Capacitance-type sensor and occupant detection system
First Claim
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1. A capacitance-type sensor for detecting a condition of an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:
- at least one electrode disposed within a detection area of the vehicle seat for generating an electric field, the detection area being based on a surface pressure distribution obtained from an adult body sitting on the seat.
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Abstract
A capacitance-type sensor for detecting a condition of an occupant on a vehicle seat includes an electrode. The electrode is disposed within a detection area in the vehicle seat. The electrode generates an electric field. The detection area is based on a surface pressure distribution obtained when an adult sits on the seat.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A capacitance-type sensor for detecting a condition of an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:
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at least one electrode disposed within a detection area of the vehicle seat for generating an electric field, the detection area being based on a surface pressure distribution obtained from an adult body sitting on the seat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An occupant detection system comprising:
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a capacitance-type sensor which defines a detection area on the basis of a surface pressure distribution in a seat obtained when an adult is seated, the sensor having a plurality of electrodes disposed in the detection area; and
an occupant detection ECU which determines an occupant according to outputs from the plurality of electrodes, wherein when a previous decision result is “
adult,”
the occupant detection ECU maintains the decision result on the condition that;
an entire output total value is less than an entire output threshold value, the entire output total value being a total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in all of the detection area; and
one of a first and a second partial output value is less than a first and a second partial output threshold value, respectively, wherein the first partial output total value is a total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in a first part of the detection area and the second partial output total value is a total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in a second part of the detection area. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An occupant detection system comprising:
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a capacitance-type sensor which defines a detection area on the basis of a surface pressure distribution in a seat obtained when an adult is seated, the sensor having a plurality of electrodes disposed in the detection area; and
an occupant detection ECU that determines an occupant according to outputs from the plurality of electrodes, wherein when a previous decision result is “
adult”
, the occupant detection ECU maintains the decision result on the condition that;
an entire output total value is less than an entire output threshold value, the entire output total value being a total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in all of the detection area; and
an absolute value of a difference between a first partial output total value which is the total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in a first part of the detection area, and a second partial output total value which is the total sum of the outputs from the electrodes disposed in a second part of the detection area, exceeds a difference threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification