Vehicle occupant sensing system
First Claim
1. A system for sensing the presence of an abnormally seated vehicle occupant, which is also known as an out-of-position occupant within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment comprising:
- safety restraint means for protecting the occupant during a crash including an air bag module comprising a deployment door which is opened on deployment of an air bag;
actuating means for activating the safety restraint means during a collision;
first occupant sensing means, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a first capacitive electric field within the passenger compartment such field having a predetermined, fixed depth and oriented toward a seating location of the occupant and for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of the out-of-position occupant, wherein such output signal is generated only in response to the occupant interacting with the first electric field, the first sensing means being mounted proximate the air bag module and wherein the depth of the first electric field is chosen sufficiently short so that it cannot be interfered with by a normally seated occupant, however such first electric field being sufficiently deep to be interfered with when such occupant is out of position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for sensing the presence of an object within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment including an occupant in a motor vehicle comprising of: one or more safety restraint devices and a first occupant sensor, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a reflected electric field within the passenger compartment for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of an object, the sensor mounted on one of a vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel assembly for driver position detection or instrument panel near the passenger air bag module for passenger position detection.
88 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for sensing the presence of an abnormally seated vehicle occupant, which is also known as an out-of-position occupant within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment comprising:
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safety restraint means for protecting the occupant during a crash including an air bag module comprising a deployment door which is opened on deployment of an air bag; actuating means for activating the safety restraint means during a collision; first occupant sensing means, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a first capacitive electric field within the passenger compartment such field having a predetermined, fixed depth and oriented toward a seating location of the occupant and for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of the out-of-position occupant, wherein such output signal is generated only in response to the occupant interacting with the first electric field, the first sensing means being mounted proximate the air bag module and wherein the depth of the first electric field is chosen sufficiently short so that it cannot be interfered with by a normally seated occupant, however such first electric field being sufficiently deep to be interfered with when such occupant is out of position.
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2. A system for sensing the presence of an abnormally seated vehicle occupant, which is also know as an out-of-position occupant within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment comprising:
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safety restraint means for protecting the occupant during a crash including an air bag module comprising a deployment door which is opened on deployment of an air bag; actuating means for activating the safety restraint means during a collision; first occupant sensing means, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a first capacitive electric field within the passenger compartment such field having a predetermined, fixed depth and oriented toward a seating location of the occupant and for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of the out-of-position occupant, and wherein the depth of the first electric field is chosen sufficiently short so that it cannot be interfered with by a normally seated occupant, however such first electric field being sufficiently deep to be interfered with when such occupant is out of position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification