Patent ID: 7009522

Claim:
A child-proximity monitoring and alarm system for use with a child seat securable within a vehicle, comprising: a detector assembly including a sensor and a transmitter, wherein the sensor is adapted to determine whether the child seat is occupied and the transmitter is operable to transmit a first indication that the child seat is occupied responsive to input from the sensor; a base unit including a transceiver operable to receive the first indication that the child seat is occupied and, responsive thereto, to transmit a second proximity-sensitive indication that the child seat is occupied; a portable unit housing an alarm and a receiver operable to receive the second proximity-sensitive indication that the child seat is occupied and to activate the alarm if the portable unit is removed beyond a first predetermined proximity range of the transmitter while the child seat is occupied; and a plurality of satellite units each having a transceiver operable to communicate to the base unit whether they are within a predetermined accessory proximity range.