US6693535B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for controlling the interior temperature of a vehicle
Assignee: Aumovio Systems Inc
•
Filing: 2001-11-29
•
Granted: 2004-02-17
•
Expires: 2021-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A passenger compartment monitoring and control system provides for remote control of an undesirable condition inside a vehicle. The passenger compartment monitoring and control system includes an undesirable condition sensor disposed in the interior of the car that detects the undesirable condition. In response to a signal from the sensor, a controller contained within the vehicle and operably coupled to the sensor generates at least one control signal based on the comparison. A wireless communication device operably coupled to the controller then transmits a wireless signal in response to the at least one control signal. The transmitted wireless signal may be received by a vehicle operator's mobile station or by a call center, which are each capable of then engaging in remedial actions to remotely ameliorate the undesirable condition.
Inventors
- 👤 James A. Van Bosch
- 👤 Philip H. Burrus
- 👤 Nicholas C. Hopman
- 👤 Robert F. D'Avello
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 02:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R25/00; B60R25/10; B60R25/102; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/002; B60N2/0021; B60R25/1004; G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/18; G08B21/22; G08B21/24; B60N2210/00; B60N2210/10; B60N2210/16; B60N2210/18; B60N2230/00; B60N2230/10; B60N2230/20; B60N2230/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A system for remote control of an undesirable climate condition inside a vehicle comprising: an occupancy detector that detects a presence of an occupant of the vehicle; an undesirable climate condition sensor disposed in the interior of the vehicle that detects the undesirable climate condition to the occupant of the vehicle; a controller contained within the vehicle and operably coupled to the sensor and the occupancy detector, the controller responsive to a signal from the sensor and operative to compare the signal received from the sensor to a threshold and generate at least one control signal based on the comparison; and a wireless communication device operably coupled to the controller operative to transmit a wireless signal in response to the at least one control signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A system for remote control of an undesirable climate condition inside a vehicle comprising: an occupancy detector that detects a presence of an occupant of the vehicle; an undesirable climate condition sensor disposed in the interior of the vehicle that detects the undesirable climate condition to the occupant of the vehicle; a controller contained within the vehicle and operably coupled to the sensor and the occupancy detector, the controller responsive to a signal from the sensor and operative to compare the signal received from the sensor to a threshold and generate at least one control signal based on the comparison; and a wireless communication device operably coupled to the controller operative to transmit a wireless signal in response to the at least one control signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a camera operably coupled to each of the controller and the wireless communication device that records pictures and wherein the recorded pictures are transmitted by the wireless communication device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one control module housed within the vehicle, the at least one control module responsive to the at least one control signal to ameliorate the undesirable climate condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the undesirable climate condition sensor comprises a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the interior of the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising a moisture sensor operably coupled to the controller, the moisture sensor operative to sense exterior moisture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the controller that permits a vehicle operator to input parameters into the controller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal comprises an emergency message that comprises a location of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein the emergency message further comprises a number of occupants of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal that is transmitted by the wireless communication device is received by a call center and wherein the controller is capable of ameliorating the undesirable climate condition in response to a wireless signal received from the call center.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal that is transmitted by the wireless communication device is received by a call center and wherein a call is set up with the call center in response to the wireless signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal that is transmitted by the wireless communication device is received by a vehicle operator who has left the vehicle and wherein the controller is capable of ameliorating the undesirable climate condition in response to a wireless signal received from the vehicle operator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal that is transmitted by the wireless communication device is received by a vehicle operator and wherein a call is set up with the vehicle operator in response to the wireless signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the wireless communication device comprises a first wireless signal, wherein the wireless communication device receives a second wireless signal in response to transmitting the first wireless signal, and wherein the controller ameliorates the undesirable climate condition in response to the second wireless signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a camera operably coupled to each of the controller and the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the wireless communication device comprises a first wireless signal, wherein the wireless communication device receives a second wireless signal in response to transmitting the first wireless signal, wherein the controller activates the camera in response to the second wireless signal, wherein the camera records pictures in response to being activated, and wherein the wireless communication device transmits the pictures recorded by the camera.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless signal transmitted by the wireless communication device comprises a first wireless signal, wherein the wireless communication device receives a second wireless signal in response to transmitting the first wireless signal, and wherein the controller starts up the vehicle in response to the second wireless signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of undesirable climate condition sensors and wherein an undesirable climate condition sensor of the plurality of undesirable climate condition sensors comprises a carbon monoxide sensor that monitors a carbon monoxide level of the interior of the car.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller shuts off the vehicle in response to a detection of an undesirable carbon monoxide level by the carbon monoxide sensor.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for detecting and communicating an undesirable climate condition inside a vehicle when the vehicle is off, the method comprising steps of: detecting, by an occupancy detector, a presence of an occupant within the vehicle; sensing an undesirable climate condition in a passenger compartment of the vehicle through a sensor disposed in the interior of the vehicle; comparing the sensed interior condition to an interior threshold; generating at least one control signal based on the comparison and the detected presence of an occupant within the vehicle; and transmitting a wireless signal in response to the at least one control signal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for detecting and communicating an undesirable climate condition inside a vehicle when the vehicle is off, the method comprising steps of: detecting, by an occupancy detector, a presence of an occupant within the vehicle; sensing an undesirable climate condition in a passenger compartment of the vehicle through a sensor disposed in the interior of the vehicle; comparing the sensed interior condition to an interior threshold; generating at least one control signal based on the comparison and the detected presence of an occupant within the vehicle; and transmitting a wireless signal in response to the at least one control signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising steps of: recording pictures of the passenger compartment; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded pictures.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising steps of: recording pictures of an exterior area proximate to the vehicle; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded pictures.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising a step of determining a location of the vehicle and wherein the wireless signal comprises the determined location.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising a step of determining a number of occupants of the vehicle and wherein the wireless signal further comprises the number of occupants.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising a step of setting up a call between a call center and vehicle occupants.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising a step of ameliorating the undesirable climate condition in response to the at least one control signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of sensing an undesirable climate condition in a passenger compartment of the vehicle comprises a step of detecting a temperature of the passenger compartment of the vehicle through a sensor disposed in the interior of the vehicle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of sensing exterior moisture via a moisture sensor.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the transmitted wireless signal comprises a first wireless signal, and further comprising a step of receiving a second wireless signal in response to transmitting the first wireless signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising steps of: recording pictures of the interior of the vehicle in response to receiving the second wireless signal; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded pictures.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising steps of: recording pictures of an exterior area proximate to the vehicle in response to receiving the second wireless signal; and wirelessly transmitting the recorded pictures.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of ameliorating the undesirable climate condition in response to receiving the second wireless signal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of starting up the vehicle in response to receiving the second wireless signal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 31 , wherein the undesirable climate condition is a carbon monoxide level and further comprising a step of monitoring the carbon monoxide level of the interior of the vehicle.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 32 , further comprising a step of shutting off the vehicle in response to a detection of an undesirable carbon monoxide level by the carbon monoxide sensor.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 33 , further comprising a step of, when an undesirable carbon monoxide level is detected, transmitting a wireless signal informing of the undesirable carbon monoxide level.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising steps of: receiving the transmitted wireless signal; and notifying an emergency services provider in response to receiving the transmitted wireless signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4879553A
Cited
US5017837A
Cited
US5331307A
Cited
US5598140A
Cited
US5552790A
Cited
US5774569A
Cited
US6002326A
Cited
US5808372A
Cited
US5864318A
Cited
US5704707A
Cited
US5782020A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-16 | 2007-08-18 | 2008-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-16 | 2011-08-18 | 2012-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-16 | 2015-08-18 | 2016-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |