CHILD SAFETY SEAT ALARM

• US 20150332578A1
• Filed: 02/05/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JROD Tejas, LLC
• Original Assignee: JROD Tejas, LLC
• Inventors: Ramirez, Roy Jr., Borgne, Rhonda
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/26 for children B60N2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/267 alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/272 Buckle lock sensors for child seat safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/274 characterised by the communication means between the child seat and another entity, e.g. vehicle or portable device
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/46 Electric switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/10 Wired data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

An alarm system can remind or alert an adult about the presence of a child in a vehicle. A child detector, such as a weight sensor or weight-activated circuit, can detect whether a child is occupying the child safety seat. The child detector may be integrated with or coupled to a child safety seat. The child detector can be used in coordination with a vehicle alarm system to remind or alert a driver that a child is occupying the child safety seat when a key is not in the ignition.

Claims

1. A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, the child safety seat comprising:

a seat portion; and

a child detector configured to detect a presence of a child in the seat portion and provide a signal to an alarm system of the vehicle, signal indicative of the presence of the child, wherein the signal modifies operation of the alarm system.

2. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein the child detector comprises at least one of a weight sensor, a weight-sensitive switch, and a pressure-activated switch.

3. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein the child detector comprises at least one of a motion detector, an infrared sensor, a buckle sensor, and a proximity detector.

4. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein influencing the operation of the alarm system comprises at least one of causing a notification and preventing the alarm system from securing the vehicle.

5. The child safety seat of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface unit configured to couple the child detector to the alarm system.

6. The child safety seat of claim 5, wherein the interface unit comprises at least one of:

an electrical connection to a sensor input of the alarm system;

a wireless connection to the alarm system;

a junction to an existing sensor coupled to the alarm system; and

a circuit for controlling an output device associated with the alarm system.

7. The child safety seat of claim 5, wherein the interface unit comprises a transformer circuit to:

receive, from the child detector, the signal indicative of the presence of the child;

produce a first output when the child is present, and produce a second output when the child is not present; and

provide either the first output or the second output to the alarm system based, at least in part, on the signal indicative of the presence of the child.

8. An alarm system for use in a vehicle, the alarm system comprising:

at least one input circuit for coupling to a child detector associated with a child safety seat in the vehicle;

at least one output circuit coupled to an apparatus for generating an alert;

a receiver; and

a controller configured to;

receive, via the receiver, a command associated with security the vehicle,

receive, via the at least one input circuit, a signal indicative of a presence of a child in the child safety seat, and

refrain from securing the vehicle in response to the signal indicative of the presence of the child.

9. The alarm system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, from the signal, that the presence of the child exceeds a threshold wait time after the command is received, and

cause, via the at least one output circuit, a notification when the presence of the child exceeds the threshold wait time.

10. The alarm system of claim 9, wherein the notification comprises an emergency alert message, and wherein the at least one output circuit is coupled to a network interface capable of transmitting the emergency alert message.

11. The alarm system of claim 10, wherein the network interface comprises at least one member of a group consisting of a cellular connection, satellite service connection, and wireless local area network connection.

12. The alarm system of claim 8, further comprising:

a key sensor; and

the controller further configured to;

detect, via the key sensor, a removal of a key from an ignition of the vehicle, and

cause, via the at least one output circuit, a preliminary alarm in response to the signal indicative of the presence of the child and in response to the removal of the key.

13. The alarm system of claim 12, further comprising:

a delay trigger; and

the controller further configured to;

receive, via the delay trigger, a user activation associated with silencing the preliminary alarm, and

temporarily silence the preliminary alarm in response to the user activation of the delay trigger.

14. A method comprising:

detecting, at an alarm system of a vehicle, a command associated with securing the vehicle;

determining whether a child detector detects a presence of a child occupying a child safety seat in the vehicle; and

refraining from securing the vehicle in response to determining that the child detector detects the presence of the child.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command is detected responsive to a user activation of a fob associated with the alarm system.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that the child detector does not detect the presence of the child occupying the child safety seat; and

securing the vehicle in response to determining that the child detector does not detect the presence of the child.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that the child detector detects the presence of the child for more than a threshold wait time; and

causing a notification, in response to determining that the child detector detects the presence of the child for more than the threshold wait time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein causing the notification comprises at least one of:

sounding an audible alarm;

transmitting an emergency alert message; and

broadcasting a distress signal.

19. A method comprising:

detecting, at an alarm system of a vehicle, removal of a key from an ignition of the vehicle;

determining whether a child detector detects a presence of a child occupying a child safety seat in the vehicle; and

causing, by the alarm system, a preliminary alarm in response to determining that the child detector detects the presence of the child and in response to detecting the removal of the key.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting a user activation of a delay trigger associated with silencing the preliminary alarm; and

temporarily silencing the preliminary alarm in response to detecting the user activation of the delay trigger.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

causing a notification after causing the preliminary alarm for a threshold wait time.