Airbag device and occupant classification device

• US 7,469,925 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Mieko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US12/010,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 280/735, 280/801.1, 382/103, 382/106, 701 45- 48, 340/572.1, 340/457, 340/451.1
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

A seating state of an occupant including a presence, absence, and posture of the occupant is accurately determined. The device includes a seat belt provided with marks whose image is to be taken, an imaging portion that takes an image of the marks provided on the seat belt, and a seating state determining portion that determines the seating state of the occupant based on the image of the marks taken by the imaging portion.

Claims

1. An airbag device, comprising:

a seat belt;

a light source which irradiates the seat belt;

a string of labels on the seat belt, the string of labels being made of a material that reflects light from the light source more strongly than does the seat belt;

a camera which takes an image of the string of labels on the seat belt;

an airbag having a mechanism for adjusting an inflation amount or an inflation speed of the airbag;

a processor; and

a memory accessible by the processor,

wherein the memory stores;

table data that associates arrangement patterns with seating states, the seating states including a presence, an absence, and a posture of an occupant, and

program code executed by the processor, the program code including steps of;

detecting an arrangement pattern of the string of labels from the image,

estimating a seating state of an occupant fastening the seat belt by comparing the detected arrangement pattern with the arrangement patterns in the table data, and

controlling the inflation amount or the inflation speed of the airbag according to the estimated seating state.