External Seatbelt Usage Indication System and Method
First Claim
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1. An external seatbelt usage indication system for a motor vehicle, comprisinga processor;
- a power source for providing power to the processor when the motor vehicle ignition is on;
a seatbelt sensor provided on an occupant seatbelt, the seatbelt sensor in communication with the processor and sensing seatbelt use;
an occupant sensor provided at the occupant seating position associated with the seatbelt, the occupant sensor in communication with the processor and sensing the presence of an occupant; and
a headlight interface in communication with the processor and headlights of the motor vehicle;
wherein the processor comprises instructions for causing the headlight interface to cause intermittent operation of the headlights when the occupant sensor senses the presence of an occupant without the associated seatbelt sensor sensing seatbelt use.
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Abstract
An external seatbelt usage indication system and method indicates whether or not the driver and passengers of a motor vehicle are wearing a seatbelt. It provides an indication of non-usage on the exterior of the motor vehicle using existing external lights on the vehicle so that it cannot be defeated by removal of the external indicator or bulbs associated with it. Upon activation of the vehicle ignition, occupant sensors and seatbelt usage sensors are used to determine a non-usage condition, upon which external lights of the vehicle are intermittently activated until the non-usage condition ceases.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An external seatbelt usage indication system for a motor vehicle, comprising
a processor; -
a power source for providing power to the processor when the motor vehicle ignition is on; a seatbelt sensor provided on an occupant seatbelt, the seatbelt sensor in communication with the processor and sensing seatbelt use; an occupant sensor provided at the occupant seating position associated with the seatbelt, the occupant sensor in communication with the processor and sensing the presence of an occupant; and a headlight interface in communication with the processor and headlights of the motor vehicle; wherein the processor comprises instructions for causing the headlight interface to cause intermittent operation of the headlights when the occupant sensor senses the presence of an occupant without the associated seatbelt sensor sensing seatbelt use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An external seatbelt usage indication method for a motor vehicle, comprising
providing power to a processor when the motor vehicle ignition is on; -
sensing an occupant for a seating position and sending a sensed-occupant signal indicating a sensed occupant to the processor; sensing seatbelt use at the seating position and sending a seatbelt-use signal indicating sensed seatbelt use to the processor; determining at the processor a non-usage condition indicated by the presence of a sensed-occupant signal with the absence of a seatbelt-use signal for the seating position; and activating a headlight interface to cause intermittent operation of the headlights for a duration of the non-usage condition. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeIstvan Demant
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Original AssigneeIstvan Demant
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InventorsDemant, Istvan
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Application NumberUS12/131,490Publication NumberTime in Patent OfficeDaysField of SearchUS Class Current701/45CPC Class CodesB60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckleB60R 2022/4875 on vehicle exteriorB60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensorsB60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or...
