Child car seat alert system

• US 7,663,493 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inventions, Inc.
• Inventors: Sommese, Debra A., Timm, William L., Monzo, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Application Number:
  US11/591,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• 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

A system and method to warn that a child has been left unattended in the vehicle when the ignition is off. The system includes a sensing device to detect if a child is in the infant seat, an ignition detection device to detect that the ignition is off, a delay timer to provide a certain period of time for the caregiver to remove the child from the car seat or put the child in the infant/booster seat and then to generate an alarm, a speaker to sound the alarm, and a switching assembly to detect when the dome light goes on, or if the dome light is operable.

Claims

1. An after market system adapted to fit on any infant seat, said system for detecting the presence of a child in an infant seat located within a vehicle comprising:

means for detecting the presence and absence of a child in the infant seat;

means for detecting an on and off state of the vehicle;

means for automatically generating an alarm signal in response to said means for detecting the presence and absence of a child in the infant seat detecting the presence of a child in the infant seat for a pre-defined period of time after said means for detecting the on and off state of the vehicle detects an off state;

an alarm responsive to said alarm signal, said alarm in communication with a speaker, said speaker positioned to alert occupants of said vehicle;

means for delaying activation of said alarm, for a programmable time period, responsive to when a dome light of said vehicle is illuminated in response to a door of said vehicle being opened; and

means for determining operability of said dome light.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the presence and absence of a child in a car seat within a vehicle comprises a sensor located within the infant seat.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting an on and off state of the vehicle is a power relay operable to enable and disable the system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for generating said alarm comprises a switching assembly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for delaying activation of said alarm is a timer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said means for delaying activation of said alarm is fixed at 110 seconds.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for determining operability of said dome light comprises a sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for incapacitating said means for delaying activation of said alarm in response to said means determining operability of said dome light determining that said dome light is inoperable.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said speaker is located in the system enclosure.

10. An after market system adapted to fit on any infant seat, said system for detecting the presence of a child in an infant seat located within a vehicle comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting the presence and absence of a child in the infant seat;

a relay for detecting an on and off state of the vehicle

a signal controller for automatically generating an alarm signal in response to said sensor detecting the absence of a child in the infant seat and said means for detecting the on and off state of the vehicle detects an off state;

an alarm responsive to said alarm signal, said alarm in communication with and a speaker, said speaker positioned to alert occupants of the vehicle;

a timer for delaying activation of said alarm, for a programmable time period, for a time period triggered by a dome light of said vehicle being illuminated in response to a door of said vehicle being opened; and

a sensor for determining operability of said dome light.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the relay is operable to enable and disable the system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said timer is pre-programmed with a one hundred and ten second delay.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said speaker is positioned under a dash board proximate a driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a switch for incapacitating said means for delaying activation of said alarm in response to said sensor determining that said dome light is inoperable.

15. A method of alerting persons of the presence of a child in an infant seat in a vehicle comprising:

sensing the presence a child in an infant seat;

sensing said vehicle in an off state

after a pre-established time period of sensing the presence a child in an infant seat and sensing said vehicle in an off state, without delay, automatically generating an alarm signal;

responsive to said alarm signal, causing an audible alarm to sound such that occupants of said vehicle are alerted; and

providing a factory preset timer operable to delay activation of said audible alarm for a time period triggered by a dome light of said vehicle being illuminated in response to a door of said vehicle being opened.