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Apparatus and method for controlling an occupant protection system in response to determined passenger compartment occupancy information

  • US 7,111,869 B2
  • Filed: 07/22/2003
  • Issued: 09/26/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable occupant protection system in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

  • a camera configured for obtaining an image of a viewable field within the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

    at least one pattern located on vehicle structures located within the viewable field;

    means for detecting the pattern in the obtained image;

    means for removing portions of the obtained image associated with vehicle structures having the pattern so as to obtain information regarding occupancy within the viewable field; and

    means responsive to the obtained occupancy information for controlling the actuatable occupant protection system,wherein the means for detecting the pattern in the obtained image includes means for forming a binary image from the obtained image, the means for forming the binary image including means for comparing pixel values of the obtained image with a threshold value and providing a binary zero when a respective pixel value fails to exceed the threshold value.

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