The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 11, 2000
Filed:
May. 18, 1998
Charles G Sleichter, III, Dana Point, CA (US);
Stanley Cutler, Van Nuys, CA (US);
Gayle B Gerth, Dana Point, CA (US);
Alton B Otis, Jr, Port Townsend, WA (US);
Taylor Chau, Cerritos, CA (US);
JB Research, Inc., Bellflower, CA (US);
Abstract
A tactile alert stimulation and massaging system for equipment such as a vehicle includes a pad; a heater element, and motorized vibrators in respective regions of the pad; a plurality of vibratory transducers for location relative to plural zones of the seat, each transducer being responsive to a transducer power signal; a microprocessor controller having program and variable memory and an input and output interface; an array of input elements connected to the input interface for signaling the microprocessor in response to operator input, the signaling including an intensity control value, a plurality of mode signals, and a plurality of region signals relating transducers to be enabled; a driver circuit responsive to the output interface for producing, separately for each of the transducers, the power signal; and the microprocessor controller being operative in response to the input elements for activating the transducers for operation thereof in a plurality of modes including a massaging mode selectively producing activation of the drive signals at adjustable intensity corresponding to the intensity control value for soothingly massaging muscle groups of the driver; and an alert mode producing a predetermined sequence of alert stimulation cycles, each alert stimulation cycle having an idle portion of between 1 second and 30 seconds, and an active portion of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity for selectively stimulating the muscle groups of the driver thereby to improve the driver's alertness, wherein successive alert stimulation cycles differ in at least one of intensity, frequency, active portion duration, idle portion duration, and transducers enabled.