Patent ID: 7426429

Claim:
A seatbelt safety system for detecting seatbelt usage in a vehicle by at least a vehicle occupant comprising: a. at least a seat sensor mounted between the seat mounting structure means and the floor means of a vehicle for identifying when an occupant is seated within the vehicle seat; b. at least a seatbelt tension sensor means for identifying whether an occupant identified by the seat sensor has fastened the seatbelt of the seat; c. said seatbelt tension sensor means secured to the vehicle by a fastener, a first communication device comprising at least a transmitting means arranged in the seatbelt first end, and a second communication device comprising at least a receiving means arranged in the seatbelt second end, wherein said transmitting means and said receiving means being capable of communicating to each other for establishing communication link with at least the ends of at least the first and/or the second communication device; d. a housing means adapted to be secured by the fastener and at least a first and/or a second communication device, an anchor plate mounted on the housing means, a strain gage secured to the housing means responsive for extending communication signal through a wire harness to at least a processing means; e. means for monitoring the signal strength of the first and second communication devices and the signal strength of the strain gage; f. said means for monitoring signal strength further comprising means for providing signals indicative of the seatbelt either is fastened or is unfastened based on the said signal strength of at least the first signal communication device, the second signal communication device, and/or the strain gage; g. a vehicle sensor identifying when the vehicle is in motion; h. a spring located between the anchor plate and the strain gage; i. a control system operatively configured with means for preventing at least an occupant of said vehicle from starting at least a vehicle engine when the seat sensor and the seatbelt sensor indicate that the occupant is seated within the seat without a fastened seatbelt; j. said control system further comprising means for locking the seatbelt when the vehicle sensor indicates that the vehicle is operating in a predetermined manner; k. said control system operatively configured with said occupant sensor means for determining whether to allow deployment of restraints for the occupant based on measured parameters including at least a measured seat occupant weight and/or at least a measured seatbelt tension; and l. a sensor circuitry for characterizing at sensor output signal.