US 12,330,586 B2
Vehicle passenger sensing and reporting system
Michael Douglas Moffa, Auburn, AL (US); Gregory E. Schafer, Incline Village, NV (US); Dan C. Mower, Grass Valley, CA (US); and Erin M. West, Auburn, CA (US)
Assigned to Freedman Seating Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by Freedman Seating Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on May 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/735,955.
Application 17/735,955 is a division of application No. 16/579,559, filed on Sep. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,318,910, issued on May 3, 2022.
Application 16/579,559 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/298,200, filed on Mar. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,457,208, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Application 16/298,200 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/974,318, filed on May 8, 2018, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2023/0019826 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60R 22/48 (2006.01); B60N 2/00 (2006.01); B60Q 9/00 (2006.01); B60R 16/023 (2006.01); G07C 5/02 (2006.01); G07C 5/08 (2006.01); F16H 61/22 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 22/48 (2013.01) [B60N 2/0025 (2023.08); B60Q 9/00 (2013.01); B60R 16/023 (2013.01); G07C 5/02 (2013.01); G07C 5/08 (2013.01); B60N 2/0033 (2023.08); B60N 2/0034 (2023.08); B60N 2210/40 (2023.08); B60N 2220/10 (2023.08); B60N 2220/20 (2023.08); B60N 2230/10 (2023.08); B60N 2230/20 (2023.08); B60R 2022/4816 (2013.01); B60R 2022/4866 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/143 (2013.01); F16H 61/22 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seat sensing system for a vehicle having a plurality of seats, the system comprising:
a respective passenger sensor coupled to each of the plurality of seats;
a respective buckle sensor coupled to a seat belt buckle of each of the plurality of seats;
one or more passenger cabin modules, each associated with a respective one or more passenger sensors and a respective one or more buckle sensors, wherein the passenger cabin modules are configured to transmit a respective state of the passenger sensor and the buckle sensor associated with a given one of the plurality of seats upon a change in the state of the passenger sensor or the buckle sensor; and
a reporting module, the reporting module comprising:
a geolocation module for determining a location of the vehicle;
a display configured to be disposed proximate an operator of the vehicle;
a receiver configured to receive transmissions from the passenger cabin modules; and
a computing device configured to:
determine a passenger status and restraint status of each of the plurality of seats in the vehicle based on the received transmissions;
display the passenger status and restraint status of each of the plurality of seats on the display; and
periodically store the passenger statuses and restraint statuses in a memory of the computing device along with the location of the vehicle from the geolocation module.