Patent ID: 7642907

Claim:
An automotive restraint monitoring assembly comprising: a seatbelt assembly including a buckle element and clip element affixed to an automotive seat assembly; a wireless transponder element and transponder antenna positioned within said buckle element, said wireless transponder element wirelessly transmitting a seat-based unique identification signal when said clip element is positioned within said buckle element; a base station mounted within a vehicle including at least one base station antenna in wireless communication with said wireless transponder; a vehicle belt alert system in communication with said base station; a switch within the buckle element, said switch being operable between a closed position and an open position, said closed position electrically connecting the transponder element to said transponder antenna, said open position electrically disconnecting said transponder element from said transponder antenna; wherein said switch is biased to remain in said open position except when said clip is insert into said buckle, said wireless transponder element is only connected to said transponder antenna when said clip element is inserted into buckle element; a seat occupant sensor within each automotive seat assembly, said seat occupant sensor transmitting a signal indicative of whether the automotive seat assembly is occupied or unoccupied; and wherein said base station identifies each automotive seat assembly having a fastened seat belt based on said signals transmitted from said wireless transponder element of each buckle element indicating insertion of the clip element within said buckle element, wherein said base station includes a plurality of seat antennas to receive said signals transmitted from the buckle elements, wherein one or more of said plurality of seat antennas are selectively enabled to receive said signal from said buckle elements according to signals received from said seat occupant sensors, wherein at least one of said one or more seat antennas selectively enabled to receive signals from a first one of said buckle elements when a first one of the plurality of said automotive seat assemblies is occupied is not also enabled to receive signals from a second one of said buckle elements when a second one of said plurality of automotive seat assemblies is occupied.