Method and system for vehicle occupant weight sensing
First Claim
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1. A weight sensing device for a seat, the device comprising:
- a link;
an actuator;
a pivot driveably coupled between the link and the actuator; and
a sensor coupled to the pivot, operable to sense load information at the pivot, and provide the load information to a processor.
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Abstract
A method and system for estimating the weight of a seat occupant. In one embodiment, the system includes a linkage having one or more links; an actuator; a pivot driveably coupled between the links and the actuator; and a sensor coupled to the pivot and operable to sense a load at the pivot, where the sensed signal is processed to provide an output signal representative of seat occupant weight. The system provides weight estimation with reduced sensitivity to horizontal loads and may be implemented with seats having a fixed height or a plurality of powered and manual seat height adjustment mechanisms.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A weight sensing device for a seat, the device comprising:
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a link;
an actuator;
a pivot driveably coupled between the link and the actuator; and
a sensor coupled to the pivot, operable to sense load information at the pivot, and provide the load information to a processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A weight sensing device for a seat, the device comprising:
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a linkage including;
an upper rail;
a lower rail;
a first and second link, wherein the first and second link couple the upper rail and the lower rail; and
a sensor coupled to one of the first and second links, wherein the sensor is operable to measure load information based on a load imposed on a pivot of the linkage, and wherein the load is caused by a force imposed on the upper rail, the sensor operable to provide the load information to a processor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A weight sensing device for seat occupant weight estimation, the device comprising:
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a linkage including;
an upper rail;
a lower rail;
a first and second link, wherein said first and second link rotatably couple the upper rail to the lower rail;
a drive including;
an actuator having a shaft;
one or more gears coupled to the shaft and the linkage;
a sensor module coupled to the drive and operable to measure information based on a load, wherein the load is caused by a weight on a seat coupled to the upper rail; and
an angle measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A weight sensing device for seat occupant weight estimation, the device comprising:
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a linkage coupled to a portion of a seat;
at least one pivot, wherein the pivot couples at least a portion of the linkage to a fixed member; and
a sensor module coupled to the fixed member and pivot, operable to receive information based on a torque about the pivot and output a signal related to seat occupant weight. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for estimating the weight of a vehicle seat occupant, the method comprising:
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coupling a linkage to a vehicle seat;
providing a load path for occupant weight that includes a pivot; and
sensing a load corresponding to the occupant weight with a sensor coupled to the pivot. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A weight sensing device for a seat of a vehicle, the device comprising:
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one or more collapsible support members operable to support the seat in a non-collapsed condition and at a position relative to the vehicle floor;
an actuator coupled to the one or more collapsible support members for moving the seat relative to the vehicle floor; and
a sensor coupled to a pivot of the one or more collapsible support members, and operable to sense load information and provide the load information to a processor. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A weight sensing device for seat occupant weight estimation, the device comprising:
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a linkage including;
an upper rail;
a lower rail;
a first and second link, wherein said first and second link rotatably couple the upper rail to the lower rail;
a drive including;
an actuator having a shaft;
one or more gears coupled to the shaft and the linkage;
one or more first sensors coupled to a seat;
a pivot driveably coupled between the linkage and the actuator; and
a second sensor coupled to the pivot, and operable to sense load information at the pivot and provide the load information to a processor, wherein the load information is provided independent from the data sensed by the one or more first sensors, and the data sensed by the second sensor is used for error checking. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A weight sensing device for seat occupant weight estimation, the device comprising:
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a linkage coupled to a portion of a seat;
one or more first sensors coupled to the seat;
at least one pivot, wherein the pivot couples at least a portion of the linkage to a fixed member; and
a second sensor coupled to the fixed member and the at least one pivot, operable to receive information based on a torque about the pivot and output a signal related to seat occupant weight, wherein the signal is provided independent from the data sensed by the one or more first sensors. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A weight sensing system for a seat of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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one or more support members operable to support the seat at a position relative to the vehicle floor;
an actuator coupled to the one or more support members for moving the seat relative to the vehicle floor;
a first sensor module coupled to the seat and operable to output load information to a processor; and
a second sensor module coupled to a pivot of the one of the one or more support members, and operable to sense load information and provide the load information to the processor;
wherein the sensed load information is from substantially vertical imparted loads. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for estimating the weight of a vehicle seat occupant, the method comprising:
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providing a load path for occupant weight that includes a pivot;
acquiring occupant weight information from one or more first sensors coupled to a vehicle seat;
sensing occupant weight information from a second sensor module coupled to the pivot; and
transferring the information from the one or more first sensors and the second sensor module to a processor. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A weight sensing system for a seat of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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one or more support members operable to support the seat at a position relative to the vehicle floor;
a first sensor module coupled to the seat and operable to output load information to a processor; and
a second sensor module coupled to one of the one or more support members, and operable to sense information resulting from loads transferred through the one or more support members and provide the load information to the processor;
wherein the load information from the first sensor module and second sensor module is processed to provide seat load information to a vehicle controller and is used to error check one or both of the first sensor module and second sensor module. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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Specification