Child car seat for a land vehicle

• US 8,382,153 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Harris, Inga
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US13/319,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20120049495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 180/271, 180/273, 280/735, 340/438, 340/667, 297/216.11, 297/468
• US Class Current: 280/735
• 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 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• 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 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/957 the locking system prevents an abnormal or wrong mounting situation, i.e. deployment or functioning of a seat part being prevented if the seat or seat part is not properly mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems

Abstract

A child car seat for a land vehicle comprises a support for supporting at least a part of a body of a child, the support being positionable on a vehicle seat of the land vehicle and a restraint for holding the body in position relative to the support. A data processing unit forms when in operational mode and connected to an in-vehicle data communication network in the land vehicle, a child car seat network node in the in-vehicle data communication network. The seat includes a first network connector for establishing, in cooperation with a matching second network connector, a data communication connection between the child car seat network node and the in-vehicle data communication network. The child car seat has a signal carrier connecting the data processing unit to the first network connector.

Claims

1. A child car seat for a land vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting at least a part of a body of a child, said support being positionable on a vehicle seat of said land vehicle;

a restraint for holding said at least said part of said body in position relative to said support;

a data processing unit which, when in operational mode and connected to an in-vehicle data communication network in said land vehicle, forms a child car seat network node in said in-vehicle data communication network;

a fastener which can be attached to a fastener attachment in said land vehicle, for holding said child car seat in position relative to said vehicle seat;

a first network connector for establishing, in cooperation with a matching second network connector, a data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network; and

a signal carrier connecting said data processing unit to said first network connector.

2. A child car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first network connector is arranged to establish, in cooperation with said matching second network connector, said data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network when said fastener is attached correctly to said fastener attachment only.

3. A child car seat as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of said child car seat or an environment of said child car seat, wherein said sensor is connected to said data processing unit and wherein said data processing unit is configured to generate data based on said sensed parameter and to transmit said data to at least one other node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

4. A child car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said child car seat comprises:

at least one actuator for controlling an aspect of said child car seat, wherein said data processing unit is configured to control said actuator based on command data received from at least one other node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

5. A land vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle seat on which a child car seat according to claim 1, can be positioned;

an in-vehicle data communication network;

a fastener attachment for attaching said fastener of said child car seat;

a second network connector, for establishing, in cooperation with a matching first network connector of said child car seat, a data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network; and

said in-vehicle data communication network comprising a detection network node communicatively connected to said second network connector, wherein said detection network node is configured to detect a presence of said child car seat network node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

6. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second network connector is arranged to establish, in cooperation with said matching first network connector, said data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network when said fastener is attached correctly to said fastener attachment only.

7. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said land vehicle includes an airbag system with at least one airbag; and

said network detection network node includes;

a memory in which data is stored representing at least one predefined set of a location of said child car seat network node and at least one airbag associated with said location,

a localization module for determining, upon or after detection of the child car seat network node, a location of said child car seat network node, and

an airbag controller module, connected to said localization module and said memory, and configured to determine from said data a set corresponding to said determined location of the child car seat network node and to disable at least one airbag associated with said location in said set.

8. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said detection network node is configured to detect a faulty attachment of said fastener based on at least one parameter of said data communication connection.

9. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said an in-vehicle data communication network includes a control node for generating a control signal in response to data received from said child car seat network node, wherein said data is based on at least one sensed parameter of said child car seat or an environment of said child car seat.

10. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said in-vehicle data communication network includes a command node for generating command data and transmitting said command data to said child car seat network node.

11. A land vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle seat;

an in-vehicle data communication network;

a child car seat comprising

a support for supporting at least a part of a body of a child, wherein said support is positionable on the vehicle seat,

a fastener configured to hold said child car seat in position relative to said vehicle seat,

a data processing unit configured to form a child car seat network node, and

a first network connector configured to establish a data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle communication network;

a fastener attachment configured to couple with said fastener of said child car seat;

a second network connector, coupled with said first network connector, and configured to establish a data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network; and

a detection network node, communicatively coupled with said second network connector, and configured to detect a presence of said child car seat network node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

12. The land vehicle of claim 11, wherein said data communication connection between said child car seat network node and said in-vehicle data communication network is established only when said fastener is attached correctly to said fastener attachment.

13. The land vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of said child car seat or an environment of said child car seat, wherein

said at least one sensor is connected to said data processing unit, and

said data processing unit is further configured to generate data based on said sensed parameter and transmit said data to at least one other node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

14. The land vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:

at least one actuator for controlling an aspect of said child car seat, wherein

said data processing unit is further configured to control said actuator based on information received from at least one other node in said in-vehicle data communication network.

15. The land vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:

an airbag system comprising at least one airbag; and

said detection network node comprises;

a memory storing data representing at least one predefined set of a location of said child car seat network node and at least one airbag associated with said location,

a localization module for determining, upon or after detection of the child car seat network node, a location of said child car seat network node, and

an airbag controller module, connected to said localization module and said memory, and configured to determine from said data the set corresponding to said determined location of the child car seat network node and to disable the at least one airbag associated with said location.

16. A land vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein said detection network node is further configured to detect a faulty attachment of said fastener based on at least one parameter of said data communication connection.