Vehicle crash determination arrangement and method, utilizing center of gravity, for an occupant protection system
First Claim
1. A vehicle crash determination arrangement comprising:
- means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value; and
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence, wherein said means for sensing a weight value includes a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath a vehicle seat, each for sensing a load from the seat and the occupant located on the seat, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic includes means for determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant, and wherein said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash includes means for determining an amount of displacement of the center of gravity of the seat and the occupant from an initial position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle crash determination arrangement (20) includes a plurality of weight sensors (52,54). The sensors (52,54) are disposed beneath a vehicle seat (16), and each sensor senses a weight value from the seat and an occupant (14) located on the seat. A center of gravity determination portion (62) of a controller (34) determines center of gravity of the seat (16) and the occupant (14) using the sensed weight values. A C.O.G. crash determination portion (64) of the controller (34) determines occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined center of gravity and outputs a signal (66) indicative of the determination of crash occurrence. Preferably, the arrangement (20) is part of an occupant protection system (10) for the occupant (14). The system (10) includes an actuatable occupant protection device (24). An actuation control portion (46) of the controller (34) controls actuation of the device (24).
69 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle crash determination arrangement comprising:
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means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value; and
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence, wherein said means for sensing a weight value includes a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath a vehicle seat, each for sensing a load from the seat and the occupant located on the seat, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic includes means for determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant, and wherein said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash includes means for determining an amount of displacement of the center of gravity of the seat and the occupant from an initial position. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A vehicle crash determination arrangement comprising:
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means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence;
wherein said means for sensing a weight value including a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath a vehicle seat, each for sensing a weight value from the seat and the occupant being located on the seat, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic using the sensed weight values, and said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including means for determining the occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined center of gravity; and
means for sensing a vehicle condition and means for adjusting a determination regarding center of gravity and occurrence of a vehicle crash using the sensed vehicle condition. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vehicle c rash determination arrangement comprising:
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means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence;
wherein said means for sensing a weight value including a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath a vehicle seat, each for sensing a weight value from the seat and the occupant being located on the seat, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic using the sensed weight values, and said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including means for determining the occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined center of gravity; and
means for sensing forward force applied to a back of the vehicle seat and means for adjusting determinations regarding center of gravity and occurrence of a vehicle crash using the sensed force. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An occupant protection system for an occupant located on a vehicle seat, said system comprising:
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an actuatable occupant protection device;
control means for controlling actuation of said device; and
a vehicle crash determination arrangement including;
means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value; and
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence to said control means;
wherein said means for sensing a weight value including a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath a vehicle seat, each for sensing a weight value from the seat and the occupant located on the seat, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic including means for determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant using the sensed weight values, said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including using change in the determined center of gravity, and said vehicle crash determination arrangement including means for sensing a vehicle condition and means for adjusting a determination regarding center of gravity and occurrence of a vehicle crash condition using the sensed vehicle condition.
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12. An occupant protection system for an occupant located on a vehicle seat, said system comprising:
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an actuatable occupant protection device;
control means for controlling actuation of said device; and
a vehicle crash determination arrangement including;
means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant and for outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence to said control means;
means for sensing forward force applied to a back of the vehicle seat; and
means for adjusting determinations regarding center of gravity and occurrence of a vehicle crash using the sensed force. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of determining the occurrence of a vehicle crash, said method comprising:
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sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant;
outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence;
wherein said step of sensing a weight value including sensing a weight value from the seat and the occupant located on the seat at each of a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath the vehicle seat, said step of determining a weight-based center characteristic including determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant using the sensed weight values, said step of determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including using change in the determined center of gravity, and said step of determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including determining whether a rate of change of the center of gravity of the seat and the occupant exceeds a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of determining the occurrence of a vehicle crash, said method comprising:
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sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat;
determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
determining occurrence of a vehicle crash using change in the determined weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant;
outputting a signal indicative of the determination of crash occurrence;
wherein said step of sensing a weight value including sensing a weight value from the seat and the occupant located on the seat at each of a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath the vehicle seat, said step of determining a weight-based center characteristic including determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant using the sensed weight values, and said step of determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including using change in the determined center of gravity; and
including sensing forward force applied to a back of the vehicle seat and adjusting determinations regarding center of gravity and occurrence of a vehicle crash using the sensed force. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A vehicle crash determination arrangement comprising:
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means for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on a seat, said means for sensing a weight value including a plurality of weight sensors disposed beneath the vehicle seat, each weight sensor sensing a load from the seat and the occupant located on the seat;
means for determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant by using the sensed weight value, said means for determining a weight-based center characteristic including means for determining center of gravity of the seat and the occupant; and
means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash and for outputting a signal indicative of a determination of crash occurrence, said means for determining occurrence of a vehicle crash including means for monitoring a rate of change of a location the center of gravity of the seat and the occupant and for determining if the rate of change exceeds a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification