Apparatus and method for discerning certain occupant characteristics using a plurality of capacitive sensors
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining at least one of presence, type, and size value of a vehicle occupant located within a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- first capacitive sensor means located on an instrument panel of the vehicle that is on a first side of an occupant seating location within the vehicle for sensing a first capacitance value and for providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value;
means for determining from the first signal whether the first capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to said first capacitive sensor means;
means for determining a first distance between said first sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the first signal;
second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location for sensing a second capacitance value and for providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value;
means for determining from the second signal whether the second capacitance value is indicative of the occupant located proximate to said second capacitive sensor means; and
means for determining a second distance between said second sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the second signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (47) determines presence, type, and a size value of a vehicle occupant (14) located within a vehicle (12). A first capacitive sensor (46A) is located on a first side of an occupant location within the vehicle (12) and senses a first capacitance value. An associated drive/monitor circuit (42A) provides a first signal (44A) indicative of the first capacitance value. A controller (27) determines from the first signal (44A) whether the first capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to the first capacitive sensor (46A). The controller (27) determines a first distance between the first capacitive sensor (46A) and the occupant (14) using the first signal (44A). A second capacitive sensor (46C) is located on a second side of the occupant location and senses a second capacitance value. An associated drive/monitor circuit (42C) provides a second signal (44C) indicative of the second capacitance value. The controller (27) determines from the second signal (44C) whether the second capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to the second capacitive sensor (46C). The controller (27) determines a second distance between the second capacitive sensor (46C) and the occupant using the second signal (44C). The controller (27) determines from at least one of the first and second signals (44A and 44C) whether the occupant type is a child in a child seat. The controller (27) determines a size value of the occupant using the first and second determined distances.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining at least one of presence, type, and size value of a vehicle occupant located within a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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first capacitive sensor means located on an instrument panel of the vehicle that is on a first side of an occupant seating location within the vehicle for sensing a first capacitance value and for providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; means for determining from the first signal whether the first capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to said first capacitive sensor means; means for determining a first distance between said first sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the first signal; second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location for sensing a second capacitance value and for providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; means for determining from the second signal whether the second capacitance value is indicative of the occupant located proximate to said second capacitive sensor means; and means for determining a second distance between said second sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for determining occupant characteristics of a vehicle occupant, said apparatus comprising:
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first capacitive sensor means located on a first side of an occupant seating location for sensing a first capacitance value resulting from the occupant and for providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; means for determining a first distance between said first sensor means and the occupant using the first signal; second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location for sensing a second capacitance value resulting from the occupant and for providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; means for determining a second distance between said second sensor means and the occupant using the second signal; and means for determining characteristic values of the occupant using the first and second determined distances, said characteristic values including type, size and weight of the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for determining an occupant type of a vehicle occupant, said apparatus comprising:
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first capacitive sensor means located on a first side of an occupant seating position for sensing a first capacitance value in a space adjacent to said first sensor means and for providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating position for sensing a second capacitance value in a space adjacent to said second sensor means and for providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; and means for determining whether the occupant is a child in a child seat using the first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for determining at least one of presence, type, and size value of a vehicle occupant located within a vehicle, said method comprising:
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sensing a first capacitance value with a first capacitive sensor means located on a first side of an occupant seating location within the vehicle; providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; determining from the first signal whether the first capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to the first capacitive sensor; determining a first distance between the first sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the first signal; sensing a second capacitance value with a second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location; providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; determining from the second signal whether the second capacitance value is indicative of the occupant located proximate to the second capacitive sensor; determining a second distance between the second sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the second signal; determining from at least one of the first and second signals whether the occupant type is a child in a child seat based on at least one of the first and second capacitance values; and determining a size value of the occupant using the first and second determined distances.
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26. A method for determining occupant characteristics of a vehicle occupant, said method comprising:
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sensing a first capacitance value resulting from the occupant with a first capacitive sensor means located on a first side of an occupant seating location; providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; determining a first distance between the first sensor means and the occupant using the first signal; sensing a second capacitance value resulting from the occupant with a second capacitive sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location; providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; determining a second distance between the second sensor means and the occupant using the second signal; and determining characteristic values of the occupant using the first and second determined distances, the characteristic values including type, size and weight of the occupant.
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27. A method for determining an occupant type of a vehicle occupant, said method comprising:
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sensing a first capacitance value in a space adjacent to a first sensor means located on a first side of an occupant seating location; providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value; sensing a second capacitance value in a space adjacent to a second sensor means located on a second side of the occupant seating location; providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value; and determining whether the occupant is a child in a child seat using the first and second signals.
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28. An apparatus for determining at least one of presence, type, and size value of a vehicle occupant located within a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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first capacitive sensor means for sensing a first capacitance value and for providing a first signal indicative of the first capacitance value, said first capacitive sensor being located on an instrument panel of the vehicle that is on a first side of an occupant seating location within the vehicle; means for determining whether the first capacitance value is indicative of an occupant located proximate to said first capacitive sensor means using the first capacitance value provide by the first signal; means for determining a first distance between said first sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the first capacitance value provided by the first signal; second capacitive sensor means for sensing a second capacitance value and for providing a second signal indicative of the second capacitance value, said second capacitive sensor means being located on a second side of the occupant seating location; means for determining whether the second capacitance value is indicative of the occupant located proximate to said second capacitive sensor means using the second capacitance value provided by the second signal; and means for determining a second distance between said second sensor means and the proximately located occupant using the second capacitance value provided by the second signal.
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Specification