Hardware independent mapping of multiple sensor configurations for classification of persons
First Claim
1. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
- (a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure;
(b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure;
(c) mapping the occupant weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix, wherein the virtual matrix comprises a theoretical sensor configuration stored within a control unit; and
(d) determining seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sensors are mounted within a seat structure for measuring seat occupant weight. The sensors can be mounted in any one of various sensor configurations. So that common hardware can be used for each different sensor configuration, a virtual matrix is created and output from the sensors is mapped into the virtual matrix. The virtual matrix includes virtual cell locations that do not have a corresponding sensor output; i.e., there are fewer physical cells (sensors) than virtual cell locations in the virtual matrix. A weight output signal from each sensor is mapped into the corresponding position in the virtual matrix and the remaining virtual cell locations have values assigned to them based on data supplied by the surrounding physical cells. Seat occupant weight is determined based on output from the virtual matrix and the occupant is placed into one of the various occupant classifications. Deployment force of a restraint system is controlled based on the classification of the seat occupant.
37 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure; (b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the occupant weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix, wherein the virtual matrix comprises a theoretical sensor configuration stored within a control unit; and (d) determining seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure; (b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the occupant weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix, including generating the virtual matrix to define a theoretical optimal pattern having a theoretical optimal number of seat sensor positions; and (d) determining seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure; (b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the occupant weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix, wherein the virtual matrix comprises a theoretical sensor configuration having a plurality of virtual sensor positions, and including mapping the weight signals into the virtual sensor positions; and (d) determining seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting a plurality of sensors within a seat structure; (b) generating a plurality of occupant weight signals from the sensors in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the occupant weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix, wherein the virtual matrix comprises a plurality of virtual cells, including mapping each occupant weight signal into at least one corresponding virtual cells; and (d) determining seat occupant weight based on output from the virtual matrix including combining output from the plurality of virtual cells to generate an output signal from the virtual matrix that represents seat occupant weight.
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14. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) supporting a plurality of sensors with a seat structure by mounting the sensors in a predetermined sensor configuration that comprises a plurality of discrete sensor locations; (b) generating a weight signal from each discrete sensor location in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix defining a theoretical sensor configuration; and (d) determining weight on the seat structure based on output from the virtual matrix. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for classifying vehicle occupants by measuring seat occupant weight comprising the steps of:
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(a) supporting a plurality of sensors with a seat structure; (b) generating a weight signal from each sensor in response to a weight force applied to the seat structure; (c) mapping the weight signals from the sensors into a virtual matrix defining a theoretical sensor configuration, wherein the virtual matrix comprises a plurality of virtual cells that make up the theoretical sensor configuration, and including mapping each weight signal into at least one corresponding virtual cell; and (d) determining weight on the seat structure based on output from the virtual matrix including combining output from the plurality of virtual cells to generate an output signal from the virtual matrix that represents seat occupant weight.
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19. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure; and a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said occupant weight signals and mapping said occupant weight signals from said sensors into a virtual matrix to generate an output signal representing seat occupant weight, and wherein said virtual matrix comprises a theoretical sensor configuration having a plurality of virtual sensor positions, and wherein said control unit maps the weight signals into the virtual sensor positions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure, wherein said sensors are mounted within said seat structure in one of a plurality of seat sensor configurations; and a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said occupant weight signals and mapping said occupant weight signals from said sensors into a virtual matrix to generate an output signal representing seat occupant weight, and wherein said control unit includes hardware that is common to each of said seat sensor configurations.
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26. A system for determining seat occupant weight comprising:
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a plurality of sensors mounted within a seat structure for generating a plurality of occupant weight signals in response to a weight force applied to said seat structure; and a control unit electrically connected to said sensors for receiving said occupant weight signals and mapping said occupant weight signals from said sensors into a virtual matrix to generate an output signal representing seat occupant weight, and wherein said virtual matrix comprises a theoretical sensor configuration stored within said control unit and includes an optimal number of theoretical sensor positions.
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Specification