Apparatus and method to detect the presence of a child in a vehicle

• US 7,592,905 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audrey B. Marti, Darlene K. Barton, Forrest E. Barton
• Original Assignee: Audrey B. Marti, Darlene K. Barton, Forrest E. Barton
• Inventors: Barton, Forrest E., Barton, Darlene K., Marti, Audrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/477,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 340/667, 340/573.1, 340/457, 340/573.4, 340/571, 340/693.9
• US Class Current: 340/457
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0236 Threshold setting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• 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

Applicants'"'"' invention comprises an apparatus and method to detect the presence of a child in a vehicle. Applicants'"'"' apparatus comprises a monitoring assembly comprising a pressure transducer, a first processor, and a monitoring transmitter. Applicants'"'"' apparatus further comprises a vehicle controller assembly comprising a second processor, a receiver, and a transceiver, wherein the receiver is capable of communicating with the monitoring transmitter. Applicants'"'"' apparatus further comprises a key fob comprising an RFID circuit, wherein Applicants'"'"' transceiver is capable of communicating with that RFID circuit.

Claims

1. An apparatus to detect the presence of a child in a vehicle, comprising:

a monitoring assembly comprising a first processor, a pressure transducer in communication with said first processor, and a monitoring transmitter in communication with said first processor, wherein said pressure transducer provides a load signal to said first processor when said pressure transducer senses a load, wherein said load signal is proportionate in strength to a weight detected by pressure transducer, and wherein said first processor determines said detected weight using said load signal, and wherein said first processor causes said monitoring transmitter to emit an activation signal if said detected weight is equal to or greater than a threshold weight;

a vehicle controller assembly comprising a second processor, a receiver in communication with said second processor, a transceiver in communication with said second processor, wherein when said receiver receives said activation signal provided by said monitoring transmitter, said transceiver provides RFID interrogation signals;

a portable key fob comprising an RFID circuit, wherein said RFID circuit receives said RFID interrogation signals and provides response signals to said transceiver;

wherein;

if said transceiver receives a response signal from said key fob, said transceiver provides a heart beat signal to said second processor;

if said transceiver does not receive a response signal from said key fob, said transceiver does not provide a heart beat signal to said second processor;

if said receiver is receiving activation signals from said monitoring assembly, and if said second processor is not receiving heart beat signals from said transceiver, then said second processor causes an interconnected vehicle horn to beep, and interconnected vehicle head lights to flash.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a child car seat comprising a bottom portion, wherein said monitoring assembly is disposed in said bottom portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said monitoring assembly further comprises one or more batteries, wherein said one or more batteries are interconnected with said first processor, said pressure transducer, and said monitoring transmitter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said one or more batteries comprise rechargeable batteries, wherein said apparatus further comprises an external power port interconnected with said one or more rechargeable batteries.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle controller assembly is attached to a vehicle comprising a vehicular power source, wherein said vehicle controller assembly is interconnected with said vehicular power source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said vehicle further comprises one or more vehicle control circuits, horn interconnected with said one or more vehicle control circuits, and plurality of head lights interconnected with said one or more vehicle control circuits, wherein said second processor is interconnected with said one or more vehicle control circuits.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a cellular telephone, wherein said second processor is interconnected with said cellular telephone.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said vehicle controller assembly further comprises a global positioning satellite receiver interconnected with said second processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle controller assembly further comprises an external computer port interconnected with said second processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said external computer port is selected from the group consisting of a USB port and a FIRE WIRE port.

11. A method to detect the presence of a child in an unattended vehicle, comprising the steps of:

supplying a vehicle comprising a vehicle seat, a horn, a plurality of head lights, and one or more vehicular control circuits to operate said horn and said plurality of head lights;

disposing in said vehicle an vehicle controller assembly comprising a second processor, a receiver in communication with said second processor, a transceiver in communication with said second processor, wherein said vehicle controller assembly is in communication with said one or more vehicular circuits;

supplying a portable key fob comprising an RFID circuit, wherein said RFID circuit provides an RFID response signal in response to receiving an RFID interrogation signal provided by said transceiver;

disposing a child car seat on said vehicle seat, wherein said child car seat comprises a bottom portion;

disposing a monitoring assembly between said bottom portion of said child car seat and said vehicle seat, wherein said monitoring assembly comprises a first processor, a pressure transducer in communication with said first processor, and a monitoring transmitter in communication with said first processor, wherein said pressure transducer provides a load signal to said first processor when said pressure transducer senses a load, wherein said load signal is proportionate in strength to a weight detected by pressure transducer, and wherein said first processor determines said detected weight using said load signal, and wherein said first processor causes said monitoring transmitter to emit an activation signal if said detected weight is equal to or greater than a threshold weight;

placing a child in said child car seat, wherein said child comprises a weight;

detecting said load by said pressure transducer;

emitting said activation signal by said monitoring transmitter;

receiving said activation signal by said receiver;

emitting an RFID interrogation signal by said transceiver;

if said transceiver receives a response signal from said key fob, providing a heart beat signal to said second processor;

if said transceiver does not receive a response signal from said key fob, not providing a heart beat signal to said second processor;

if said receiver is receiving activation signals from said monitoring assembly, and if said second processor is not receiving heart beat signals from said transceiver, causing said vehicle horn to beep, and flashing said vehicle head lights,

operative if said transceiver does not receive a response signal from said key fob, emitting one or more sounds from said horn.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving said interrogation signal by said RFID circuit;

emitting a response signal by said RFID circuit;

operative if said transceiver receives said response signal from said key fob, repeating said emitting an interrogation signal step each time said receiver receives activation signals.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said vehicle controller assembly further comprising a cellular telephone in communication with said second processor, further comprising the step of placing an emergency telephone call using said cellular telephone if said transceiver does not receive a response signal from said key fob.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said vehicle controller assembly further comprises a global positioning satellite receiver, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of said vehicle using said global positioning satellite receiver; and

providing said location in said emergency telephone call.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a threshold weight;

providing from said pressure transducer to said first processor said load signal as long as said pressure transducer detects said load;

determining said weight using said load signal;

determining if said weight is greater than or equal to said threshold weight;

operative if said weight if greater than said threshold weight, causing said monitoring transmitter to emit said activation signal.