Safety system for a compartment of a vehicle
First Claim
1. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
- a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle, said sensing element comprising a first sensing element and a second sensing element;
a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and
said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein sensing by said second sensing element is triggered by a sensing by said first sensing element, wherein said system operates at a lower electrical current when sensing via said first sensing element than when sensing via said second sensing element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A safety sensing and/or release system for a closed compartment of a vehicle is operable to detect an occupant within the vehicle compartment. The system may be operable to sense ambient conditions in the vehicle compartment, and may generate a control signal in response to the sensed conditions. The system may actuate indicators to notify operators of the vehicle that there is a person or animal detected in the compartment. Optionally, the system may open the vehicle compartment in response to a detection of an occupant and the sensed conditions. The safety system includes a false trigger protection means that limits or reduces false detections of a person or animal within the compartment.
241 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle, said sensing element comprising a first sensing element and a second sensing element; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein sensing by said second sensing element is triggered by a sensing by said first sensing element, wherein said system operates at a lower electrical current when sensing via said first sensing element than when sensing via said second sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein said control is operable to at least one of (a) unlock a door of the compartment, (b) unlatch a door of the compartment, (c) activate a door lock of a door of the compartment, (d) open an automatic window of the compartment, (e) unlatch a deck lid of the compartment, and (f) and activate an alert, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises processing an output signal of said sensing element and determining whether at least one of the signal frequency and the signal amplitude is indicative of movement of a living body.
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6. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein said control is operable to at least one of (a) unlock a door of the comparment, (b) unlatch a door of the compartment, (c) open activate a door lock of a door of the compartment, (d) open a an automatic window of the compartment, (e) open unlatch a deck lid of the compartment, and (f) and activate an alert, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a delay in said control generating said output signal until one of (a) a confirmatory occupant indicative signal is received by said control and (b) a plurality of occupant indicative signals are received by said control.
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7. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein said control is operable to at least one of (a) unlock a door of the compartment, (b) unlatch a door of the compartment, (c) open activate a door lock of a door of the compartment, (d) open a an automatic window of the compartment, (e) open unlatch a deck lid of the compartment, and (f) and activate an alert, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a learning function of said control, said control learning the thermal conditions of the vehicle compartment over time and adapting one or more threshold levels in response to the learned thermal conditions.
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8. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment; and a temperature sensor operable to detect a temperature of the compartment of the vehicle, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises adjusting a sensitivity and reaction of said control in response to an output signal of said temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; and said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment, wherein said control is operable to at least one of (a) unlock a door of the compartment, (b) unlatch a door of the compartment, (c) activate a door lock of a door of the compartment, (d) open an automatic window of the compartment, (e) unlatch a deck lid of the compartment, and (f) and activate an alert, wherein said false trigger protection means comprises a lockout circuit that limits said control from generating said output signal when the vehicle is operating. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A safety system for a compartment of a vehicle, the compartment of the vehicle comprising at least one of a trunk compartment of the vehicle and a cabin of the vehicle, said safety system comprising:
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a sensing element sensing within the compartment of the vehicle; a control responsive to said sensing element, said control operable to generate an output signal; said system including false trigger protection means, said false trigger protection means substantially limiting generation of said output signal to detection of an occupant within the compartment; and a manual release device that is selectively actuatable to open the compartment irrespective of said output signal of said control. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification