Brent J., Hoekstra, Eric J.
• Application Number:
  US11/510,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 79/20 using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/54 Electrical circuits for locking several wings simultaneously E05B77/48
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/77 comprising sensors detecting the presence of the hand of a user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/26 Emergency opening means for persons trapped in the luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/12 Inner door handles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/43 Rear deck lid latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 Emergency or safety

Abstract

A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle includes an occupant sensor for sensing an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle, a vehicle-based control, and a wireless transmitter of the vehicle. The control is responsive to the occupant sensor. The control controls transmission by the wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter may transmit to a receiver located external of the vehicle upon detection by the occupant sensor of the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, said safety system comprising:

an occupant sensor for sensing an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle;

a vehicle-based control, said control being responsive to said occupant sensor;

a wireless transmitter of the vehicle, said control controlling transmission by said wireless transmitter, said wireless transmitter transmitting to a receiver located external of the vehicle upon detection by said occupant sensor of the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle; and

said receiver comprising at least one of (a) a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle and (b) an external communication device.

2. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said occupant sensor senses within the interior cabin of the vehicle.

3. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle.

4. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said receiver comprises an external communication device.

5. The safety system of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle, said wireless transmitter transmitting to said receiver in response to said temperature sensor sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle that is at or above a threshold temperature.

6. The safety system of claim 1 further comprising a second sensor, wherein a sensing by said second sensor confirms detection of the occupant within the compartment.

7. The safety system of claim 6, wherein sensing by said second sensor is triggered by a sensing by said occupant sensor, wherein said system operates at a lower electrical current when sensing via said occupant sensor than when sensing via said second sensor.

8. The safety system of claim 6, wherein one of said occupant sensor and said second sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

9. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said occupant sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

10. The safety system of claim 1 further comprising false trigger protection means.

11. The safety system of claim 10, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a position of said occupant sensor that reduces the effect of thermal abnormalities within the compartment.

12. The safety system of claim 10, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises restricting the bandwidth of radiation incident on said occupant sensor to be within a spectral bandwidth indicative of a living body.

13. The safety system of claim 1 further comprising at least one alert device operable to generate at least one alert in response to said control.

14. The safety system of claim 13, wherein said at least one alert device generates at least one alert selected from the group consisting of flashing at least one light of the vehicle, activation of a siren, activating a horn of the vehicle, and activating a LO-Jack™

system.

15. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, said safety system comprising:

an occupant sensor for sensing an occupant within a compartment of the vehicle;

a vehicle-based control, said control being responsive to said occupant sensor;

a wireless transmitter of the vehicle;

a remote device external of the vehicle, said remote device comprising a receiver;

said wireless transmitter transmitting to said receiver upon detection by said occupant sensor of the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle;

said remote device indicating to a person external of the vehicle the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle in response to said transmission; and

said safety system comprising false trigger protection means.

16. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said occupant sensor senses within the interior cabin of the vehicle.

17. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said remote device comprises a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle.

18. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said remote device comprises an external communication device.

19. The safety system of claim 18, wherein said remote device comprises a telephone.

20. The safety system of claim 15 further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle, said wireless transmitter transmitting to said receiver in response to said temperature sensor sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle that is at or above a threshold temperature.

21. The safety system of claim 15 further comprising a second sensor, wherein a sensing by said second sensor confirms detection of the occupant within the compartment.

22. The safety system of claim 21, wherein sensing by said second sensor is triggered by a sensing by said occupant sensor, wherein said system operates at a lower electrical current when sensing via said occupant sensor than when sensing via said second sensor.

23. The safety system of claim 21, wherein one of said occupant sensor and said second sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

24. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said occupant sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

25. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said false trigger protection means substantially limits transmission by said wireless transmitter to detection of an occupant within the compartment.

26. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a position of said occupant sensor that reduces the effect of thermal abnormalities within the compartment.

27. The safety system of claim 15, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises restricting the bandwidth of radiation incident on said occupant sensor to be within a spectral bandwidth indicative of a living body.

28. The safety system of claim 15 further comprising at least one alert device operable to generate at least one alert in response to said control.

29. The safety system of claim 28, wherein said at least one alert device generates at least one alert selected from the group consisting of flashing at least one light of the vehicle, activation of a siren, activating a horn of the vehicle, and activating a LO-Jack™

system.

30. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, said safety system comprising:

an occupant sensor for sensing an occupant within a compartment of the vehicle;

a vehicle-based control, said control being responsive to said occupant sensor;

a wireless transmitter of the vehicle;

a remote device external of the vehicle, said remote device comprising a receiver;

said wireless transmitter transmitting to said receiver upon detection by said occupant sensor of the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle;

said remote device indicating to a person external of the vehicle the presence of an occupant within the compartment of the vehicle in response to said transmission, said remote device comprising at least one of (a) a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle and (b) an external communication device; and

said safety system comprising false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting transmission by said wireless transmitter to detection of an occupant within the compartment.

31. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said occupant sensor senses within the interior cabin of the vehicle.

32. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said remote device comprises a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle.

33. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said remote device comprises an external communication device.

34. The safety system of claim 33, wherein said remote device comprises a telephone.

35. The safety system of claim 30 further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle, said wireless transmitter transmitting to said receiver in response to said temperature sensor sensing a temperature within the compartment of the vehicle that is at or above a threshold temperature.

36. The safety system of claim 30 further comprising a second sensor, wherein a sensing by said second sensor confirms detection of the occupant within the compartment.

37. The safety system of claim 36, wherein sensing by said second sensor is triggered by a sensing by said occupant sensor, wherein said system operates at a lower electrical current when sensing via said occupant sensor than when sensing via said second sensor.

38. The safety system of claim 36, wherein one of said occupant sensor and said second sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

39. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said occupant sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensing element, a resistive sensing element, a thermal sensing element, a pressure sensing element, a thermopile sensing element, an imaging element, a radar sensing element, an ultrasonic sensing element, a gas sensing element, a bolometer and a thermal imaging element.

40. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a position of said occupant sensor that reduces the effect of thermal abnormalities within the compartment.

41. The safety system of claim 30, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises restricting the bandwidth of radiation incident on said occupant sensor to be within a spectral bandwidth indicative of a living body.

42. The safety system of claim 30 further comprising at least one alert device operable to generate at least one alert in response to said control.

43. The safety system of claim 42, wherein said at least one alert device generates at least one alert selected from the group consisting of flashing at least one light of the vehicle, activation of a siren, activating a horn of the vehicle, and activating a LO-Jack™

system.