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US 12,762,938 B1Granted
Method and/or system for modifying a vehicle and/or modifying a finished child car seat to provide information to a user
OwnerJeffrey Muenchinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and/or system for modifying a vehicle and/or modifying a finished child car seat to provide information to a user regarding the potential exposure of a child within the vehicle to dangerous predetermined conditions and alert relevant parties to the presence of danger therein. The method and/or system enhances the safety with which infants and children can be transported in a vehicle.
Claims20
A method of modifying a vehicle and modifying a finished child car seat to notify a user to an alert condition of the finished child car seat, comprising:
- providing a vehicle having a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat having a seat base and a seat back;
- providing the finished child car seat which is free of electronics in a finished state, the finished child car seat having a child holding area, the finished child car seat also having an outer surface;
- securing the finished child car seat to the vehicle seat;
- attaching a sensor to the finished child car seat to detect an occupant positioned in the child holding area, the sensor configured to provide an occupancy signal when an occupant is present in the child holding area, the sensor being located on the car seat base such that the sensor is positioned between the finished child car seat and the seat base when the finished child car seat is secured to the vehicle seat;
- locating a control unit on the outer surface of the finished child car seat, the control unit being in communication with the sensor and configured to receive the occupancy signal, the control unit having a temperature sensor and a notification module positioned therein;
- the control unit being configured to determine when an alert condition exists, an alert condition existing when the occupant is in the child car seat and the temperature in the vehicle is either one of:
- (1) above a first predetermined temperature, or (2) below a second predetermined 22 temperature, the notification module sending an alert signal when the control unit detects the alert condition;
- and
- positioning an aftermarket speaker within an engine compartment of the vehicle and in communication with the notification module, the aftermarket speaker being configured to generate an audible alarm when the alert signal is received from the notification module, wherein the audible alarm includes the audible recitation of emergency contact information and an initial time of the alert signal.
6 more elements
A method of modifying a vehicle and modifying a finished child car seat to notify a user to an alert condition of the finished child car seat, comprising:
- providing a vehicle having a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat having a seat base and a seat back;
- providing the finished child car seat which is free of electronics in a finished state, the finished child car seat having a child holding area, the finished child car seat also having an outer surface;
- securing the finished child car seat to the vehicle seat;
- attaching a sensor to the finished child car seat to detect an occupant positioned in the child holding area, the sensor configured to provide an occupancy signal when an occupant is present in the child holding area, the sensor being located on the car seat base such that the sensor is positioned between the finished child car seat and the seat base when the finished child car seat is secured to the vehicle seat;
- locating a control unit on the outer surface of the finished child car seat, the control unit being in communication with the sensor and configured to receive the occupancy signal, the control unit having a temperature sensor and a notification module positioned therein;
- the control unit being configured to determine when an alert condition exists, an alert condition existing when the occupant is in the child car seat and the temperature in the vehicle is either one of:
- (1) above a first predetermined temperature, or (2) below a second predetermined temperature, the notification module sending an alert signal when the control unit detects the alert condition;
- and
- positioning an aftermarket speaker within an engine compartment of the vehicle and in communication with the notification module, the aftermarket speaker being configured to generate an audible alarm when the alert signal is received from the notification module, wherein the audible alarm includes the audible recitation of emergency contact information and an initial time of the alert signal.
6 more elements
A method of modifying a vehicle and modifying a finished child car seat to notify a user to an alert condition of the finished child car seat, comprising:
- providing a vehicle having a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat having a seat base and a seat back;
- providing the finished child car seat which is free of electronics in a finished state, the finished child car seat having a child holding area, the finished child car seat also having an outer surface;
- securing the finished child car seat to the vehicle seat;
- attaching a sensor to the finished child car seat to detect an occupant positioned in the child holding area, the sensor configured to provide an occupancy signal when an occupant is present in the child holding area, the sensor being located on the car seat base such that the sensor is positioned between the finished child car seat and the seat base when the finished child car seat is secured to the vehicle seat;
- locating a control unit on the outer surface of the finished child car seat, the control unit being in communication with the sensor and configured to receive the occupancy signal, the control unit having a temperature sensor and a notification module positioned therein;
- the control unit being configured to determine when an alert condition exists, an alert condition existing when the occupant is in the child car seat and the temperature in the vehicle is either one of:
- (1) above a first predetermined temperature, or (2) below a second predetermined temperature, the notification module sending an alert signal when the control unit detects the alert condition;
- and
- positioning an aftermarket speaker within the engine compartment of the vehicle and in communication with the notification module, the aftermarket speaker being configured to generate an audible alarm when the alert signal is received from the notification module, wherein the audible alarm includes the audible recitation of emergency contact information and an initial time of the alert signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.