Hardware independent mapping of multiple sensor configurations for classification of persons
First Claim
1. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
- a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure, said sensors being mounted in a predetermined sensor configuration comprising a plurality of discrete sensor locations, and wherein each discrete sensor location generates one or said plurality of occupant weight signals; and
a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said occupant weight signal, mapping said occupant weight signals from said sensors into a virtual matrix defining a theoretical sensor configuration that comprises a plurality of virtual sensor positions,and generating an output signal representing seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sensors are mounted within a seat structure for measuring seat occupant weight. The sensors can be mounted in any one of various sensor configurations. So that common hardware can be used for each different sensor configuration, a virtual matrix is created and output from the sensors is mapped into the virtual matrix. The virtual matrix includes virtual cell locations that do not have a corresponding sensor output; i.e., there are fewer physical cells (sensors) than virtual cell locations in the virtual matrix. A weight output signal from each sensor is mapped into the corresponding position in the virtual matrix and the remaining virtual cell locations have values assigned to them based on data supplied by the surrounding physical cells. Seat occupant weight is determined based on output from the virtual matrix and the occupant is placed into one of the various occupant classifications. Deployment force of a restraint system is controlled based on the classification of the seat occupant.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure, said sensors being mounted in a predetermined sensor configuration comprising a plurality of discrete sensor locations, and wherein each discrete sensor location generates one or said plurality of occupant weight signals; and
a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said occupant weight signal, mapping said occupant weight signals from said sensors into a virtual matrix defining a theoretical sensor configuration that comprises a plurality of virtual sensor positions,and generating an output signal representing seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) supporting a plurality of sensors with a seat structure and mounting the sensors in a predetermined sensor configuration wherein the predetermined sensor configuration comprises a plurality of discrete sensor locations;
(b) generating a weight signal from each discrete sensor location in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure;
(c) mapping the weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix defining a theoretical sensor configuration wherein the theoretical sensor configuration comprise a plurality of virtual sensor positions; and
(d) determining weight on the sea structure based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification