Occupant Detection System

• US 20030009273A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stanley, James G., Stopper, Robert A. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,825,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0034 lying down
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0037 standing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/023 for measuring distance between sensor and object G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/26 by proximity of an intruder causing variation in capacitance or inductance of a circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94026 Automatic threshold calibration; e.g. threshold automatically adapts to ambient conditions or follows variation of input

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure

An occupant detection system comprises a weight sensor and an electric field sensor, each operatively coupled to a seat. The electric field sensor generates an electric field from at least one electrode in the seat bottom of the seat, provides for generating a response to an influence of the occupant thereupon, and is adapted to provide for discriminating from the response a seated infant or child seating condition from another seating condition. If a measure of weight from the weight sensor is less than a threshold, or if a seated child seating condition is detected by the electric field sensor, then a signal processor provides for disabling an associated restraint actuator. The electric field sensor may comprise a plurality of electrodes over separate first and second regions of differing proximity to a seated infant or child, or at least one electrode in cooperation with a shield or void over at least one of the regions.

Claims

1. 1.

2. A method of detecting an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of providing for generating an electric field comprises providing for generating a first electric field extending from a first region of said seat bottom and generating a first response thereto and providing for generating a second electric field extending from a second region of said seat bottom and generating a second response thereto, wherein said second region is different from said first region, and the operation of discriminating is responsive to said first response and to said second response.

3. A method of detecting an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of generating a first electric field comprises shielding said second region.

15. A method of detecting an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing for generating a control signal that provides for enabling said restraint actuator associated with the vehicle seat if the conditions of step (e) are not satisfied.

4. A system for detecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle, comprising:

5. A system for detecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle as recited in claim 4, wherein said electric field sensor comprises a sensing circuit operatively coupled to said at least one first electrode, and said sensing circuit applies a first signal to said at least one first electrode and senses at least one first response to said first signal from said first electrode.

6. A system for detecting an occupant in a seat of a vehicle as recited in claim 5, wherein said first signal is selected from a first oscillating voltage and a first oscillating current, and said first response is selected from a first oscillating current and a first oscillating voltage.

7. A vehicle seat, comprising:

8. A vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, wherein said remaining portion comprises a region that is proximate to a portion of an occupant selected from an infant or child that is closest to said vehicle 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.

9. A vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, wherein said remaining portion comprises a second region that is complementary to a first region proximate to a portion of an occupant selected from an infant or child that is closest to said vehicle 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.

10. An occupant detection system, comprising:

11. An occupant sensor as recited in claim 10, wherein said first and second measures comprise first and second measures of capacitance.

12. An occupant sensor as recited in claim 11, wherein a presence of said occupant is discriminated responsive to said first and second measures of capacitance, and when said occupant is seated in the infant seat, the child seat, or the booster seat, and the infant seat, and the child seat or the booster seat is placed on said vehicle seat, a sum of said first and second measures of capacitance is dominated by said first measure of capacitance.

13. A method of detecting an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

14. A method of detecting an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 13, further comprising controlling the actuation of a safety restraint system responsive to a response selected from said first response and said second response.