Occupant-detecting apparatus

• US 7,786,882 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Okawa, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/073,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20080231094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 340/667, 340/665, 340/666, 738/65, 180/271, 180/273
• US Class Current: 340/667
• 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: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/267 alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/272 Buckle lock sensors for child seat safety belts
• 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

An occupant-detecting apparatus includes a plurality of load sensors configured to detect a load imparted on a vehicle seat, and an occupant-sitting determination device configured to determine whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, based on detected result of the load sensors. The load sensors are configured to detect loads at different positions on the vehicle seat, and the occupant-sitting determination device is configured not to perform occupant-sitting determination if an absolute value (ΔW) of a variable amount in a sum of detected result of the load sensors is lesser than a predetermined threshold value (TH/L).

Claims

1. An occupant-detecting apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of load sensing devices each configured to detect a load imparted on a vehicle seat; and

an occupant-sitting determination device configured to determine whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat based on detected loads of the load sensing devices,

said load sensing devices being configured to detect loads at a plurality of different positions on the vehicle seat, and

said occupant-sitting determination device being configured to determine whether to perform an occupant-sitting determination based on a comparison between a predetermined threshold value and an absolute value of a variable amount between a sum of previously-collected load sample values and a sum of presently-collected load sample values detected by the load sensing devices.

2. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said occupant-sitting determination device is configured not to perform the occupant-sitting determination if the absolute value is less than the predetermined threshold value.

3. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said occupant-sitting determination device is configured not to perform the occupant-sitting determination if the absolute value is larger than the predetermined threshold value, and to then perform the occupant-sitting determination despite a magnitude of the absolute value after the occupant-sitting determination is initially not performed.

4. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein each of said load sensing devices comprises a load sensor.

5. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the load sensors are mounted on the vehicle seat and configured to detect the loads at the plurality of different positions on the vehicle seat.

6. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the occupant-sitting determination device includes an occupant ECU to detect the presence of an occupant.

7. The occupant-detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the occupant-sitting determination device is configured to process an output from the load sensing devices and is configured to determine whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, and whether the occupant is an adult or child using a child seat.