Vehicle occupant sensing system

• US 6,020,812 A
• Filed: 06/23/1998
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Eldon L. Jr., Hanson, Stanford D., Harston, Craig T., Underwood, Steven K., Thompson, John C., Kleinberg, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/103,221
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.5, 340/572.8, 340/573.1, 340/457.1, 340/667, 340/438, 280/730.1, 280/735, 280/235, 180/273, 701/36, 701/45, 701/47, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/438
• 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: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01558 monitoring crash strength
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector

Abstract

A system for sensing the presence of an object within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment including an occupant in a motor vehicle comprising of: one or more safety restraint device such as air bag or pretensioner for protecting the occupant during a crash, actuating device includes within the restraint device for activating the safety restraint device to protect an occupant during a collision; a first occupant sensor, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a reflected electric field within the passenger compartment for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of an object, the electric field being of predetermined size, wherein the presence of an object effects the reflected electric field causing a change in the output signal of the sensor, the sensor mounted on one of a vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel assembly for driver position detection or instrument panel near the passenger air bag module for passenger position detection; a crash sensor coupled to electronic control unit for sensing an actual or impending crash and for generating an output signal indicative thereof; the electronic control unit reactive to a combination of the output signal from the crash sensor means and occupant sensor means for determining whether or not to generate a signal to activate the safety restraint device.

Claims

1. A system for sensing the presence of an object within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment including an occupant in a motor vehicle comprising:

safety restraint means for protecting the occupant during a crash, the occupant sensing means;

actuating means for activating the safety restraint means to protect an occupant during a collision;

first occupant sensing means, fixedly positioned in the vehicle, for generating a reflected electric field within the passenger compartment for generating an output signal indicative of the presence of an object, the electric field being of predetermined size, wherein the presence of an object effects the reflected electric field causing a change in the output signal of the sensing means, the sensing means mounted on one of a vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel assembly for driver position detection or instrument panel near the passenger air bag module for passenger position detection;

crash sensor means sensor coupled to electronic control means for sensing an actual or impending crash and for generating an output signal indicative thereof;

electronic control means reactive to a combination of the output signal from the crash sensor means and occupant sensor means for determining whether or not to generate a signal to activate the safety restraint means.

2. A safety restraint system as recited in claim 1 further including;

a second occupant sensing means for generating a reflected electric field into the passenger compartment whose electric field overlaps the electric field generated by the first occupant sensing means for generating an output signal which corresponds to a change to its electric field caused by the presence of an occupant when an occupant is present in a normal seating position.

3. A safety restraints system as recited in claim 1 further including;

a second sensing means which generates a reflected electric field into a vehicles occupant compartment who'"'"'s electric fields does not overlap the electric field as stated in claim 1 for which changes to the electric field, produce by the second sensing means, from the presence of an occupant will be sensed by the sensing means and generate a control signal indicative of whether an occupant is present in the normal seating position and wherein the electronic control means is responsive to this control signal.

4. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein the second position sensing means is located in the seat back.

5. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein the second position sensing means is located in the vehicle door.

6. A safety restraints system as recited in claim 1 where the safety restraint device includes at least one;

multiple level output generation means including at least one inflator coupled to at least one air bag module to protect an occupant during a collision;

wherein the electronic control means is responsive to a combination of inputs from the occupant sensor(s) and acceleration sensor to regulate the output or rate of output of the multiple gas level output generation means to improve occupant protection.

7. A safety restraints system as recited in claim 1 where the safety restraints device includes at least one;

seat belt pretensioner coupled to at least one seat belt system attached to from one of the seat belt retractor or seat belt buckle to protect an occupant during a collision;

wherein the electronic control means is responsive to a combination of inputs from the occupant sensor(s) and acceleration sensor to regulate the output or rate of output of the pretensioner means to improve occupant protection.

8. An air bag system as recited in claim 3 occupant sensor in a vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel for out of position driver detection or in the instrument panel near a passenger module for out of position detection of the passenger.

9. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein the electronic control means includes means for comparing the output of the first occupant sensor to a first reference level indicative of an out-of-position occupant and for activating the activation means at its lower level if the output of the first occupant sensing means exceeds the first reference level.

10. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein the electronic control means includes means for comparing the out of the second occupant sensing means to a second reference level indicative of an occupant normally seated and for activating the activation means if the output of the first occupant sensing means exceeds the first reference level.

11. A system for sensing the presence of an occupant within a vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment comprising:

safety restraint means for protecting the occupant during a crash comprising an air bag module including an inflatable an air bag;

actuating means for activating the safety restraint means during a collision;

occupant sensing means, fixedly positioned in the vehicle proximate one of a steering wheel, an instrument panel, seat and door, for generating a reflected electric field within the passenger compartment for generating an output signal indicative of the position of the occupant in relation to the occupant sensing means, the electric field being of predetermined effective size, wherein the presence of an occupant effects the reflected electric field causing a change in the output signal of the sensing means;

electronic control means reactive to the occupant sensor means for determining whether or not to generate a signal to activate the safety restraint means.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 including crash sensor means, coupled to electronic control means, for sensing an actual or impending crash and for generating an output signal indicative thereof and wherein the electronic control means is reactive to a combination of the output signal from the crash sensor means and occupant sensor means for determining whether or not to generate a signal to activate the safety restraint means.