A device for controlling the correct operating state of a restraining harness, intended for a safety seat, including at least one retaining strap that is under tension when the harness is in the state of restraining the occupant, the device being intended to be disposed in a predefined area of the latter, the device including: at least one sensor device including an elongate flexible element that is suitable for being positioned on the strap, and in particular rigidly connected thereto in the predefined area, and that is provided with a measuring system to measure, in the predefined area, at least a level of bending and/or tilting of the strap, a device to collect values linked to the level of bending and/or tilting, and internal or external device configured to analyse the values and of communicating with a receiver for receiving information on the operating state of the retaining harness.

Various systems and methods are presented regarding automatically controlling a position of a seat belt located onboard a vehicle, wherein the position is controlled in accordance with physiology of an occupant utilizing the seat belt. By adjusting the position of the seat belt in accordance with the occupant's physiology, the seat belt system can be configured to improve operation of the seat belt in restraining the occupant during vehicle deceleration. Position of the seat belt can be controlled by a guidance device comprising a positionable guide pin which changes alignment of the seatbelt. A motor can be utilized to control positioning of the pin, wherein the motor can be controlled by a system configured to receive data from one or more sensors regarding any of the occupant's physiology, operation of the seat belt, position of the pin, and suchlike.

Various systems and methods are presented regarding automatically controlling a position of a seat belt located onboard a vehicle, wherein the position is controlled in accordance with physiology of an occupant utilizing the seat belt. By adjusting the position of the seat belt in accordance with the occupant's physiology, the seat belt system can be configured to improve operation of the seat belt in restraining the occupant during vehicle deceleration. Position of the seat belt can be controlled by a guidance device comprising a loop through which the seatbelt is fed, with the loop being positioned along at least one axis of motion. A motor can be utilized to control positioning of the loop, wherein the motor can be controlled by a system configured to receive data from one or more sensors regarding any of the occupant's physiology, operation of the seat belt, position of the loop, and suchlike.

A seat belt apparatus of a vehicle described in the present disclosure includes a seat belt coupled to a seat and including a webbing comprising a detectable material; a vision sensor configured to generate an image by capturing a field of view region including the seat; and a monitoring system configured to detect a length of the webbing e.g., based on the pattern coated with the at least one paint in the image, and determine whether a user wears the seat belt as desired or erroneously wears the seat belt based on the detected length of the webbing.

A method for manufacturing a webbing (20) for a seat belt system in a vehicle comprises the following steps of: weaving the webbing (20) using a first yarn (30) and a second yarn (32), the first yarn (30) and the second yarn (32) reflecting light in the spectrum invisible to humans with different intensity, wherein the first and second yarns (30, 32) form a pattern (36), and overdying the webbing (20) so that the webbing (20) reflects light in the spectral range visible to humans in such a way that it has a homogenous appearance for humans. Moreover, such a webbing (20) and a vehicle comprising such a webbing (20) are provided.

A system for detecting improper usage of a seatbelt of a vehicle includes a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and a seat back. A shoulder belt and a lap belt are intended to restrain an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat. The system includes a sensor module associated with the shoulder belt and the lap belt. The sensor module generates signals indicative of at least one parameter associated with the vehicle seat, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt when the occupant is sitting on the vehicle seat. The system also includes a controller that receives the signals indicative of the at least one parameter associated with the seat back, the shoulder belt, and the lap belt. The controller analyzes the received one or more signals, and determines whether the seatbelt is being used improperly by the occupant, based on the analysis.

A system for determining correct usage of a seat belt by a user on a seat of a machine includes an occupancy sensor, a seat belt sensor, a sensory tag, a first detector, a second detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine seat occupancy based on a first signal received from the occupancy sensor and also determine a coupling of a tongue of the seat belt with a buckle based on a second signal received from the seat belt sensor. The controller is configured to determine a correct usage of the seat belt from absences of a third signal from the first detector and a fourth signal from the second detector. The controller is configured to transmit a first control signal to a prime mover of a machine to allow starting of the prime mover upon determining that the seat belt is correctly used by the user.

A seatbelt device for a motor vehicle, including: a diagonal belt portion and a lap belt portion, each of which is connected to a seatbelt retractor that can be fixedly secured to the vehicle, a seatbelt buckle that can be fixedly secured to the vehicle, and a seatbelt tongue that can be locked to the seatbelt buckle. One end of the lap belt portion is secured to the seatbelt tongue, and one end of the diagonal belt portion is secured to a fitting, the fitting being rotatably connected to the seatbelt tongue. At least one sensor is provided and designed to detect the rotational angular position of the fitting with respect to the seatbelt tongue and/or the seatbelt buckle. The invention further relates to a corresponding method.

Systems and methods are disclosed related to restraint device (e.g., seatbelt) localization. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for seatbelt detection and modeling. A vehicle may be occupied by one or more occupants wearing one or more seatbelts. A camera or other sensor is placed within the vehicle to capture images of the one or more occupants. A system analyzes the images to detect and model seatbelts depicted in the images. Specifically, the system may scan the images and areas of the images that may correspond to seatbelts. The system may assemble candidate areas of the images that may correspond to seatbelts, and refine the candidate areas based on various constraints. The system may build models based on the refined candidate areas that indicate the seatbelts. The system may visualize the models indicating the seatbelts using the images.

In one embodiment, a system of detecting seat belt operation in a vehicle includes at least one light source configured to emit a predetermined wavelength of light onto structures within the vehicle, wherein at least one of the structures is a passenger seat belt assembly having a pattern that reflects the predetermined wavelength at a preferred luminance. At least one 3-D time of flight camera is positioned in the vehicle to receive reflected light from the structures in the vehicle and provide images of the structures that distinguish the preferred luminance of the pattern from other structures in the vehicle. A computer processor connected to computer memory and the camera includes computer readable instructions causing the processor to reconstruct 3-D information in regard to respective images of the structures and calculate a depth measurement of the distance of the reflective pattern on the passenger seat belt assembly from the camera.