WIRELESS SYSTEM TO DETECT PRESENCE OF CHILD IN A BABY CAR SEAT

• US 20070273524A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Prasanna, Lee, Joseph, Umstead, Darren, Spach, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/26 for children B60N2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A wireless system that detects the presence of a child in a safety seat located in the passenger cabin of a vehicle includes a controller responsive to signals generated by sensors monitoring predefined functions of the vehicle, RFID tag device attached to the safety seat and RFID tag reader mounted in the cabin. The system generates control signals which activate an alarm, open the doors of the vehicle and roll down windows if the child is left in the safety seat of an unattended vehicle.

Claims

1. A safety seat for seating children that are being transported in a vehicle including:

a first section for seating a child and a second section for supporting the back of the child;

a belt including a buckle for restraining the child operatively coupled to said safety seat; and

an RFID device for indicating the presence of the child in said safety seat operatively attached to said safety seat, wherein the RFID device emits first identification signals after receiving first electromagnetic signals from an RFID reader if the child is present in the safety seat and emits second identification signals upon receiving second electromagnetic signals from the RFID reader if the child remains in the child safety seat, wherein a time between receipt of the first electromagnetic signals and the second electromagnetic signals is predetermined and controlled by a main controller unit.

2. The safety seat of claim 1 wherein the RFID device includes a switch activated from an open position to a closed position when the child is seated in the safety seat.

3. The safety seat of claim 1 wherein the RFID device includes a switch activated from an open position to a closed position when the buckle of said belt is closed.

4. A system to be used in a vehicle to prevent injury to a child left in a safety seat including;

an RFID reader operatively mounted in a passenger'"'"'s compartment of said vehicle;

a controller operatively coupled to said RFID reader, wherein the controller provides first and second enabling signals to the RFID reader that causes the RFID reader to transmit first and second electromagnetic signals, wherein the controller waits for a predetermined, non-zero gap of time between providing the first enabling signal and the second enabling signal;

a first sensor to monitor ignition switch of the vehicle to detect if said ignition switch is off operatively, the first sensor coupled to the controller; and

a second sensor to monitor doors of the vehicle to detect when said doors are closed, the second sensor operatively coupled to the controller.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said controller sounds an alarm if predefined conditions are met.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the predefined conditions include receipt of first and second identification signals from an RFID device that correspond to the first and second electromagnetic signals, wherein the first and second identification signals indicate that the child is in the vehicle.

7. A system for protecting children or infants from being left in a vehicle comprising:

a safety seat in which an RFID tag is embedded;

an RFID tag reader operatively mounted in the cabin of said vehicle;

a computer;

a computer readable program installed on said computer, said computer readable program including;

a first instruction module being responsive to first signals from sensors to activate the RFID tag reader;

a second instruction module being responsive to second signals from the RFID tag that indicate that a child is buckled into the safety seat to wait a predetermined amount of time and, after passage of the predetermined amount of time, re-activate the RFID tag reader; and

a third instruction module being responsive to third signals from the RFID tag that indicate that the child remains buckled into the safety seat to sound alarms indicating child is left in vehicle and taking other actions to prevent injury to the child.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a main control unit that emits an enabling signal upon receipt of an indication that an ignition of an automobile has been turned off;

an RFID reader that receives the enabling signal from the main control unit and generates and forwards electromagnetic waves in response to receiving the enabling signal;

an RFID tag coupled to a child safety seat that is configured to receive the electromagnetic waves when a sensor detects that a buckle of the child safety seat is latched, such that when the buckle is latched and the RFID tag receives the electromagnetic waves, the RFID tag emits identification signals, and wherein;

the RFID reader receives the identification signals and, in response thereto, forwards an indication to the main control unit that a child is retained in the child safety seat; and

the main control unit initiates an alarm to indicate that the child is retained in the child safety seat in response to receiving the indication.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said RFID tag is part of an RFID device that includes:

an antenna;

a switch operatively coupled to the antenna; and

a circuit module operatively coupled to said switch, wherein said circuit module, if activated, generates and forwards through the antenna signals including identity of said RFID device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including an enabling signal that closes the switch from a normally open position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the enabling signal is generated by pressure.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the enabling signal is generated from closing of the buckle on a belt used to secure the child in the child safety seat.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the switch is a pressure sensitive switch that closes from a normally open position if the child is seated in the safety seat.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pressure results from the child being seated in the child safety seat.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the RFID reader includes:

an antenna;

a switch operatively coupled to said antenna; and

an RF circuit module operatively coupled to said switch.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 further including the main control unit being responsive to signals received from said RFID reader and detection of a predefined condition generating at least one error signal signifying a need to take a corrective action to protect the child from injuries.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the corrective action includes activating an audio alarm.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the corrective action includes activating a light alarm.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the corrective action includes rolling down windows.

20. The apparatus of claim 8 further including a vehicle door switch sensor for sensing if vehicle doors are opened or closed operatively coupled to said main control unit.