Vehicle seat occupant classifying method and apparatus based on a support vector machine
First Claim
1. A method of classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for embodying the method, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector; and
(c) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seat occupant in a vehicle is classified into one of first and second categories by using a support vector machine (SVM). Sensor signals are obtained from seat sensors to form a sensor signal vector. By using the sensor signal vector, a value of a two-value decision function known as SVM is calculated. The seat occupant is decided to be of one of the first and second categories associated with the value. The two-value decision function can be generated through support vector learning by using a set of training vectors obtained from the seat sensors. An airbag system using an inventive seat occupant classifying apparatus is also disclosed.
-
Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A method of classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for embodying the method, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector; and
(c) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 43, 44)
-
-
14. A method of generating a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine and used for classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for effecting the classification, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) preparing a set of training input-output data samples, each training input-output data sample comprising a training sensor signal vector whose components are derived from said respective sensors and a class value that indicates said first or second category depending on said seat occupant at a time of obtaining said sensor signal vector; and
(b) using said set of training input-output data samples to find parameters for said two-value decision function through support vector learning. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An apparatus for classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
-
an array of sensors each providing a sensor signal in response to an applied force; and
a controller connected to said sensors, said controller comprising;
(a) means for obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) means for calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector; and
(c) means for deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. An apparatus for controlling airbag deployment in response to a state of a seat occupant in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
-
an array of force sensors each providing a sensor signal in response to an applied force; and
a first controller connected to said sensors for classifying said state of said seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category, said first controller comprising;
(a) means for obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) means for calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector;
(c) means for deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value;
means, in response to a detection of an imminent crash, for controlling airbag deployment on the basis of said one of said first and second categories.
-
-
32. A method of classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for embodying the method, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector;
(c) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value of said two-value decision function, said first category denoting an adult class, and said second category denoting a child class;
(d) if said seat occupant is decided to be of said second category, calculating a second value of a second two-value decision function known as the support vector machine and associated with said second category by using said sensor signal vector, said second category being classified into a first subcategory denoting a sitting child class for a child seating on a vehicle seat and a second subcategory denoting an infant seat class for an infant put in an infant seat; and
(e) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said sitting child class and said infant seat class associated with said second value of said second two-value decision function. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method of classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for embodying the method, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector; and
(c) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value of said two-value decision function, wherein said first and second categories relate to degrees of fatigue of said seat occupant. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method of classifying a seat occupant or a state of the seat occupant into one of a first category and a second category in a vehicle having an array of sensors and a controller connected to the sensors for embodying the method, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) obtaining respective sensor signals from said sensors to form a sensor signal vector whose components are said sensor signals;
(b) calculating a value of a two-value decision function known as a support vector machine by using said sensor signal vector; and
(c) deciding said seat occupant to be of one of said first and second categories associated with said value of said two-value decision function, wherein said first and second categories relate to degrees of awakening of said seat occupant. - View Dependent Claims (42)
-
Specification