Occupant determination apparatus using load sensor

• US 9,541,446 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hosokawa, Toshio, Muramatsu, Yusuke, Kojima, Mikihito
• Primary Examiner(s): HULS, NATALIE F
• Application Number:
  US14/221,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 determination apparatus includes a load sensor and a determination section. The load sensor detects a load of an occupant seated in a seat of a vehicle to provide the detected load as a load signal. The determination section determines presence or absence of the occupant and a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes that are ordered from small to large according to the physical sizes based on predetermined threshold loads. The subject class is stored as a determined class. The determination section permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an immediately adjacent larger class when the load signal equal to or larger than a threshold load between the present class and the immediately adjacent larger class continues being received for a threshold time.

Claims

1. An occupant determination apparatus comprising:

a load sensor to detect a load of an occupant who is seated in a seat of a vehicle and provide the detected load as a load signal; and

a computer having a determination section to receive the load signal and determine (i) presence or absence of the occupant and (ii) a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes, which are ordered from small to large according to the physical size, based on a plurality of threshold loads that are predetermined, the subject class being stored as a determined class,

wherein;

the determination section performs an inter-class transition that permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an adjacent class that is immediately adjacent to the present class (i) when the load signal, which is equal to or larger than a first threshold load, continues being received for a first threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a first separate threshold load, the first threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is larger than the present class, the first separate threshold load which is defined to be larger than the first threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads, or (ii) when the load signal, which is smaller than a second threshold load, continues being received for a second threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a second separate threshold load, the second threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is smaller than the present class, the second separate threshold load which is defined to be smaller than the second threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads.

2. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

a class, which is initially determined as the determined class when the occupant gets in the vehicle, is defined as a basis class among the plurality of classes; and

as the transition destination class is farther from the basis class, a threshold time corresponding to the inter-class transition into the transition destination class is designated to be longer.

3. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

a class, which is stored as the determined class when a vehicle speed signal from a speed sensor in the vehicle provided to the determination section reaches a predetermined value, is defined as a basis class among the plurality of classes; and

as the transition destination class is farther from the basis class, a threshold time corresponding to the inter-class transition into the transition destination class is designated to be longer.

4. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

the plurality of classes include (i) airbag-inflating classes that each enable inflating of an airbag and (ii) a none-airbag-inflating class that disables inflating of the airbag;

the plurality of threshold times include (i) a third threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating classes and (ii) a fourth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating class and the none-airbag-inflating class; and

the third threshold time between the airbag-inflating classes is designated to be longer than the fourth threshold time between the airbag-inflating class and the none-airbag-inflating class.

5. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

the plurality of classes include airbag-inflating classes that each enable inflating of an airbag and a none-airbag-inflating class that disables inflating of the airbag;

the plurality of threshold times include (i) a third threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating classes;

(ii) a fourth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class; and

(iii) a fifth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class; and

the third threshold time between the airbag-inflating classes is designated to be longer than the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class, whereas the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class is designated to be longer than the fifth threshold time from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class.

6. An occupant determination apparatus comprising:

a load sensor to detect a load of an occupant who is seated in a seat of a vehicle and provide the detected load as a load signal; and

a computer having a determination section to receive the load signal and determine (i) presence or absence of the occupant and (ii) a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes, which are ordered from small to large according to the physical size, based on predetermined threshold loads, the subject class being stored as a determined class,

wherein;

the determination section performs an inter-class transition that permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an adjacent class that is immediately adjacent to the present class (i) when the load signal equal to or larger than a first threshold load, which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is larger than the present class, continues being received for a first threshold time, or (ii) when the load signal smaller than a second threshold load, which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is smaller than the present class, continues being received for a second threshold time,

wherein;

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

the plurality of classes include airbag-inflating classes that each enable inflating of an airbag and a none-airbag-inflating class that disables inflating of the airbag;

the plurality of threshold times include (i) a third threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating classes;

(ii) a fourth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class; and

(iii) a fifth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class; and

the third threshold time between the airbag-inflating classes is designated to be longer than the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class, whereas the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class is designated to be longer than the fifth threshold time from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class.

7. An occupant determination apparatus comprising:

a load sensor to detect a load of an occupant who is seated in a seat of a vehicle and provide the detected load as a load signal; and

an occupant-class determiner to receive the load signal and determine (i) presence or absence of the occupant and (ii) a physical size of the occupant by classifying the load signal into a subject class among a plurality of classes, which are ordered from small to large according to the physical size, based on a plurality of threshold loads that are predetermined, the subject class being stored as a determined class,

wherein;

the occupant-class determiner performs an inter-class transition that permits the determined class to transition from a present class to an adjacent class that is immediately adjacent to the present class

(i) when the load signal, which is equal to or larger than a first threshold load, continues being received for a first threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a first separate threshold load,

the first threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is larger than the present class,

the first separate threshold load which is defined to be larger than the first threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads, or

(ii) when the load signal, which is smaller than a second threshold load, continues being received for a second threshold time regardless of whether the load signal varies and fluctuates up and down around a second separate threshold load,

the second threshold load which is defined between the present class and the adjacent class that is smaller than the present class,

the second separate threshold load which is defined to be smaller than the second threshold load among the plurality of threshold loads.

8. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

a class, which is initially determined as the determined class when the occupant gets in the vehicle, is defined as a basis class among the plurality of classes; and

as the transition destination class is farther from the basis class, a threshold time corresponding to the inter-class transition into the transition destination class is designated to be longer.

9. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

a class, which is stored as the determined class when a vehicle speed signal from a speed sensor in the vehicle provided to the occupant-class determiner reaches a predetermined value, is defined as a basis class among the plurality of classes; and

as the transition destination class is farther from the basis class, a threshold time corresponding to the inter-class transition into the transition destination class is designated to be longer.

10. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

the plurality of classes include (i) airbag-inflating classes that each enable inflating of an airbag and (ii) a none-airbag-inflating class that disables inflating of the airbag;

the plurality of threshold times include (i) a third threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating classes and (ii) a fourth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating class and the none-airbag-inflating class; and

the third threshold time between the airbag-inflating classes is designated to be longer than the fourth threshold time between the airbag-inflating class and the none-airbag-inflating class.

11. The occupant determination apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a plurality of threshold times including the first threshold time and the second threshold time are assigned to inter-class transitions each that permit the determined class to transition from the present class to the adjacent class being referred to as a transition destination class;

the plurality of classes include airbag-inflating classes that each enable inflating of an airbag and a none-airbag-inflating class that disables inflating of the airbag;

the plurality of threshold times include (i) a third threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition between the airbag-inflating classes;

(ii) a fourth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class; and

(iii) a fifth threshold time that is defined for the inter-class transition from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class; and

the third threshold time between the airbag-inflating classes is designated to be longer than the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class, whereas the fourth threshold time from the airbag-inflating class into the none-airbag-inflating class is designated to be longer than the fifth threshold time from the none-airbag-inflating class into the airbag-inflating class.