Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of prior Provisional Application No. 60/314,077, filed Aug. 23, 2001. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to vehicle safety and, more specifically, apparatuses and methods for monitoring and detecting seat belt usage. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Many states now have mandatory seat belt laws, but enforcement of seat belt laws has been ineffective. Enforcement of seat belt laws has been performed predominantly by visual detection by police personnel or by admission of violators. Obviously, visual detection from a distance becomes almost impossible and too subjective. Even at close distances, visual detection is subjective and prone to challenge in a court of law. Furthermore in inclement weather or under the cover of darkness, visual detection is nearly impossible. In contrast, radar guns that are used to detect vehicles traveling at excessive speeds and above the speed limit are reliable and not as prone to challenges in court. To date, detection devices, similar to radar guns, are not available for detecting seat belt usage. 
     Numerous sources indicate that seat belt usage is the single most effective piece of safety gear in vehicles. Auto industry employees, law enforcement personnel, the United States Department of Transportation (hereinafter “USDOT”), the Federal Highway and National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (hereinafter “NHTSA”) have emphasized that the use of seat belts remain the single most important safety factor for saving lives in a crash. The USDOT, Federal Highway and NHTSA have indicated that the largest single issue with them is preventing injuries, saving lives and saving money via seat belt usage. The USDOT and/or NHTSA have reported that “[s]afety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent. Recent NHTSA analyses indicate an overall fatality-reducing effectiveness for air bags of 12 percent.” In DOT HS 809 327 Traffic Safety Facts 2000 Occupant Protection, it indicates that seat belts are three and one-half times more effective than air bags in reducing fatal injuries. In DOT HS 809 349 November 2001, Norman Mineta, United States Secretary of Transportation, emphatically summarized the above in his Fourth Report to Congress, dated November 2001, “[n]o other transportation initiative has greater potential for reducing deaths and injuries of Americans of all ages and races, which is why the Buckle Up America Campaign is so very, very important.” 
     In TEA 21 Grants Information, NHTSA has printed and released information that indicates that for an average of one to four percentage points increase in seat belt usage rates, 232 to 940 lives would be saved annually; 5,700 to 23,000 non-fatal injuries would be prevented; and $64 million to $258 million in medical costs would be reduced. Significantly, this is for a nominal increase in percentage of seat belt usage, or specifically from one to four percentage points. In TEA 21 Grant Information, it was reported that a study conducted by NHTSA revealed that the average in-patient cost for crash victims, who were not using seat belts, was 55 percent higher than for those who used their seat belts. 
     To further illustrate the significance of the staggering potential for improvement with seat belt usage, Norman Mineta reported in his Fourth Report to Congress, see TEA 21 Grants Information, that “[t]he average inpatient hospital charges for an unbelted driver exceed the inpatient, hospital charges of a belted driver by $5,000. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that if the seat belt use rate for front seat passengers in automobiles and light trucks increased to 90 percent, Medicare and Medicaid alone would save $356 million each year. If the national seat belt use rate increased from 68 percent to 90 percent, over 5,500 additional lives would be saved and over 132,000 injuries would be prevented each year, resulting in an economic savings of about $8.8 billion annually.” 
     Newspaper articles throughout the country regularly report tragic accidents resulting in serious injury and death that occur could have been prevented if the occupant(s) had been wearing a seat belt. The State Journal Register, Springfield, Ill., dated Jan. 1, 2002 reported a fatal crash that took the lives of two Riverton High School teenage youths, and specifically pointed out that they weren&#39;t wearing seat belts. In the same newspaper dated Feb. 15, 2002, it was reported that a young, twenty-five year old professional baseball player, in only his second year of major league baseball, was tragically killed along with his twenty-three year old friend. A third occupant in the car was the only one out of the three that was wearing a seat belt and the only one that lived. During the accident, the other two occupants were ejected from the vehicle and died. 
     These examples are a mere sample and consistent with statistics that are provided by the NHTSA. In TEA 21 Grants Information, it was reported that “[i]n fatal crashes, 75 percent of passenger car occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed. Safety belts are effective in preventing total ejections: only 1 percent of the occupants reported to have been using restraints were totally ejected, compared with 22 percent of the unrestrained occupants.” 
     In an Associated Press release, dated Feb. 28, 2002, an article appeared in the Springfield, Illinois State Journal Register titled, “Government backs away from ‘unrealistic’ seat belt use goal.” Jeffrey Runge, head of the NHTSA, told a Senate Appropriations panel, in summarization, that seat belt usage has not met standards set by the previous Presidential Administration. Mr. Runge&#39;s suggestion was to set more realistic goals. The decision was criticized by Senator Patty Murray, who leads the transportation subcommittee, for setting lower expectations. “I believe in realistic goals, but I also believe when you lower your goal like that you send a very bad message, Murray, D-Wash., told Runge.” 
     It has been expressed that the best way to increase seat belt usage rates by any significant levels is by further innovative techniques. In further published information released by USDOT—NHTSA on a Web site dated June 2001, it was reported that a key to obtaining higher seat belt usage rates is to have a law enforcement centerpiece for better enforcement. In DOT HS 809 291, dated June 2001, it was reported that “[a] high profile enforcement effort is one of the best ways to increase seat belt use. No other intervention—except for passage of the law itself—consistently shows equally powerful results.” Further, the reason these efforts usually work is simple: “if people perceive they are likely to get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt, they are much more likely to buckle up. Safety advocates have a powerful new weapon in their arsenal—law enforcement&#39;s ability to pull over a motorist simply for violating the seat belt law. Yet, the power behind the law is not so much in the action itself, it is in how a standard enforcement law can increase a person&#39;s perceived risk of being pulled over for not being buckled up.” The statements on this Web site, in part, are describing the advocacy of a primary enforcement law where a state has a law that a person can be pulled over simply for violating the seat belt law, as opposed to what is called secondary enforcement law states where an enforcement officer has to have another reason for pulling a person over before being allowed to write a citation for a seat belt violation. However, it still remains that police or law enforcement officials do not have monitoring or detection devices for seat belt violations. This would lead to the prior mentioned actions of motorist&#39;s perception that they are more likely to get pulled over and ticketed for not using a seat belt. The power of a new enforcement effort in this manner would not be so much in the action itself, but in how that action would increase a person&#39;s perceived risk of being pulled over for not wearing a seat belt and thus would cause seat belt usage rates in and of itself to go up. It is estimated that this alone could increase the seat belt usage by as much as 5 to 10 percent. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,066 provides a great deal of information on seat belt devices that have been implemented recently. Most of these devices have been of the passive reminder variety to remind vehicle occupants that they do not have their seat belt on. Other more aggressive attempts have been made to get occupants to wear their seat belts, such as devices that do not allow the vehicle to start unless the occupants have their seat belts on. Some of these attempts and devices have been viewed as obtrusive on the driver or even life endangering in the case of certain emergencies. While some of these devices are helpful in getting some occupants to use seat belts, additional devices or methods are needed to encourage die-hard non-wearers to use their seat belt. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,066 takes a step in the direction of surveillance. However, the system lends itself to strong self-incrimination by illuminating lights that represent a vehicle occupant is not wearing his or her seat belt. Moreover, since seat belt use is not mandated in all states, this system may be unacceptable in some states. Also, this system will change the outside appearance of vehicles and may be unacceptable to automobile manufacturers in the presentation of its product to the buying consumer. Further, the public&#39;s opinion weighs toward privacy in this touchy and sensitive, yet important, issue. It would be more acceptable from a privacy standpoint to allow only law enforcement personnel to monitor the use or non-use of seat belt laws. 
     It is apparent that a low cost and effective method and device to encourage individuals to wear seat belts is needed. Moreover, a method and device that only allows law enforcement personnel to monitor, enforce and apply the seat belt laws of various states is needed. Also, a method and device that is unobtrusive on the appearance of a vehicle is needed to facilitate acceptance by automobile manufacturers and the buying public. 
     The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems and disadvantages as set forth above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide apparatuses and methods for overcoming one or more of the problems and disadvantages set forth above. 
     In another aspect of the invention, there are methods and apparatuses for monitoring and detecting seat belt usage or lack thereof. 
     In yet another aspect of the invention, there is an electronic device having an enforcement device and vehicle device including transmitters and receivers for use in monitoring and detecting seat belt usage. 
     In still another aspect of the invention, there is an electronic vehicle devices installed in vehicles for receiving and transmitting signals for use in monitoring and detecting seat belt usage. 
     The above aspects are merely illustrative and should not be construed as all-inclusive and limiting to the scope of the invention. The aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent, as it becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views. 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of an enforcement device according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of a circuit board for the enforcement device according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a table of electrical components used in the circuit board for the enforcement device; 
     FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic of the enforcement device; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a circuit board for a vehicle device; 
     FIG. 6 is a table of electrical components used in the circuit board for the vehicle device; 
     FIG. 7 is an electrical schematic of the vehicle device; and 
     FIG. 8 is top view of an antenna assembly for the vehicle device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It is to be understood that while a certain embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific embodiment or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification. 
     FIGS. 1-4 show an enforcement device  10  for detecting seat belt usage in vehicles equipped with a vehicle device  11 . The enforcement device  10  has an enforcement printed circuit board  16  including a transmitter  12  and a receiver  13  for transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the vehicle device  11 , respectively. The transmitter  12  is preferably a Transmitter, part number TXE-418-KH sold by Linx Technologies having an office at 575 S.E. Ashley Place, Grants Pass, Oreg., 97526. The receiver  13 , is preferably, an eight channel data receiver, part number RXD-418-KH sold by Linx Technologies having an office at 575 S.E. Ashley Place, Grants Pass, Oreg., 97526. Voltage regulators  35 ,  36  are electrically connected to and recommended by the manufacturers of the transmitter  12  and the receiver  13 , respectively. The voltage regulator  35  is a 5 VDC voltage regulator and is electrically connected to the transmitter  12 . The voltage regulator  36  is a 3.3 VDC voltage regulator and is electrically connected to the receiver  13 . The enforcement device  10  is battery powered by a 12 VDC battery  14 . A charger jack  34  is electrically connected to and used for charging the battery  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery  14  supplies power to the enforcement circuit board  16  of the enforcement device  10  via a battery connection  15 . Once the power is supplied to the enforcement circuit board  16 , a trigger  17  is used to transmit a signal to the vehicle device  11 . The trigger  17  is mounted to a handle  18  of the enforcement device  10 . The handle  18  is mounted transverse to an insulator  19  via a screw  20  and bolt  21 . Spacers  22  are mounted between the insulator  19  and the enforcement circuit board  16 . An antenna ground plane  23  is intermediate to the insulator  19  and the enforcement circuit board  16 . The antenna ground plane  23  provides a ground for enforcement antennas  24 ,  38 . The enforcement antennas  24 ,  38  are, preferably, 418 mega-Hertz (MHz) antennas and are mounted to the enforcement ground plane  23  and extend in the horizontal plane and transverse to the handle  18 . When a user is holding the handle  18 , the enforcement antennas  24 ,  38  are pointed toward the desired target (i.e., a vehicle). The enforcement antennas  24 ,  38  have enforcement antenna wires  28 ,  39  and are connected to the enforcement ground plane  23  via antenna connectors  26 ,  80 , respectively. The enforcement antenna wires  28 ,  39  have distal ends having second connectors  27 ,  37  for connecting the enforcement antenna wires  28 ,  39  to the transmitter  12  and the receiver  13 , respectively, of the enforcement circuit board  16 . The second connectors  27 ,  37  are, preferably, SMA connectors and mate with enforcement board connectors  35 ,  36 . The enforcement antenna  24  is operatively, electrically connected to the transmitter  12 , and the enforcement antenna  38  is operatively, electrically connected to the receiver  13 . The enforcement antennas  24 ,  38  are used to transmit and receive signals from the vehicle device  11 . 
     The transmitter  12  on the enforcement printed circuit board  16  is coded with an enforcement transmit code. In the preferred embodiment, there is an enforcement transmit code device  112  for encoding the transmitter  12  of the enforcement printed circuit board  16 . The receiver  44  on the vehicle printed circuit board  40  is coded with a vehicle receiver code that is identical to the enforcement transmit code. In the preferred embodiment, there is an vehicle receiver code device  144  for encoding the receiver  44  of the vehicle printed circuit board  40  with the identical enforcement transmit code as that of the enforcement printed circuit board  16 . In that way, the communication between the transmitter  12  and the receiver  40  is impervious to outside noise and interference. 
     The transmitter  43  on the vehicle printed circuit board  40  is coded with an vehicle transmit code. In the preferred embodiment, there is a vehicle transmit code device  143  for encoding the transmitter  43  of the vehicle printed circuit board  40 . The receiver  13  on the enforcement printed circuit board  16  is coded with an enforcement receiver code that is identical to the vehicle transmit code. In the preferred embodiment, there is an enforcement receiver code device  113  for encoding the receiver  13  of the enforcement printed circuit board  16  with the identical vehicle transmit code as that of the vehicle printed circuit board  16 . In that way, the communication between the transmitter  43  and the receiver  13  is impervious to outside noise and interference. The address for the transmitter  12  of the enforcement printed circuit board  16  and the receiver  44  of the vehicle printed circuit board  40  is different from the address for the transmitter  43  of the vehicle printed circuit board  40  and the receiver  13  of the enforcement printed circuit board  16 . 
     To use the enforcement device  10 , the user turns “on” a power switch  32  and resets reset displays  31  to zeros or starting status via a reset  25 . To detect seat belt usage or lack thereof in a vehicle having the vehicle device  11  installed therein, the user points the enforcement antenna  24  of the enforcement device  10  at the vehicle and squeezes the trigger  17 . Referring now to FIG. 4, the trigger  17  activates a one-shot transmit enable Q 11  producing a 100 millisecond signal to the transmitter  12 , thereby activating the transmitter  12 . The transmitter  12  has an identification code of (0101010101), which will only communicate with a receiver in a vehicle having the same code. The transmitter  12  transmits a signal from the enforcement antenna  24 . The enforcement device  10  will receive a return signal via the enforcement antenna  38  from the vehicle device  11 . The enforcement antenna  38  receives and provides the incoming signal to the receiver  13 . The receiver  13  is, preferably, an eight channel (D 0 -D 7 ) receiver. If the receiver  13  verifies that an incoming signal from the vehicle device  11  is from an identification code consistent with the vehicle transmitter  43  code (i.e., 1010101010), the receiver  13  will generate a verified transmission signal VT and release digital information from the eight channels (D 0 -D 7 ) of the receiver  13 . The digital information is transferred from the receiver  13  and buffered by Q 1  and Q 2 , thereby not loading the receiver&#39;s  13  outputs. Inputs  1 ,  2 ,  4 , and  8  of display driver/latches Q 7 -Q 10  receive binary code information buffered by Q 2 . Four channels D 0 —belt switch status, D 1 —clock and arm window (1-shot) combined, D 2 —“A” binary sequence and D 3 —“B” binary sequence of digital information from the receiver  13  are buffered by Q 1 . Thereafter, the belt switch status D 0  is directed to Q 3 , which decodes a “yes” or “no” and illuminates a yes lamp  30  or a no lamp  29 , respectively. In an alternative embodiment, the yes lamp  30  is colored green and the no lamp  29  is colored red, such that when the seat belt is fastened, a green light is displayed and when the seat belt is not fastened, a red light is displayed. The clock and arm window D 1  signal is buffered by Q 1 , inverted by an inverter Q 4  and sent to a clock input CI of Q 5 . The “A” binary sequence D 2  and “B” binary sequence D 3  contain binary status (i.e., 00, 01, 10, 11) and are received by Q 5 , which produces an output decoding sequence of 1, 2, 3, 4. The decoding sequence of Q 5  is controlled by an inverted VT signal. This combination activates four switches of Q 6 , which in sequence enables display/latches Q 7 -Q 10 . The display/latches Q 7 -Q 10  provide output drivers for the displays  31  for displaying the last four vehicle identification numbers of the vehicle having the vehicle device  11  that was detected. The displays  31  are, preferably, two digit, seven segment displays. A display filter  33  is located between the displays  31  and user to enhance the light (e.g., red light) emitted from the Light Emitting Diodes (LED). In alternative embodiments, Liquid Crystal Display (LCDs) are substituted for the LEDs and display filter  33 , which has a lower power requirement. The displays  31  are reset via the reset  25  each time the user uses the enforcement device  10 . 
     FIGS. 5-18 show the vehicle device  11  having a vehicle circuit board  40  and vehicle antennas  41 ,  42 . The vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are, preferably, 418 mega-Hertz (MHz) antennas. Referring now to FIG. 8, the vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are dual ¼ wavelength antenna elements. The vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are mounted horizontally and in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are, preferably, mounted above a vehicle&#39;s headliner. Referring again to FIGS.  5 - 8 , the vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are operatively attached to a vehicle antenna ground plane  45 . The vehicle antenna ground plane  45  provides a ground for the vehicle antennas  41 ,  42 . The vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  have vehicle antenna wires  46 ,  47  and are connected to the vehicle ground plane  45  and via vehicle antenna connectors  48 ,  49 , respectively. The vehicle antenna wires  46 ,  47  have distal ends having second vehicle connectors  52 ,  53  for electrically connecting the vehicle antenna wires  46 ,  47  to a transmitter  43  and a receiver  44 , respectively, of the vehicle circuit board  40 . The second vehicle connectors  52 ,  53  are preferably SMA connectors and mate with vehicle board connectors  50 ,  51 , respectively. The vehicle antenna  42  is operatively, electrically connected to the transmitter  43 , and the vehicle antenna  41  is operatively, electrically connected to the receiver  44 . The vehicle antennas  41 ,  42  are used to transmit and receive signals, respectively, from the enforcement device  10 . 
     The vehicle device  11  has a vehicle printed circuit board  40  including the transmitter  43  and the receiver  44  for transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the enforcement device  10 , respectively. The transmitter  43  is preferably a Transmitter, part number TXE-418-KH sold by Linx Technologies having an office at 575 S.E. Ashley Place, Grants Pass, Oreg., 97526. The receiver  44  is preferably an eight channel data receiver, part number RXD-418-KH sold by Linx Technologies having an office at 575 S.E. Ashley Place, Grants Pass, Oreg., 97526. Voltage regulators  54 ,  55  are electrically connected to and recommended by the manufacturers of the transmitter  43  and the receiver  44 , respectively. The voltage regulator  54  is a 5 VDC voltage regulator and is electrically connected to the transmitter  43 . The voltage regulator  55  is a 3.3 VDC voltage regulator and is electrically connected to the receiver  44 . The vehicle device  11  is battery powered by the vehicle&#39;s 12VDC system. The vehicle&#39;s 12 VCD is applied to the vehicle&#39;s printed circuit board  40  via terminal  140  each time the ignition switch is turned “on.” 
     The vehicle equipped with the vehicle device  11  receives a signal from the enforcement device  10 . The receiver  44  receives the signal via the vehicle antenna  41  and, if accepted as the correct code, a transmission verified VT signal is generated from the receiver  44  and buffered by buffers Q 1 - 1 . A capacitive coupled output of Q 1 - 1  triggers a 100 millisecond pulse out of Q 2 . The output pulse becomes the transmit enable TE for the return path to the transmitter  43 . The Q 2  pulse is also combined with a 100 Hertz clock Q 3  by way of the AND function of Q 1 - 2 . This signal is the input of input channel D 1  of the transmitter  43 . Q 1 - 3  is a buffer for a seat belt switch  56 , which produces a high signal for “yes” or a low signal for “no” seat belt connection status from the seat belt switch  56  and delivers this signal to channel D 0  of the transmitter  43  for transmission to the receiver  13  of the enforcement device  10 . In alternative embodiments, each seat belt has the seat belt switch  56  connected thereto and a “no” seat belt connection status is generated if one or more of the seat belt switches  56  are disconnected and a “yes” seat belt connection status is generated if all seat belt switches  56  are connected. There are a number of seat belt switches for indicating whether a seat belt is fastened that is known by those in the automotive industry. Many of these switches and circuits have an audio (i.e., a beep) or visual (i.e., a warning light) reminder to the driver. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,883,441 and 6,215,395 have seat belt switches and circuits that can be modified and used herein. The clock signal and 1-shot signal from Q 1 - 2  provide a clocking action for binary counter Q 4 . Q 4  generates an output code 00, 01, 10, 11 through outputs A and B to inputs A and B of Q 5  and Q 6 , which will control multiplexers Q 5  and Q 6 . The A and B codes also become digital inputs D 2  and D 3 , respectively, of the transmitter  43 . Q 5  and Q 6  receive four digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN) from four BCD code switches  160  (1, 2, 4, 8). This vehicle identification code is specific to each vehicle and is set by the manufacturer via the switches  160  or programmed in a memory device. This code is placed at the digital inputs D 4 , D 5 , D 6 , D 7  of the transmitter  43  at regular intervals, with each digit following the previous digits. During the return path transmission to the receiver  13  of the enforcement device  10  and while the TE signal is high, all digital information including return path identification code (1010101010) transmitted to receiver  13  of the enforcement device  10  is repeated at least three times. The receive, delay and respond function of the vehicle device  11  is completed and insures that the transmitters  12  and  43  or the receivers  13  and  44  will not be on at the same time causing improper function of the system. 
     The technology used for and components on the enforcement circuit board  16  and the vehicle circuit board  40  are, preferably, through hole, surface mount or hybrid technology. The technology used is not meant to be limiting and is selected dependent upon the cost, production capabilities and spacing requirements. 
     The enforcement device  10  is described as an individual unit; however, it is important to note that the enforcement unit  10  is capable of being part of a speed radar gun. In that way, an all purpose safety enforcement device for detecting speeding and non-seat belt usage is provided. In an alternative embodiment, the enforcement unit  10  is attached to an existing radar gun by means of a holder, thereby creating a single piece of equipment. 
     In another embodiment, the enforcement unit  10  is placed proximate the roadway and is automatically triggered by sensors that detect the presence of a vehicle. These sensors are known to those skilled in the art and further explanation is not required. 
     In another embodiment, there is an apparatus and method integrating the technology for detecting red light violations with the above-mentioned invention. Surveillance cameras or videos used to issue a photo ticket are easily adapted to with aforementioned inventions to provide monitoring and detection of seat belt usage and issuance of tickets for non-seat belt usage. 
     The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

Technology Category: 7