Safety system for a compartment of a vehicle

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.

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.