REMINDER DEVICE

The present invention relates to timing devices and more particularly to timing devices adapted to alerting users of particular time zones or periods.

BACKGROUND

It is well known that many road accidents are the result of excessive speed, often at speeds in excess of the designated speed limit in a particular speed zone. Devices are known, fitted to vehicles, which may be set to sound an alarm when a particular preset speed is exceeded by the vehicle as indicated by the vehicle's onboard computer.

Such devices are however, often not set or ignored and a particular disadvantage is that they are incapable of dealing with speed limits which are designated as • applying only in particular ^' time zones. An example of ^" such time zones are the mandatory severe reductions in legal speed limits in a designated area around a school at those times of the day when children are coming to, and leaving the sschool precinct.

Even drivers who regularly travel through such a zone may be caught unawares due to losing track of the time possibly leading to a fine for infringement, or worse, causing an accident.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including",, and not in the exclusive sense of "con-sisting only of".

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of ,the invention there is provided an alarm device for use in a motor- vehicle; said device comprising at least a timing element and an ^' alarm element; said device adapted to provide a warning to a driver of said motor vehicle when said vehicle is travelling in predetermined time periods.

Preferably, said timing element is adapted for input of at least one start time and one end time; said at least one start time and one end time defining at least one alarm active period,

Preferably, said alarm element includes an audible alarm signal and a visual alarm signal; said audible alarm signal cancellable by a reset button; said visible alarm signal remaining active over duration of said active period,-

Preferably,, said timing element is adapted for input of at least one start date and one end date; said at least one start date and one end date defining a calendar period during which said alarm remains inactive over said calendar period.

In a further broad form of the invention- there is provided a method of alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to time defined speed limits; said method including the steps of:

(a) Setting at least one start time and one end time on a timing element of- an alarm device; said at least one start time and one end time defining a speed limit time period,

(b) adapting said alarm device to sound an audible alarm signal at said start time; said audible alarm signal persisting over at least a first portion of said time period,

(c) adapting said alarm device to emit a visual alarm signal at said start time; said visual alarm signal persisting over said time period,

(d) fitting said alarm . device to said motor vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reminder advice according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a reminder device according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a circuit by which the reminder device of at least one embodiment may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Preferred Embodiment With reference to Fig. 1, a reminder device 10 comprises a casing. 10 adapted for releasable attachment to the dashboard of a motor vehicle (not shown) . Casing 12 is provided in this embodiment with a sound emitting grille 14 for an audible alarm, a light emitting bezel 16 for a visual alarm and an audible alarm reset button 18-

Housed within casing 12 are electronic elements such as commonly known, an audible alarm generator element, a logic chip 20 and a light, source as well as a power source. Logic chip 20 combines the functions of a clock logic circuit, provides input and output terminals for the alarm generator and switching for both the audible alarm and visual alarm.

In this embodiment, the clock circuit of logic chip 20 is pre-programmed with at least one, usually two corresponding start and end times. These times will cover the periods of time during the days of the week when mandatory speed restriction periods are in force within the jurisdiction for which the reminder device is intended. In practice, the pre-programmed start time may be somewhat earlier, for example five minutes earlier, than the actual mandatory start time of the restriction so as to provide early warning to the motorist that the speed restriction period is imminent.

A typical example of time dependent speed restrictions is that period in the morning when children are arriving at school and in the afternoon when they are leaving school. At the pre-programmed start time of each period, both the audible and visual alarms of the reminder device are activated. The reset button. 18 may be used to deactivate .the audible . alarm signal if desired, but the visual alarm is programmed to persist until switched off by the logic

chip 20 at the expiry of the pre-programmed period. The audible alarm also is switched off by the logic circuit at the end of this period if it has not been deactivated by the reset button. Second Preferred Embodiment

In this second preferred embodiment of the invention ^' with reference to Figure 2, device 100 again comprises a casing 112 provided with a sound emitting grille 114 for an audible alarm, a light emitting bezel 116 for a visual alarm and an audible alarm reset button 118. As described for the previous preferred embodiment, reminder device 100 is provided with a logic circuit (not shown) , which incorporates the alarm switching functions as previously described. However, in this embodiment the logic circuit is further provided with a time logic function which included time and calendar and is adapted to receive inputs from control buttons 122 adapted to allow a user to program the. switching functions of the logic circuit. The device preferably is also equipped with a display 124 on which the various programmed times may be indicated.

Thus a user may program in the speed restriction time periods in force in the area of use, but may refine these times by adding periods of deactivation of the alarms for weekends and holiday periods for example.

For each of the above described embodiments, casing 12 or 112 may be provided with means for attachment of the casing at some convenient point of the dashboard of a motor vehicle. These means could take the form of a bracket for more permanent attachment, or a combination of self adhesive Velcro© strips. In at least one preferred form of the invention, the internal power source of the device may be recharge from the vehicle battery, or alternatively, the device may be connected to the vehicle's power circuit. With reference to fig, 3 the above described embodiments may be implemented by way of a micro-processor 201 in communication with memory 202, display 203, speaker 204, LED 205 and input switches 206, 207. The micro- processor 201 may be any currently available general purpose processor based, for example, on the Intel 80XX series of processors. It may be programmed to effect the behaviour described in respect of the previous embodiments based on time-based actuation ^' of speaker 204 in conjunction with inputs from switches 206, 207 in respect of appropriate time settings.

in use, the . device is- permanently in a state of potential alarm, providing audible and visual signals at each start of a speed restriction period. Thus a driver will be immediately alerted to consider if he or she. is about to enter, or is within an area where the reduced

speed limit is mandatory. Thus the device has the potential to considerably aid drivers to be aware of, and obey the restriction, and thereby reduce the risk of accidents.

Although the device has been described with reference to periods of speed restrictions in- the vicinity of schools, it is clear that the device may be used in other applications in which motorists are required to adhere to speed or ■ other driving restrictions based on pre-determined and recurring time periods. The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to - those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.