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Vehicle occupant characterization method with rough road compensation

DC
  • US 6,542,802 B2
  • Filed: 07/02/2001
  • Issued: 04/01/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of distinguishing between a normally restrained occupant and a cinched child seat in an occupant detection system of a vehicle having an output signal responsive to weight applied to a vehicle seat, the method comprising the steps of:

  • computing a variance of the output signal and a running average of such variance;

    measuring a vertical acceleration of the vehicle;

    normalizing the averaged variance based on the measured vertical acceleration;

    determining that a cinched child seat is present if the vehicle is moving and the normalized average variance is below a first predefined threshold indicative of a cinched child seat; and

    determining that a normally restrained occupant is present if the vehicle is moving and the normalized average variance is above a second predefined threshold indicative of a normally restrained child or small adult.

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