Detecting unsafe car seat passenger-conditions

1. A portable car-seat assembly for installation in a vehicle, the car-seat assembly comprising:

a temperature sensor adapted to detect an ambient temperature about the car-seat assembly;

a location detector adapted to detect a location of the car-seat assembly, wherein the location detector comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit;

a data-processing apparatus adapted to:

detect an occurrence of an unsafe passenger-condition based on the ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor; and

in response to detecting an occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition, initiate transmission of a message to a remote recipient, the message indicating the location detected by the location detector, the message includes a physical address associated with GPS coordinates detected by the GPS unit; and

an electrical power system adapted to provide electrical power to the data-processing apparatus, the electrical power system including a solar receiver adapted to convert solar energy into electrical energy, the electrical energy providing primary power to the car-seat assembly and secondary power to a power source, the car-seat assembly and electrical power system are integrated into a self-contained unit.

2. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a seat adapted to support a passenger; and

a pressure sensor adapted to detect a passenger in the seat, wherein detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition comprises detecting that:

the ambient temperature does not meet a predetermined safe-temperature criterion, and

a passenger is detected in the seat.

3. The car-seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined safe-temperature-criterion comprises the ambient temperature being above a lower threshold and below an upper threshold.

4. The car-seat assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a user interface adapted to receive user input specifying the upper and lower thresholds.

5. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the data-processing apparatus is adapted to:

initiate transmission of the message to a first remote recipient in response to detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition; and

initiate transmission of the message to a second, different remote recipient in response to detecting a persistence of the unsafe passenger-condition for a predetermined amount of time.

6. The car-seat assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second remote recipient comprises an emergency first responder.

7. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a visual alert system adapted to generate a visual alert that is visible outside the vehicle in response a detected occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition, wherein the visual alert system comprises a strobe attached to the car-seat assembly.

8. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an audio alert system adapted to generate an audio alert that is audible outside the vehicle in response to a detected occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition.

9. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises a text message, and the car-seat assembly comprises a communication module adapted to send the message over a wireless communication network.

10. The car-seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the car-seat assembly comprises at least one of a child booster seat or an infant car seat.

11. A method performed in a vehicle comprising a portable car-seat assembly, the method comprising:

identifying a remote recipient when the car-seat assembly is registered;

monitoring temperature inside the vehicle;

detecting an occurrence of an unsafe passenger-condition based on the temperature inside the vehicle; and

in response to detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition;

detecting the location of the vehicle by operation of a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit,

determining a physical address associated with GPS coordinates detected by the GPS unit, and

initiating transmission of a message to the remote recipient, the message indicating a location of the vehicle and including the physical address associated with GPS coordinates detected by the GPS unit.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition comprises detecting that:

the temperature inside the vehicle does not meet a predetermined safe-temperature-criterion; and

a passenger is detected in the seat of a portable car-seat assembly inside the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

initiating transmission of the message to a first remote recipient in response to detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition; and

initiating transmission of the message to an emergency first responder in response to detecting a persistence of the unsafe passenger-condition for a predetermined amount of time.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating at least one of:

a visual alert that is visible outside the vehicle in response a detected occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition, wherein the visual alert comprises light from a strobe; or

an audio alert that is audible outside the vehicle in response to a detected occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the message comprises a text message, and the method comprises sending the text message over a wireless communication network.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the remote recipient further comprises identifying a smartphone and setting a safe temperature range for the car seat assembly.

17. A passenger vehicle comprising:

a temperature sensor adapted to detect an ambient temperature about a passenger seat assembly in a vehicle;

a location detector adapted to detect a location of the vehicle, wherein the location detector comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit;

a data-processing apparatus adapted to:

detect an occurrence of an unsafe passenger-condition based on the ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor; and

in response to detecting an occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition, initiate transmission of a message to a remote recipient, the message indicating the location detected by the location detector, the message includes a physical address associated with GPS coordinates detected by the GPS unit; and

an electrical power system adapted to provide electrical power to the data-processing apparatus, the electrical power system including a solar receiver adapted to convert solar energy into electrical energy, the electrical energy providing primary power to the passenger seat assembly and secondary power to a power source, the passenger car seat assembly and electrical power system are integrated into a self-contained unit.

18. The car-seat assembly of claim 17 , wherein the physical address comprises a street address and a distance of the car-seat assembly from the street address.

19. The car-seat assembly of claim 17 , wherein the car-seat assembly comprises a seat and a fabric cover that covers the car seat, and wherein the solar receiver is woven into a fabric of the fabric cover.

20. The car-seat assembly of claim 17 , further comprising:

a pressure sensor adapted to detect a passenger in the passenger seat assembly, wherein the pressure sensor is a pressure plate and wherein detecting the occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition comprises detecting that:

the ambient temperature does not meet a predetermined safe-temperature-criterion, and

a passenger is detected in the passenger seat assembly; and

a visual alert system adapted to generate a visual alert that is visible outside the vehicle in response a detected occurrence of the unsafe passenger-condition, wherein the visual alert system comprises a strobe attached to the car-seat assembly.