Occupant weight and height estimation

• US 9,931,964 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Le, Jialiang, Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Application Number:
  US14/741,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20160368397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• 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 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/62 Thigh-rests B60N2/914 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/50 having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

A vehicle classification system includes a processor programmed to determine a seated height and seated weight associated with a vehicle occupant. The processor is further programmed to assign a classification to the vehicle occupant based at least in part on a ratio of the seated weight to the seated height.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a belt payout sensor programmed to output a belt payout signal representing a seatbelt payout;

a processor programmed to determine a seated height and seated weight associated with a vehicle occupant, wherein the processor is programmed to assign a classification to the vehicle occupant based on the belt payout signal and a ratio of the seated weight to the seated height, wherein the seated height is a function of a vertical height and a seat angle.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a weight sensor programmed to measure the seated weight and output a seated weight signal, wherein the processor is programmed to determine the seated weight based at least in part on the seated weight signal.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a height sensor programmed to compensate for the seat angle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3, wherein the height sensor is programmed to determine the vertical height of the vehicle occupant while the vehicle occupant is seated.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the height sensor is programmed to determine the seated height based at least in part on the vertical height and the seat angle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to output a command signal to a vehicle subsystem, wherein the command signal commands the vehicle subsystem to adjust at least one setting in accordance with the classification assigned to the vehicle occupant.

15. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the seated weight to the seated height is defined as the ratio of the seated weight to the seated height squared.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a belt payout signal representing a seatbelt payout;

determining a seated height of a vehicle occupant, wherein the seated height is a function of a vertical height and a seat angle;

determining a seated weight of the vehicle occupant;

determining a ratio of the seated weight to the seated height; and

assigning a classification to the vehicle occupant based on the belt payout signal and the ratio of the seated weight to the seated height.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the seated weight includes:

receiving a seated weight signal representing a measured seated weight, and

determining the seated weight based at least in part on the seated weight signal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the seated height includes compensating for the seat angle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the seated height includes determining the vertical height of the vehicle occupant while the vehicle occupant is seated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the seated height includes determining the seated height based at least in part on the vertical height and the seat angle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the processor is programmed to output a command signal to a vehicle subsystem, wherein the command signal commands the vehicle subsystem to adjust at least one setting in accordance with the classification assigned to the vehicle occupant.

13. A vehicle system comprising:

a weight sensor programmed to measure a seated weight and output a seated weight signal representing the seated weight measured;

a belt payout sensor programmed to determine a seatbelt payout and output a belt payout signal representing the seatbelt payout;

a height sensor programmed to determine a seated height based at least in part on a vertical height of the vehicle occupant and a seat angle and output a seated height signal representing the seated height determined; and

a processor programmed to determine the seated weight based at least in part on the seated weight signal and the seated height based at least in part on the seated height signal, wherein the processor is programmed to assign a classification to the vehicle occupant based at least in part on the seatbelt payout and a ratio of the seated weight to the seated height, wherein the seated height is a function of the vertical height and the seat angle.

14. The vehicle system of claim 13, wherein the processor is programmed to output a command signal to a vehicle subsystem, wherein the command signal commands the vehicle subsystem to adjust at least one setting in accordance with the classification assigned to the vehicle occupant.