System and Method of Occupant Detection with a Resonant Frequency
First Claim
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1. An occupant detection system comprising:
- an electrode arranged proximate to an expected location of an occupant for generating an electric field between the electrode and the occupant proximate thereto;
an electrical network coupled to the electrode to form a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit; and
a controller coupled to the resonant circuit, said controller configured to determine a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit indicative of an occupant presence, and determine a network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency indicative of a humidity value proximate to the electrode.
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Abstract
An occupant detection system that includes an electrode arranged proximate to an expected location of an occupant for generating an electric field between the electrode and the occupant proximate thereto. An electrical network coupled to the electrode forms a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit. A controller coupled to the resonant circuit is configured to determine a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit indicative of an occupant presence, and a network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency indicative of a humidity value proximate to the electrode.
39 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An occupant detection system comprising:
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an electrode arranged proximate to an expected location of an occupant for generating an electric field between the electrode and the occupant proximate thereto; an electrical network coupled to the electrode to form a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit; and a controller coupled to the resonant circuit, said controller configured to determine a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit indicative of an occupant presence, and determine a network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency indicative of a humidity value proximate to the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for detecting a vehicle occupant comprising the steps of:
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applying an excitation signal to a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit, said excitation signal having an excitation frequency; detecting a network signal arising in response to the excitation signal, said network signal having a network signal magnitude; determining a resonant frequency corresponding to the excitation frequency that causes a peak network signal magnitude; and determining a humidity value based on the network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency.
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8. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the method further comprises determining a wet seat fault condition if the network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency is below a threshold.
Specification