Occupant sensor
First Claim
1. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
- a) providing for operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) providing for operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
c) placing an electrode at a location either between said heating element and a seating region of said seat, or adjacent to said heating element;
d) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said electrode; and
e) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An oscillatory or pulsed first signal is applied to a seat heating element that is operatively connected to first and second impedances that isolate the first signal from the source and sink of power to the heating element. In another embodiment, third and fourth impedances are connected to the first an second impedances at respective nodes, and a second signal substantially equal to the first signal is operatively coupled to the nodes. In another embodiment, the first signal is applied to an electrode, and the second signal is applied to the heating element, which shields the electrode from influence by the seat. In another embodiment, the first signal is applied to a first electrode that is shielded from the heating element by a second electrode operatively coupled to the second signal. The impedances may, for example, be provided by inductors or electronic switches.
169 Citations
93 Claims
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1. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) providing for operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) providing for operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
c) placing an electrode at a location either between said heating element and a seating region of said seat, or adjacent to said heating element;
d) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said electrode; and
e) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 18, 22, 26)
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5. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) placing a first electrode between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) placing a second electrode between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said first electrode; and
d) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 19, 23, 27)
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8. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) providing for operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) providing for operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat, and at least one of said first and second impedances is provided by at least one of respective first and second inductors; and
c) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (9, 20, 24, 28)
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10. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) providing for operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) providing for operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power;
c) providing for operatively connecting a third impedance between said first impedance and said source of power;
d) providing for operatively connecting a fourth impedance between said second impedance and said sink of power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
e) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes; and
f) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to at least one location selected from a third node between said first and third impedances and a fourth node between said second and fourth impedances, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current, said third impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said fourth impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 25, 29)
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30. A method of sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
c) placing an electrode at a location either between said heating element and a seating region of said seat, or adjacent to said heating element;
d) operatively coupling a first signal to said electrode;
e) operatively coupling a second signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current; and
f) sensing a response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 47, 51, 55)
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34. A method of sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) placing a first electrode between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) placing a second electrode between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) operatively coupling a first signal to said first electrode;
d) operatively coupling a second signal to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal; and
e) sensing a response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 48, 52, 56)
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37. A method of sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat, and at least one of said first and second impedances is provided by at least one of respective first and second inductors;
c) operatively coupling a first signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current; and
d) sensing a response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (38, 49, 53, 57)
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39. A method of sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) operatively connecting a first impedance between a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) operatively connecting a second impedance between a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power;
c) operatively connecting a third impedance between said first impedance and said source of power;
d) operatively connecting a fourth impedance between said second impedance and said sink of power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
e) operatively coupling a first signal to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes;
f) operatively coupling a second signal to at least one location selected from a third node between said first and third impedances and a fourth node between said second and fourth impedances, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current, said third impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said fourth impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current; and
g) sensing a response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 54, 58)
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59. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first impedance operatively connecting a first node of said heating element to a source of power;
b) a second impedance operatively connecting a second node of said heating element to a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
c) an electrode located either between said heating element and a seating region of said seat, or adjacent to said heating element;
d) a first signal operatively coupled to said electrode; and
e) a second signal operatively coupled to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 78, 82, 86, 90)
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63. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first electrode located between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) a second electrode located between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) a first signal operatively coupled to said first electrode; and
d) a second signal operatively coupled to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 79, 83, 87, 91)
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66. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first impedance operatively connecting a first node of said heating element to a source of power;
b) a second impedance operatively connecting a second node of said heating element to a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat; and
c) a first signal operatively coupled to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current, said heating element is arranged so as to at least partially bound a region on a vehicle seat located proximate to a portion of an occupant selected from an infant or child that is closest to said seat when the infant or child is seated in an infant seat, a child seat, or a booster seat, and the infant seat, the child seat or the booster seat is placed on said vehicle seat, and said region is devoid of said heating element.
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67. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first impedance operatively connecting a first node of said heating element to a source of power;
b) a second impedance operatively connecting a second node of said heating element to a sink of said power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat, and at least one of said first and second impedances is provided by at least one of respective first and second inductors; and
c) a first signal operatively coupled to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (68, 80, 84, 88, 92)
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69. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first impedance operatively connecting a first node of said heating element and a source of power;
b) a second impedance operatively connecting a second node of said heating element and a sink of said power;
c) a third impedance operatively connecting said first impedance and said source of power;
d) a fourth impedance operatively connecting said second impedance and said sink of power, wherein when a current is caused to flow between said first and second nodes by said source of power, said heating element generates heat;
e) a first signal operatively coupled to said heating element at a location at or between said first and second nodes;
f) a second signal operatively coupled to at least one location selected from a third node between said first and third impedances and a fourth node between said second and fourth impedances, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal, said first impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, said second impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current, said third impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to a signal causing said current, and said fourth impedance is or is made to be substantially greater responsive to said first signal than responsive to said signal causing said current. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, 85, 89, 93)
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Specification