Method and apparatus for sensing seat occupant weight
First Claim
1. A method for determining the weight of a seat occupant comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a vertical occupant force against a seat bottom;
(b) generating a first weight signal having a first vertical force component and a positive error component induced by application of a non-vertical force to the seat bottom;
(c) generating a second weight signal having a second vertical force component and a negative error component induced by the non-vertical force;
(d) combining the first and second weight signals;
(e) canceling error induced by the non-vertical force by adding the positive and negative error components; and
(f) adding the first and second vertical force components to determine seat occupant weight.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for measuring the weight of a seat occupant is used to control airbag deployment. The system includes a seat bottom that receives a vertical seat occupant weight force. The seat is divided into four quadrants, a front right quadrant, a left front quadrant, a left rear quadrant, and a right rear quadrant. Each quadrant includes a sensor that generates a weight signal corresponding in magnitude to the seat occupant weight in the respective quadrant. Each weight signal is comprised of a vertical force component and an error component induced by braking or deceleration forces acting on the seat bottom in a non-vertical direction. The sensors are orientated within their respective quadrants such that two sensors generate a positive error reading and two sensors generate a negative error reading. When the weight signals from each quadrant are added together to determine the total seat occupant weight, the error is eliminated as the positive and negative error components cancel each other out. The seat occupant weight is determined by adding the vertical force components from each of the weight signals together.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining the weight of a seat occupant comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a vertical occupant force against a seat bottom;
(b) generating a first weight signal having a first vertical force component and a positive error component induced by application of a non-vertical force to the seat bottom;
(c) generating a second weight signal having a second vertical force component and a negative error component induced by the non-vertical force;
(d) combining the first and second weight signals;
(e) canceling error induced by the non-vertical force by adding the positive and negative error components; and
(f) adding the first and second vertical force components to determine seat occupant weight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for measuring the weight of a seat occupant comprising:
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a seat bottom for receiving a substantially vertical seat occupant weight force;
at least one pair of sensors including a first sensor mounted within a first portion of said seat bottom for generating a first weight signal comprised of a first vertical force component and a positive error component induced by application of non-vertical seat forces to said seat bottom and a second sensor mounted within a second portion of said seat bottom for generating a second weight signal comprised of a second vertical force component and a negative error component induced by application said non-vertical seat forces; and
a processor for determining seat occupant weight based on said first and second weight signals wherein seat occupant weight is determined by summation of said first and second vertical force components and error induced by said non-vertical seat forces is eliminated by adding said positive and negative error components. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for measuring the weight of a seat occupant comprising:
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a seat bottom for receiving a substantially vertical seat occupant weight force and being divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant;
a first sensor mounted within said first quadrant for generating a first weight signal comprised of a first vertical force component and a first error component induced by application of non-vertical seat forces to said seat bottom;
a second sensor mounted within said second quadrant for generating a second weight signal comprised of a second vertical force component and a second error component induced by application said non-vertical seat forces;
a third sensor mounted within said third quadrant for generating a third weight signal comprised of a third vertical force component and a third error component induced by application said non-vertical seat forces;
a fourth sensor mounted within said fourth quadrant for generating a fourth weight signal comprised of a fourth vertical force component and a fourth error component induced by application said non-vertical seat forces;
said first and third sensors being orientated within said first and third quadrants, respectively, such that said first and third error components caused by said non-vertical seat forces are generated as positive errors and said second and fourth sensors being orientated within said second and fourth quadrants, respectively, such that said second and fourth error components caused by said non-vertical seat forces are generated as negative errors; and
a processor for determining seat occupant weight based on said first, second, third, and fourth weight signals wherein error induced by said non-vertical seat forces is eliminated by adding said positive and negative errors. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification