SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING WHETHER SEAT BELT IS WORN

• US 20090058627A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Shin, Dal Soo
• Granted Patent: US 7,825,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors

Abstract

A system and method of detecting whether a seat belt is worn is disclosed. The system includes a contact type sensor and a non-contact type sensor installed in a seat belt buckle. A Body Control Module (BCM) receives a signal from the contact type sensor and transmitting the signal to a cluster. An airbag control unit receives a signal from the non-contact type sensor. The seat belt control unit determines whether a seat belt is worn using a signal received from the cluster when an ignition key is on, and determines whether the seat belt is worn using a signal received from the airbag control unit when the ignition key is off.

Claims

1. A system for detecting whether a seat belt is worn, comprising:

a contact type sensor and a non-contact type sensor installed in a seat belt buckle;

a Body Control Module (BCM) for receiving a signal from the contact type sensor and transmitting the signal to a cluster;

an airbag control unit for receiving a signal from the non-contact type sensor; and

a seat belt control unit for determining whether a seat belt is worn using the signal received from the cluster when an ignition key is on, and determining whether the seat belt is worn, using the signal received from the airbag control unit when the ignition key is off.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the seat belt control unit performs a slack removal function if it is determined that the seat belt is worn when the ignition key is on, and performs a parking function if it is determined that the seat belt is not worn when the ignition key is off.

3. A method of detecting whether a seat belt is worn, comprising:

receiving signals from a contact type sensor and a non-contact type sensor;

determining whether ignition is on or off;

determining whether a seat belt is worn on a basis of the signal that is detected by the non-contact type sensor installed in a seat belt buckle and is received through an airbag control unit, if it is determined that the ignition key is on; and

determining whether a seat belt is worn on a basis of the signal that is detected by the contact type sensor installed in the seat belt buckle and is received through a cluster, if it is determined that the ignition key is off.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, after the ignition key is off, the signal received from the contact type sensor is determined to be an error and is ignored when most recent signals, detected by the contact type sensor and the non-contact type sensor, respectively, before ignition is off, are different from each other.