Passenger detecting apparatus

• US 20030060957A1
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hiroyo Okamura, Kyosuke Hashimoto, Naobumi Kuboki, Shoichi Negami, Takayuki Enomoto
• Original Assignee: Hiroyo Okamura, Kyosuke Hashimoto, Naobumi Kuboki, Shoichi Negami, Takayuki Enomoto
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Kyosuke, Kuboki, Naobumi, Enomoto, Takayuki, Negami, Shoichi, Okamura, Hiroyo
• Application Number:
  US10/289,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060957A1
• 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: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• 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

Abstract

A passenger detecting apparatus determines the presence of a passenger or an object, such as a child seat, in a seat unit, estimates the weight of the passenger or determines the build of the passenger, thereby improving the usability of peripheral devices of a seat. The passenger detecting apparatus has a dielectric sensor (111) and a pressure-sensitive sensor (112) in a seat cushion (102) and detects the presence of a passenger or an object on a seat based on their outputs, or has a dielectric sensor and a pressure-sensitive sensor in the seat cushion and a dielectric sensor (113) in the back rest and an angle sensor (114) for detecting an angle defined by the seat cushion and the back rest and determines the build of a passenger based on their outputs.

Claims

1. A passenger detection apparatus for detecting the presence of a passenger or an object on a seat cushion, said apparatus comprising:

at least one pressure sensor having an output signal;

at least one dielectric sensor having an output signal;

a decision unit coupled to said pressure sensor and said dielectric sensor configured to determine the presence of a passenger or an object on said seat cushion in response to said output signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a temperature sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decision unit is configured to detect moisture on said seat cushion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor comprises a matrix of a plurality of independent pressure sensor elements arranged in said seat cushion, and wherein said detection unit is configured to determine a build of a passenger sitting on said seat cushion.

5. A passenger detection apparatus comprising:

a first detector having an output signal in a seat cushion for detecting passenger contact with said seat cushion;

a second detector having an output signal in a seat back for detecting passenger contact with said seat back;

an angle detector having an output signal for measuring an angle defined by the relative orientation of said seat cushion and said seat back; and

a decision unit configured to determine a build of said passenger in response to said output signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first detector comprises one or more of a dielectric sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said second detector comprises one or more of a dielectric sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

8. A method of determining characteristics of a passenger in a vehicle seat comprising:

measuring a load distribution in a seat cushion of said vehicle seat;

measuring vehicle seat weight;

measuring a total load applied to said vehicle seat; and

classifying a passenger sitting in said vehicle seat based on said measurements.

9. A method of determining characteristics of a passenger in a vehicle seat comprising:

detecting a child seat situated in said vehicle seat;

measuring vehicle seat weight;

measuring a total load applied to said vehicle seat; and

classifying a passenger sitting in said vehicle seat based on said measurements.

10. A method of determining characteristics of a passenger in a vehicle seat comprising:

measuring vehicle seat weight;

measuring a total load applied to said vehicle seat;

measuring a barycenter position of said passenger; and

estimating the weight of said passenger sitting in said vehicle seat based on said measurements.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said barycenter position is measured with a pressure sensitive film having a plurality of pressure sensors arranged thereon.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said seat is moveable on seat rails, and wherein said barycenter is measured with respect to said seat rails.

13. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising measuring the position of the head of said passenger.

14. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising measuring the width of the buttocks of said passenger.

15. A method of determining characteristics of a passenger in a vehicle seat comprising:

measuring vehicle seat weight;

measuring a total load applied to said vehicle seat;

measuring a barycenter position of said passenger; and

estimating a seating posture of said passenger based on said measurements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said barycenter position is measured with a pressure sensitive film having a plurality of pressure sensors arranged thereon.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said seat is moveable on seat rails, and wherein said barycenter is measured with respect to said seat rails.

18. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising measuring the position of the head of said passenger.

19. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising measuring the width of the buttocks of said passenger.

20. A method of determining the characteristics of a passenger in a vehicle seat comprising:

acquiring weight information from at least one sensor associated with said vehicle seat both when a passenger is seated in said vehicle seat and when no passenger is seated in said vehicle seat; and

correcting a determination of passenger weight with information obtained from said sensors when no passenger is seated in said vehicle seat.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising acquiring said weight information from a plurality of sensors.

22. The method of claim 20, additionally comprising detecting an abnormality in said at least one sensor.