US 12,654,596 B2 · System and method for securing and monitoring a child placed in a car seat of a vehicle

Abstract

A car seat system for automatically displacing the movable components of the car seat. The car seat including sensors and a computing module to detect the measurements of a child placed in the car seat. The car seat system determines the current position of the movable components and displaces the movable components automatically based on the child's measurements or a desired amount. The car seat system automatically learns child's behaviors when the child is placed in the car seat. The car seat system learns schedules utilized by the child, routes taken by the driver of the car, and other data over a period of time. The behavioral, scheduling, routing, and other data obtained is stored by the car seat system and utilized to enhance the safety and comfortability of the child during a car ride. The car seat system also determines thickness of clothing worn by the child while placed in the car seat and adjusts the shoulder belts to accommodate for the clothing while providing a snug fit of the shoulder belts that fall within safety recommendations. The car seat also auto reclines to a desired angle and also rotates about itself to face the door. The car seat system includes an auto-incident detection mode. In this mode, the system detects an incident, such as an accident, hard braking, or another hazard, and automatically displaces the features in the car seat to make the car seat secure during the crash minimizing the effect of the incident on the child. The car seat also includes pretensioners and motors to release, pull back, and lock the car seat belts.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

detecting placement of a child in a portable child car seat that is secured to a vehicle's back seat, wherein the portable child car seat includes a) a pair of retractable seat belts that have a locking mechanism to secure the child in the portable child car seat and b) a motor,
in response to detecting the placement of the child in the portable child car seat:
automatically loosening the pair of retractable seat belts that include the locking mechanism such that the pair of retractable seat belts can be pulled forward;
detecting locking of the locking mechanism that prevents the child's lateral movement;
and
in response to the detecting the locking, using the motor to automatically retract the pair of retractable seat belts until a predetermined amount of pressure between the retractable seat belts and the child is reached wherein the predetermined amount of pressure is measured by accommodating for a thickness of the clothing worn by the child.

3 more elements

A method comprising:

detecting placement of a child in a portable child car seat that is secured to a vehicle's back seat, wherein the portable child car seat includes a) a pair of retractable seat belts that have a locking mechanism to secure the child in the portable child car seat and b) a motor;
in response to detecting the placement of the child in the portable child car seat:
automatically loosening the pair of retractable seat belts that include the locking mechanism such that the pair of retractable seat belts can be pulled forward, wherein automatically loosening comprises loosening the pair of retractable seat belts by a larger displacement when the child is wearing a thicker piece of clothing selected from a group consisting of a jacket, sweater, coat, dress, or blanket than when a child not wearing any clothing on their upper body or is wearing a thinner piece of clothing selected form a group consisting of a shirt, t-shirt, girl's top, swimwear, or body-hugging clothing;
detecting locking of the locking mechanism that prevents the child's lateral movement;
and
in response to the detecting the locking, using the motor to automatically retract the pair of retractable seat belts until a predetermined amount of pressure between the retractable seat belts and the child is reached.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for securing and monitoring a child placed in a car seat of a vehicle

Life of this patent

System and method for securing and monitoring a child placed in a car seat of a vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19