US3461423A

US3461423A - Vehicle distress tone generator

Info

Publication number: US3461423A
Application number: US559228A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank C Trumble
Original assignee: FRANK C TRUMBLE
Current assignee: FRANK C TRUMBLE
Priority date: 1966-07-27
Filing date: 1966-07-27
Publication date: 1969-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1986-08-12

Description

Aug. 12, 1969 F. c. TRUMBLE 3,461,423

VEHICLE DISTRESS TONE GENERATOR Filed July 27. 1 966 IVI? TONE GENERATOR MODULATOR c 6 v 5 a l I4 TONE swag/non AMPLIFIER A? /3 3 4 TONE GENERATOR XMTR 235538:

I60 [60 l l /6AI f'/ 5 l 8.0. I 1/ A RECEIVER| E\ 1/ 1 04 17 L J I61 J| l5 I I ZENERf E 26 20 I 2 W /9 INVENTOR.

FRANK C. TRUMBLE' United States Patent 3,461,423 VEHICLE DISTRESS TONE GENERATOR Frank C. Trumble, 910 Palm Ave., Carlsbad, Calif. 92008 Filed July 27, 1966, Ser. No. 559,228 Int. Cl. B60q 5/00; G08b 1/08; B60r 25/00 U.S. Cl. 340-52 4 Claims This invention relates to a multiposition automatic mechanical electronic actuator switch capable of delivering continuously until manually disengaged, a pre-selected tone-generated signal to an audio input circuit of a radiotelephone transmitter, and more partcularly for the purpose thereby of producing a signal that indicates a particular condition at the point of origin for the sole purpose of preserving lives and protecting property in vehicles.

An object of the present invention is to provide an economical method and means of emergency one-way communication between a passenger-carrying vehicle and other radio communication stations or other means adequate and available for the purpose of preserving lives and protecting property.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of automatically activating a distress tone generator when subjected to a sharp acceleration, deceleration or impact from any direction of a predetermined amplitude of force, thereby generating a signal that indicates critical danger to life and property.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of automatically activating a switch in the event the motor of a vehicle is started without first turning the regular ignition switch to the on or operate position, thereby generating a signal that indicates danger to property by theft, tampering or unauthorized use, and will continue to generate the signal until the motor of the passenger-carrying vehicle is stopped, and to resume functioning in a like manner each time the motor of the vehicle is started without the regular ignition switch being turned to the on position, thereby starting and stopping each time, the motor is started and stopped as described.

A still further object of the invention is to provide instant notice of danger to life and property over a much greater area than is now provided by other means and to provide this means at a greatly reduced cost to the user.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide instant notice of danger to life and property without the necessity of physical or vocal effort on the part of any person for as long a period as necessary, and without any skill or prior training on the part of any person, or knowledge of any language necessary to convey the immediate needs of the victims.

These and other objects and advantages will be noted from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram in block and schematic form representing the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a more detailed diagram of a part of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, vehicle battery 2 is connected to arm 3 of switch 1, an inertial switch 16 having contacts 16A through E, contact 17A of solenoid 17, and ignition switch 20 through resistance wire 21. All circuits and switches are in open position and have no function in the normal operation of the vehicle or of the regular broadcast receiver if one is already installed in the vehicle until one of them is activated manually or automatically for the preservation of life or protection of property.

For example, in the event of a serious accident to the vehicle with possible attendant injury to the occupants or the occupants of a second vehicle, the switch 1 can be 3,461,423 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 manually switched to position A, arm 3 will complete a circuit through contact 4 from the vehicle battery 2 to tone generator 7, which in turn activates modular 10, amplifier 11, and transmitter 12, the output of which is coupled to antenna 14 through antenna coupler 13 for broadcasting. The tone generator is shown in three components, although in physical construction, a single generator is contemplated with electronic circuitry well understood by those skilled in the art that will generate three separate and instantly identifiable tones as switch arm 3 is switched to position contacts A, B or C. Each contact completes a circuit through the tone generator where the separate tone signals shown separately in the diagram as tone generator A7, tone generator B8, and tone generator C9, to the input of modulator 10.

In the event the impact of the vehicle with another object is of such severity as to render the occupants unconscious, or unable to manually activate the mechanical contactor, a deceleration of such impact or upset to the vehicle is of sufiicient G force to activate the inertial contactor 16. Upon activation, inertial contactor 16, which has been held in the open position until acted upon by a predetermined G force, instantly closes

contacts

16A, 16B, 16C and 16D, which completes circuits from the battery 2 to activate tone generator A7, the modulator 10, amplifier 11, and transmitter 12, respectively. As a further aid to possibly injured occupants of the vehicle, and to insure functioning in the proper manner of all components of the circuitry, separate electronic energizing contacts are completed through inertial switch contact 16B to the modulator 10, through inertial switch contact 16C to the amplifier, and through inertial switch contact 16D to the transmitter. In those instances where the vehicle is already equipped with separate and independent two-way shortwave broadcast equipment not independently energized by the battery 2, such energy will be initiated through inertial switch contact 16E which energizes coil 21 and closes switch 22, which in closing completes the circuitry in the transmitter by the bypassing of the transmitters normal activation switch and delivering the current being supplied through inertial switch contact 16D directly to the transmitter 12, and thereby activating all circuits, permitting the transmitter 12 to function as described before. Once the inertial contactor has been overcome by the application of the predetermined G force and all inertial switch contacts have been completed, the inertial contactor will remain in a closed position as noted before until manually opened. In the event of a serious or disabling illness of the driver or passenger of a vehicle, or for other reasons that prompt medical attention is imperative, the switch arm 3 may be manually switched to position B where contact 5 makes a circuit with the battery 2 and the tone generator to produce tone B8, which in turn delivers the tone B to the modulator 10 in the same manner as stated before for tone A, with modulation amplification and transmission carried on as for tone A.

In the event of the disablement of the vehicle in a location where access to public or other communication means is not possible, and in order to provide for the protection of the vehicle, the driver or passenger can manually switch the mechanical contactor 3 to a position C where contact 6 will complete the circuit from the battery 2 to the tone generator to produce tone C9, which in turn delivers the tone C to the modulator 12 as stated before for tones A and B.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, protection of property is provided in the event of theft, tampering, or otherwise unauthorized use without utilizing the normal ignition switch to operate the vehicle, such as when the ignition key is unavailable. In this circumstance, recognizing the principle well-known by those skilled in the art, that an electrical current must pass through the ignition coil 19 in order to deliver the necessary voltage to distributor 27. Regardless of the method used to bypass the normal circuit through the ignition switch 20, as soon as sufiicient voltage appears across the terminals of the ignition coil 19 with the ignition switch 20 of the vehicle in the open position, a curren will flow through solenoid 17 and Zener diode 18 to ground, energizing solenoid coil 17. Solenoid coil 17 closes its contact 17A, connecting the battery 2 to the tone generator tone B8, modulator 10, amplifier 11, and transmitter 12, in the same manner as when the tone generator is activated by switch arm 3 being turned to position B. However, in the event the ignition coil of the vehicle is energized in the normal manner by the closing of the ignition switch 20, current to coil 17 is blocked from the coil by Zener diode 18. Resistance wire 26 reduces the output from the battery 2 from 12 volts to approximately 8 volts. This voltage is further reduced by the ohmic resistance of the coil 19 to apprximately 7 volts, which is the voltage that goes to the points in the distributor 27 and then to ground. Various methods, including a tailor-made keyless ignition switch recently placed on the market are used to jump or drive a car without going through the ignition switch. One of these methods is placing a short from the battery 2 to coil 19 as indicated by dotted line 28. However, in all of these instances, a full 12 volts are delivered to the coil with a subsequent or more volts coming out of the coil and passing to the distributor. In this instance, the Zener diode 18 breaks down at 9.5 and the coil is energized when this excess voltage is delivered to the ignition switch. With the ignition switch properly closed, the voltage is reduced below the breakdown voltage of the Zener.

The inventor has contemplated coupling the passengercarrying vehicle antenna 14- through an antenna coupler 13 which will permit use of the single antenna either individually or simultaneously for a normal broadcast receiver 15 of the vehicle if one is present. Various devices for this purpose are well-known to those skilled in the art and further description herein is not considered pertinent to the invention, or in any way necessary for its proper performance, its indicated use being included as an alternative to having additional antennas installed on the vehicle for each type of service.

Those skilled in the art will readily note from the foregoing that each of the three tone signals or the inertial contactors activated by the mechanical contactor will continue to be produced and propagated for as long a period as necessary without physical or vocal efforts on the part of those in need of assistance and without any skill or prior training on their part or a knowledge of language necessary to convey the immediate needs of the victims. Each tone produced signifies only one condition and will only be utilized in cases of emergency or serious danger to life or property to indicate that condition, either manually or automatically. Each tone generated has an instantly recognizable and distinctive tone.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A distress tone generator for generating a distress tone from a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of tone generators for producing a plurality of distinct tones different from each other, each of said tone generators having an output;

a modulator having an input and an output, said modulator input coupled to said plurality of tone generators output;

a transmitter having a modulator input and output, said transmitters modulator input connected to said modulators output;

an antenna coupled to said transmitters output;

a plurality of switching means for coupling a power source to one of said plurality of tone generators and said modulator and transmitter.

2. The distress tone generator of claim 1 wherein:

one of said plurality of switches com-prises a manually operated multiposition switch for supplying power to any one of the plurality of tone generators.

3. The distress tone generator of claim 1 wherein:

one of said plurality of switches comprises an inertially operated switch for connecting a power supply to one of said plurality of tone generators.

4. The distress tone generator of claim 1 wherein:

one of said plurality of switch means comprises solenoid-operated contacts for connecting a power supply to one of said pluralityof tone generators, said solenoid being coupled in serial relationship with a Zener diode between one side of said power source and an ignition coil side of an ignition switch in said vehicle, said Zener diode having a breakdown voltage higher than voltage coupled to said Zener diode from said power source through said ignition switch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,230,454 l/1966 Van Burkleo 340224 XR ALVIN H. WARING, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Claims

1. A DISTRESS TONE GENERATOR FOR GENERATING A DISTRESS TONE FROM A VEHICLE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF TONE GENERATORS FOR PRODUCING A PLURALITY OF DISTINCT TONES DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID TONE GENERATORS HAVING AN OUTPUT; A MODULATOR HAVING AN INPUT AND AN OUTPUT, SAID MODULATOR INPUT COUPLED TO SAID PLURALITY OF TONE GENERATOR''S OUTPUT; A TRANSMITTER HAVING A MODULATOR INPUT AND OUTPUT, SAID TRANSMITTER''S MODULATOR INPUT CONNECTED TO SAID MODULATOR''S OUTPUT; AN ANTENNA COUPLED TO SAID TRANSMITTER''S OUTPUT; A PLURALITY OF SWITCHING MEANS FOR COUPLING A POWER SOURCE TO ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF TONE GENERATORS AND SAID MODULATOR AND TRANSMITTER.