Devices and method for detecting the position and the weight of a person

• US 7,315,002 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Stielow, Arnd, Klement, Thomas, Hofbeck, Klaus, Rosel, Birgit
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska; Vit
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kayes; Sean
• Application Number:
  US10/938,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20050056467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 177/144, 177/136, 177154-157, 280/735, 340/667
• US Class Current: 177/136
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015

Abstract

The position and the weight of a person, in particular a person on a motor vehicle seat, is determined. Reflectors are used to reflect electromagnetic radiation from a transceiver. The attenuation of the sensor reflector radiation enables a report on the seat position of a person in the radiation path. An antenna of each sensor reflector is connected to an electrical load assigned thereto, which is dependent on the weight of the person acting upon it. Depending on this weight, weight information about the person is superimposed by the load onto the reflected sensor reflector signal. The reflected sensor reflector signal is received by the transceiver and fed to the evaluation unit after a signal pre-processing, which enables the weight information of the person to be evaluated.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the position and the weight of a person, comprising:

at least one transceiver for electromagnetic signals;

at least one sensor reflector disposed to enable detection of a presence and a position of the person, said sensor reflector having an antenna for reflecting a transmitting signal from said transceiver as a sensor reflector signal;

a weight-dependent changeable electrical load device associated with said sensor reflector and disposed to detect weight information about the person;

said antenna of said sensor reflector being linked to said electrical load device and configured to superimpose on the sensor reflector signal of said sensor reflector weight information about the person detected by said load device;

an evaluation unit connected to said transceiver and being configured to evaluate the weight information of the person; and

said at least one sensor reflector having an oscillator configured to oscillate at a weight-dependent oscillating frequency, thereby changing the load depending on the weight acting thereon.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensor reflector is one of a plurality of sensor reflectors each connected to a respective said antenna and said antennas are configured to communicate via the transmitting signal and the reflector signal regardless of whether a direct view to a respective sensor is obstructed by the person.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said load device comprises a switch having:

a first connection linked to said antenna;

a control connection linked to a signal output of said oscillator; and

a second connection linked to a reference potential.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said oscillator comprises an oscillation frequency-influenced element with a weight-dependent value characteristic for said element.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said oscillation frequency-influenced element is a capacitor.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein said oscillation frequency-influenced element is a coil.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein said oscillation frequency-influenced element is a quartz oscillator.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor reflector is one of a plurality of sensor reflectors strategically disposed in or on a motor vehicle seat.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor reflector is one of a plurality of sensor reflectors disposed at a seating surface and/or a backrest and/or at a head support of a motor vehicle seat.

10. A method for detecting a position and a weight of a person, which comprises:

providing the device according to claim 1;

transmitting a transmitting signal with said transceiver

receiving the transmitting signal with said sensor reflector;

superimposing weight information of a person on the signal with said sensor reflector;

reflecting the receiving signal provided with the weight information as a sensor reflector signal;

receiving the sensor reflector signal with said transceiver; and

determining the weight information of the person from the sensor reflector signal received by said transceiver.

11. A sensor reflector for detecting a weight of a person, comprising:

an antenna configured to reflect a high-freguency transmitting signal of a transceiver as a sensor reflector signal;

an electrical load device connected to said antenna, said load device having a weight-dependent changeable load value;

an oscillator configured to oscillate at a weight-dependent oscillating freguency, thereby changing the load depending on the weight acting thereon; and

said antenna being configured to transmit the sensor reflector signal with the output signal of said load device containing weight information about the person superimposed on the reflector signal.

12. A method for detecting a position and a weight of a person, which comprises:

providing a sensor reflector according to claim 11;

transmitting a transmitting signal with a transceiver;

receiving the transmitting signal with said sensor reflector;

superimposing weight information of a person on the receiving signal with said sensor reflector, and reflecting the signal with the superimposed weight information as a sensor reflector signal;

receiving the sensor reflector signal with the transceiver; and

determining the weight information of the person from the sensor reflector signal received by the transceiver.