Method of determining an equivalent value for a failed sensor in a vehicle seat having an occupancy sensing system
First Claim
1. A method of determining an equivalent output value for a failed sensor having an output in a vehicle seat having a occupancy sensing system, said method including the steps of:
- sensing the output of each sensor in an array of sensors that detect a physical presence in the seat;
classifying a sensor as inoperative when the output of the sensor is characterized as one from a group including a sensor output that falls below a predetermined value, exceeds a predetermined value, and remains fixed;
calculating an equivalent sensor output value for any sensor classified as inoperative;
applying the sensor array output values for each operable sensor in the array and the calculated equivalent output value for any inoperative sensor to a neural net; and
recognizing the applied sensor output values as one of a group of predetermined classification patterns that represent a physical presence in the seat defined by size, weight, and physical orientation.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of determining an equivalent output value for a failed sensor in a vehicle seat having an occupancy sensing system. The method includes the steps of sensing the output of each sensor in an array of sensors that detect a physical presence in the seat. If the output of the sensor falls below a predetermined value, exceeds a predetermined value, or remains fixed the sensor is classified as inoperative. The method then calculates an equivalent sensor output value for any sensor classified as inoperative and applies the sensor array output values for each operable sensor in the array and the calculated equivalent output value for any inoperative sensor to a neural net. Then, the applied sensor output values are recognizing as falling within one of a group of predetermined classification patterns that represent a physical presence in the seat defined by size, weight, and physical orientation.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of determining an equivalent output value for a failed sensor having an output in a vehicle seat having a occupancy sensing system, said method including the steps of:
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sensing the output of each sensor in an array of sensors that detect a physical presence in the seat; classifying a sensor as inoperative when the output of the sensor is characterized as one from a group including a sensor output that falls below a predetermined value, exceeds a predetermined value, and remains fixed; calculating an equivalent sensor output value for any sensor classified as inoperative; applying the sensor array output values for each operable sensor in the array and the calculated equivalent output value for any inoperative sensor to a neural net; and recognizing the applied sensor output values as one of a group of predetermined classification patterns that represent a physical presence in the seat defined by size, weight, and physical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of determining an equivalent output value for a failed sensor having an output in a vehicle seat having a occupancy sensing system, said method including the steps of:
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sensing the output of each sensor in an array of sensors that detect a physical presence in the seat; classifying a sensor as inoperative when the output of the sensor is characterized as one from a group including a sensor output that falls below a predetermined value, exceeds a predetermined value, and remains fixed; when a sensor has been classified as inoperative, determining if the inoperative sensor is one that falls into a predetermined critical group of sensors such that an equivalent sensor output will not be calculated; determining which sensors are neighboring to the inoperative sensor within the array when a sensor is classified as inoperative and is not in the predetermined critical group; sensing the output of each neighboring sensor; retrieving a predetermined weight factor value for each neighboring sensor that represents the operative correlation between the inoperative sensor and the particular neighboring sensor from a stored database; performing a mathematical summation of the output of each neighboring sensor multiplied by the predetermined weight factor value for that particular neighboring sensor to yield the equivalent sensor output value for the inoperative sensor; applying the output values for each operable sensor in the array and the calculated equivalent output value for any inoperative sensor to a neural net; and recognizing the output values as one of a group of predetermined classification patterns that represent a physical presence in the seat defined by size, weight, and physical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of determining an equivalent output value for a failed sensor having an output in a vehicle seat having a occupancy sensing system, said method including the steps of:
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sensing the output of each sensor in an array of sensors that detect a physical presence in the seat; classifying a sensor as inoperative when the output of the sensor is characterized as one from a group including a sensor output that falls below a predetermined value, exceeds a predetermined value, and remains fixed; determining which sensors are neighboring to the inoperative sensor within the array when a sensor is classified as inoperative; sensing the output of each neighboring sensor; retrieving a predetermined weight factor value for each neighboring sensor that represents the operative correlation between the inoperative sensor and the particular neighboring sensor from a stored database; determining the equivalent sensor output value for the inoperative sensor as an estimate based on the output of each neighboring sensor and the predetermined weight factor value for that particular neighboring sensor using an equation defined as; - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification