VEHICLE INCLUDING SEAT BELT

• US 20080238647A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abe, Shinya
• Application Number:
  US12/054,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238647A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

The disclosure provides a vehicle including a seat belt that is brought into a fastened state as fastening operation is performed through preliminary operation that is performed before the seat belt is fastened. The vehicle includes a first transmitter that transmits a predetermined signal by radio when the fastening operation is detected, a second transmitter that transmits a predetermined signal by radio when the preliminary operation is detected, a receiver that receives the signal from the first transmitter and the signal from the second transmitter, and a control section that determines the fastened state of the seat belt on the basis of the signals received by the receiver. The state of the receiver is switched from an intermittent operation state to a continuous operation state as the signal from the second transmitter is received. The control section determines that the seat belt has been fastened when the receiver receives the signal from the first transmitter after the reception of the signal from the second transmitter.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a seat belt that is brought into a fastened state as fastening operation is performed through preliminary operation that is performed before the seat belt is fastened, the vehicle comprising:

a first transmitter that transmits a predetermined signal by radio when the fastening operation of the seat belt is detected;

a second transmitter that transmits a predetermined signal by radio when the preliminary operation before the fastening of the seat belt is detected;

a receiver that receives the signal from the first transmitter and the signal from the second transmitter; and

a control section that determines the fastened state of the seat belt on the basis of the signals received by the receiver,

wherein the state of the receiver is switched from an intermittent operation state to a continuous operation state as the signal from the second transmitter is received, and

wherein the control section determines that the seat belt has been fastened when the receiver receives the signal from the first transmitter after the reception of the signal from the second transmitter.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined signal transmitted by the second transmitter includes a preamble signal that switches the state of the receiver from the intermittent operation state to the continuous operation state, and the predetermined signal transmitted by the first transmitter has a smaller amount of data than the predetermined signal transmitted by the second transmitter.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a first power feeder that generates electricity by the fastening operation of the seat belt, and feeds electric power to the first transmitter, and a second power feeder that generates electricity by the preliminary operation of the seat belt, and feeds electric power to the second transmitter.