Patent ID: 6222442
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
Apparatus for detecting the presence of, and providing for the release of, a person in a vehicle trunk compartment, comprising:(a) a presence detector mounted in said vehicle trunk to detect motion in said vehicle trunk compartment;(b) upon detection of motion in said vehicle trunk compartment by said presence detector, a controller coupled to said presence detector and to operating elements of said vehicle causes the activation of one or more functions selected from the group consisting of: a vehicle operator alert, vehicle headlights, a vehicle horn, a vehicle alarm, a self-contained alarm, a trunk lid release, and a trunk light; and(c) said controller further comprises a first sensing means for sensing lock status of said trunk lid release and a second sensing means for sensing if there is a predetermined number of attempts made to lock said vehicle trunk compartment wherein said controller causes said vehicle trunk compartment to remain unlocked; if said first sensing means sensed said vehicle trunk compartment is in an unlocked status and if said second means sensed said predetermined number of attempts to unlock said vehicle trunk compartment.