Passenger compartment state sensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A passenger compartment state sensor comprising:
- plurality of active emitter arrays, each being located in sensing proximity to a passenger compartment occupation area, and each for outputting directional radiation toward the occupation area so that a three-dimensional pattern of an object in the occupation area is formed by rays of the directional radiation reflected therefrom; and
detecting means for sensing movement peculiar to the object in the occupation area by sensing the reflected rays of the directional radiation output by the plurality of emitter arrays, for determination of an object type based on the three-dimensional pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus which can accurately detect a state in a passenger compartment is provided. On the ceiling of a passenger compartment above the passenger seat, nine LEDs and three photodetectors are aimed downward, and infrared rays emitted from the LEDs are reflected by an object to be sensed and the reflected light beams are received by the photodetectors. A signal at a level corresponding to the distance to the object to be sensed is outputted from the photodetectors. A controller obtains a change with time in output of the photodetectors (i.e., motion speed from a differential value of the sensed distance, a displacement amount total from an integral value of the sensed distance, and a motion frequency), senses movement of the object to be sensed based thereon, determines whether the object to be sensed is a human, an animal, or other, and determines the kind of object. The controller then transmits a signal indicative of a result of the determination of the object to be sensed which is used to control how the vehicle'"'"'s air bag is inflated.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A passenger compartment state sensor comprising:
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plurality of active emitter arrays, each being located in sensing proximity to a passenger compartment occupation area, and each for outputting directional radiation toward the occupation area so that a three-dimensional pattern of an object in the occupation area is formed by rays of the directional radiation reflected therefrom; and detecting means for sensing movement peculiar to the object in the occupation area by sensing the reflected rays of the directional radiation output by the plurality of emitter arrays, for determination of an object type based on the three-dimensional pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An object position location system comprising:
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a sensor unit for detecting a position of an object in three-dimensional space and generating a sensor output representative thereof, object classification means for classifying the object in one of a predetermined number of categories based on the sensor output and for generating a classification output representative thereof; and load control means for controlling actuation of a load based on the classification output;
whereinthe object classification means includes integrating means for integrating the sensor output, the object classification means is for classifying the object based on the integrated sensor output, the sensor output corresponds to a detected distance between the object and the sensor unit, and the integrating means calculates both an integrated value of the detected distance and a movement speed of the object.
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11. An object position location system comprising:
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a sensor unit for detecting a position of an object in three-dimensional space and generating a sensor output representative thereof; object classification means for classifying the object in one of a predetermined number of categories based on the sensor output and for generating a classification output representative thereof; and load control means for controlling actuation of a load based on the classification output; wherein the sensor unit comprises a plurality of linearly-arranged LEDs for generating infrared radiation according to a predetermined pattern, and a photodetector arranged behind the plurality of LEDs for detecting rays of the infrared radiation reflected from the object. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A passenger compartment occupant identification system, comprising:
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a plurality of strategically positioned active emitter arrays for generating rays of radiation directed to a vehicle occupant position; a plurality of detectors respectively associated with the plurality of emitter arrays for detecting reflected rays of radiation reflected from the vehicle occupant position, and for generating electric signals indicative thereof; and a controller in communication with the plurality of detectors for processing the electric signals to obtain a three-dimensional profile of an object, if any, in the vehicle occupant position to identify the object. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification