Method and apparatus for sensing seat occupancy
First Claim
1. A vehicle seat occupancy detection system comprising:
- a seat bun forming a portion of the seating cushion for an occupant'"'"'s seat, wherein said seat bun has a substantially horizontal upper surface portion, a lower surface portion and a plurality of cavities arrayed in a predetermined pattern;
a plurality of weight sensor devices mounted substantially in said array of cavities, each weight sensor device having first and second relatively movable parts that are aligned for relative movement with respect to each other in a path that is substantiality perpendicular to said seat bun surfaces, said first part being mounted below said upper surface portion, said second part being spaced below said first part, each of said weight sensor devices being operative to produce signals indicative of the distance between said first and second parts; and
a processor for receiving said sensor signals and interpreting the signals from said plurality of weight sensors to produce an output control signal corresponding with the weight and pattern of a load applied to the upper surface portion of said seat bun.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for identifying and categorizing the weight and characteristics of the occupant currently occupying a vehicle seat. The method for identifying and categorizing the occupant or object involves measuring the deflection of the upper surface of the seat cushion at several points and therefore the weight distribution of the occupant. The system contains multiple weight sensors arrayed for detecting the distribution of the load causing the seat deflection. The system also includes a sensor to measure ambient temperature, preferably for temperature compensation due to the effects extreme temperatures may have on the compression properties of the seat cushion material and the weight sensors. A system processor interprets the data acquired by the sensors, and utilizes an algorithm and weight tables to simulate a neural network in providing an output a control signal indicative of the categorization of the occupant or object.
89 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat occupancy detection system comprising:
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a seat bun forming a portion of the seating cushion for an occupant'"'"'s seat, wherein said seat bun has a substantially horizontal upper surface portion, a lower surface portion and a plurality of cavities arrayed in a predetermined pattern;
a plurality of weight sensor devices mounted substantially in said array of cavities, each weight sensor device having first and second relatively movable parts that are aligned for relative movement with respect to each other in a path that is substantiality perpendicular to said seat bun surfaces, said first part being mounted below said upper surface portion, said second part being spaced below said first part, each of said weight sensor devices being operative to produce signals indicative of the distance between said first and second parts; anda processor for receiving said sensor signals and interpreting the signals from said plurality of weight sensors to produce an output control signal corresponding with the weight and pattern of a load applied to the upper surface portion of said seat bun. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sensor for use in a system that measures weight or other forces applied in a first direction, comprising:
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a first element configured to be mounted on a relatively immovable support element; a second element configured to be movable in a predetermined path with respect to said first element, in response to said applied weight or other forces; a spring element mounted between said first and second elements to provide predetermined resistive forces to the applied weight or other forces; wherein, said first element contains a central bore for accepting and guiding said second element during its relative movement with respect to said first element along said predetermined path;
said second element contains a central probe that fits within said central bore for relative movement therein along said predetermined path;said central probe includes a permanent magnet;
said first element contains a magnetic field sensor that is electrically and physically connected to a flexible circuit layer below said first element and that is mounted within said central bore in a position that is an extension of, but beyond said predetermined path; andsaid flexible circuit layer coextends with the surface of said relatively immovable support element to which said first element is physically connected. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A plurality of weight sensors for use in a system that measures weight or other forces applied in a first direction, wherein said sensors are each mounted on a relatively immovable base substrate in a predetermined array, and wherein each sensor includes:
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a first element configured to be mounted on said base substrate;
a second element configured to be movable in a predetermined path with respect to said first element, in response to said applied weight or other forces;a spring element mounted between said first and second elements to provide predetermined resistive forces to the applied weight or other forces; wherein, said first element contains a central bore for accepting and guiding said second element during its relative movement with respect to said first element along said predetermined path;
said second element contains a central probe that fits within said central bore for relative movement therein along said predetermined path;said central probe includes a permanent magnet; said first element contains a magnetic field sensor with power, ground and output signal terminals that are electrically and physically connected to a flexible circuit layer below said first element and is mounted within said central bore in a position that is an extension of, but beyond said predetermined path; and
said flexible circuit coextends with the surface of said relatively immovable base substrate to which said first element is physically connected; andsaid flexible circuit provides common ground and common power connections to corresponding ground and power terminals, and a dedicated output connection to the output signal terminal of each of said magnetic field sensors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of detecting the classification of an occupant load on the seat cushion of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
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providing a seat bun forming a portion of the seating cushion for an occupant'"'"'s seat, wherein said seat bun is provided with a substantially horizontal upper surface portion, a lower surface portion and a plurality of cavities arrayed in a predetermined pattern; providing a plurality of weight sensor devices mounted substantially in said array of cavities, wherein each weight sensor device is provided to have first and second relatively movable parts being aligned for relative movement substantially perpendicular to said seat bun surfaces, said first part being mounted below said upper surface portion, said second part also being spaced below said first part;
each said weight sensor device being operative to produce signals indicative of the distance between said first and second parts; andproviding a processor for receiving said sensor signals and interpreting the signals from said plurality of weight sensors to produce an output control classification signal corresponding with the weight and pattern of the occupant load applied to the upper surface portion of said seat bun. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of classifying a load present on a vehicle seat, comprising the steps of:
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providing a seat bun having top and bottom surfaces, the seat bun further provided with a plurality of laterally-spaced apart cavities extending upwardly from the bottom surface part way into the seat bun towards the top surface; providing a load sensor in each cavity for determining the compression of the seat bun due to a load being present on the top surface, each load sensor being provided as operative to produce a sensor signal representative of the compression of the seat bun at its respective location in the seat bun;
providing signal processing coupled to each load sensor for receiving and interpreting the sensor signals to determine a distribution pattern and weight of the load present on the top surface and for producing a classification signal indicative of a class of the load, for a vehicle subsystem;producing sensor signals in response to a load being present on the top surface; receiving and interpreting the sensor signals to determine the distribution pattern and weight of the load thereby determining the class of the load; and producing the classification signal. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification