Driver alert apparatus

Claim 1

A driver alert apparatus for sensing sleep or drowsiness in a driver of a motor vehicle or the like and alerting said driver, said apparatus comprising: a portable housing having a front face; a green light mounted visibly to said front face for signaling a visual alert signal; a yellow light mounted visibly to said front face next to said green light, said yellow light for signaling a visual warning signal; a red light mounted visibly to said front face in a horizontally aligned configuration with said green light and said yellow light, said red light for signaling a visual alarm signal; a first time cycle sequence button mounted to said front face for selecting a first time duration; a second time cycle sequence button mounted to said front face for selecting a second time duration; a third time cycle sequence button mounted to said front face for selecting a third time duration; a sequence start button accessible and engagable from said front face for engaging or reengaging a selected time cycle; an alert time comparator in communication with said sequence start button for comparing any selected time duration with a current time duration and for energizing and illuminating said green light based upon such comparison; an alarm time comparator in communication with said sequence start button and for comparing said alarm time comparator with the status of said sequence start button, said alarm time comparator also for energizing and illuminating said yellow light or said red light based upon such comparison; an audible alarm in communication with said red light for providing an audible signal in conjunction with the illumination of said red light; and an alarm stop button in communication with both said alarm time comparator and a default cycle timer, said alarm stop button for de-energizing said red light and for resetting said alert time comparator.

Claim 8

A method for maintaining alertness in the driver of a motor vehicle, said method comprises the steps of: a. initiating a visual alert at a first selected interval, said first selected interval being one of three predetermined time intervals; b. prompting said driver to acknowledge said visual alert after the expiration of said first selected interval; c. repeating step a. and step b. until said visual alert is maintained unacknowledged; d. initiating a first visual alarm; e. prompting said driver to acknowledge said first visual alarm until said first visual alarm is maintained unacknowledged; f. initiating a second visual alarm in conjunction with an audible alarm until said second visual alarm is acknowledged; and g. repeating said method utilizing a fixed default selected interval as said first selected interval.

Claim 9

A method for maintaining alertness in the driver of a motor vehicle, said method comprises the steps of: a. initiating a visual alert at a first selected interval, said first selected interval being one of three predetermined time intervals; b. prompting said driver to acknowledge said visual alert after the expiration of said first selected interval; c. repeating step a. and step b. until said visual alert is maintained unacknowledged; d. initiating a first visual alarm; e. prompting said driver to acknowledge said first visual alarm until said first visual alarm is maintained unacknowledged; f. initiating a second visual alarm in conjunction with an audible alarm until said second visual alarm is acknowledged; and g. repeating said method utilizing a fixed default selected interval as said first selected interval.