Device and Method for Distinguishing a Person From an Object on a Vehicle Seat

• US 20080306659A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Winkler, Gerd, Geyer, Manfred
• Application Number:
  US11/910,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/46
• 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 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/267 alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems

Abstract

A device for differentiating between a person sitting on the seat surface of a vehicle seat and an object includes at least one largely flat bearing surface that is arranged over a large part of the seat surface including a central region. The novel device includes a vehicle seat, a cushion with weight sensors that are distributed over the seat surface of the vehicle seat in a plane manner, and an evaluation unit to which the signals of the weight sensors are supplied. A central region of the seat surface is curved in a concave manner in the direction of the bottom of the vehicle, in such a way that a first weight sensor arranged therein is closer to the bottom of the vehicle than a plurality of second weight sensors arranged in the region of the seat surface covered by the object, outside the central region. The capacity to differentiate between a person and an object is especially useful when the object is a child seat. In this case, the triggering of a passenger retaining means must be prevented.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A device for distinguishing whether a person is seated on a seat surface of a vehicle seat or an object is disposed thereon, the object having a substantially planar contact surface covering a large part of said seat surface, including a central area thereof, the device comprising:

a vehicle seat having the seat surface with the central area;

a seat mat carrying a plurality of weight sensors distributed two-dimensionally over said seat surface, said weight sensors including at least one first weight sensor disposed in said central area and a plurality of second weight sensors disposed outside said central area;

said central area of said seat surface being concavely curved downward in a direction of a vehicle floor, causing said at least one first weight sensor disposed in said central area to be closer to the vehicle floor than a plurality of second weight sensors disposed in an area of said seat surface that is covered by the object and is located outside said central area; and

an evaluation unit configured to receive measurement signals from said weight sensors.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said seat mat is configured such that less than 50% of the proportional weight loading due to the object imposes a load on said first weight sensor than on at least one other second weight sensor covered by the object.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said seat mat is configured such that less than 30% of the proportional weight loading due to the object imposes a load on said first weight sensor than on at least one other second weight sensor covered by the object.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said seat mat is configured such that less than 5% of the proportional weight loading due to the object imposes a load on said first weight sensor than on at least one other second weight sensor covered by the object.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said first weight sensor is disposed so as not to be subjected to load due to the weight of the object.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said first weight sensor is one of a plurality of first weight sensors.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein the object is a child seat.

17. A method for distinguishing whether a person is seated on a seat surface of a vehicle seat or an object with a substantially flat contact surface extending over a large part of the seat surface, including a central area thereof, is disposed on the seat surface, the method which comprises:

providing a device having;

a vehicle seat, a seat mat carrying a plurality of weight sensors distributed over the seat surface of the vehicle seat, and an evaluation unit connected to receive signals of the weight sensors;

recording a first signal of at least one first weight sensor disposed in the central area of the seat surface;

recording second signals of a plurality of second weight sensors disposed in an area of the seat surface covered by the object and located outside the central area;

comparing the first signal of the first weight sensor with the second signals of the second weight sensors;

determining that the object is disposed on the seat if the signal of the first weight sensor is appreciably less than at least one second signal of the second weight sensor.

18. The method according to claim 17, which comprises determining that the object is present on the seat when the first signal is less than 5% of at least one second signal.

19. The method according to claim 17, which comprises determining that the object is present on the seat when the first signal is less than 30% of at least one second signal.

20. The method according to claim 17, which comprises determining that the object is present on the seat when the first signal is less than 50% of at least one second signal.

21. The method according to claim 17, which comprises:

providing the seat mat with a plurality of first weight sensors;

recording the first signals of a plurality of the first weight sensors;

comparing the first signals of the first weight sensors with the second signals of the second weight sensors;

detecting the object as soon as at least one signal of a first weight sensor is less than 5% of at least one second signal of a second weight sensor.

22. The method according to claim 21, which comprises detecting the object as soon as at least one first signal is less than 30% of at least one second signal.

23. The method according to claim 21, which comprises detecting the object as soon as at least one first signal is less than 50% of at least one second signal.

24. The method according to claim 17, which comprises, if the object is detected, preventing an activation of an occupant restraining means.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the object is a child seat.