Occupant detection system
First Claim
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1. A system for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with a safety restraint system, comprising:
- a. a first electric field sensor comprising at least one first electrode mountable in a seat bottom of a vehicle seat, wherein said first electric field sensor is responsive to at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object on said vehicle seat;
b. a first sensing circuit operatively coupled to at least one said first electrode of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit generates a first signal responsive to said at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object proximate to said first electric field sensor, and said first sensing circuit comprises;
i. a reference capacitor, wherein the capacitance of said reference capacitor is stable over a range of temperatures; and
ii. a switch for switching said reference capacitor in place of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit compares the measurement of said reference capacitor with the measurement of said first electric field sensor, and calibrates said first signal responsive to said comparison;
c. a first range/proximity sensor mountable within a seat back of a vehicle seat, wherein said first range/proximity sensor is responsive to the torso of an occupant proximate to said seat back; and
d. a controller operatively coupled to said first electric field sensor and to said first range/proximity sensor, wherein said controller discriminates a type of object on said seat responsive to said first signal and to said first range/proximity sensor, and said controller controls the actuation of the safety restraint system responsive to said type of object.
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Abstract
An occupant detection system comprises an electric field sensor in the seat bottom of a vehicle seat for discriminating objects on the seat, and a range/proximity sensor for sensing the proximity of an occupant'"'"'s torso relative to the seat back of a vehicle seat. The electric field sensor discriminates normally seated occupants from other seating conditions, and disables a restraint actuator unless a normally seated occupant is present. The range/proximity sensor disables the restraint actuator if an occupant has not been proximate to the seat back for a period of time greater than a threshold.
132 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with a safety restraint system, comprising:
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a. a first electric field sensor comprising at least one first electrode mountable in a seat bottom of a vehicle seat, wherein said first electric field sensor is responsive to at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object on said vehicle seat;
b. a first sensing circuit operatively coupled to at least one said first electrode of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit generates a first signal responsive to said at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object proximate to said first electric field sensor, and said first sensing circuit comprises;
i. a reference capacitor, wherein the capacitance of said reference capacitor is stable over a range of temperatures; and
ii. a switch for switching said reference capacitor in place of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit compares the measurement of said reference capacitor with the measurement of said first electric field sensor, and calibrates said first signal responsive to said comparison;
c. a first range/proximity sensor mountable within a seat back of a vehicle seat, wherein said first range/proximity sensor is responsive to the torso of an occupant proximate to said seat back; and
d. a controller operatively coupled to said first electric field sensor and to said first range/proximity sensor, wherein said controller discriminates a type of object on said seat responsive to said first signal and to said first range/proximity sensor, and said controller controls the actuation of the safety restraint system responsive to said type of object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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10. A system for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with a safety restraint system, comprising:
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a. a first electric field sensor comprising at least one first electrode mountable in a seat bottom of a vehicle seat, wherein said first electric field sensor is responsive to at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object on said vehicle seat, and said first electric field sensor is adapted to mitigate the affect of a liquid wetting said vehicle seat on an impedance between said at least one first electrode and a ground;
b. a first sensing circuit operatively coupled to at least one said first electrode of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit generates a first signal responsive to said at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object proximate to said first electric field sensor;
c. a first range/proximity sensor mountable within a seat back of a vehicle seat, wherein said first range/proximity sensor is responsive to the torso of an occupant proximate to said seat back; and
d. a controller operatively coupled to said first electric field sensor and to said first range/proximity sensor, wherein said controller discriminates a type of object on said seat responsive to said first signal and to said first range/proximity sensor, and said controller controls the actuation of the safety restraint system responsive to said type of object.
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13. A system for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with a safety restraint, comprising:
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a. a first electric field sensor comprising at least one first electrode mountable in a seat bottom of a vehicle seat, wherein said first electric field sensor is responsive to at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object on said vehicle seat and said first electric field sensor further comprises at least one second electrode and at least one third electrode, wherein said at least one third electrode is located between said at least one first electrode and a foam cushion of said vehicle seat, said at least one second electrode is located between said at least one first electrode and said at least one third electrode, and said at least one second electrode is substantially the same size as said at least one first electrode;
b. a first sensing circuit operatively coupled to at least one said first electrode of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit generates a first signal responsive to said at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object proximate to said first electric field sensor;
c. a first range/proximity sensor mountable within a seat back of a vehicle seat, wherein said first range/proximity sensor is responsive to the torso of an occupant proximate to said seat back; and
d. a controller operatively coupled to said first electric field sensor and to said first range/proximity sensor, wherein said controller discriminates a type of object on said seat responsive to said first signal and to said first range/proximity sensor, and said controller controls the actuation of the safety restraint system responsive to said type of object.
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33. A system for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with a safety restraint system, comprising:
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a. a first electric field sensor comprising at least one first electrode mountable in a seat bottom of a vehicle seat, wherein said first electric field sensor is responsive to at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object on said vehicle seat;
b. a first sensing circuit operatively coupled to at least one said first electrode of said first electric field sensor, wherein said first sensing circuit generates a first signal responsive to said at least one electric-field-influencing property of an object proximate to said first electric field sensor;
c. a first range/proximity sensor mountable within a seat back of a vehicle seat, wherein said first range/proximity sensor is responsive to the torso of an occupant proximate to said seat back; and
d. a controller operatively coupled to said first electric field sensor and to said first range/proximity sensor, wherein said controller discriminates a type of object on said seat responsive to said first signal and to said first range/proximity sensor, said controller controls the actuation of the safety restraint system responsive to said type of object, and said controller disables said safety restraint system if a torso of an occupant becomes displaced from said seat back by a distance greater than a first threshold, and after a period of time, commencing when said torso of said occupant was proximate to said seat back, exceeds a second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification