Apparatus and method for measuring weight of an occupying item of a seat

• US 20030056997A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., Du Vall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,958,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/144
• 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 2/015 Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• 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 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/66 Lumbar supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 : with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 : with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 : using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 : using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 : using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 : using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 : detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 : in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 : with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• 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 23/3728 : with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

Arrangement and method for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat including one or more weight sensors arranged to obtain a measurement of the force applied to the seat, a forcing function determination arrangement for measuring a forcing function of the seat and a processor coupled to the weight sensor(s) and forcing function determination arrangement for receiving the measurement of the force applied to the weight sensor(s) and the measurement of the forcing function from the forcing function measurement system and determining the weight of the occupying item based thereon. The forcing function determination arrangement may include an accelerometer and measures effects on the seat caused by load of a seatbelt associated with the seat and/or effects on the seat of road roughness, steering maneuvers, and a vehicle suspension system.

Claims

1. An arrangement for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat, comprising:

at least one weight sensor arranged to obtain a measurement of the force applied to the seat;

a forcing function determination arrangement for measuring a forcing function of the seat; and

a processor coupled to said at least one weight sensor and said forcing function determination arrangement for receiving the measurement of the force applied to the seat from said at least one weight sensor and the measurement of the forcing function from said forcing function measurement system and determining the weight of the occupying item based thereon.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said forcing function determination arrangement comprises at least one accelerometer.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein said at least one accelerometer includes a vertical accelerometer.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one weight sensor comprises a bladder having at least one chamber and at least one transducer for measuring the pressure in a respective one of said at least one chamber.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said forcing function determination arrangement is arranged to measure effects on the seat caused by load of a seatbelt associated with the seat whereby the forcing function is dependent on the load caused by the seatbelt.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said forcing function determination arrangement is arranged to measure effects on the seat of road roughness, steering maneuvers, and a vehicle suspension system whereby the forcing function is dependent on the road roughness, steering maneuvers and the vehicle suspension system.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to determine whether the occupying item is belted by analyzing the measurements from by said at least one weight sensor over time and the forcing function of the seat from said forcing function determination arrangement over time.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to differentiate between animate and inanimate objects by analyzing measurements from said at least one weight sensor over time and the forcing function of the seat from said forcing function determination arrangement over time.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to determine the position of the occupying item on the seat by analyzing the measurements from said at least one weight sensor over time and the forcing function of the seat from said forcing function determination arrangement over time.

10. An arrangement for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat, comprising:

at least one weight sensor arranged to obtain a measurement of the force applied to the seat by the occupying item;

measuring means for measuring dynamic forces being applied to the seat; and

a processor coupled to said at least one weight sensor and said measuring means for receiving the measurement of the force applied to the seat from said at least one weight sensor and the dynamic forces from said measuring means and determining the weight of the occupying item based thereon.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said measuring means comprises at least one accelerometer.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein said at least one accelerometer includes a vertical accelerometer.

13. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said at least one weight sensor comprises a bladder having at least one chamber and at least one transducer for measuring the pressure in a respective one of said at least one chamber.

14. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said measuring means are arranged to measure effects on the seat caused by load of a seatbelt associated with the seat.

15. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said measuring means are arranged to measure effects on the seat of road roughness, steering maneuvers, and a vehicle suspension system.

16. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said processor is arranged to determine whether the occupying item is belted by analyzing the measurements from by said at least one weight sensor over time and the dynamic forces applied to the seat from said measuring means over time.

17. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said processor is arranged to differentiate between animate and inanimate objects by analyzing measurements from said at least one weight sensor over time and the dynamic forces applied to the seat from said measuring means over time.

18. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said processor is arranged to determine the position of the occupying item on the seat by analyzing the measurements from said at least one weight sensor over time and the dynamic forces applied to the seat from said measuring means over time.

19. An arrangement for classifying an occupying item in a seat, comprising:

at least one weight sensor arranged to measure the force applied to the seat at time intervals; and

a processor coupled to said at least one weight sensor for receiving the force measurements from said at least one weight sensor, said processor being arranged to analyze the force measurements from said at least one weight sensor over time to discern patterns providing classification information about the occupying item.

20. The arrangement of claim 19, wherein said processor is trained to discern patterns providing information about the occupying item by conducting tests in which different occupying items are placed in the seat and measurements of the force applied to the seat are obtained by said at least one weight sensor, before, during and after placement of the occupying item in the seat.

21. The arrangement of claim 19, further comprising a forcing function determination arrangement coupled to said processor for measuring a forcing function of the seat, said processor being arranged to consider the forcing function in the discerning of the patterns providing classification information about the occupying item.

22. The arrangement of claim 19, further comprising measuring means coupled to said processor for measuring dynamic forces applied to the seat, said processor being arranged to consider the dynamic forces applied to the seat in the discerning of the patterns providing classification information about the occupying item.

23. A method for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring the force applied to the seat;

measuring a forcing function of the seat; and

determining the weight of the occupying item based on the measured force applied to the seat and the measured forcing function.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of measuring the forcing function comprises the step of arranging at least one accelerometer on the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one accelerometer includes a vertical accelerometer.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of measuring the force applied to the seat comprises the steps of arranging a bladder having at least one chamber in the seat and measuring the pressure in the at least one chamber by means of a respective transducer.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of measuring the forcing function comprises the step of deriving the forcing function based in part on the effects on the seat caused by load of a seatbelt associated with the seat.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of measuring the forcing function comprises the step of deriving the forcing function based in part on the effects on the seat of road roughness, steering maneuvers, and a vehicle suspension system.

29. A method for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat, comprising the steps of:

measuring the force applied to the seat;

measuring dynamic forces applied to the seat; and

determining the weight of the occupying item based on the measured force applied to the seat and the measured dynamic forces applied to the seat.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of measuring the forcing function comprises the step of arranging at least one accelerometer on the vehicle.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one accelerometer includes a vertical accelerometer.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of measuring the force applied to the seat comprises the steps of arranging a bladder having at least one chamber in the seat and measuring the pressure in the at least one chamber by means of a respective transducer.

33. A method for classifying an occupying item in a seat, comprising the steps of:

measuring the force applied to the seat at time intervals; and

identifying patterns indicative of a classification of particular occupying items based on the measurements of the force applied to the seat over time.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of identifying patterns comprises the step of utilizing a pattern recognition algorithm to identify patterns from the measurements of the force applied to the seat over time.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of identifying patterns further comprises the step of training the pattern recognition algorithm by conducting tests in which different occupying items are placed in the seat and measuring the force applied to the seat before, during and after placement of the occupying item in the seat.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of measuring a forcing function of the seat, the step of identifying patterns further comprising the step of identifying patterns based on the measurements of the force applied to the seat and the forcing function.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of measuring dynamic forces applied to the seat, the step of identifying patterns further comprising the step of identifying patterns based on the measurements of the force applied to the seat and the measurements of the dynamic forces applied to the seat.