Modular seatbelt minder

• US 20080068149A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Kennedy, Karl
• Application Number:
  US11/521,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0021 characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/003 characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0033 mounted on or in the foam cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A vehicle restraint occupant sensing system is provided for detecting a presence of an unrestrained vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat. A seat belt restraint sensing circuit senses whether a seat belt is in an unlatched condition. An occupant sensing system includes at least one sensor assembly in spaced relation to a vehicle seat for sensing a presence of the occupant in the vehicle seat. The occupant sensing system includes a comparator circuit coupled to the at least one sensor assembly and the seat belt restraint sensing circuit for producing an output signal indicative of the presence of the occupant. A logic circuit is disposed within the vehicle seat coupled to an output of the comparator circuit and the seat belt restraint sensing circuit for providing an alert output signal when the seat belt is in the unlatched condition and the output signal indicates that the occupant is present.

Claims

1. A vehicle restraint occupant sensing system for detecting a presence of an unrestrained vehicle occupant in a vehicle seat comprising:

a seat belt restraint sensing circuit for sensing whether a seat belt is in an unlatched condition;

an occupant sensing system including at least one sensor assembly in spaced relation to a vehicle seat for sensing a presence of the occupant in the vehicle seat, the occupant sensing system including a comparator circuit coupled to the at least one sensor assembly and the seat belt restraint sensing circuit for producing an output signal indicative of the presence of the occupant; and

a logic circuit disposed within the vehicle seat coupled to an output of the comparator circuit and the seat belt restraint sensing circuit for providing an alert output signal when the seat belt is in the unlatched condition and the output signal indicates that the occupant is present.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a resistance output circuit coupled to the logic circuit for generating the alert output signal as a resistance output value.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the occupant sensing system includes a plurality of sensor assemblies disposed adjacent a lower surface of the vehicle seat cushion for variably sensing a displacement of the vehicle seat cushion for identifying a presence of the occupant in the vehicle seat.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein outputs of the plurality of sensor assemblies are summed to provide a summed output signal to the comparator circuit.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein outputs of the plurality of sensor assemblies are averaged to provide an averaged output signal to the comparator circuit.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the occupant sensing system includes a mat sensor array assembly.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the comparator circuit and the logic circuit are integrated on a printed circuit board.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the seat belt restraint sensing circuit is integrated on the printed circuit board.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising a printed circuit board wherein the resistance output circuit is integrated on the printed circuit board.

10. A method for detecting an unrestrained vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a seat belt restraint sensing circuit, an occupant sensing circuit, and a logic circuit, each being disposed adjacent a lower surface of the vehicle seat cushion;

sensing whether a seat belt is in an unlatched condition;

sensing a presence of the occupant in the vehicle seat;

determining in the logic circuit whether a vehicle occupant is unrestrained in response to the sensing an unlatched seat belt while the presence of the occupant in the vehicle seat is sensed; and

outputting an alert output signal to a controller module remote from the vehicle seat indicative of an unrestrained vehicle occupant.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein outputting the alert output signal is adapted to be used for alerting a safety restraint module of an unrestrained vehicle occupant.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of inputting the alert output signal to a resistance output circuit for producing a resistance value.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the controller module is a safety restraint module.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the seat belt restraint sensing circuit, the occupant sensing circuit, and the logic circuit are integrated on a printed circuit board.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the resistance output circuit is integrated on the printed circuit board.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the occupant sensing circuit includes a plurality of sensor assemblies, wherein sensed output signals from the plurality of sensor assemblies are combined for producing an output signal, the output signal being provided to a comparator.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the sensed output signals are summed for producing a summed output signal.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the sensed output signals are averaged for producing an averaged output signal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the comparator outputs a resulting output signal indicating a presence of the vehicle occupant seated in the vehicle seat.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the comparator outputs a resulting output signal indicating an absence of the vehicle occupant in the vehicle seat.