System, apparatus, and method of providing an alert for an infant in a car seat

• US 9,691,250 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucy Trang, Quen L.E. Trang, Victor Trang
• Original Assignee: Lucy Trang, Quen L.E. Trang, Victor Trang
• Inventors: Trang, Victor, Trang, Quen Le, Trang, Lucy
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US15/189,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20160379459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 340457, 3404571, 340438, 701 1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method of providing an alert when an infant or child is in a child safety seat in a vehicle. Exemplary embodiments can include a pressure sensor and a transmitted signal, such as a continuously transmitted signal, when an infant or child is in a child safety seat and other conditions are met. In some examples, if a continuously transmitted signal is broken or otherwise fails to transmit, an alert may be provided. The alert may be provided through any of a variety of data transmission protocols to any of a variety of devices or locations, for example a mobile phone, smart phone, dedicated alert device, or emergency call center, depending on desired conditions.

Claims

1. A method of providing an alert when a child is in a child safety seat within a vehicle, the method comprising:

placing the child in the child safety seat, the child safety seat being communicatively coupled to an alert system comprising at least a pressure sensor, a processor, a memory, and a wireless transceiver;

activating the alert system;

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one first signal from the child safety seat to a mobile communication device;

determining, with the processor, whether the mobile communication device is within a specified range of the child safety seat;

determining, with the processor, if the mobile communication device is not within a specified range of the child safety seat, whether there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

with the processor, deactivating the alert system if there is not at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to the mobile communication device if there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

determining, with the processor, if a response to the alert signal has been received within a specified amount of time, the response to the alert signal comprising at least one of a reset instruction being delivered to the alert system or the mobile communication device being placed within the specified range of the child safety seat; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert system further comprises a temperature sensor, and further comprising sending, with the wireless transmitter, an indication of the sensed temperature of the child safety seat.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert system further comprises a GPS receiver, and wherein the step of sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time further comprises sending GPS data to the third party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert system further comprises a GPS receiver, and wherein the step of sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time further comprises:

determining, with a processor and from the GPS data, the current location of the alert system;

selecting, with a processor, one or more nearby third parties to be contacted based on the proximity of each third party to the current location of the alert system; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of the one or more nearby third parties.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, with a processor, the presence of an adverse condition, wherein the adverse condition comprises at least one of a temperature reading above a specified level, a temperature reading below a specified level, or an accelerometer reading above a specified level; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a mobile communication device indicating the presence of the adverse condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one first signal from the child safety seat to a mobile communication device further comprises requesting a return signal from the mobile communication device indicating at least one of:

a power state of the mobile communication device, a volume state of the mobile communication device, or a wireless connection state of the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining if a return signal from the mobile communication device has been received by the alert system; and

generating, with the alert system, an alert local to the alert system if no return signal has been received.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, with the processor, if a response to the alert signal sent to a third party has been received within a specified amount of time; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of at least one other third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert system has at least one other sensor system, and further comprising activating the at least one other sensor system if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time and before sending at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party.

10. A system for providing an alert when a child is in a child safety seat within a vehicle, the system comprising:

a child safety seat, the child safety seat comprising a cushion having a pressure-sensitive pad, the pressure-sensitive pad comprising;

a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being configured to detect pressure on at least part of the area of the pressure-sensitive pad,

a microcontroller, the microcontroller having a processor and a memory, and

a wireless transceiver configured to utilize at least one wireless transmission protocol; and

a mobile communication device configured to communicate with the wireless transceiver via the at least one wireless transmission protocol;

wherein the child safety seat is configured to perform the following actions;

detecting, with the pressure sensor, the placement of the child in the child safety seat;

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one first signal to the mobile communication device;

determining, with the microcontroller, whether the mobile communication device is within a specified range of the child safety seat;

determining, with the microcontroller, if the mobile communication device is not within a specified range of the child safety seat, whether there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

with the microcontroller, deactivating the alert system if there is not at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to the mobile communication device if there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

determining, with the microcontroller, if a response to the alert signal has been received within a specified amount of time, the response to the alert signal comprising at least one of a reset instruction being delivered to the alert system or the mobile communication device being placed within the specified range of the child safety seat; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the child safety seat has a power supply, and wherein the power supply is the electrical system of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle has a display, and wherein the child safety seat is communicatively coupled with the display of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle has a wireless transceiver;

and

wherein the wireless transceiver of the child safety seat utilizes at least one communication protocol in common with the wireless transceiver of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile communication device is a key fob.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the child safety seat further comprises at least one of a temperature sensor or an accelerometer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the child safety seat is further configured to perform the following actions:

detecting, with a processor, the presence of an adverse condition, wherein the adverse condition comprises at least one of a temperature reading above a specified level, a temperature reading below a specified level, or an accelerometer reading above a specified level; and

sending, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a mobile communication device indicating the presence of the adverse condition.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one wireless communication protocol comprises a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol;

wherein the child safety seat communicates with the mobile communication device using the first wireless communication protocol when the child safety seat and the mobile communication device are spaced apart at a distance less than a specified distance; and

wherein the child safety seat communicates with the mobile communication device using the second wireless communication protocol when the child safety seat and the mobile communication device are spaced apart at a distance greater than a specified distance.

18. A child safety seat, comprising:

a frame;

a power supply;

a temperature detector;

a cushion, comprising a liquid-tight outer layer, padding, and a pressure-sensitive pad, the pressure-sensitive pad comprising;

a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being configured to detect pressure on at least part of the area of the pressure-sensitive pad,

a microcontroller, the microcontroller having a processor and a memory, and

a wireless transceiver configured to utilize at least one wireless transmission protocol;

a GPS module communicatively coupled to the microcontroller of the pressure-sensitive pad, and configured to provide GPS information to the microcontroller; and

a warning system, the warning system comprising a visual component and an audial component, the visual component comprising at least one of a light and a visual display, the audial component comprising at least one of a buzzer, a motor, or a speaker;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to;

detect, with the pressure sensor, the placement of the child in the child safety seat;

send, with the wireless transceiver, at least one first signal to a mobile communication device;

determine whether the mobile communication device is within a specified range of the child safety seat;

determine, if the mobile communication device is not within a specified range of the child safety seat, whether there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

deactivate the alert system if there is not at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

send, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to the mobile communication device if there is at least a specified amount of pressure on the pressure sensor;

determine if a response to the alert signal has been received within a specified amount of time, the response to the alert signal comprising at least one of a reset instruction being delivered to the alert system or the mobile communication device being placed within the specified range of the child safety seat; and

send, with the wireless transceiver, at least one alert signal to a communication device of a third party if no response to the alert signal has been received within the specified amount of time, wherein the alert signal comprises GPS location information.

19. The child safety seat of claim 18, wherein the child safety seat further comprises a reset switch disposed on the child safety seat and operable to provide a reset instruction to the alert system.

20. The child safety seat of claim 18, further comprising a key switch operable with a key and configured to enable or disable the child safety seat.