Automotive carbon monoxide detector with ability to alert driver or turn off ignition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020191081-A1
Application number	US-201916708927-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 18, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A driver alert arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a sensor detecting a level of carbon monoxide associated with the motor vehicle and transmitting a signal indicative of the detected level of carbon monoxide. An engine ignition has an ON state in which the engine ignition enables operation of an engine of the motor vehicle, and an OFF state in which the engine ignition disables operation of the engine of the motor vehicle. An electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the engine ignition. The electronic processor receives the signal from the sensor and controls whether the engine ignition is in the ON state or the OFF state dependent upon the signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A driver alert arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a level of carbon monoxide associated with the motor vehicle and to transmit a signal indicative of the detected level of carbon monoxide; an engine ignition having an ON state in which the engine ignition enables operation of an engine of the motor vehicle, and an OFF state in which the engine ignition disables operation of the engine of the motor vehicle; and an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the sensor and to the engine ignition, the electronic processor being configured to:
receive the signal from the sensor; and
control whether the engine ignition is in the ON state or the OFF state dependent upon the signal.

2 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a level of carbon monoxide outside of the motor vehicle.

3 . The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the sensor comprises a first sensor, the arrangement further comprising a user interface and a second sensor configured to detect a level of carbon monoxide inside the motor vehicle, the processor being configured to use the user interface to prompt a human driver of the vehicle to close a window of the vehicle in response to the second sensor detecting that the level of carbon monoxide inside of the motor vehicle is below a threshold level.

4 . The arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to use the user interface to prompt the human driver to open a window of the vehicle in response to the second sensor detecting that the level of carbon monoxide inside of the motor vehicle is above the threshold level.

5 . The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, the processor being configured to use the user interface to alert a human driver of the vehicle that the level of carbon monoxide associated with the motor vehicle is above a threshold level.

6 . The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a gear sensor configured to detect a gear that the motor vehicle is in, the gear sensor being communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor being configured to control whether the engine ignition is in the ON state or the OFF state dependent upon the signal and dependent upon the gear that the motor vehicle is in.

7 . The arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to turn the engine ignition to the OFF state only if the motor vehicle is in a Park gear.

8 . A driver alert method for a motor vehicle, comprising:
detecting a level of carbon monoxide associated with the motor vehicle; transmitting a signal indicative of the detected level of carbon monoxide; providing an engine ignition having an ON state in which the engine ignition enables operation of an engine of the motor vehicle, and an OFF state in which the engine ignition disables operation of the engine of the motor vehicle; receiving the signal; and controlling whether the engine ignition is in the ON state or the OFF state dependent upon the signal.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting step comprises detecting a level of carbon monoxide outside of the motor vehicle.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
detecting a level of carbon monoxide inside the motor vehicle; and prompting a human driver of the vehicle to close a window of the vehicle in response to detecting that the level of carbon monoxide inside of the motor vehicle is below a threshold level.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising prompting the human driver to open a window of the vehicle in response to detecting that the level of carbon monoxide inside of the motor vehicle is above the threshold level.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising alerting a human driver of the vehicle that the level of carbon monoxide associated with the motor vehicle is above a threshold level.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising detecting a gear that the motor vehicle is in, the controlling step including controlling whether the engine ignition is in the ON state or the OFF state dependent upon the signal and dependent upon the gear that the motor vehicle is in.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the controlling step includes turning the engine ignition to the OFF state only if the motor vehicle is in a Park gear.

15 . A driver alert method for a motor vehicle, comprising:
detecting a level of carbon monoxide outside the motor vehicle, the detected level of carbon monoxide outside the motor vehicle being above a first threshold level; alerting a human driver of the motor vehicle about the detected level of carbon monoxide outside the motor vehicle being above the first threshold level; determining a level of carbon monoxide inside the motor vehicle; in response to the determined level of carbon monoxide inside the motor vehicle being below a second threshold level, prompting the driver to close a window of the motor vehicle; and in response to the determined level of carbon monoxide inside the motor vehicle being above the second threshold level, prompting the driver to open the window of the motor vehicle.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising turning OFF an ignition of an engine of the motor vehicle in response to ascertaining that the motor vehicle is in a Park gear and that the engine is running.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alerting step includes alerting the driver via cellular communication from the motor vehicle to a personal electronic device of the driver.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the alerting step includes alerting the driver via a text message.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alerting step includes alerting the driver via a head up display.

20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the alerting step includes alerting the driver via an audible chime played on a loudspeaker of the motor vehicle.

Assignees

• Panasonic Automotive Systems Co America Div Panasonic Corp North America

Inventors

• Hughes William
• Repale Rohan

Classifications

• Y02A50/20

  Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters · CPC title

• F02N11/10

  Safety devices (F02N11/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02P11/00

  Safety means for electric spark ignition, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F02D2200/50

  said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components · CPC title

• F02D41/042 Primary

  for stopping the engine · CPC title