Methods and apparatus for determining seatbelt status are disclosed. An example system includes a plurality of seats including seatbelts. Each of the seatbelts includes a sensor to detect a position of a respective seatbelt, the position including at least one of a fastened position or an unfastened position, and a transceiver to wirelessly communicate the position of the respective seatbelt. The system includes a remote monitoring unit to receive the positions of the seatbelts. The remote monitoring unit is to determine if one or more seats are occupied and, in response to determining that one or more seats are occupied, the remote monitoring unit is to display an overview the seats and the respective positions of the seatbelts for the one or more occupied seats.

A seat assembly comprises a seat. The seatbelt securing system further comprises a seatbelt coupled to the seat. The seatbelt comprises a first strap and a second strap. The seatbelt further comprises a latch configured to selectively secure the first strap relative to the second strap. The latch further comprises a latch sensor configured to provide a secured indication in response to detection that the latch properly secures the first strap of the seatbelt to the second strap of the seatbelt and provide an unsecured indication in response to detection that the latch does not properly secure the first strap of the seatbelt to the second strap of the seatbelt. The latch further comprises a latch indicator to provide a warning in response to the unsecured indication.

A system for managing a seat occupancy status by a passenger and a control method of the system includes a seat belt sensor provided for each seat to detect a fastening or unfastening of the seat belt, a pressure detection unit provided for each seat to detect occupancy or non-occupancy of a seat by a passenger and pressure of the seated passenger, a secondary control unit provided for each seat and woken up by radio communication with a vehicle to alert to an unfastened state of the seat belt when the seat belt is unfastened upon determining, by a seat belt sensor, whether the seat belt is fastened, and a primary control unit provided in the vehicle to perform radio communications with each secondary control unit and check an abnormality based on reception or non-reception of the system data transmitted from the secondary control unit.

A vehicle seat occupant classification system for use in a vehicle seat includes a weight-responsive sensor, at least one bracket member serving as a holder for the weight-responsive sensor, and an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a status of the at least one weight-responsive sensor. The bracket member is fixedly attached to the seat base. If a mechanical load at least corresponding to a first pre-determined threshold value is applied by a seat occupant, a portion of the vehicle seat comes into mechanical interaction with the at least one weight-responsive sensor, and is configured to change a status of the at least one weight-responsive sensor if a mechanical load at least corresponding to a second pre-determined threshold value is applied. Relative movement between the seat base and the at least one weight-responsive sensor is at least excluded for applied mechanical loads that are smaller than the first pre-determined threshold value.

A seat monitoring system for monitoring an occupancy related status of at least one seat inside an automotive vehicle compartment. The seat monitoring system includes a control module mounted within the compartment, and at least one sensor module integrated into the at least one seat. The sensor module has a sensing system for sensing an occupancy related status with respect to the seat. The control module is arranged in wireless communication with the sensor module. The control module has at least three transmitting RF antennas configured to transmit a request signal in at least three directions inside the vehicle compartment; and the sensor module is further configured to receive the request signals from the at least three directions, to determine reception parameters of the request signals, and to transmit an information responsive to the reception parameters to the control module.

An occupant detection system includes a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat base, and a biometric sensor arranged in at least one of the seat back and the seat base. The biometric sensor is configured to detect a physiological characteristic of a seat occupant. A controller is operatively connected to the biometric sensor. The controller is configured to provide an output signal in response to a physiological characteristic detected signal from the biometric sensor.

A vehicle safety system includes a vehicle that has a plurality of seats, a plurality of seat belts, an electrical system and an ignition. Each of the seat belts includes a buckle and a clasp. A plurality of buckle sensors is provided and each of the buckle sensors is coupled to the buckle on an associated one of the seat belts. Each of the buckle sensors senses when the clasp of the associated seat belt is engaged to the buckle of the associated seat belt. A plurality of weight sensors is provided and each of the weight sensors is coupled to an associated one of the seats to sense weight of an occupant in the associated seat. A shut down unit is coupled to the vehicle. The shut down unit is in electrical communication with each of the seat belt sensors, each of the weight sensors and the ignition. The shut down unit turns the ignition off when any of the weight sensors senses an occupant in an associated of the seats and the buckle sensor corresponding to the associated seat does not sense the seat belt of the associated seat is fastened.

A system and method of detecting seatbelt position in a vehicle having a seat, a seatbelt assembly, and an image sensor is disclosed. The method includes determining a latch status of the seatbelt assembly, taking an image of the seat with the image sensor, determining a position of the seat from the image, and displaying the position of the seat on a display and a seatbelt unlatched warning. The seat belt latch alert system for a vehicle includes a first row of seats, a second row of seats movable between a plurality of positions, a seatbelt assembly connected to each seat having a latch configured to be latched and unlatched, an image sensor taking images of the seat if the latch is unlatched, a processor for determining a position of the seat from the image, and a display for displaying the positions of the seat and a seatbelt unlatched warning.

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 method for determining an occupant class for a vehicle seat includes obtaining, via first and second seat weight sensors, first and second seat weight indications for the vehicle seat. The first seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a front location on the vehicle seat. The second seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a rear location on the vehicle seat. The method also includes obtaining a vehicle acceleration value from a vehicle acceleration sensor. The method also includes determining a raw weight on the vehicle seat as twice the sum of the first and second seat weight indications, and determining a filtered weight based on the raw weight. The method further includes determining the occupant class based on the filtered weight in response to the vehicle acceleration value being less than a predetermined value.