Judgment lock for occupant detection air bag control

• US 20030204295A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Elesys Americas Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Elesys North America Incorporated (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Keiichi, Stoyanov, Svetoslav G., Shieh, Shiuh-An, Thompson, Gregory T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling the sensing of an occupant in a seating area are provided. The occupant is characterized as one of an adult, child or other category. One characterization change parameter, such as a hysteresis time period or thresholds for characterization, is applied for a first time period. After that time period, the characterization change parameter is changed. For example, if the characterization stays the same for ten seconds, the hysteresis is changed from five to ten seconds. As another example, if the characterization stays the same for one minute, the thresholds associated with that characterization are broadened to decrease the likelihood of a change in characterization. In some systems and methods, a confidence parameter or probability associated with the characterization is used to control the changes of the characterization change parameter. In some systems and methods, the characterization change parameter is reset in response to one of (a) a no occupant characterization or (b) characterizing the occupant as a different one of the at least two categories consecutively for a current hysteresis time period.

Claims

1. A vehicle passenger detection method for controlling sensing of an occupant in a seating area, the method comprising the acts of:

(a) characterizing the occupant in the seating area as one of at least two categories;

(b) applying a characterization change parameter for a first time period; and

(c) altering the characterization change parameter after the first time period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (b) comprises applying a hysteresis to (a) for the first time period, and (c) comprises increasing an amount of time of the hysteresis.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein (b) comprises applying a characterization threshold and (c) comprises changing the characterization threshold so the one of the at least two categories is more inclusive.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) determining a confidence parameter;

wherein the first time period is a function of the confidence parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein (d) comprises determining a ratio of occurrences of a first of the at least two categories to a total number of judgments.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) altering a different characterization change parameter after a second time period, the second time period different than the first time period.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising

(d) determining a ratio of occurrences of a first of the at least two categories to a total number of judgments in a second time period, the second time period longer than the first time period;

and

(e) if the ratio indicates a high confidence, altering a characterization threshold parameter; and

(f) if the ratio indicates a low confidence;

(f1) waiting for a third time period; and

(f2) altering the characterization threshold parameter if the characterization of (a) is consistent during the third time period.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) determining first and second confidence parameters at first and second times, the first time different than the second time, the first confidence parameter a function of a first total number of judgments at the first time and the second confidence parameter a function of second total number of judgments at the second time.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) resetting the characterization change parameter in response to no occupant characterization.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) resetting the characterization change parameter in response to characterizing the occupant as a different one of the at least two categories consecutively for a current hysteresis time period.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein (a) comprises characterizing with a capacitive sensing system.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) controlling an air bag system in response to the characterization of (a).

13. A vehicle passenger detection system for controlling the sensing of an occupant in a seating area, the system comprising:

an occupant detection sensor adjacent the seating area; and

a control processor operatively connected with the occupant detection sensor, the control processor operative to characterize the occupant in the seating area as one of at least two categories, apply a characterization change parameter for a first time period, and alter the characterization change parameter after the first time period.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the characterization change parameter comprises a hysteresis parameter.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the characterization change parameter comprises a characterization threshold, the control processor operable to alter the characterization threshold so the one of the at least two categories is more inclusive.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the control processor is operable to determine a confidence parameter, the first time period being a function of the confidence parameter.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the control processor is operable to alter a different characterization change parameter after a second time period, the second time period different than the first time period.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the control processor is operable to reset the characterization change parameter in response to one of:

(a) a no occupant characterization or (b) characterizing the occupant as a different one of the at least two categories consecutively for a current hysteresis time period.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the occupant detection sensor comprises an electrode antenna.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising an air bag controller connected with the control processor.

21. A vehicle passenger detection method for controlling sensing of an occupant in a seating area, the method comprising the acts of:

(a) characterizing the occupant in the seating area as one of at least two categories;

(b) determining a characterization change parameter as a function of a probability of characterization accuracy;

(c) limiting a change of the characterization of (a) by the characterization change parameter.

22. The method of claim 22 wherein (b) comprises determining a ratio of occurrences of a first of the at least two categories to a total number of judgments.

23. A vehicle passenger detection method for controlling sensing of an occupant in a seating area, the method comprising the acts of:

(a) characterizing the occupant in the seating area as one of at least two categories;

(b) altering a characterization change parameter after a first time period; and

(c) resetting the characterization change parameter in response to one of;

(a) a no occupant characterization or (b) characterizing the occupant as a different one of the at least two categories consecutively for a current hysteresis time period.