Passenger detection system and detection method
First Claim
1. A passenger detection system comprising:
- an array of at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes disposed on a seat, at least two of said antenna electrodes arranged in a linear row and one antenna electrode offset from said linear row;
an electric field generation device connectable to said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes for generating an electric field around at least one antenna electrode of said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes;
a switching circuit for selecting a particular antenna electrode from said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes and connecting said selected antenna electrode to said electric field generation device to produce said electric field around said selected antenna electrode;
an information detection circuit for detecting said electric field around said selected antenna electrode, and obtaining information related to a current flowing in said selected antenna electrode resulting from said electric field around said selected antenna electrode; and
a control circuit for receiving signal data from said information detection circuit and determining passenger seating conditions on said seat according to said signal data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A passenger detection system is presented so that the master control circuit in the system instructs the passenger airbag control circuit controlling the operation of the airbag designated for the passenger seat to be in the deployable state or not-deployable state, depending on the seating conditions of a passenger sitting on the passenger seat, for example whether the passenger is an adult or a child. The passenger detection system is operated by a plurality of antenna electrodes disposed on the passenger seat; an electric field generation device for generating an electric field around an antenna electrode; a switching circuit for connecting the electric field generation device to the various antenna electrodes; an information detection circuit for detecting information related to a current flowing in a particular antenna electrode selected by the switching circuit; a master control circuit for receiving signal data output from the information detection circuit, and judging passenger seating conditions according to the signal data; and an airbag apparatus for controlling the operation of an airbag designated for the driver seat and an airbag designated for the passenger seat.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A passenger detection system comprising:
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an array of at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes disposed on a seat, at least two of said antenna electrodes arranged in a linear row and one antenna electrode offset from said linear row;
an electric field generation device connectable to said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes for generating an electric field around at least one antenna electrode of said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes;
a switching circuit for selecting a particular antenna electrode from said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes and connecting said selected antenna electrode to said electric field generation device to produce said electric field around said selected antenna electrode;
an information detection circuit for detecting said electric field around said selected antenna electrode, and obtaining information related to a current flowing in said selected antenna electrode resulting from said electric field around said selected antenna electrode; and
a control circuit for receiving signal data from said information detection circuit and determining passenger seating conditions on said seat according to said signal data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A passenger detection system comprising:
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an array of at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes disposed on a seat, at least two of said antenna electrodes arranged in a linear row and at least one antenna electrode offset from said linear row;
an electric field generation device connectable to said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes for generating an electric field around at least one antenna electrode of said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes;
a switching circuit for selecting a particular antenna electrode from said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes and connecting said selected antenna electrode to said electric field generation device to produce said electric field around said selected antenna electrode;
an information detection circuit for detecting said electric field around said selected antenna electrode, and obtaining information related to a current flowing in said selected antenna electrode resulting from said electric field around said selected antenna electrode;
a control circuit for receiving signal data from said information detection circuit and determining passenger seating conditions on said seat according to said signal data; and
an airbag apparatus for enabling to deploy, upon collision, an air bag designated for said seat, wherein said airbag apparatus is instructed by said control circuit to be either in the deployable state or not-deployable state according to data generated by said control circuit after the passenger seating conditions have been determined.
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19. A passenger detection system comprising:
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a seating surface;
an array of at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes arranged on said seating surface, at least two of said antenna electrodes arranged in a linear row and at least one antenna electrode offset from said linear row;
an electric field generator capable of exciting said at least three-spaced apart antenna electrodes so as to produce respective electric fields as a function of the size of a passenger seated on said seating surface;
a switch sequentially connecting said electric field generator to said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes; and
a controller responsive to currents flowing in said at least three spaced-apart antenna electrodes resulting from said respective electric fields so as to determine passenger seating conditions.
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Specification