In a method for operating a safety system of a motor vehicle, a corresponding safety system, and a motor vehicle equipped with such safety system, status signals from several sensor devices are captured by the safety system, wherein the status signals indicate respective status change of a functional unit of the motor vehicle. Thereafter, a chronological order of the status changes is determined and evaluated to detect a consistency or an inconsistency with the proper application of a seat belt of the motor vehicle. If an inconsistency is detected and it persists over a predetermined period of time, a control signal is transmitted by the safety system to a safety device of the motor vehicle.

In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media (transitory and non-transitory) are described that are associated with providing alerts to a caregiver in a vehicle. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a first sensor coupled with a restraint to provide a restraint indicator, a second sensor coupled with a securing component to provide an attachment indicator, and an alert module operated by one or more processors to cause a wireless transmitter to transmit an alert signal based at least in part on the restraint indicator and the attachment indicator. In various embodiments, a warning apparatus may include an output device and a warning module operated by one or more processors to activate the output device based at least in part on a wireless alert signal from a car seat in a vehicle that indicates the car seat is in use.

A vehicle seat sensor unit includes a seat occupancy sensor configured for wirelessly communicating with a control unit, at least one first seat detection sensor member and at least one second seat detection sensor member. The first seat detection sensor member is arrangeable in one out of a lower vehicle seat portion of a vehicle seat that is mountable in a vehicle in a removable manner, and a vehicle cabin floor, and the second seat detection sensor member is attachable to the other one of the lower vehicle seat portion and the vehicle cabin floor. The first seat detection sensor member and the second seat detection sensor member are configured to physically interact if mutually arranged within a specific distance. The physical interaction results in a detectable change of a status of at least one out of the first seat detection sensor member and the second seat detection sensor member.

In a method for identifying misuse of a seat belt in a vehicle, vehicle data are detected and, based on said data, a plausibility check is performed for determining whether the seat belt is fastened as intended. Signals of at least one belt buckle sensor and of at least one webbing extension sensor are detected and a plausibility check for misuse is performed by taking the time course of the signals and/or the point in time of input of the signals into account so as to make a comparison with stored reference data. A seat belt system in a vehicle for carrying out said method comprises at least one belt buckle sensor and at least one webbing extension sensor as well as at least one seat occupation sensor, one door sensor, one vehicle acceleration sensor and/or one vehicle speedometer as well as a control unit in which the signals of the sensors are stored and evaluated.

A method for providing an activation signal activating a vehicle occupant protection device includes reading in passenger compartment data from a passenger compartment detection unit and seat belt data from a seat belt sensor. The passenger compartment data represent a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The seat belt data represent a seat belt fastening angle of a seat belt of the vehicle at a belt reversing point relative to a reference axis of the vehicle. The method also includes determining, based on the passenger compartment data, a piece of seat position information representing an occupancy state of a vehicle seat by an occupant and a relative position of the seat relative to the vehicle; ascertaining an occupant class, representing a physical characteristic of the occupant, using the seat position information seat belt data; and generating the activation signal using the seat position information and the occupant class.

A vehicle warning device includes a housing disposed at a front of a roof in a vehicle compartment, a plurality of light emitting units provided in the housing to emit warning light having directionality, a seating sensor that detects a seated state of an occupant on each of back seats in the vehicle compartment, a wearing sensor that detects a wearing state of a seat belt of each of the back seats, and an ECU that controls turning on of each of the light emitting units based on the seated state and the wearing state, and each of the light emitting units corresponds to the occupant on each of the back seats, and has an optical axis disposed with respect to the housing toward an eye point region ER including an eye point of the occupant on the back seat.

A seatbelt system may include a seatbelt configured to constrain a waist and a torso of an occupant. The seatbelt may also include a coupling configured to selectively couple a portion of a vehicle and the seatbelt to one another. The system may also include a reel configured to receive at least a portion of the seatbelt, and a tension sensor associated with the coupling and/or the seatbelt and configured to generate a signal indicative of tension in the seatbelt. The system may also include a deployment sensor associated with the seatbelt and configured to generate a signal indicative of a length of the seatbelt deployed from the reel. The system may also include an occupant detector configured to determine, based at least in part on the signals indicative of tension and the length, whether an occupant is properly wearing the seatbelt, such that the seatbelt constrains the occupant.

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 pretionsioners and motors to release, pull back, and lock the car seat belts.

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 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.