Device for detecting signal of sensing cells interconnected in a matrix

• US 6,694,826 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kiribayashi, Shinichi, Ozaki, Tadashi, Fujitsuka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, John E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERVEROS, DEMETRIOS C
• Application Number:
  US09/996,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 324/713, 324/661, 324/662, 324/663, 324/671, 324/686, 324/690, 738/620.46, 701/38, 280/735, 280/602
• US Class Current: 73/862.046
• 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 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• 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

Abstract

A detecting device (1) is provided to detect signals from a sensing mat (2) including a plurality of sensing cells (R) electrically interconnected to each other in a matrix. Each sensing cell (R) is changeable in resistance with a change in a load to be applied. The detecting device (1) comprises a detecting circuit (Rp) and voltage applying means (5). The detecting circuit (Rp) detects a signal through a conversion of changes in the resistance to changes in voltage. When detecting a sensing cell (R₁₁) connected to a specified line path (2a), the voltage applying means (5) applies a particular voltage to the remaining line paths (2a). The particular voltage is for example voltage of which potential is the same as a voltage detected from the selected sensing cell (R₁₁). Applying the particular voltage prevents current from bypassing the other line paths irrelevant to the detection.

Claims

1. A detecting device for detecting a signal from a sensing mat in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically interconnected to each other in a matrix by both a plurality of line paths each connected to two or more of the plurality of sensing cells and a plurality of column paths each connected to two or more of the plurality of sensing cells, each sensing cell having a resistance value varying with a change in a load applied thereto, the detecting device comprising:

a detecting circuit for detecting a signal from the two or more of the plurality of sensing cells by converting the resistance value to a change in voltage; and

a voltage applying circuit for applying a particular voltage, when the detecting circuit detects the signal from a designated one of the two or more of the plurality of sensing cells and connected to a designated line path among the plurality of line paths of the sensing mat to remaining one or more line paths other than the designated line path of the sensing mat, the particular voltage being equal to a voltage detected by the detecting circuit at the designated sensing cell.

2. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage applying circuit includes a buffer circuit having an input terminal connected to the detecting circuit and having an output terminal for outputting the voltage of which potential is equal to the voltage detected from the designated sensing cell.

3. The detecting device according to claim 2, further comprising a switching element having a plurality of first terminals each connected to each line path of the sensing mat, a plurality of second terminals selectively connecting the plurality of first terminals to the output terminal of the buffer circuit, and a plurality of third terminals each connected to the detecting circuit, each of the plurality of first terminals, each of the plurality of second terminals, and each of the plurality of third terminals being operative to each line path, and each of the plurality of first terminals being selectively connected to respective ones of either the plurality of second terminals or the plurality of third terminals.

4. The detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the buffer circuit comprises a single buffer circuit, and the output terminal of the buffer circuit is connected to all of the plurality of second terminals.

5. The detecting device according to claim 4, wherein respective numbers of the plurality of first, second and third terminals arranged in the switching element are equal to the line paths of the sensing mat.

6. The detecting device according to claim 2, further comprising a second switching element having a plurality of on/off switches respectively connected to the plurality of column paths.

7. The detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the particular voltage applied by the voltage applying circuit is equal in potential to a voltage applied to the designated line path.

8. A device for detecting signals from variable resistance sensing cells interconnected in a matrix by line paths and column paths, comprising:

a detecting circuit for detecting signals from the sensing cells representative of respective changes in voltage at the sensing cells when a load is applied thereto; and

a voltage applying circuit for applying a particular voltage signal to all other line paths when the detecting circuit detects a voltage at a designated sensing cell on a designated line path, the particular voltage signal being equal to the voltage detected by the detecting circuit at the designated sensing cell on the designated line path.