OCCUPANT SENSOR
First Claim
1. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
- a) placing a first electrode between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) placing a second electrode between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said first electrode; and
d) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An oscillatory or pulsed first signal is operatively coupled to a first electrode placed between a conductive heating element and a seating region of a seat containing the heating element. A second signal substantially equal to the first signal is operatively coupled to a second electrode placed between the heating element and the first electrode. An occupant in the seat is sensed from a response to the first signal, responsive to which a safety restraint system may be controlled. In other embodiments, the second signal is operatively coupled to an electrode placed proximate to a side of the heating element away from the seating region of the seat, the second electrode comprises a sheath at least partially around at least a portion of the heading element, or the operative coupling of the first or second signals comprises AC coupling, for example, through an associated first or second capacitor.
150 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of providing for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) placing a first electrode between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) placing a second electrode between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) providing for operatively coupling a first signal to said first electrode; and
d) providing for operatively coupling a second signal to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said method comprising:
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a) placing a first electrode between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) placing a second electrode between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) operatively coupling a first signal to said first electrode;
d) operatively coupling a second signal to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal; and
e) sensing a response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An occupant sensor for sensing an occupant in a seat, wherein said seat incorporates a conductive heating element, said occupant sensor comprising:
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a) a first electrode located between said heating element and a seating region of said seat;
b) a second electrode located between said heating element and said first electrode;
c) a first signal operatively coupled to said first electrode; and
d) a second signal operatively coupled to said second electrode, wherein said first signal is an oscillating or pulsed signal, and said second signal is substantially equal to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification