IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,562,491
Granted Patent B2
US 10,562,491 · App. 16/399,892 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Method, system, and computer program product for detection of securely fastened seat belts

Inventors: Daniele Morgantini (Rome, IT); Stefano Bevini (Maltignano, IT); Giulia Galli (Viareggio, IT); Domenico Biondi (Naples, IT)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
B60R22/48G06K7/10366B60R2022/4816
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,562,491
App. No.
16/399,892
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic tag programmed with an identification in a seat belt assembly is identified by reading the programmed identification via an electronic device embedded in a seat. In response to identifying the electronic tag, a determination is made that an occupant has not fastened a seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

Claims (36)

1. A method, comprising:

in response to determining that a tongue of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been inserted into a buckle of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle, determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by an electronic device embedded within a backrest of a seat of the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has not fastened the seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic tag is a Near-field Communication (NFC) tag, and wherein the electronic device is a NFC reader.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of the backrest of the seat.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest of the seat.

5. A system, comprising:

an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle; and

an electronic device embedded within a backrest of a seat of the vehicle, wherein the system performs operations, the operations comprising:

in response to determining that a tongue of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been inserted into a buckle of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has not fastened the seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electronic tag is a Near-field Communication (NFC) tag, and wherein the electronic device is a NFC reader.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of the backrest of the seat.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest of the seat.

9. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform operations on a processor, the operations comprising:

in response to determining that a tongue of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been inserted into a buckle of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle, determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by an electronic device embedded within a backrest of a seat of the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has not fastened the seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the electronic tag is a Near-field Communication (NFC) tag, and wherein the electronic device is a NFC reader.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of the backrest of the seat.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest of the seat.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor performs operations, the operations comprising:

in response to determining that a tongue of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been inserted into a buckle of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle, determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by an electronic device embedded within a backrest of a seat of the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has not fastened the seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the electronic tag is a Near-field Communication (NFC) tag, and wherein the electronic device is a NFC reader.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of the backrest of the seat.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest of the seat.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of a seat belt assembly of the vehicle; and

an electronic device embedded within a backrest of a seat of the vehicle, wherein a system in the vehicle performs operations, the operations comprising:

in response to determining that a tongue of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been inserted into a buckle of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly has been identified by the electronic device embedded within the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has not fastened the seat belt of the seat belt assembly to secure the occupant in the seat.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the electronic tag is a Near-field Communication (NFC) tag, and wherein the electronic device is a NFC reader.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of the backrest of the seat.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the electronic device is embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest of the seat.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2019
From: BEVINI, STEFANO; BIONDI, DOMENICO; GALLI, GIULIA; MORGANTINI, DANIELE
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049119/0809 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15836678 · Dec 8, 2017
Related Publication 20190256042A1 · Aug 22, 2019