System and method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle

• US 7,419,027 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bihya, Jama
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US11/215,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 180/271, 180/272, 180/287, 340/428
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle, the method comprising, monitoring an input from a user that identifies a presence of a non-autonomous entity; storing information relating to the presence of the non-autonomous entity; and, warning the user about the presence of the non-autonomous entity when a predetermined condition exists.

Claims

1. A method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

monitoring an input from a user that identifies a presence of a non-autonomous entity;

storing information relating to the presence of the non-autonomous entity; and

,

warning the user about the presence of the non-autonomous entity when a predetermined condition exists, wherein the predetermined condition includes one of the following;

a predetermined time after the vehicle is in a stationary position and a seat belt associated with the non-autonomous entity is in an unreleased state, or an open state of a door of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of prompting the user to identify whether the non-autonomous entity is located within the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the input is a push button having an active state and an inactive state, the active state allowing the user to identify the presence of the non-autonomous entity.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of prompting the user to identify whether the non-autonomous entity is located within the vehicle, the prompting step including at least flashing a light in the push button.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the input comprises a microphone and a voice recognition module that are configured to process a verbal identification of the presence of the non-autonomous entity by the user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information stored relating to the presence of the non-autonomous entity includes data from at least one sensor associated with a seat of the non-autonomous entity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of warning the user includes generating an audible alarm external to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of warning the user includes transmitting a wireless message to a remote location.

9. A method of increasing safety to occupants in a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

monitoring a sensor associated with a passenger seat belt of the vehicle for a predetermined time after an engine in the vehicle is turned off; and

warning a driver of the vehicle about a presence of a non-autonomous entity if the sensor associated with the passenger seat belt of the vehicle indicates that the seat belt is in an unreleased state after the predetermined time after the engine in the vehicle is turned off.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of warning a driver occurs after the driver opens a door of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of warning the user includes generating an audible alarm external to the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of warning the user includes transmitting a wireless message to a remote location.

13. A system for increasing safety of a non-autonomous entity in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a user input that is configured to allow a driver of the vehicle to identify a presence of the non-autonomous entity;

a learning module that stores information relating to the presence of the non-autonomous entity, wherein the learning module is configured to receive data from a seat belt sensor that identifies whether a seat belt is in a fastened or unfastened state; and

a warning module configured to issue a warning about the presence of the non-autonomous entity when a predetermined condition exists.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user input comprises a button for registering the presence of the non-autonomous entity.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the user input comprises a microphone and a voice recognition module that are configured to process a verbal identification of the presence of the non-autonomous entity.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the warning module comprises at least one of a local alarm and a remote alarm.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a rescue module that is configured to automatically modify a condition in the vehicle after the warning step.