Abstract:
A programmable proximity alert system for providing a sensory reminder to a parent when the exit the vicinity of a vehicle possibly containing their child. The programmable proximity alert system comprises a remote receiver adapted to sense the presence of a seat transmitter that it has been paired with and provide plural sensor alerts upon exiting from within a predetermined proximity of the seat transmitter, as well as a coding remote for initiating a bonding request that pairs a remote receiver and a seat transmitter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to alarm indicators and, more particularly, to a programmable alert system that alerts a parent when they exit a predetermined proximity from a child in a car. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    The use of proximity sensing equipment to detect or monitor the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact is well known. There remains a need for a programmable proximity alert system for use in a vehicle that informs a parent or caregiver (collectively herein, a “parent”) when they may have left a baby or child (collectively herein, a “child”) in the vehicle. It would be helpful if such a programmable proximity alert system was configured to generate plural sensory alerts whenever it exits the nominal range of a vehicle seat transmitter. It would be additionally desirable for such a programmable proximity alert system to utilize a discrete coding remote that facilitates the pairing of any number of remote receivers and seat transmitters so as to alleviate the need for a parent to switch out various remote receivers and seat transmitters depending on the parent accompanying the child or the vehicle used. 
         [0005]    The Applicant&#39;s invention described herein provides for a programmable proximity alert system adapted to generate multiple sensor alerts whenever a parent exits a predetermined proximity from their vehicle. The primary components in Applicant&#39;s programmable proximity alert system are a remote receiver, seat transmitter, and a coding remote. When in operation, the programmable proximity alert system provides an automatic reminder to parents to get their child every time they move out the a close proximity to their vehicle. As a result, instances wherein a child or children are left in a vehicle by a negligent or absentminded parent can be avoided. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A programmable proximity alert system for providing a sensory reminder to a parent when the exit the vicinity of a vehicle possibly containing their child. The programmable proximity alert system comprises a remote receiver adapted to sense the presence of a seat transmitter that it has been paired with and provide plural sensor alerts upon exiting from within a predetermined proximity of the seat transmitter, as well as a coding remote for initiating a bonding request that pairs a remote receiver and a seat transmitter. In this regard, the remote receiver provides a receiver means for sensing proximity and producing sensory alerts, the seat transmitter provides a transmitter means for establishing a monitoring point, and the coding remote provides a coding means for bonding the remote receiver and the seat transmitter. 
         [0007]    It is an object of this invention to provide a programmable proximity alert system for use in a vehicle that informs a parent when they may have left a child in the vehicle. 
         [0008]    It is another object of this invention to provide a programmable proximity alert system configured to generate plural sensory alerts whenever it exits the nominal range of a vehicle seat transmitter. 
         [0009]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide a programmable proximity alert system that utilizes a discrete coding remote that facilitates the pairing of any number of remote receivers and seat transmitters so as to alleviate the need for a parent to switch out various remote receivers and seat transmitters depending on the parent accompanying the child or the vehicle used. 
         [0010]    These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a front elevational view of the remote receiver of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a back elevational view of the remote receiver of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1C  is a side elevational view of the remote receiver of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a front elevational view of the vehicle seat transmitter of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a back elevational view of the vehicle seat transmitter of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2C  is a side elevational view of the vehicle seat transmitter of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the fastening strap of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the coding remote of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the vehicle seat transmitter of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention with a convention vehicle seat. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the charm receiver of a programmable proximity alert system built in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C , a remote receiver  110  of a programmable proximity alert system is shown having a receiver housing  111  that includes a display screen  112 , a light indicator  113 , a reset button  114 , a speaker  115 , a removable battery door  116 , and an attachment loop  117 . Inside the receiver housing  111  is an RF antenna, a processor, non-volatile memory, and a battery unit. The internal components are electrically connected with each other and the display screen  112 , light indicator  113 , reset button  114 , and speaker  115 , thereby enabling the integrated operation of all of the electrical components. 
         [0022]    In the preferred embodiment, the display screen  112  defines an LCD display configured to display visual alerts in the form of words or phrases, the light indicator  113  is configured to illuminate in either red or green, the reset button  114  is configured to reset an alarm condition that has been triggered by the RF antenna, and the speaker  115  defines a buzzer that is configured to broadcast audible alerts. The removable battery door  116  provides selective access to the internal area of the housing  111 , thereby enabling a user to replace the battery unit. The attachment loop  117  enables the housing to be connected to a chain or necklace so that it can be worn by a user when the programmable proximity alert system is in use. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 3 , a vehicle seat transmitter  120  of the programmable proximity alert system is shown having a transmitter housing  121  that includes a transmitter display  122 , an attachment surface  123 , a transmitter loop  124  disposed on either side of the transmitter housing  121 , and a transmitter battery door  126 . Inside the transmitter housing  121  is an RF antenna, a processor, non-volatile memory, and a battery unit. As with the remote receiver  110 , the internal components of the seat transmitter  120  are electrically connected with each other and transmitter display  122 , thereby enabling the integrated operation of all of the electrical components of the transmitter housing  121 . 
         [0024]    In the preferred embodiment, the transmitter display  122  defines an LCD display screen configured to display visual messages in the form of words or phrases. The transmitter battery door  126  defines a removable door that provides selective access to the internal area of the transmitter housing  121 , thereby enabling a user to replace the battery unit. The attachment surface  123  defines a surface area for receiving a patch of hook and loop fastener material or adhesive material for enabling the transmitter housing  121  to be attached to a conventional vehicle seat when the programmable proximity alert system is in use. The transmitter loops  124  provide an interface for a hook and loop fastener strap  127 , such as an arm band, to attach to the transmitter housing  121 , enabling the transmitter housing  121  to be attached to the clothing of a child or adjacent a conventional vehicle seat when the programmable proximity alert system is in use. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a coding remote  130  is shown as a coding housing  131  having a keypad  132  disposed thereon. The coding remote  130  additionally includes an internal RF antenna, a processor, non-volatile memory, and a battery unit, all of which are interconnected with each other and the keypad. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1A, 2A, 2B, 3, 4, and 5 , in operation, the programmable proximity alert system is employed to alert users whenever they exit the proximity of a vehicle seat possible having a child therein by first pairing a remote receiver  110  with a seat transmitter  120  using a coding remote  130 . In the preferred embodiment, the pairing process is accomplished through dedicated bonding that is initiated by the coding remote. More specifically, the RF antenna in each device defines a Bluetooth antenna and the memory on each device includes software containing instructions to facilitate the bonding of one or more remote receivers  110  with one or more seat transmitters  120 . The RF antenna on each remote receiver  110  and seat transmitter  120  includes a unique identifier which is printed on the device&#39;s respective battery door  116 ,  126 . When an unpaired remote receiver  110  and a seat transmitter  120  are turned on and within range of one another (approximately 10 meters in the preferred embodiment), along with a coding remote  130 , the bonding process is accomplished by entering on the coding remote  130  the unique identifier of the remote receiver  110 , then unique identifier of the seat transmitter  120 , and then the unique identifier of the remote receiver  110  again. Once the remote receiver  110  and the seat transmitter  120  have been bonded, they remain bonded until the bonding relationship is removed by a user subsequently. 
         [0027]    Through the bonding relationship, any time the remote receiver  110  and seat transmitter  120 , when powered on, enter into a nominal range defined by when they are within a distance to one another where the remote receiver  110  picks up the seat transmitter&#39;s  120  wireless signal and the seat transmitter  120  picks up the remote receiver&#39;s  110  signal, the programmable proximity alert system becomes primed. While the programmable proximity alert system is primed, as long as the remote receiver  110  was in the nominal range of the seat transmitter  120 , the transmitter display  122  would read SAFE. 
         [0028]    In the event the remote receiver  110  exits the nominal range of the seat transmitter  120  in a primed programmable proximity alert system, an alert condition is generated on both the remote receiver  110  and the seat transmitter  120 . On the remote receiver  110 , the alert condition causes the display screen  112  to display the word CHILD, the light indicator  113  would flash red, and the speaker  115  would emit a buzzing sound until the reset button  114  was pressed or the remote receiver  110  again became within the nominal range of the seat transmitter  120 . On the seat transmitter  120 , the alert condition causes the transmitter display  122  to stop displaying SAFE. 
         [0029]    It is contemplated that the seat transmitter  120  is desirably attached to a child directly or to a vehicle seat  150  in which a child is seated. Accordingly, the seat transmitter  120  may be fastened directly to a vehicle seat through an adhesive or hook and loop fastener material disposed directly on its surface on its attachment surface  123 , or may be strapped to the seat  150  or the child directly with the hook and loop fastener strap  127  that has been looped through the transmitter loops  124 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, a charm receiver  140  is additionally employed as a wearable device that provides sensory alerts. The charm receiver  140  is constructed similar to the remote receiver except that it only includes indicator lights  141  and lacks the display screen and speakers. As such, the charm receiver  140  can be bonded with a seat transmitter in the same manner as the remote receiver and generate alerts conditions in substantially the same manner. 
         [0031]    Advantageously, because remote receiver(s) and seat transmitters (and potentially charm receivers) are paired by the end user, multiple remote receivers can be paired with a seat transmitter (or vice versa). Accordingly, multiple parents can monitor the same child, or a parent&#39;s single remote receiver can be configured to operate with a seat transmitter in a first vehicle (when primed to do so) or a second vehicle (when primed to do so). 
         [0032]    The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.