Seat belt warning apparatus and method
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMunechika Okita, Masanori Oyabu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The alert sound having specific frequencies and volume is repeated at a different cycle depending upon each warning level. Additionally, or alternatively, the audible alert corresponding to the lowest warning level is activated before activating the audible alert corresponding the present warring level.
Claims20
A seat belt warning apparatus for a vehicle occupant, comprising:
- a seat belt;
- an audible indicator for generating an alert sound;
- and
- a controller for providing via the audible indicator, either one of a first audible alert corresponding to a first warning level and a second audible alert corresponding to a second warning level that is higher than the first warning level when the seat belt is unbuckled, the controller being adapted to sound a first alert chime by repeating an alert sound having prescribed frequency and volume at a first cycle during the first audible alert, and a second alert chime by repeating the same alert sound at a second cycle that is different from the first cycle, during the second audible alert, wherein the controller is further adapted to sound the first alert chime via the audible indicator in an initial stage of the second audible alert, prior to sounding the second alert chime.
A seat belt warning apparatus for a vehicle occupant, comprising:
- a seat belt;
- an audible indicator for generating an alert sound;
- a controller for providing via the audible indicator, either one of a first audible alert corresponding to a first warning level and a second audible alert corresponding to a second warning level that is higher than the first warning level when the seat belt is unbuckled, the controller being adapted to sound via the audible indicator an alert chime corresponding to the first warning level before an alert chime corresponding to the second warning level during the second audible alert.
A method of providing a vehicle occupant with a first audible alert corresponding to a first warning level or a second audible alert corresponding to a second warning level that is higher than the first warning level, to alert the vehicle occupant that his or her seat belt is unbuckled, the method comprising the steps of:
- sounding a first alert chime by repeating an alert sound having prescribed frequency and volume at a first cycle during the first audible alert;
- and
- sounding a second alert chime by repeating the same alert sound at a second cycle during the second audible alert, wherein the first alert chime is sounded in an initial stage of the second audible alert prior to sounding the second alert chime.
A method of providing a vehicle occupant with a first audible alert corresponding to a first warning level or a second audible alert corresponding to a second warning level that is higher than the first warning level, to alert the vehicle occupant that his or her seat belt is unbuckled, wherein
- during the second audible alert, an alert chime corresponding to the first waning level is sounded before an alert chime corresponding to the second warning level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.