Method and an apparatus for monitoring a seated person
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring and estimating the age of a person seated in a seat of a vehicle having an air bag system comprising:
- (a) generating an electrical signal in response to at least one of the heartbeats and other physiological parameters of the person;
(b) comparing the electrical signal in (a) with data stored in a memory;
(c) determining, based on the outcome of the comparison in (b), if the person is a child or an adult, and (d) issuing a signal indicating the outcome of the determination in (c) to the air bag system of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For estimating a person'"'"'s age and for providing an emergency alarm function, a stationary pressure sensitive means (2, 3, 4) contacts part of that person'"'"'s (1) body, and generates a signal in correspondence to that person'"'"'s body movements relative to said means. A detector/filter circuit (5) connected to said means, separates signals corresponding to true body movements, heartbeat-related body movements, and respiration-related body movements. Calculation and comparison circuits (6, 9; 7, 10; 8, 11) are adapted to receive these signals and compare them with previously received signals to determine possible changes. A correlator (12) correlates the output signals from the calculation and comparison circuits to produce a resulting change signal which is compared with a preset threshold in a threshold detector circuit (13). The output signals can be used for activating/inactivating an air-bag system or for triggering an emergency alarm via a mobile telephone and a GPS system.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring and estimating the age of a person seated in a seat of a vehicle having an air bag system comprising:
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(a) generating an electrical signal in response to at least one of the heartbeats and other physiological parameters of the person;
(b) comparing the electrical signal in (a) with data stored in a memory;
(c) determining, based on the outcome of the comparison in (b), if the person is a child or an adult, and (d) issuing a signal indicating the outcome of the determination in (c) to the air bag system of the vehicle.
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2. A system for monitoring and estimating the age of a person, seated in a seat of a vehicle having an air bag system comprising:
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at least one stationary pressure sensitive element which may directly or indirectly contact at least a portion of a person'"'"'s body, and which individually generates an electrical signal on an output terminal in response to at least one of the person'"'"'s heartbeats and other physiological parameters of the person;
a detector/filter circuit connected to the output terminal of said at least one stationary pressure sensitive element which separates and outputs signals relating to heartbeat information on corresponding output terminals;
a correlator connected to said detector/filter circuit and having an output terminal;
a threshold detector circuit connected to said output terminal of said correlator and which compares the resulting change sensed by said at least one pressure sensitive element with a preset threshold value and having an output terminal; and
a device connected to said output terminal of said threshold detector circuit and which activates/inactivates an air bag system in the vehicle, when said preset threshold is reached. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification