Occupant discrimination system of vehicle seat

• US 10,150,385 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Tomatsu, Yoshiaki, Honda, Isao, Nakaya, Shintaro, Izuno, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boomer, Jeffrey C
• Application Number:
  US15/192,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20160375798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0026 for distinguishing between humans, animals or objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/266 with detection or alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children; with detection or alerting means responsive to improper locking or installation of the child seats or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems

Abstract

An occupant discrimination system of a vehicle seat includes a load detecting portion disposed on a lower side of a seat and detecting a load acting on the seat; an occupant discrimination portion discriminating a state of an occupant among a no occupant state, adult seated state, and child seat fixed states based at least on a load detected from the load detecting portion and a load continuation duration.

Claims

1. An occupant discrimination system of a vehicle seat comprising:

a load detecting portion which is disposed on a lower side of a seat of the vehicle and which detects a load that acts on the seat;

an occupant discrimination portion which discriminates a state of an occupant who is seated on the seat among a no occupant state, an adult seated state, and a child seat fixed state based on a state transition condition on the basis of a load which is detected from the load detecting portion and a load continuation duration; and

a door opening and closing state detecting portion which detects an opening and closing state of a door of the vehicle,

wherein the occupant discrimination portion sets a first continuation duration which is a state transition condition for transitioning from the no occupant state or the child seat fixed state to the adult seated state in a state in which the door opening and closing detecting portion detects the door open state to be longer than a second continuation duration which is a state transition condition for transitioning from the no occupant state or the child seat fixed state to the adult seated state in a state in which the door opening and closing detecting portion detects the door closed state.

2. The occupant discrimination system of a vehicle seat according to claim 1,

wherein the occupant discrimination portion prohibits transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state in a state in which the door opening and closing detecting portion detects the door open state, and

the occupant discrimination portion enables transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state within a predetermined period from a time at which the door opening and closing detecting portion detects switching from the door open state to the closed state, and prohibits transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state after the predetermined period has elapsed.

3. An occupant discrimination system of a vehicle seat comprising:

a load sensor which is disposed on a lower side of a seat of the vehicle and which detects a load that acts on the seat;

a door opening and closing state detecting portion which detects an opening and closing state of a door of the vehicle; and

a controller which discriminates a state of an occupant who is seated on the seat among a no occupant state, an adult seated state, and a child seat fixed state based on a state transition condition on the basis of a load which is detected from the load sensor and a load continuation duration,

wherein the controller sets a first continuation duration which is a state transition condition for transitioning from the no occupant state or the child seat fixed state to the adult seated state in a state in which the door opening and closing state detecting portion detects the door open state to be longer than a second continuation duration which is a state transition condition for transitioning from the no occupant state or the child seat fixed state to the adult seated state in a state in which the door opening and closing state detecting portion detects the door closed state.

4. The occupant discrimination system of a vehicle seat according to claim 3,

wherein the controller prohibits transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state in a state in which the door opening and closing state detecting portion detects the door open state, and

the controller enables transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state within a predetermined period from a time at which the door opening and closing state detecting portion detects switching from the door open state to the closed state, and prohibits transition from the adult seated state to the child seat fixed state after the predetermined period has elapsed.