IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,173,873
Granted Patent B2
US 11,173,873 · App. 16/743,886 · Granted Nov 16, 2021

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
B60R22/48B60N2/002B60R21/01532G06K7/10366H04B5/0025B60R2022/4816
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,173,873
App. No.
16/743,886
Filed
Jan 15, 2020
Granted
Nov 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2687
USPC
340/10.1
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 (53)

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been identified by a first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of a backrest of a seat of the vehicle;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, wherein by determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened a determining of whether the electronic tag has been identified by a second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest is avoided;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has not been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest;

in response to determining that the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag has not been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has fastened the seat belt to secure the occupant in the seat.

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

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occupant has fastened the seat belt but is sitting on top of the fastened seat belt.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the occupant has wrapped the seat belt around the backrest of the seat and then fastened the seat belt.

5. A system, comprising:

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

a first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of a backrest of a seat of the vehicle; and

a second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest, wherein the system performs operations, the operations comprising:

determining whether the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, wherein by determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened a determining of whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest is avoided;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has not been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest;

in response to determining that the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag has not been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has fastened the seat belt to secure the occupant in the seat.

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

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the occupant has fastened the seat belt but is sitting on top of the fastened seat belt.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the occupant has wrapped the seat belt around the backrest of the seat and then fastened the seat belt.

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:

determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been identified by a first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of a backrest of a seat of the vehicle;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, wherein by determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened a determining of whether the electronic tag has been identified by a second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest is avoided;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has not been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest

in response to determining that the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag has not been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has fastened the seat belt 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.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the occupant has fastened the seat belt but is sitting on top of the fastened seat belt.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the occupant has wrapped the seat belt around the backrest of the seat and then fastened the seat belt.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

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

determining whether an electronic tag installed in a seat belt of a seat belt assembly of a vehicle has been identified by a first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of a backrest of a seat of the vehicle;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, wherein by determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened a determining of whether the electronic tag has been identified by a second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest is avoided;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has not been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest;

in response to determining that the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag has not been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has fastened the seat belt to secure the occupant in the seat.

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

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the occupant has fastened the seat belt but is sitting on top of the fastened seat belt.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the occupant has wrapped the seat belt around the backrest of the seat and then fastened the seat belt.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

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

a first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a front surface of a backrest of a seat of the vehicle; and

a second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of a rear surface of the backrest, wherein a system in the vehicle performs operations, the operations comprising:

determining whether the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, wherein by determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened a determining of whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest is avoided;

in response to determining that the electronic tag installed in the seat belt of the seat belt assembly of the vehicle has not been identified by the first electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the front surface of the backrest of the seat of the vehicle, determining whether the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest;

in response to determining that the electronic tag has been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that the seat belt is incorrectly fastened; and

in response to determining that the electronic tag has not been identified by the second electronic device embedded within 1 cm of the rear surface of the backrest, determining that an occupant of the vehicle has fastened the seat belt to secure the occupant in the seat.

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

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the occupant has fastened the seat belt but is sitting on top of the fastened seat belt.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the occupant has wrapped the seat belt around the backrest of the seat and then fastened the seat belt.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2020
From: BEVINI, STEFANO; BIONDI, DOMENICO; GALLI, GIULIA; MORGANTINI, DANIELE
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051602/0923 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16399892 · Apr 30, 2019
Continuation 15836678 · Dec 8, 2017
Related Publication 20200148164A1 · May 14, 2020