Initialization process for an occupant classification initialization

• US 20070135983A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murad, Mohannad, McDonald, Donald
• Application Number:
  US11/298,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20070135983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01068 between different sensors and airbag control unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means

Abstract

A system for initializing a module is provided wherein the system includes components associated with the module that are assembled separately. The system includes a sensor, a datum, a data reader, and a memory. The sensor and the datum are mounted on an item. The datum is associated with the sensor and is captured on the item in the form of a machine-readable code. The data reader reads the datum and communicates the datum to the memory that stores the datum. The stored datum is used in a module of a product that includes the item. In an exemplary embodiment, the product is a vehicle, the item is a seat, and the module controls a safety system for the vehicle. The safety system includes load sensors mounted in the seat to measure a weight of a seat occupant. The weight of the seat occupant is used to control the deployment of the vehicle safety systems such as an air bag or a seat belt pretensioner.

Claims

1. A system for initializing a module, wherein multiple components associated with the module are assembled separately, the system comprising:

a sensor mounted on an item;

a datum mounted on the item, wherein the datum is associated with the sensor and is captured on the item in the form of a machine-readable code;

a data reader that reads the datum; and

a memory that stores the datum read by the data reader;

wherein the stored datum is used in a module of a product that includes the item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the product is a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the item is a seat.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the module calculates a weight of an occupant of the seat.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the stored datum is selected from the group consisting of an offset correction for the sensor, a sensitivity calibration for the sensor, and a serial number.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the offset correction is selected from the group consisting of an offset voltage, an offset weight, and an offset load.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the offset correction is calculated by performing a zero weight offset test.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising the module, wherein the module verifies the received datum.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the received datum comprises a first number related to the item, and further wherein verifying the received datum comprises comparing the first number to a second number received from the sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data reader is selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader, a magnetic strip reader, a radio frequency identification reader, and an optical reader.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a force sensitive resistive element, a membrane switch element, a pressure sensitive resistive contact, a pressure pattern sensor, a strain gauge, a bend sensor, and a hydrostatic weight sensing element.

12. A method of initializing an occupant classification module, the method comprising:

receiving a datum from a data reader, wherein the datum is read from a location on an item and is associated with a sensor mounted on the item; and

storing the received datum in a memory;

wherein the stored datum is used in a module of a product that includes the item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the product is a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the item is a seat.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the module calculates a weight of an occupant of the seat.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the stored datum is selected from the group consisting of an offset correction for the sensor, a sensitivity calibration for the sensor, and a serial number.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the offset correction is selected from the group consisting of an offset voltage, an offset weight, and an offset load.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the offset correction is calculated by performing a zero weight offset test.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the data reader is selected from the group consisting of a bar code reader, a magnetic strip reader, a radio frequency identification reader, and an optical reader.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a force sensitive resistive element, a membrane switch element, a pressure sensitive resistive contact, a pressure pattern sensor, a strain gauge, a bend sensor, and a hydrostatic weight sensing element.