Child car seat for lock-in prevention

• US 10,053,054 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Preemptec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Preemptec Corporation
• Inventors: Chiang, Shang-jen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US15/702,072
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4883 Interlock systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A smart seat buckle is disclosed. The smart seat buckle includes a number of connector elements configured to fasten a user to a seat when the smart seat buckle is in a fastened position, a sensor switch coupled to the connector elements and configured to detect the fastened position of the smart seat buckle, and switch on battery power to a battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in the fastened position, and the battery powered transmitter configured to transmit a signal to prevent locking of a vehicle door from outside of the vehicle, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched on, in response to the sensor switch detecting the fastened position of the smart seat buckle.

Claims

1. A smart seat buckle, comprising:

a plurality of connector elements configured to;

fasten a user to a seat when the smart seat buckle is in a fastened position;

a sensor switch coupled to the plurality of connector elements and configured to;

detect the fastened position of the smart seat buckle; and

switch on battery power to a battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in the fastened position; and

the battery powered transmitter configured to;

transmit a signal, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched on, in response to the sensor switch detecting the fastened position of the smart seat buckle,

wherein the signal prevents, in response to the signal transmitted from the battery powered transmitter, locking of a vehicle door from outside of the vehicle by at least blocking an exterior signal transmitted from a key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle, and

wherein blocking the exterior signal transmitted from the key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle comprises;

receiving, by the key or other locking apparatus, the signal,

wherein the received signal prevents the key or other locking apparatus from transmitting the exterior signal.

2. The smart seat buckle of claim 1,

the plurality of connector elements further configured to:

unfasten the user from the seat when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position,

the sensor switch further configured to;

detect unfastened position of the smart seat buckle; and

switch off the battery power to the battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position, and

the battery powered transmitter further configured to;

cease to transmit the signal, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched off, in response to the sensor switch detecting the unfastened position of the smart seat buckle.

3. The smart seat buckle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connector elements comprise:

a male connector element and a female connector element, wherein the fastened position corresponds to the male connector element engaged with the female connector element based on a metallic contact,

wherein the fastened position is detected by the sensor switch based on the metallic contact of the male connector element and the female connector element.

4. The smart seat buckle of claim 1,

wherein the seat comprises a child seat in a vehicle, and

wherein the user corresponds to a child passenger of the vehicle.

5. The smart seat buckle of claim 4,

wherein the child seat comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a removable child seat installable in the vehicle and a built-in child seat in the vehicle.

6. The smart seat buckle of claim 1, wherein preventing locking of the vehicle door from outside of the vehicle further comprises:

deactivating an exterior locking function of the vehicle door.

7. A seat comprising:

a smart seat buckle having a plurality of connector elements configured to;

fasten a user to the seat when the smart seat buckle is in a fastened position; and

unfasten the user from the seat when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position;

a sensor switch coupled to the plurality of connector elements and configured to;

detect the fastened position and the unfastened position of the smart seat buckle;

switch on battery power to a battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in the fastened position; and

switch off the battery power to the battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position; and

the battery powered transmitter configured to;

transmit a signal, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched on, in response to the sensor switch detecting the fastened position of the smart seat buckle, and

cease to transmit the signal, when the battery power of the transmitter is switched off, in response to the sensor switch detecting the unfastened position of the smart seat buckle,

wherein the signal prevents, in response to the signal transmitted from the battery powered transmitter, locking of a vehicle door from outside of the vehicle by at least blocking an exterior signal transmitted from a key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle, and

wherein blocking the exterior signal transmitted from the key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle comprises;

receiving, by the key or other locking apparatus, the signal,

wherein the received signal prevents the key or other locking apparatus from transmitting the exterior signal.

8. The seat of claim 7, wherein the plurality of connector elements comprise:

a male connector element and a female connector element, wherein the fastened position corresponds to the male connector element engaged with the female connector element based on a metallic contact,

wherein the fastened position is detected based on the metallic contact, and

wherein the sensor switch is integrated in the smart seat buckle.

9. The seat of claim 7,

wherein the seat comprises a child seat in a vehicle, and

wherein the user corresponds to a child passenger of the vehicle.

10. The seat of claim 9,

wherein the child seat comprises a removable child seat installable in the vehicle.

11. The seat of claim 9,

wherein the child seat comprises a built-in child seat in the vehicle.

12. The seat of claim 7, wherein preventing locking of the vehicle door from outside of the vehicle further comprises:

deactivating an exterior locking function of the vehicle door.

13. A method comprising:

providing a smart seat buckle having a plurality of connector elements configured to;

fasten a user to a seat when the smart seat buckle is in a fastened position; and

unfasten the user from the seat when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position;

detecting, using a sensor switch of the smart seat buckle, the fastened position and the unfastened position, and the sensor switch configured to;

switch on battery power to a battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in the fastened position; and

switch off the battery power to the battery powered transmitter when the smart seat buckle is in an unfastened position;

transmitting, using the battery powered transmitter, a signal in response to the battery power of the transmitter being switched on when the sensor switch detects the fastened position; and

stopping the battery powered transmitter from transmitting the signal in response to the battery power of the transmitter being switched off when the sensor switch detects the unfastened position,

wherein the signal prevents, in response to the signal transmitted from the battery powered transmitter, locking of a vehicle door from outside of the vehicle by at least blocking an exterior signal transmitted from a key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle, and

wherein blocking the exterior signal transmitted from the key or other locking apparatus outside of the vehicle comprises;

receiving, by the key or other locking apparatus, the signal,

wherein the received signal prevents the key or other locking apparatus from transmitting the exterior signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein preventing locking of the vehicle door from outside of the vehicle further comprises:

deactivating an exterior locking function of the vehicle door.