Patent ID: 8427294

Claim:
A system for determining if a first portion of a seat belt is attached to a second portion of a seat belt, said system comprising: a first seat belt portion comprising a first seat buckle member comprising a magnet slidably mounted therein; a second seat belt portion comprising a second seat buckle member, said second seat buckle member configured to engage said first seat buckle member in a releasable attachment, said magnet configured to slide within said first seat buckle member when said second seat buckle member contacts said magnet; a sensing element located within said first seat buckle member, sliding of said magnet further configured to cause said sensing element to change state as said second seat buckle member becomes properly engaged with said first seat buckle member and cause said sensing element to change state as said second seat buckle member properly disengages from said first seat buckle member, said sensing element configured to output signals upon changing state, the change in state corresponding to one or both of attachment and non-attachment between said first seat buckle member and said second seat buckle member; a transmitter located within said first seat buckle member and configured to receive the signals from said sensing element, said transmitter further configured to transmit unique identification information and data corresponding to the signals received from said sensing element, the unique identification information corresponding with a location of the seat belt; and a display unit configured to receive the unique identification information and data from said transmitter, said display unit further configured to provide a display indicative of an attachment status between said first seat buckle member and said second seat buckle member.