Altitude/temperature compensation for a gas-filled weight sensor

• US 6,076,853 A
• Filed: 01/07/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stanley, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US09/003,850
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 180/273, 177/208, 177/141, 297/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 280/735
• 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: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01522 using fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 5/04 with means for measuring the pressure imposed by the load on a liquid pressure gauges per se G01L

Abstract

A plurality of pneumatic hydrostatic weight sensors, each incorporating a fluid and a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure thereof, are incorporated in series with the load path within a vehicle seat to sense occupant weight. A signal processor measures the pressure within each pneumatic hydrostatic weight sensor and the weight of the occupant from the signal generated by the associated pressure sensor, and compensates for the effects of ambient pressure or temperature on the weight measurement responsive to the difference in pressure between the associated pressures of two of the pneumatic hydrostatic weight sensors.

Claims

1. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. a plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors locatable in a vehicle seat in series with one another in a load path of weight measurement;

b. a plurality of pressure sensors for generating associated signals responsive to the pressure within said hydrostatic weight sensors responsive to the weight of the occupant on the vehicle seat; and

c. a signal processor for measuring the pressure within said hydrostatic weight sensors and the weight of the occupant on the vehicle seat responsive to said signals, whereby said signal processor is also responsive to a difference in pressure between the associated pressures of two of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors so as to compensate for the effects of ambient conditions on said signals.

2. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein said ambient condition is ambient pressure.

3. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein said ambient condition is ambient temperature.

4. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said pressure sensors is responsive to the difference in pressure between the pressure of an associated hydrostatic weight sensor and the ambient atmospheric pressure.

5. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said pressure sensors is responsive to the difference in pressure between the pressures of two of the hydrostatic weight sensors.

6. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, further comprising a load distributor adjacent at least one of the load bearing surfaces of said hydrostatic weight sensors.

7. A method of sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. interposing a plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors in series with a load path which supports the occupant in the vehicle seat, whereby the pressure within each of said hydrostatic weight sensors is responsive to the weight of the occupant on the vehicle seat;

b. measuring the pressure within each of said hydrostatic weight sensors;

c. measuring the difference in pressure between two of said hydrostatic weight sensors;

d. generating a measure responsive to the weight of the occupant from one or more of said measurements of pressure; and

e. compensating for error in said measure responsive to said measurement of difference in pressure.

8. A method of sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, whereby the operation of compensating for error in said measure compensates for the effects of ambient pressure on said weight measure.

9. A method of sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, whereby the operation of compensating for error in said measure compensates for the effects of ambient temperature on said weight measure.