Detection of seatbelt position in a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of detecting seatbelt position in a vehicle having a seatbelt assembly and an image sensor, the method comprising:
- determining a latch status of the seatbelt assembly as being latched or unlatched;
wherein the seatbelt assembly includes a belt webbing with a predefined webbing pattern;
if the latch status is latched, taking an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing with the image sensor;
determining if the belt webbing is in a preferred position based at least partially on the image, including searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern; and
wherein said searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern includes;
detecting at least one human face within the image;
placing a face boundary around the at least one human face within the image; and
searching a predefined search area around the face boundary for the predefined webbing pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method for detecting seatbelt positioning in a vehicle having a seatbelt assembly and the image sensor and vehicle having the same. The seatbelt assembly includes belt webbing with a predefined webbing pattern. An image sensor is configured to take an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing. A controller is operatively connected to the image sensor and has a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for detecting positioning of the belt webbing. The controller is configured to determine a latch status of the seatbelt assembly as being latched or unlatched. If the latch status is latched, the controller is configured to take an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing with the image sensor. The method includes determining if the belt webbing is in a preferred position based at least partially on said image.
29 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of detecting seatbelt position in a vehicle having a seatbelt assembly and an image sensor, the method comprising:
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determining a latch status of the seatbelt assembly as being latched or unlatched; wherein the seatbelt assembly includes a belt webbing with a predefined webbing pattern; if the latch status is latched, taking an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing with the image sensor; determining if the belt webbing is in a preferred position based at least partially on the image, including searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern; and wherein said searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern includes; detecting at least one human face within the image; placing a face boundary around the at least one human face within the image; and searching a predefined search area around the face boundary for the predefined webbing pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vehicle comprising:
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a seatbelt assembly including a belt webbing, wherein the belt webbing has a predefined webbing pattern; an image sensor configured to take an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing; and a controller operatively connected to the image sensor and having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for detecting position of the belt webbing; wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to; determine a latch status of the seatbelt assembly as being latched or unlatched; if the latch status is latched, take an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing with the image sensor; determine if the belt webbing is in a preferred position based at least partially on said image, including searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern; and wherein said searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern includes; detecting at least one human face within the image; placing a face boundary around the at least one human face within the image; and searching a predefined search area around the face boundary for the predefined webbing pattern. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of detecting seatbelt position in a vehicle having a seatbelt assembly, a transmission shifter and an image sensor, the method comprising:
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determining a latch status of the seatbelt assembly as being latched or unlatched; wherein the seatbelt assembly includes a belt webbing with a predefined webbing pattern; if the latch status is latched, taking an image of at least a portion of the belt webbing with the image sensor; determining if the belt webbing is in a preferred position based at least partially on the image, including; searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern; measuring an observed length of the belt webbing in the image; and determining that the belt webbing is in the preferred position if the observed length is above a predefined minimum length; if the belt webbing is not in the preferred position, disabling the transmission shifter to prevent shifting; and wherein said searching the image for the predefined webbing pattern includes; detecting at least one human face within the image; placing a face boundary around the at least one human face within the image; and searching a predefined search area around the face boundary for the predefined webbing pattern.
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Specification