Systems and methods for child restraint monitoring

• US 9,187,013 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Helm, Sean L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US14/076,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/438, 340/457.1, 340/667, 701/45, 180/268
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/265 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2816 with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

Included are systems and methods for child restraint monitoring. Some embodiments include determining that a child restraint seat has been installed in a vehicle seat of a vehicle, determining whether the child restraint seat is being properly utilized, and detecting an issue with the utilization of the child restraint seat. Some embodiments include determining that a guardian is remote from the vehicle and, in response to detecting the issue with the utilization of the child restraint seat and determining that the guardian is remote from the vehicle, sending a communication to a third party, wherein the communication provides an option to contact the vehicle to regarding improper utilization of the child restraint seat.

Claims

1. A method for child restraint monitoring comprising:

determining that a child restraint seat has been installed in a vehicle seat of a vehicle;

determining whether the child restraint seat is being properly utilized;

detecting an issue with the utilization of the child restraint seat;

determining that a guardian is remote from the vehicle;

in response to detecting the issue with the utilization of the child restraint seat and determining that the guardian is remote from the vehicle, sending a communication to a third party, wherein the communication provides an option to contact the vehicle to regarding improper utilization of the child restraint seat; and

providing a repair option to a passenger of the vehicle to address the issue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party comprises at least one of the following:

the guardian of a child in the child restraint seat and an administrator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair option comprises a manual repair option, wherein in response to selection of the manual repair option, a user interface is provided to the passenger to manually address the issue.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair option comprises an automatic repair option, wherein in response to selection of the automatic repair option, a command is sent to the child restraint seat to automatically address the issue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair option comprises an automatic repair option, wherein in response to selection of the automatic repair option, a command is sent to the vehicle seat to automatically address the issue.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to detecting the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat and determining that the guardian is not remote from the vehicle, providing a repair option to a passenger of the vehicle to address the issue.

7. A system for child restraint monitoring, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory component that is coupled to the processor, wherein the memory component stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform at least the following;

determine that a child restraint seat has been installed in a vehicle seat of a vehicle, wherein the child restraint seat comprises a first sensor for detecting whether the child restraint seat is being properly utilized in the vehicle seat;

receive a first signal from the first sensor, wherein the first signal indicates whether the child restraint seat is being utilized properly;

determine, from the first signal, an issue with utilization of the child restraint seat;

in response to determining the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat, provide an option to address the issue; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the option, send a command to automatically address the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a motor, wherein the command to automatically address the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat comprises, providing an activation command to the motor for adjusting a setting of the vehicle seat.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a motor, wherein the command to automatically address the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat comprises, providing an activation command to the motor for adjusting a setting of the child restraint seat.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic further causes the system to contact a third party to report the issue, wherein the third party comprises at least one of the following:

a guardian of a child in the child restraint seat and an administrator.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic causes the system to provide a manual repair option, wherein in response to selection of the manual repair option, the logic causes the system to provide instructions for a passenger to manually address the issue.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a second sensor and wherein determining the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat further comprises receiving a second signal from the second sensor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a seatbelt latch sensor, a seatbelt strap sensor, a seat sensor, a lumbar sensor, and a vehicle seat position control.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a seatbelt tension sensor, a child restraint seat seatbelt tension sensor, a child restraint seat seatbelt latch sensor, and a tilt sensor.

15. A system for child restraint monitoring comprising:

a vehicle seat for a vehicle, the vehicle seat receiving a child restraint seat for a child, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a sensor that detects a characteristic of utilization of the child restraint seat, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a first motor for adjusting a configuration of the vehicle seat;

a computing device comprising a processor and a memory component, wherein the memory component stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform at least the following;

determine that the child restraint seat has been installed in the vehicle seat;

receive a signal from the sensor, wherein the signal indicates whether the child restraint seat is being utilized properly;

determine, from the signal, an issue with utilization of the child restraint seat;

in response to determining the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat, provide an option to address the issue; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the option, send an activation command to the first motor to automatically address the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of the following:

a seatbelt tension sensor, a child restraint seat seatbelt tension sensor, a child restraint seat seatbelt latch sensor, and a tilt sensor.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the logic causes the system to provide a manual repair option, wherein in response to selection of the manual repair option, the logic causes the system to provide instructions for a passenger to manually address the issue.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, further comprising, in response to determining the issue with utilization of the child restraint seat, the logic causes the computing device to send a communication to a third party, wherein the communication provides an option to contact the vehicle to indicate improper utilization of the child restraint seat.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the logic causes the system to provide a manual repair option, wherein in response to selection of the manual repair option, the logic causes the system to provide instructions for a passenger to manually address the issue.