# US 12,005,856 B2 · Electronic harness check system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,856 B2 - Document ID: US12005856B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/649,137 - Filed: 2022-01-27 - Published: 2022-07-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-27 - Assignees: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. - Applicants: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc. - Inventors: Amie Barnes; Norman Taylor; Brian Nelson Coffman; Shirish Vatkar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005856B2 ## CPC - B60N 2/0272: {using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts} - B60R 22/48: Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness - A61B 5/6891: {Furniture} - B60N 2/272: {Buckle lock sensors for child seat safety belts} - B60N 2/2803: {Adaptations for seat belts} - B60N 2/2812: {for securing the child to the child seat} - B60N 2/2851: {provided with head-rests} - B60R 22/44: with means for reducing belt tension during use under normal conditions {(not included in the retractor B60R22/19; B60R22/3405 takes precedence)} - G01B 7/30: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes - G01L 1/22: using resistance strain gauges - G01L 5/10: using electrical means - G01L 5/102: using sensors located at a non-interrupted part of the flexible member - G01V 3/08: operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12) - A61B 5/6893: {Cars} - A61B 2503/06: Children, e.g. for attention deficit diagnosis - B60N 2/2816: {with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors} - B60R 2022/4473: {using an electric retraction device} - B60R 2022/4816: {for sensing locking of buckle} - B60R 2022/4841: {for sensing belt tension} - B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract A seat monitoring system including one or more shoulder belt tension sensors and one or more buckle belt tension seniors configured to monitor the tension in a harness of a child safety seat. The seat monitoring system further includes a headrest position sensor for monitoring the position of a headrest. The seat monitoring system includes a motor for automatic tensioning of the shoulder belts and buckle belt. The seat monitoring system includes an I/O device for inputting child specifications. The I/O device includes a step-by-step guide for properly securing the child within the child safety seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a seat monitoring system configured to monitor status of a child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes one or more sensors configured to sense the status of the child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes an output device to provide the status of the child safety seat; wherein the sensors include a headrest position sensor configured to determine position of the headrest of the child safety seat; wherein the headrest position sensor includes a rotary sensor; wherein the headrest position sensor includes a tape coupled to the headrest and the rotary sensor; wherein the rotary sensor includes a spool; wherein the tape is wrapped around the spool of the rotary sensor; and wherein a length of the tape unspooled from the spool corresponds to position of the headrest. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the output device is configured to provide an indicator of the position of the headrest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the seat monitoring system includes a processor; and the output device is configured to display a negative indicator when the position of the headrest is different from a specified position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors include a buckle sensor configured to sense buckling status of a buckle of a harness of the child safety seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors include one or more tension sensors configured to sense tension of a harness of the child safety seat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the tension sensors include one or more shoulder belt tension sensors, and the shoulder belt tension sensors are configured to measure tension of one or more shoulder belts of the harness. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the tension sensors include a buckle belt tension sensor, and the buckle belt tension sensor is configured to measure tension applied to a buckle belt of the harness of the child safety seat. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the tension sensors include one or more strain gauges. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the seat monitoring system is configured to automatically adjust tension of the harness based at least on tension data from the tension sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the seat monitoring system includes a motor configured to adjust the tension of the harness. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein: the sensor includes an occupancy sensor configured to determine if an occupant is sitting in the child safety seat; the sensors include a buckle sensor configured to sense buckling status of the buckle of the harness; the motor is configured to tighten the harness when the buckle is buckled and the occupancy sensor detects an occupant; and the motor is configured to loosen the harness when the buckle is unbuckled. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an input device configured to receive user inputs concerning biometric information about an occupant of the child safety seat. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising the child safety seat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the child safety seat includes a seat back, a headrest, wherein the headrest is configured to move relative to the seat back, a seat bottom extending outward from the seat back, a harness, wherein the harness includes a buckle, wherein the harness includes one or more belts, wherein the belts include a buckle belt, wherein the buckle belt coupled to the buckle, wherein the belts include one or more shoulder belts, and wherein the shoulder belts extend from the seat back to the seat bottom. ### Claim 15 A method of operating a child safety seat, comprising: measuring a position of a headrest of the child safety seat with a headrest position sensor of a seat monitoring system; determining that the child safety seat is occupied with an occupancy sensor of the seat monitoring system; determining with the seat monitoring system that the position of the headrest satisfies headrest specifications for an occupant; sensing tension of one or more belts of a harness with one or more tension sensors of the seat monitoring system; detecting buckling of a buckle of the harness with a buckle sensor of the seat monitoring system; and tightening the belts of the harness until proper tension is reached. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: detecting unbuckling of a buckle with the buckle sensor of the seat monitoring system; and loosening the belts of the harness in response to the detecting unbuckling. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the loosening the belts includes releasing tension applied to the belts by a motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining a specified position for the headrest with a processor based on biometric information of the occupant of the child safety seat; and displaying a negative indicator on an output device when the position of the headrest is different from the specified position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: displaying a positive indicator on an output device upon the determining with the seat monitoring system that the position of the headrest satisfies specifications for the headrest. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the tightening the belts of the harness includes tightening the belts with a motor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein: the seat monitoring system includes a processor; the headrest position sensor includes a rotary sensor; the headrest position sensor includes a tape coupled to the headrest and the rotary sensor; the rotary sensor includes a spool; the tape is wrapped around the spool of the rotary sensor; and the measuring the position of the headrest includes determining with the processor a length of the tape unspooled from the spool of the rotary sensor. ### Claim 22 A system, comprising: a seat monitoring system configured to monitor status of a child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes one or more sensors configured to sense the status of the child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes an output device to provide the status of the child safety seat; a processor being operatively connected to the sensors; wherein the sensors include a headrest position sensor configured to determine position of a headrest of the child safety seat; wherein the headrest position sensor is configured to send the position of the headrest to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to compare the position of the headrest to a specified position; wherein the processor is configured to determine the specified position for the headrest based on biometric information of an occupant of the child safety seat; wherein the sensor includes an occupancy sensor configured to determine if the occupant is sitting in the child safety seat; wherein the sensors include a buckle sensor configured to sense buckling status of a buckle of the child safety seat; wherein the sensors include one or more tension sensors configured to sense tension of a harness of the child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes a motor configured to adjust tension of the harness; wherein the motor is configured to tighten the harness when the buckle is buckled and the occupancy sensor detects an occupant; and wherein the motor is configured to tighten one or more belts of the harness until proper tension is reached. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein: the headrest position sensor includes a rotary sensor; the headrest position sensor includes a tape coupled to the headrest and the rotary sensor; the rotary sensor includes a spool; the tape is wrapped around the spool of the rotary sensor; and a length of the tape unspooled from the spool corresponds to position of the headrest. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, further comprising: an output device configured to provide an alert when the headrest position sensor determines the headrest is in a proper position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, further comprising: an input device configured to receive user inputs concerning the biometric information about the occupant of the child safety seat. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the tension sensors include one or more strain gauges. ### Claim 27 A system, comprising: a seat monitoring system configured to monitor status of a child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes one or more sensors configured to sense the status of the child safety seat; wherein the seat monitoring system includes an output device to provide the status of the child safety seat; a processor being operatively connected to the sensors; wherein the sensors include a headrest position sensor configured to determine position of a headrest of the child safety seat; wherein the headrest position sensor is configured to send the position of the headrest to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to compare the position of the headrest to a specified position; wherein the processor is configured to determine the specified position for the headrest based on biometric information of an occupant of the child safety seat; and wherein the output device is configured to display a negative indicator when the position of the headrest is different from the specified position. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein: the sensors include a buckle sensor configured to sense buckling status of a buckle of a harness of the child safety seat; the sensors include one or more tension sensors configured to sense tension of the harness of the child safety seat; and the seat monitoring system is configured to automatically adjust the tension of the harness based at least on tension data from the tension sensors.