OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION

• US 20180361974A1
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Le, Jialiang, McCoy, Robert William, Barbat, Saeed David
• Granted Patent: US 10,814,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2/0022 for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/26 Ultrasonic, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01286 Electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/04 Passive restraint systems, i.e. systems both applied and removed automatically, e.g. by movement of the vehicle door

Abstract

A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor, determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight, estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement, and, control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor;

determining an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight;

estimating a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement and estimated occupant size; and

controlling a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the estimated occupant size based on two anthropomorphic models, a first anthropomorphic model corresponding to an adult male model and a second anthropomorphic model corresponding to an adult female model.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining which anthropomorphic model the occupant position most likely matches based on determining occupant weight, including adult male model, adult female model, or no model.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining the estimated vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement and the determined anthropomorphic model.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

estimating a vehicle seat position including determining whether the occupant position measurement is consistent with the determined anthropomorphic model and a seat located at a mid-track position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the occupant position measurement based on transmitting infrared light or ultrasonic waves from a vehicle dashboard in a direction and with a field of view that intercepts the occupant, at the vehicle seat position.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

controlling the vehicle occupant safety device includes determining retractor force for a passive restraint.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the retractor force for a passive restraint based on which anthropomorphic model is matched.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining retractor force for an active restraint when no anthropomorphic model is matched to be a default retractor force.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

estimating the vehicle seat position based on determining an estimated seat track position and an estimated seat back angle.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the occupant position measurement based on transmitting infrared light or ultrasonic waves from a vehicle dashboard in a direction and with a field of view that intercepts the occupant, at the vehicle seat position.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

control the vehicle occupant safety device including determine retractor force for a passive restraint.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

determine the retractor force for a passive restraint based on which anthropomorphic model is matched.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

determine retractor force for an active restraint when no anthropomorphic model is matched to be a default retractor force.

11. A computer apparatus, programmed to:

receive an occupant position measurement from at least one of an acoustic and a light sensor;

determine an estimated occupant size based on occupant weight;

estimate a vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement and estimated occupant size; and

control a vehicle occupant safety device based on the estimated occupant size and estimated vehicle seat position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

determine the estimated occupant size based on two anthropomorphic models, a first anthropomorphic model corresponding to an adult male model and a second anthropomorphic model corresponding to an adult female model.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

determine which anthropomorphic model the occupant position most likely matches based on determining occupant weight, including adult male model, adult female model, or no model.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

determine the estimated vehicle seat position based on the occupant position measurement and the determined anthropomorphic model.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

estimate a vehicle seat position including determine whether the occupant position measurement is consistent with the determined anthropomorphic model and a seat located at a mid-track position.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

estimate the vehicle seat position based on determining an estimated seat track position and an estimated seat back angle.