Child Safety in a Vehicle Alert System and Method
OwnerJason Davisinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alert system to assist in child safety in a vehicle includes a seat belt buckle insert adapted to be inserted between the male and female parts of a standard safety belt found in most automobiles or for a child car safety seat. It may also include a portable receiver device designed to be carried by a vehicle operator. The seat belt buckle insert detects whether the seat belt has been buckled and the temperature is within an acceptable range, as well as the approximate distance between the seat belt buckle insert and portable receiver device. The seat belt buckle transmits information gathered to the portable receiver device and triggers alerts notifying the vehicle operator of a child's safety status.
Claims10
An alert system to monitor child safety in a vehicle comprising a set buckle insert, the insert comprising:
- a female connecting buckle portion for releasably connecting with a male tongue of a safety belt of a child car seat or vehicle;
- a male connecting tongue portion for releasably connecting with a female portion of the buckle of the car seat or vehicle buckle seat belt strap;
- a mechanical release button for releasing the connection of the female connecting buckle portion seat belt buckle insert;
- sensors for sensing connection of the male tongue and the female connecting buckle portion to complementary portions of the safety belt of the vehicle or child safety seat;
- and
- a wireless transmitter for transmitting messages generated by the insert indicating a connection status of the insert with a tongue and a buckle of the safety belt.
A method of alerting a vehicle operator of the safety of a child in a vehicle comprising:
- in response to a seat belt buckle insert, having a tongue and a buckle, being connected between a tongue and buckle of a safety belt;
- determining whether a child is buckled through sensors located within the insert next to the buckle and the tongue;
- communicating wirelessly whether the seat belt buckle is properly buckled to a portable receiver device;
- and
- alerting the user as to whether or not the seat belt buckle insert is properly connected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.