Capacitance-based occupant detection system and occupant protection system
First Claim
1. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
- a power supply section for generating an AC voltage;
a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat;
a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode;
a guard electrode provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode;
an impedance calculation section for calculating a first impedance containing a main-body impedance between the main electrode and a vehicle body in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground;
a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the first impedance based on the first impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section;
a failure determination section for determining presence or absence of destruction of the main electrode or a short circuit between the main electrode and the guard electrode based on the imaginary part of the first impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and
an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in the occupant detection mode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitance-based occupant detection system accurately determines seat occupancy and a failure of an electrode and between electrodes and includes an impedance calculation section, a Re/Im part calculation section, and a determination section. A first impedance Z1 is calculated including a main-body impedance Za between a main electrode and a vehicle body. The Re/Im part calculation section calculates real and imaginary parts of the first impedance Z1 based on the first impedance Z1 calculated by the impedance calculation section. The determination section determines the presence or absence of destruction of the main electrode and a guard electrode based on an imaginary part of the first impedance Z1 calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating an AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; an impedance calculation section for calculating a first impedance containing a main-body impedance between the main electrode and a vehicle body in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground; a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the first impedance based on the first impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining presence or absence of destruction of the main electrode or a short circuit between the main electrode and the guard electrode based on the imaginary part of the first impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in the occupant detection mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode that is provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; an impedance calculation section for calculating a first impedance containing a main-body impedance between the main electrode and a vehicle body in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground; a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the first impedance based on the first impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining excessive wetting of the seat based on the real part of the first impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in the occupant detection mode. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode that is provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; a sub electrode provided apart from and adjacently to the main electrode;
an impedance calculation section for calculating a second impedance containing a main-sub impedance between the main electrode and the sub electrode in a wetting detection mode for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the sub electrode;a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the second impedance based on the second impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining destruction of the main electrode, destruction of the sub electrode, or a short circuit between the main electrode and the guard electrode based on the imaginary part of the second impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode that is provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; a sub electrode provided apart from and adjacently to the main electrode; an impedance calculation section for calculating a second impedance containing a main-sub impedance between the main electrode and the sub electrode in a wetting detection mode for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the sub electrode; a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the second impedance based on the second impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining excessive wetting of the seat based on the real part of the second impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A capacitance-based occupant detection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode that is provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; a sub electrode provided apart from and adjacently to the main electrode; an impedance calculation section for calculating a second impedance containing a main-sub impedance between the main electrode and the sub electrode in a wetting detection mode for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the sub electrode; a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the second impedance based on the second impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining presence or absence of a short circuit between the main electrode and the sub electrode based on one of the real part and the imaginary part of the second impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; and an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An occupant protection system comprising:
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a power supply section for generating an AC voltage; a main electrode provided for a vehicle seat; a main wiring section for connecting the power supply section with the main electrode; a guard electrode provided between a seat frame electrically connected to a vehicle ground and the main electrode apart from and opposite to the main electrode; an impedance calculation section for calculating a first impedance containing a main-body impedance between the main electrode and a vehicle body in an occupant detection mode for ensuring an equal electric potential for the main electrode and the guard electrode and for generating an electric field between the main electrode and the vehicle body electrically connected to the vehicle ground; a Re/Im part calculation section for calculating real and imaginary parts of the first impedance based on the first impedance calculated by the impedance calculation section; a failure determination section for determining presence or absence of destruction of the main electrode or a short circuit between the main electrode and the guard electrode based on the imaginary part of the first impedance calculated by the Re/Im part calculation section; an occupant determination section for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat in accordance with a determination result of the failure determination section in the occupant detection mode; and a control apparatus for controlling an occupant protection apparatus based on one or more determination results of one or more of the failure determination section and the occupant determination section.
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Specification