Scanned laser-line sensing apparatus for a vehicle occupant
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for sensing an occupant of a vehicle seat, comprising:
- a laser line generator for emitting infrared laser light such that an image of the infrared laser light transverse to emission is a line;
a reflective element positioned to receive the line of infrared laser light produced by said laser line generator and to reflect a redirected line in a direction toward a viewing region including said vehicle seat;
a solid state imaging device for receiving infrared laser light reflected by an object in said viewing region;
scanning means for incrementally moving said reflective element to incrementally change the direction of the redirected line of infrared laser light so that the redirected line of infrared laser light sweeps across said viewing region; and
data processing means responsive to video data produced by said solid state imaging device for creating a map of the object in said viewing region and determining an occupancy status of said vehicle seat based on the map.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant sensing apparatus for a vehicle passenger compartment includes a laser line scanning unit. A line of IR light produced by a laser line generator is mechanically scanned over a region including a vehicle seat and a restraint deployment location. The reflected IR light is received by a solid-state imager, and a digital signal processor constructs a 3-D profile of the scanned region. The 3-D profile is used to detect and characterize a seat occupant or other object in the viewing region and to determine the proximity of an object to an inflatable restraint.
-
Citations
5 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for sensing an occupant of a vehicle seat, comprising:
-
a laser line generator for emitting infrared laser light such that an image of the infrared laser light transverse to emission is a line;
a reflective element positioned to receive the line of infrared laser light produced by said laser line generator and to reflect a redirected line in a direction toward a viewing region including said vehicle seat;
a solid state imaging device for receiving infrared laser light reflected by an object in said viewing region;
scanning means for incrementally moving said reflective element to incrementally change the direction of the redirected line of infrared laser light so that the redirected line of infrared laser light sweeps across said viewing region; and
data processing means responsive to video data produced by said solid state imaging device for creating a map of the object in said viewing region and determining an occupancy status of said vehicle seat based on the map. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
Specification