Child detector and reminder system

• US 20080055064A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John David Keith, Melonie L. Keith
• Original Assignee: John David Keith, Melonie L. Keith
• Inventors: Keith, John David, Keith, Melonie L.
• Application Number:
  US11/893,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055064A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• 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 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• 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 safety system that reminds parents when their children are still strapped inside the car. The preferred system monitors the status of the driver'"'"'s seatbelt buckle and the child'"'"'s buckle, and includes at least two different alarms. The first alarm, which is not offending and can only be heard inside the Vehicle, is sounded after the driver unbuckles and the child remains buckled in the car. The second alarm, which is louder than the first and can be heard outside the vehicle, is sounded after a set amount of time has expired since the driver unbuckled, and yet the child remains buckled in the car. The second alarm is intended to draw the attention of members of the public, and on a hot day could save the child'"'"'s life.

Claims

1. A safety system that is adapted to remind a driver that a child is still in a car, and when necessary, alerts members of a public that the child has been left unattended inside the car, the system comprising:

a first circuit that indicates when a buckle of the child'"'"'s seatbelt is buckled;

a second circuit that indicates when a buckle of the driver'"'"'s seatbelt is buckled;

a logic circuit that receives inputs from the first and second circuits, wherein, upon receipt of a specific series of inputs from the first and second circuits, the logic circuit produces a reminder output;

a first alarm that receives the reminder output from the logic circuit, and in response creates a first audible sound that is able to be heard inside the car;

a delay circuit that also receives the reminder output from the logic circuit and, after a set amount of time, produces a public alarm output; and

, a second alarm that receives the public alarm output from the delay circuit, and in response creates a second audible sound that is able to be heard outside of the car, wherein the second alarm is intended to attract members of the public.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein both the first alarm and the second alarm are stopped when the child'"'"'s seatbelt is unbuckled.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the specific series of inputs from the first and second circuits, indicate that the child'"'"'s seatbelt was buckled, then the driver'"'"'s seatbelt was buckled, and then the driver'"'"'s seatbelt was unbuckled.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first audible sound is a repeating chime.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second audible sound is a honking of a horn.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second alarm includes a flashing of at least one light on an exterior of the car.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set amount of time in the delay circuit is between 3 and 5 minutes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the buckle on the child'"'"'s seatbelt is attached to a backseat of the car.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the buckle on the child'"'"'s seatbelt includes at least one jumper that allows for expansion of the first circuit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the buckle on the child'"'"'s seatbelt is attached to a childseat that is strapped into a backseat of the car.

11. A detection and reminder system that is adapted form attachment to a car, the system being able to remind a driver that a child is still in the car, and when necessary, alert members of a public that the child has been left unattended inside the car, the system comprising:

a first circuit that outputs a high signal when a buckle of the child'"'"'s seatbelt is buckled;

a second circuit that monitors a status of the driver;

a logic circuit that receives the outputs from the first and second circuits, wherein, upon receipt of a specific series of outputs from the first and second circuits, the logic circuit produces a reminder signal;

a first alarm that receives the reminder signal from the logic circuit, and in response creates a first audible sound that is able to be heard inside the car;

a delay circuit that also receives the reminder signal from the logic circuit and, after a set amount of time, produces a public alarm signal; and

, a second alarm that receives the public alarm signal from the delay circuit, and in response creates a second audible sound that is able to be heard outside of the car, wherein the second alarm is intended to attract members of the public.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein both the first alarm and the second alarm are stopped when the child'"'"'s seatbelt is unbuckled.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second circuit monitors a status of the driver'"'"'s seatbelt.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first audible sound is a repeating chime.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the second audible sound is a honking of the car'"'"'s horn.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second alarm includes a flashing of the car'"'"'s headlights.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the set amount of time in the delay circuit is between 3 and 5 minutes.

18. A method for reminding a driver that a child is still strapped in the driver'"'"'s car, and if the child remains strapped in the car for a period of time, alerting members of a public to the child, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a first alarm when the child'"'"'s seatbelt is buckled and the driver'"'"'s seatbelt is buckled;

sounding the first alarm when the driver'"'"'s seatbelt is unbuckled, wherein the first alarm can be heard inside the car;

setting a second alarm when the first alarm is sounded;

sounding the second alarm after a set amount of time has expired, wherein the second alarm can be heard outside the car.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of sounding the first alarm, further comprises:

using the car'"'"'s hardware, including at least one speaker, to sound the first alarm.

20. The method of claim 18, where the step of sounding the second alarm, further comprises:

using the car'"'"'s hardware, including at least one horn, to sound the second alarm.