Electronic system to induce the occupants of a vehicle to fasten seat belts

• US 8,417,421 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.P.A. (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.P.A. (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Di Lago, Vincenzo, Piccinini, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US12/466,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 744/71.XY, 297/468, 340/457.1, 340/686.1, 340/905, 345/8, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

An electronic system to induce the occupants of a vehicle to fasten seat belts is described. The electronic system is configured to determine an alert condition indicating that a seat belt of at least one occupant of the vehicle is not fastened or is not properly fastened. The electronic system is also configured to allow the car radio to operate even when said alert condition is present, and to control the volume of the car radio for as long as said alert condition persists, preventing it from exceeding a low volume level.

Claims

1. An electronic system in a vehicle having a radio, for inducing to induce the occupants of the vehicle to fasten seat belts, said electronic system comprising the radio of the vehicle having a volume control, with the electronic system being configured to:

determine an alert condition indicating that a seat belt has not been fastened or has not been properly fastened by at least one occupant of the vehicle;

allow the vehicle radio to operate even when said alert condition is present; and

for as long as said alert condition persists, control the volume of the vehicle radio so that it does not exceed predetermined low volume level regardless of attempts to set the volume control higher than said predetermined low volume level, with control of the volume to no more than the predetermined low volume level comprising a condition of at least one of;

a) if the vehicle radio is on and the volume of the vehicle radio is higher than the low volume level, the control comprising lowering the volume of the vehicle radio to said low volume level;

b) if the vehicle radio is on and the volume of the vehicle radio is lower than or equal to said low volume level, the control comprising limiting an increase of the volume of the vehicle radio by a user above said low volume level;

c) if the vehicle radio is off, the control comprising setting the volume of the vehicle radio to the low volume level when the vehicle radio is turned on by the user;

d) if the vehicle radio is on, the control comprising inhibiting any adjustment of the volume of the vehicle radio by the user; and

e) if the vehicle radio is on, the control comprising allowing the user to lower the volume of the vehicle radio, and limiting an increase of the volume of the vehicle radio by the user above said low volume level.

2. The electronic system according to claim 1, further configured to:

receive a presence signal (PRES) indicating the presence of an occupant on a seat of the vehicle;

receive a fastening signal (FAST) indicating that the corresponding seat belt has been fastened; and

determining said alert condition based on said presence and fastening signals (PRES, FAST).

3. The electronic system according to claim 2, further configured to:

receive a speed signal (SPEED) indicating the speed of the vehicle; and

determining said alert condition also based on said speed signal (SPEED).

4. The electronic control system according to claim 3, wherein the alert condition also indicates that the seat belt has not been fastened or has not been properly fastened by an occupant of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a given condition.

5. The electronic system according to claim 4, wherein said given condition is defined by the fact that the speed of the vehicle exceeds a minimum value.

6. The electronic system according to claim 1, further configured to:

display a message inviting the occupants to fasten seat belts on a display for as long as said alert condition persists.

7. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the message inviting the occupants to fasten seat belts is displayed continuously.

8. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the message inviting the occupants to fasten seat belts is displayed each time a user performs an action aimed at adjusting the volume of the vehicle radio.

9. The electronic system according to claim 6, wherein the message inviting the occupants to fasten seat belts is displayed each time a user performs an action aimed at increasing the volume of the vehicle radio to above said low volume level.

10. The electronic system to induce the occupants of the vehicle to fasten seat belts according to claim 1, further being provided in combination with an on-board infotelematic system for the vehicle.

11. The electronic system to induce the occupants of the vehicle to fasten seat belts according to claim 1, further being provided in combination with the vehicle.

12. The electronic system to induce the occupants of the vehicle to fasten seat belts according to claim 1, further being provided in combination with a software program comprising software code portions stored on a tangible, non-transitory medium for being executed, when the software program is loaded in a memory of an electronic control and a processing unit of the vehicle and run on said electronic control and processing unit.