System and method for seatbelt use monitoring
First Claim
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1. A monitoring system for a vehicle including a seat and a restraint including seatbelt webbing, comprising:
- a webbing length sensor coupled with the restraint;
a position sensor; and
a processor in communication with the webbing length sensor and the position sensor and programmed to;
compare data from the webbing length sensor to first data correlating various webbing lengths to at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the webbing length sensor;
compare data from the position sensor to second data correlating various positions to the at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the position sensor; and
determine an improper seatbelt use when the data from the webbing length sensor and the data from the position sensor have different occupant size categories assigned thereto and output a corresponding signal.
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Abstract
A monitoring system for a vehicle having a seat and a restraint with seatbelt webbing includes a webbing length sensor coupled with the restraint, a position sensor, and a processor. The processor is in communication with the webbing length sensor and the position sensor and is programmed to output a signal based on a determination that an extended webbing length is outside an acceptable range of webbing length for an occupant size category assigned using the position sensor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A monitoring system for a vehicle including a seat and a restraint including seatbelt webbing, comprising:
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a webbing length sensor coupled with the restraint; a position sensor; and a processor in communication with the webbing length sensor and the position sensor and programmed to; compare data from the webbing length sensor to first data correlating various webbing lengths to at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the webbing length sensor; compare data from the position sensor to second data correlating various positions to the at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the position sensor; and determine an improper seatbelt use when the data from the webbing length sensor and the data from the position sensor have different occupant size categories assigned thereto and output a corresponding signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle, comprising:
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a restraint including a seatbelt webbing and a first marker associated with the webbing; at least one adjustable safety device; a position sensor; a webbing length sensor coupled with the restraint; an occupant position monitor in communication with the position sensor; and a control system in communication with the occupant position monitor, the position sensor, and programmed to; compare data from the webbing length sensor to first data correlating various webbing lengths to at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the webbing length sensor; compare data from the position sensor to second data correlating various position to the at least four occupant size categories to assign one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the position sensor; and determine an improper seatbelt use when the data from the webbing length sensor and the data from the position sensor have different occupant size categories assigned thereto and output a corresponding signal; and perform an adjustment of the safety device based on a monitored occupant position and one of the four occupant size categories to the data from the position sensor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method for determining proper seatbelt use by an occupant of a vehicle seat, comprising:
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determining an extended length of a webbing of the seatbelt; assigning one of four size categories of the occupant using information received from a position sensor within the vehicle; accessing data from memory including a corresponding range of extended webbing lengths for the assigned one of the four size categories; and determining an improper seatbelt use when the extended length of the webbing is outside the corresponding range. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification