Occupant detection system

• US 20030230880A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yasui, Katsuaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,857,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

To provide an occupant detection system including a sensor for detecting an object in a plurality of predetermined regions by irradiating a plurality of light beams with different predetermined inclination angles toward a seat direction, the sensor being mounted to a ceiling of a vehicle and a control unit which, based upon a detection output of the sensor, determines that the seat is vacant if the number of the predetermined regions where the object is detected is below a predetermined number and determines that an occupant is seated in the seat if the number of the predetermined regions where the object is detected is the predetermined number or more.

Claims

1. An occupant detection system comprising:

a sensor for detecting an object in a plurality of predetermined regions by irradiating a plurality of light beams with different predetermined inclination angles toward a seat direction, the sensor being mounted to a ceiling of a vehicle; and

a control unit which, based upon a detection output of the sensor, determines that the seat is vacant if the number of the predetermined regions where the object is detected is below a predetermined number and determines that an occupant is seated in the seat if the number of the predetermined regions where the object is detected is the predetermined number or more.

2. An occupant detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensor is a first object detection sensor composed of a light emitting element that irradiates an infrared beam and a light receiving element having a field of view that intersects the infrared beam; and

each of the predetermined regions is a first object detection region in which the infrared beam and the field of view intersect each other.

3. An occupant detection system according to claim 2, wherein the first object detection sensor irradiates a plurality of infrared beams from one light emitting element.

4. An occupant detection system according to claim 2, wherein the light receiving element has a plurality of fields of view.

5. An occupant detection system according to claim 2, further comprising a second object detection sensor which has a second object detection region between each of the first object detection regions, the second object detection sensor being mounted to the ceiling of the vehicle.

6. An occupant detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensor is a distance sensor which measures a distance to the object within an angular range of a given solid angle and below; and

the predetermined region is a region which is located within the angular range and in which a measurement value of the distance sensor is allowed within a given range.

7. An occupant detection system comprising:

a first object detection sensor for detecting an object in a plurality of first object detection regions by irradiating a plurality of infrared light beams with different predetermined inclination angles toward a seat direction, the sensor being mounted to a ceiling of a vehicle;

a second object detection sensor for detecting the object in a plurality of second object detection regions whose positional phases are shifted with respect to the plurality of the first object detection regions by irradiating a plurality of infrared beams with different predetermined inclination angles toward these at direction, the second object detection sensor being mounted to the ceiling of the vehicle; and

a control unit which, if detection outputs from the first and second object detection sensors are different, determines that one of the first and second object detection sensors malfunctions.

8. An occupant detection system according to claim 7, further comprising a third object detection sensor which has a third object detection region between the first and second object detection sensors and the plurality of the first and second object detection regions, the third object detection sensor being mounted to the ceiling of the vehicle.