Child car seat safety system

• US 9,789,786 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amber Westmoreland
• Original Assignee: Amber Westmoreland
• Inventors: Westmoreland, Amber
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US15/277,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20170015215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 3404571, 34053915
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/00 Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/17 vertically
• 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 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling

Abstract

Disclosed herein are various aspects of a buckle assembly for use with a child safety seat. The buckle assembly comprises a buckle sensor, the buckle sensor configured for determining whether fasteners of the child safety seat are secured into the buckle assembly; a processor coupled with the buckle sensor; and a transceiver coupled with the processor, the transceiver for communicating with a control system of a vehicle. The transceiver is configured to receive a signal from the control system, the signal indicating at least what gear the vehicle is in and whether the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “on” or “off”; and signal the control system after a first period of time has passed after receiving a signal that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “off” and the fasteners remain secured into the buckle.

Claims

1. A buckle assembly for use with a child safety seat, the buckle assembly comprising:

a buckle sensor, the buckle sensor configured for determining whether fasteners of the child safety seat are secured into the buckle assembly;

a processor coupled with the buckle sensor; and

a transceiver coupled with the processor, the transceiver for communicating with a control system of a vehicle, the transceiver configured to;

receive a signal from the control system, the signal indicating at least what gear the vehicle is in and whether the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “

on”

or “

off”

; and

signal the control system after a first period of time has passed after receiving a signal that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “

off” and

the fasteners remain secured into the buckle.

2. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to signal the control system when the fasteners are not fastened into the buckle while the vehicle is “

on” and

in a gear other than “

Park”

.

3. The buckle assembly according to claim 2, wherein the control system is configured to initiate an audible alert from the vehicle after a first amount of time has passed.

4. The buckle assembly according to claim 2, wherein the control system is configured to initiate rolling down the windows of the car after a second amount of time has passed.

5. The buckle assembly according to claim 2, wherein the control system is configured to initiate an air conditioning system of the car after a second amount of time has passed.

6. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless communication interface.

7. The buckle assembly according to claim 6, wherein the transceiver is configured to send a signal to a key fob, wherein the key fob provides at least an audible signal to the user.

8. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with a mobile communication device having an application installed thereon.

9. The buckle assembly according to claim 8, wherein the application provides an audible alert to a user of the mobile communication device.

10. The buckle assembly according to claim 8, wherein the application provides a visual alert to a user of the mobile communication device.

11. A child safety system for use with a vehicle, the safety system comprising:

a control system coupled with the vehicle;

a buckle for receiving fasteners of a child safety seat therein;

a buckle sensor, the buckle sensor configured for determining whether the fasteners of the child safety seat are secured into the buckle;

a processor coupled with the buckle sensor; and

a transceiver coupled with the processor, the transceiver for communicating with the control system, the transceiver configured to;

receive a signal from the control system, the signal indicating at least what gear the vehicle is in and whether the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “

on”

or “

off”

; and

signal the control system after a first period of time has passed after receiving a signal that the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is “

off” and

the fasteners remain secured into the buckle.

12. The child safety system according to claim 11, wherein the transceiver is configured to signal the control system when the fasteners are not fastened into the buckle while the vehicle is “

on” and

in a gear other than “

Park”

.

13. The child safety system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to initiate an audible alert from the vehicle after a first amount of time has passed.

14. The child safety system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to initiate rolling down the windows of the car after a second amount of time has passed.

15. The child safety system according to claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to initiate an air conditioning system of the car after a second amount of time has passed.

16. The child safety system according to claim 11, wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless communication interface.

17. The child safety system according to claim 16, wherein the transceiver is configured to send a signal to a key fob, wherein the key fob provides at least an audible signal to the user.

18. The child safety system according to claim 11, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with a mobile communication device having an application installed thereon.

19. The child safety system according to claim 18, wherein the application provides an audible alert to a user of the mobile communication device.

20. The child safety system according to claim 18, wherein the application provides a visual alert to a user of the mobile communication device.