Hardware independent mapping of multiple sensor configurations for classification of persons
First Claim
1. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
- (a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure;
(b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure;
(c) mapping the weight signals into a virtual matrix; and
(d) determining seat occupant weight based on the virtual matrix.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sensors are mounted within a seat structure for measuring seat occupant weight. The sensors can be mounted in any one of various sensor configurations. So that common hardware can be used for each different sensor configuration, a virtual matrix is created and output from the sensors is mapped into the virtual matrix. The virtual matrix includes virtual cell locations that do not have a corresponding sensor output; i.e., there are fewer physical cells (sensors) than virtual cell locations in the virtual matrix. A weight output signal from each sensor is mapped into the corresponding position in the virtual matrix and the remaining virtual cell locations have values assigned to them based on data supplied by the surrounding physical cells. Seat occupant weight is determined based on output from the virtual matrix and the occupant is placed into one of the various occupant classifications. Deployment force of a restraint system is controlled based on the classification of the seat occupant.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure;
(b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure;
(c) mapping the weight signals into a virtual matrix; and
(d) determining seat occupant weight based on the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure in a physical matrix having a first pattern with a first predetermined number of rows and a first predetermined number of columns;
(b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure;
(c) generating a virtual matrix having a second pattern with a second predetermined number of rows and second predetermined number of columns wherein the second predetermined number of rows is greater than or equal to the first predetermined number of rows and/or the second predetermined number of columns is greater than or equal to the first predetermined number of columns;
(d) mapping the weight signals from the physical matrix into the virtual matrix by mapping one weight signal from each sensor location in the first predetermined number of rows and columns into a corresponding virtual location in the second predetermined number of rows and columns; and
(e) combining data from each of the second predetermined number of rows and columns to determine seat occupant weight. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure; and
a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said signals and mapping said signals into a virtual matrix to generate an output signal representing seat occupant weight. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification