Child safety seat alarm

• US 9,189,943 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R&R Packaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Amy Rambadt, John Rambadt
• Inventors: Rambadt, Amy, Rambadt, John, Tanner, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/035,410
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/573.4, 340/457.1
• 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 2/26 for children B60N2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/267 alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/272 Buckle lock sensors for child seat safety belts
• 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 2/2812 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: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0205 Specific application combined with child monitoring using a transmitter-receiver system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

The present invention provides an alarm to prevent guardians from forgetting a child inside a car seat carrier within a vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a child left in a child safety seat having a buckle, the system comprising:

a transceiver having a latching pin configured to secure to the buckle of the child safety seat, said transceiver further configured to broadcast a wireless communication signal identifying the location of said transceiver upon securing to the buckle of the child safety seat;

a portable electronic device configured to receive said wireless communication signal, said portable electronic device configured to identify the location of said portable electronic device and determine a distance of said portable electronic device to said transceiver; and

said portable electronic device programmed to provide an alert to a user if said portable electronic device exceeds an established distance between said portable electronic device and said transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1, said alert comprising an audio alert.

3. The system of claim 1, said portable electronic device having a programmed audio message.

4. An alarm system for monitoring a child left in a child safety seat having a buckle, the system comprising:

a transceiver coupled to a sensor and configured to broadcast a wireless communication signal identifying the location of said transceiver, said transceiver further comprising a latching pin having a keyed end configured to secure to the buckle of the child safety seat when the buckle is latched;

a portable electronic device configured to receive said wireless communication signal, said portable electronic device configured to identify the location of said portable electronic device and determine a distance of said portable electronic device to said transceiver; and

said portable electronic device programmed to provide an alert to a user if said portable electronic device exceeds an established distance between said portable electronic device and said transceiver.

5. The system of claim 4, said alert comprising an audio alert.

6. The system of claim 4, said portable electronic device having a programmed audio message.