Weight detector for vehicle seat
First Claim
1. A weight detector for executing detection of the weight of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat, the weight detector comprising:
- a first load sensor and a second load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle seat, wherein each of the first and second sensors has a predetermined detection range; and
a third load sensor and a fourth load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle seat, wherein each of the third and fourth sensors has a predetermined detection range, wherein if one of first through fourth detection values detected respectively by the first through fourth load sensors exceeds the corresponding detection range, the weight detector uses an old weight determination that was determined when the detection values were within their corresponding detection ranges.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A weight detector for detecting the weight of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat includes a first load sensor and a second load sensor provided on opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle seat. Each of the first and second load sensors has a predetermined detection range. The weight detector further includes a third load sensor and a fourth load sensor provided on opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle seat. Each of the third and fourth load sensors has a predetermined detection range. If a detection value based on a load acquired by one of the first through fourth load sensors exceeds its detection range, the weight detector uses an old value that was determined under proper condition. Otherwise, the weight detector determines the size of the passenger based on the currently detected values.
25 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A weight detector for executing detection of the weight of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat, the weight detector comprising:
-
a first load sensor and a second load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle seat, wherein each of the first and second sensors has a predetermined detection range; and
a third load sensor and a fourth load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle seat, wherein each of the third and fourth sensors has a predetermined detection range, wherein if one of first through fourth detection values detected respectively by the first through fourth load sensors exceeds the corresponding detection range, the weight detector uses an old weight determination that was determined when the detection values were within their corresponding detection ranges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A weight detector for executing detection of the weight of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat, the weight detector comprising:
a first load sensor and a second load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of the vehicle seat, wherein leach of the first and second sensors has a predetermined detection range, wherein if one of first and second detection values detected respectively by the first and second load sensors exceeds the corresponding detection range, the weight detector uses an old weight determination that was determined when the detection values were within their corresponding detection ranges. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
10. A method for detecting the weight of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat, the method comprising the steps of:
-
acquiring first and second detection values based on loads, wherein the first and second detection values are respectively detected by a first load sensor and a second load sensor provided respectively on opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle seat;
acquiring third and fourth detection values based on loads, wherein the third and fourth detection values are respectively detected by a third load sensor and a fourth load senor provided respectively on opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle seat;
determining whether or not each of the first and second detection values acquired based on the first and second load sensors is within an associated predetermined detection range;
using an old detection of the weight of the seated passenger to represent the current size of the passenger if either one of the first and second detection values exceeds the detection range of the associated load sensor; and
detecting the weight of the seated passenger based on a sum of the detection values if one of the first and second detection values is within the associated range.
-
Specification