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Occupant detection system

  • US 6,968,073 B1
  • Filed: 04/24/2002
  • Issued: 11/22/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting a penetration of a bounding surface of an avoidance zone in a region of space of in a vehicle proximate to an air bag inflator, comprising:

  • a. generating an image signal representative of a first image of said region of space from a first location, wherein said region of space includes the bounding surface of the avoidance zone, and said image signal is generated responsive to an exposure time;

    b. projecting from a second location a light curtain substantially parallel to and along a first surface, wherein said light curtain has a thickness within a cross-section normal to said first surface, said thickness is adapted so that an intensity of said light curtain within said cross-section is less than a first threshold, said first threshold corresponds to an intensity level that is safe for direct viewing by a human eye, and said first surface is proximate to the bounding surface of said avoidance zone;

    c. generating an image signal representative of a second image of said region of space from said first location, wherein said region of space is intersected by said light curtain when said light curtain is activated;

    d. subtracting said first image from said second image so as to form a difference image;

    e. forming a binned image value of a binned image by accumulating a plurality of pixel values within a region of said difference image;

    f. repeating the operation of forming said binned image value for a plurality of adjacent regions of said difference image;

    g. detecting from said binned image a leading edge associated with an image of said light curtain; and

    h. determining whether or not an object is located in said avoidance zone responsive to a comparison of said leading edge with a reference image signal representing a boundary of said avoidance zone.

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