Patent ID: 7233239

Claim:
A method of detecting improper installation of an auxiliary child seat in a motor vehicle and alerting a vehicle operator in the case of improper installation, the auxiliary child seat having a properly installed condition wherein the auxiliary child seat is resting on top of a vehicle seat, a seatbelt anchored to the vehicle is fastened around the auxiliary child seat by means of a seatbelt buckle, and the seatbelt is tightened to a tautness within an acceptable range, the method comprising: monitoring a seat occupancy sensor to determine whether the auxiliary child seat is present on the vehicle seat; monitoring a buckle condition sensor to determine whether the seatbelt buckle is fastened or unfastened; activating an alerting device if the auxiliary child seat is present on the vehicle seat and the seatbelt buckle is unfastened; monitoring a seatbelt tension sensor to determine a tautness of the seatbelt; and activating the alerting device if the auxiliary child seat is present, the seatbelt buckle is fastened, and the seatbelt tautness is not within the acceptable range.