Seating detector

• US 7,216,895 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yukihiro, Hiraki, Yasuaki, Ito, Koji, Hattori, Katsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCREARY, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US10/942,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 180/273, 701/45, 701/49, 340/667
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems

Abstract

A seating detector comprises a plurality of cells provided at a seating surface to be defined by rows and columns for detecting partial loads, an unevenness calculating means for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof and a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof and a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof, and a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by a child restraint system based on a comparison between the number of the cells and a threshold.

Claims

1. A seating detector, comprising:

a plurality of cells provided at a seating surface of a seat to be defined by a two-dimensional array including rows and columns for detecting partial loads applied to the seating surface of the seat;

an unevenness calculating means for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in one direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in one direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in one direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in one direction;

a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by a child restraint system based on a comparison between the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means and a threshold.

2. A seating detector according to claim 1, wherein the seating detector further comprising:

a total load value calculating means for calculating a total load value by summing the all partial pressures detected at the respective cells;

a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by an adult based on a comparison between the total load value calculated by the total load value calculating means and a judging threshold;

an unevenness calculating means in horizontal direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in horizontal direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in horizontal direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the horizontal direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in horizontal direction;

a correcting means correcting either one of the total load value or the judging threshold so as to control the occupant determination as an adult based on a comparison between the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means and a threshold.

3. A seating detector according to claim 1, wherein the seating detector further comprising:

a total load value calculating means for calculating a total load value by summing the all partial pressures detected at the respective cells;

a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by an adult based on a comparison between the total load value calculated by the total load value calculating means and a judging threshold;

an unevenness calculating means in vertical direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in vertical direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in vertical direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the vertical direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in vertical direction;

a correcting means correcting either one of the total load value or the judging threshold so as to control the occupant determination as an adult based on a comparison between the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means and a threshold.

4. A seating detector, comprising:

a plurality of cells provided at a seating surface of a seat to be defined by a two-dimensional array including rows and columns for detecting partial loads applied to the seating surface of the seat;

an unevenness calculating means in a first direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the first direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the first direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the first direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the first direction;

an unevenness calculating means in a second direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the second direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the second direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the second direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the second direction;

an uneven cell totalizing means for adding the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means in the first direction to the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means in the second direction;

a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by a child restraint system based on a comparison between the number of the cells calculated by the uneven cell totalizing means and a threshold.

5. A seating detector, comprising:

a plurality of cells provided at a seating surface of a seat to be defined by a two-dimensional array including rows and columns for detecting partial loads applied to the seating surface of the seat;

a total load value calculating means for calculating a total load value by summing the all partial pressures detected at the respective cells;

a determining means for determining that the seat is occupied by an adult based on a comparison between the total load value calculated by the total load value calculating means and a judging threshold;

an unevenness calculating means in a first direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the first direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the first direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the first direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the first direction;

an unevenness calculating means in a second direction for calculating the number of cells when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is larger than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the second direction and larger than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the second direction, or when a partial pressure detected at the each cell is smaller than a partial pressure detected at one abutting cell positioned next to the cell at one side thereof in the second direction and smaller than a partial pressure detected at the other abutting cell positioned next to the cell at the other side thereof in the second direction;

an uneven cell totalizing means for adding the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means in the first direction to the number of the cells calculated by the unevenness calculating means in the second direction;

a correcting means correcting either one of the total load value or the judging threshold so as to control the occupant determination as an adult based on a comparison between the total number of the cells calculated by the uneven cell totalizing means and a threshold.