Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.

T K Holdings, Inc.

Bourns Incorporated

Other

Takata Corporation

Takata Holdings, Inc.

James Gregory Stanley

Robert A Stopper

Judson G McDonnell

Leonard Steven Cech

Vinh H Tran

Edward J Gillis

Michael R Sewell

James A Campbell

Dennis E Palmer

Phil Maguire

Todd K Bowman

Craig W White

Don Blandino

Ryan N Steele

Kenneth R Turner

Jay Jamshid Khazaai

Eoin Paul O'Regan

George Theos

Mohannad F Murad

Timothy J Bomya

William Todd Watson

Timothy E Hughes

Hiroki Takehara

David Wilson

Donald A Duda

Kurt L VanVoorhies

Scott Kerby

Philip Maguire

Don McDonald

Robert Anthony Stopper, Jr

Joe Slis

Craig William White

A system for detecting a characteristic of a fluid. In one example, the system includes a tube, a float, a sensor, and a controller. The tube is configured to receive the fluid. The float is located within the tube. The sensor is configured to sense a position of the float. The controller is configured to receive, from the sensor, the position of the float, and determine a characteristic of the fluid based on the position of the float. The characteristic may be a density or a concentration.

Detecting fluid characteristics via a float

A fluid sensor including a guide, a float, a permanent magnet, and a magnetic angle sensor. In one example, the float is constrained at least in part by the guide to move along a vertical axis. The permanent magnet is mechanically coupled to the float. The magnetic angle sensor is configured to measure an angle of a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet and is positioned such that movement of the float along the vertical axis varies the angle of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet through the magnetic angle sensor.

Detecting fluid level via a float

A system for classifying an occupant located on a seating surface of a vehicle seat. The system includes a movable element and an electrode located in the vehicle seat. A sensing circuit is provided to supply a signal to the conductor. The sensing circuit also includes measurement electronics configured to measure the signal to the conductor and the vibration of the moveable element. A controller is configured to discriminate between different types of objects located on the seating surface based on changes in the signal being supplied to the conductor and the vibration of the moveable element.

Occupant classification system

A magnetically-based position sensor. The sensor includes a magnet, a first collector, a second collector, and a magnetic sensing element. The magnet has at least two poles, and moves along a path. The first collector has a first end and a second end and is configured to collect a magnetic flux. In addition, the first collector is positioned at an angle relative to an axis running parallel to the path and perpendicular to the magnet. The second collector is configured to collect a magnetic flux, and is positioned at an angle relative to the axis running parallel to the path and perpendicular to the magnet, and parallel to the first collector. The magnetic sensing element is coupled to the first and second collectors. A magnetic flux is collected by the first and second collectors, and varies as the magnet moves along the path such that the magnetic flux collected by the first and second collectors indicates a position of the magnet along the path.

Position measurement using angled collectors

Systems and methods for determining a position of a movable component. One system includes a controllable source of varying magnetic flux. In a particular embodiment, the magnetic flux is directed through a magnetic sensor using a first flux concentrator and a second flux concentrator. The sensor generates a sensor signal that is provided to an electrical circuit designed to demodulate the signal. The demodulated signal is provided to a controller. The controller converts the signal and calculates the position of the second flux concentrator relative to the first flux concentrator. The controller may take a predetermined action based on the calculated position of the second flux concentrator.

Position measurement using flux modulation and angle sensing

A system and method for measuring an electrical characteristic of a fluid using a measuring circuit. In one implementation, the measuring circuit includes a sensing component, a current supply connected to the sensing component, a sensor switchably connected to the sensing component, an array of components switchably connected to the sensing component, and a monitoring circuit connected to the sensing component. A controller performs a calibration of the measuring circuit by switching parallel impedances in and out of the circuit while measuring voltages across the sensing component. The voltages are measured at at least two different phase angles that are determined by the calibration. Once voltages at different impedances and different phases are determined, the controller calculates a value of the electrical characteristic of the fluid by interpolating between lines of fixed capacitance or resistance.

Conductive liquid property measurement using variable phase mixing

Systems and methods for making repeatable measurements of the dielectric constant and conductivity of a material, such as a liquid. In one example, a material property measurement system includes a measurement cell, a voltage measurement circuit, a capacitor, and a switch. The measurement cell is made of at least two conducting electrodes with liquid between the conducting electrodes. The switch is in a current path between the capacitor and the measurement cell. The capacitor is charged and then the switch is closed for a first time period and a first voltage measurement on the capacitor is performed. The capacitor is charged again and the switch is closed for a second time period and a second voltage measurement on the capacitor is performed. The two voltage measurements are used in a calculation to calculate a value related to capacitance between the at least two conducting electrodes of the measurement cell.

Conductive liquid property measurement using multiple charge transfer times

An occupant detection system includes a controller, a sensing electrode, and a shield electrode, the electrodes disposed in a vehicle seat. The controller is electrically coupled to the sensing electrode and shield electrode by a sensing circuit. The controller is configured to send an input signal to the sensing electrode, the shield electrode, or both and measures current, impedance, or capacitance values to determine the presence of an object on the seat, to classify the object, or both.

Occupant detection and classification system

A magnetically-based position sensor. The sensor includes a magnet assembly that moves along a path, a common collector, one or more magnetic sensing elements, a first variable collector, and a second variable collector. The one or more magnetic sensing elements are coupled to the common collector. The first and second variable collectors are coupled to one of the one or more magnetic sensors and are configured to collect a magnetic field. The first and second variable collectors are positioned to transmit some of the magnetic flux generated by the magnet assembly as the magnet assembly moves along the path. The first variable collector and the second variable collector have a geometry and orientation such that the flux collected by the first and second variable collectors varies as the magnet moves along the path.

Position measurement using a variable flux collector

An occupant classification system classifies occupants on a vehicle seat and is capable of separating child seats from adults during wet seat cases. In the system, the seat structure is grounded. The classification system includes a measurement circuit, an identifying circuit, and a controller. The measurement circuit is configured to measure in-phase and quadrature components of a current sent out to the sensing element. The identifying circuit is configured to identify if a seat pan and a seat back frame of the vehicle seat are grounded to a circuit ground. The controller is configured to use measurements of the measurement circuit to classify the occupant. The sensing element can be located in a sensing mat that further includes a heating element.

The disclosed capacitance sensing apparatus may be used in an occupant classification system. The sensing apparatus may comprise a sensor pad, a sensing element disposed on the sensor pad for sensing capacitive current, at least one additional electronic element disposed on the sensor pad for providing information related to another parameter, and a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism may electrically connect the at least one additional electronic element to the sensing element during the capacitance measurements and electrically disconnect the at least one additional electronic element from the sensing element after the capacitance measurement.

A system for disabling the operation of a vehicle when a driver of a vehicle is seated in a vehicle seat. The system includes an alcohol detection sensor configured to be contacted by the driver and to generate a detection signal based on contact between the driver and the detection sensor. The system also includes a sensing electrode located proximate to the occupant and a sensing circuit configured to provide a sensing signal to the sensing electrode. A controller is provided to detect a change in the detection signal resulting from contact between the driver and the detection sensor. The controller is configured to disable the vehicle when either the blood alcohol concentration of the driver of the vehicle exceeds a threshold or the controller does not detect a change in the detection signal resulting from contact of the driver with the detection sensor.

System and method for disabling a vehicle

A vehicle seat belt tension prediction system and method comprises an accelerometer having an output signal responsive to vertical acceleration of the vehicle, a seat weight sensor having an output signal responsive to the force exerted by a mass resting on the seat, and a processor means for calculating seat belt tension. The processor is provided with a plurality of inputs operatively coupled to the accelerometer output and seat weight sensor output. Suitable programming is provided to instruct the processor to calculate the average mass resting on the vehicle seat and predict the force that should be exerted on the seat for a measured level of vertical acceleration assuming zero belt tension. The processor then compares the actual force measured by the seat weight sensor with the predicted force to determine seat belt tension thereby obviating the necessity of complex hardware in physical contact with the seat belt system.

Seat belt tension prediction

An electric field sensor and a vehicle safety system comprise at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, and at least one third electrode. The at least one second electrode is located between the at least one first electrode and the at least one third electrode. The at least one first electrode is located proximate to a region to be sensed by the electric field sensor, and the at least one second electrode is substantially the same size as the at least one first electrode.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

James Gregory Stanley