OCCUPANCY SENSOR FOR OCCUPIABLE ITEM E.G. SEAT OR BED
First Claim
1. An occupancy sensor for detecting the occupancy state of an item occupiable by a human or animal occupant, e.g. a seat or a bed, comprising a thermistor, said thermistor being configured as a heating element for comfort-heating of said occupiable item to be arranged in compression-dependent heat-conducting relationship with said occupiable item, and a control circuit operatively connected to said thermistor, said control circuit configured to derive an occupancy state of said occupiable item from a response of said thermistor to heat generated in or in vicinity of said thermistor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An occupancy sensor for detecting the occupancy state of an item occupiable by a human or animal occupant, e.g. a seat or a bed, the sensor including a thermistor, to be arranged in compression-dependent heat-conducting relationship with the occupiable item, and a control circuit operatively connected to the thermistor, where the control circuit is configured to derive an occupancy state of the occupiable item from a response of the thermistor to heat generated in or in vicinity of the thermistor.
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Citations
24 Claims
- 1. An occupancy sensor for detecting the occupancy state of an item occupiable by a human or animal occupant, e.g. a seat or a bed, comprising a thermistor, said thermistor being configured as a heating element for comfort-heating of said occupiable item to be arranged in compression-dependent heat-conducting relationship with said occupiable item, and a control circuit operatively connected to said thermistor, said control circuit configured to derive an occupancy state of said occupiable item from a response of said thermistor to heat generated in or in vicinity of said thermistor.
- 7. An occupancy sensor for detecting the occupancy state of an item occupiable by a human or animal occupant, comprising a thermistor, said thermistor being configured as a heating element for comfort-heating of said occupiable item, a heat sink or source and a control circuit, said thermistor arranged in compression-dependent heat-conducting relationship with said heat sink or source, said control circuit operatively connected to said thermistor and configured to derive an occupancy state of said occupiable item from a response of said thermistor to heat generated in said thermistor and/or to heat generated or absorbed in said heat source or sink, respectively.
- 10. (canceled)
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15. (canceled)
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19. (canceled)
Specification