System and method for notifying the presence of an unattended child

• US 9,393,897 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Momentum Creative Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Momentum Creative Labs LLC
• Inventors: Gomez-Collazo, Mark J., Hernandez Santiago, Victor L., Aponte Roa, Diego A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/478,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/573.1, 340/667, 180/272
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2866 booster cushions, e.g. to lift a child to allow proper use of the conventional safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0205 Specific application combined with child monitoring using a transmitter-receiver system
• 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

Abstract

A system for alerting a person when a child has been left unattended comprising at least one sensor pad configured to send a first signal to a transmitter which in turn simultaneously relays the first signal to a plurality of receiver modules, wherein said plurality of receiver modules are configured to notify a person that a child has been left unattended if communication between the sensor pad and at least one of the plurality of receiver modules ceases. In addition, a method is provided for alerting a person when a child has been left unattended comprising the steps of sending a first signal, via a sensor pad, to a transmitter; simultaneously relaying the first signal to a plurality of receiver modules; and notifying a person that a child has been left unattended if communication between the sensor pad and at least one of the plurality of receiver modules ceases.

Claims

1. A system for alerting the presence of an unattended child comprising:

a car seat module comprising a primary sensor configured to send a first signal to a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter comprising means for transmitting the first signal as a wireless signal, wherein the first signal is sent if the presence of a person is detected in a car seat;

a smartphone module comprising a first communication device, and a bracelet module comprising a second communication device, wherein the bracelet module is configured to send a second signal to the smartphone module and wherein the smartphone module is configured to establish a connection between the first communication device and the second communication device, the smartphone module being further configured to receive the first signal and the second signal and to activate an alert protocol within a pre-determined time span if either one of the bracelet module or the car seat module are outside a pre-determined distance,

a remote alarm module comprising a first buzzer alarm and a pre-recorded message, wherein the first buzzer alarm is activated by the first signal within the pre-determined time span, and

a keychain module comprising a second buzzer alarm, a vibration motor, and a light emitting diode, wherein the second buzzer alarm, the vibration motor and the light emitting diode are independently activated by the first signal within the pre-determined time span.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the primary sensor is a sensor pad.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the primary sensor is a temperature sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one driver sensor configured to send a third signal to the remote alarm module if the presence of a person is detected in a driver seat.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the third signal inhibits the first signal from activating the first buzzer alarm and the pre-recorded voice message.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the alert protocol comprises sending an alert message via e-mail and text message.

7. A system for alerting the presence of an unattended child comprising:

a plurality of monitoring modules comprising a car seat module, a bracelet module, and a driver sensor transmitter module, wherein the plurality of monitoring modules are configured to detect the presence of a person, wherein the car seat module is configured to send a first presence signal indicating that a child is placed in the car seat module, the bracelet module is configured to send a second presence signal indicating a child is wearing the bracelet module, and the driver sensor transmitter module is configured to send a third presence signal indicating that a person is sitting in a driver seat,

a plurality of alarm modules comprising a keychain module, a remote alarm module, and a smartphone module, wherein the plurality of alarm modules are configured to alert the presence of an unattended child,

the smartphone module comprising a first communication device, wherein the smartphone module is configured to establish a connection with the bracelet module, the smartphone module being further configured to receive the first presence signal and the second presence signal and to activate an alert protocol when the presence of an unattended child is detected,

the remote alarm module comprising a first buzzer alarm and a pre-recorded message, wherein the remote alarm module is configured to receive the first presence signal and the third presence signal and to activate the first buzzer alarm and the pre-recorded message within the pre-determined time span if the first presence signal is received in the absence of the third presence signal, and

a keychain module comprising a second buzzer alarm, a vibration motor, and a light emitting diode, wherein the keychain module is configured to receive the first presence signal and to independently activate the second buzzer alarm, the vibration motor and the light emitting diode within the pre-determined time span when the presence of an unattended child is detected.

8. A method for alerting the presence of an unattended child in a vehicle comprising:

a) sending a first signal to a wireless transmitter via a car seat module, wherein the first signal is sent if the presence of a person is detected in a car seat,

b) the wireless transmitter simultaneously relaying the first signal to a smartphone module, a remote alarm module comprising a first buzzer alarm and a pre-recorded message, and a keychain module comprising a second buzzer alarm, a vibration motor, and a light emitting diode,

c) sending a second signal to the smartphone module via a bracelet module,

d) the smartphone module comprising instructions for executing on a processor the steps of;

i. establishing a connection with the bracelet module,

ii. receiving the first signal and the second signal, and

iii. activating an alert protocol within a pre-determined time span if either one of the bracelet module or the car seat module goes outside a pre-determined distance, and

e) independently activating the first buzzer alarm and the pre-recorded message, the second buzzer alarm, the vibration motor, and the light emitting diode if the car seat module goes outside a pre-determined distance and either one of the remote alarm module and the keychain module goes outside a pre-determined distance.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

a) sending a third signal to the remote alarm module via a driver sensor pad when the presence of a person is detected in the driver sensor pad, and

b) activating the remote alarm module only if the third signal is not received within a pre-determined time span.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the alert protocol comprises sending an alert message via e-mail and text message.