Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

T K Holdings, Inc.

Robert A Stopper

James Gregory Stanley

Judson G McDonnell

Darrel Alan Recker

Dale Killins

Ashraf A Zeid

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.

Electric field sensor and vehicle safety system

An occupant detection system includes a weight sensor and an electric field sensor, each operatively coupled to a seat. The electric field sensor generates an electric field from at least one electrode in the bottom of the seat, provides for generating a response to an influence of the occupant, and is adapted to discriminate the response of a seated infant or child seating condition from another seating condition. If a measure of weight from the weight sensor is less than a threshold, or if a child seating condition is detected by the electric field sensor, then a signal processor provides for disabling an associated restraint actuator. The electric field sensor may include a plurality of electrodes over first and second regions of differing proximity to a seated infant or child, or at least one electrode in cooperation with a shield or void over at least one of the regions.

Automotive systems

A power steering system includes at least one motor to assist the operator of a vehicle in turning the wheels and steering the vehicle and at least one computer or microprocessor controller. One of the processors adjusts the motor assist torque to reduce the driver effort based on specified requirements defined by boost curves. A second microprocessor controller uses an algorithm to calculate the output of the power steering motor, and compare the relationship between the driver torque and the power assist torque. If the relationship between the two is out of specified bounds, then the power steering assist is deemed inappropriate and the power system may go to a power-off state to assure that the motor does not generate an undesirable torque that has not been requested by the driver.

Electric power assist torque check

An occupant detection system comprises a weight sensor and an electric field sensor, each operatively coupled to a seat. The electric field sensor generates an electric field from at least one electrode in the seat bottom of the seat, provides for generating a response to an influence of the occupant thereupon, and is adapted to provide for discriminating from the response a seated infant or child seating condition from another seating condition. If a measure of weight from the weight sensor is less than a threshold, or if a seated child seating condition is detected by the electric field sensor, then a signal processor provides for disabling an associated restraint actuator. The electric field sensor may comprise a plurality of electrodes over separate first and second regions of differing proximity to a seated infant or child, or at least one electrode in cooperation with a shield or void over at least one of the regions.

Occupant detection system

An occupant detection system incorporates a radar range sensor adapted to sense the position of an occupant in a vehicle. The activation of the radar range sensor is responsive to the proximity of the occupant to a restraint actuator, or to an occupant sensor adapted to sense the presence or position of the occupant on a seat. The radar range sensor is disabled and the restraint actuator is enabled responsive to an occupant seated proximate to the seat back as sensed by a range/proximity sensor. The radar range sensor is disabled and the restraint actuator is disabled responsive to an infant or child in and infant or child seat on the vehicle seat sensed by an electric field sensor or a seat weight sensor. The radar range sensor is enabled and the restraint actuator is controlled responsive thereto if the occupant is on the seat but not proximate to the seat back.

An occupant detection system comprises an electric field sensor in the seat bottom of a vehicle seat for discriminating objects on the seat, and a seat weight sensor for sensing the force upon the seat. The electric field sensor discriminates normally seated occupants from other seating conditions, and disables a restraint actuator unless a normally seated occupant is present. The seat weight sensor disables the restraint actuator if force upon the seat is less than a threshold.

An occupant sensor comprises an electric field sensor comprising a plurality of first electrodes mountable within a vehicle seat, wherein the plurality of first electrodes are disposed on a common surface and are non-overlapping with one another. The electric field sensor further comprises at least one second electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are proximate to one another. A sensing circuit is operatively coupled to the first and second electrodes so as to control the level of capacitance between an occupant on said vehicle seat and the circuit ground. In a second aspect, the electric field sensor incorporates a lattice electrode with a ground plane. In a third aspect, the electric field sensor incorporates a receive electrode that receives a signal from a sensing electrode for purposes of mitigating the effects of a seat wetting condition.

Occupant sensor

An occupant detection system comprises an electric field sensor in the seat bottom of a vehicle seat for discriminating objects on the seat, and a range/proximity sensor for sensing the presence of an object proximate to a restraint actuator. The electric field sensor discriminates normally seated occupants from other seating conditions, and disables a restraint actuator unless a normally seated occupant is present. The range/proximity sensor disables the restraint actuator if an occupant is located in an at-risk so as to be susceptible to injury by the restraint actuator.

An occupant detection system comprises an electric field sensor in the seat bottom of a vehicle seat for discriminating objects on the seat, and a range/proximity sensor for sensing the proximity of an occupant's torso relative to the seat back of a vehicle seat. The electric field sensor discriminates normally seated occupants from other seating conditions, and disables a restraint actuator unless a normally seated occupant is present. The range/proximity sensor disables the restraint actuator if an occupant has not been proximate to the seat back for a period of time greater than a threshold.

A first electric field sensor in a seat bottom identifies whether there is normally seated, forward facing occupant on a vehicle seat by generating an electric field and sensing the effect of proximate objects thereupon. A second electric field sensor determines if an object is within an at-risk zone proximate to a safety restraint system by sensing from a proximate location the electric field generated by the first electric field sensor, and is responsive to the degree to which an object detected in the at-risk zone is electrostatically coupled to the vehicle seat. A range/proximity sensor may be provided to measure the proximity of an occupant to the seat back, so as to accommodate occupant movement prior to the deployment of the safety restraint system, and to improve occupant discrimination.

An occupant detection system (,) for controlling the activation of an air bag inflator (,) incorporates a transmitter/receiver subsystem (,) and a ranging subsystem (,) that respectively measure the distances from a point of reference to the upper seat back (,) and to the region in front of the upper seat back (,). If a normally seated occupant is detected from the difference of the respective distances, then the air bag inflator (,) is enabled. A range/proximity sensing subsystem (,) determines if an occupant is sufficiently close to an air bag inflator (,) to be at risk of injury by deployment thereof, and if so the air bag inflator (,) is disabled.

An electric field sensor comprises at least one electrode mountable in a vehicle seat and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the electrode, wherein the at least one electrode at least partially bounds at least one region that is proximate to an object such as an infant seat, a child seat, or a booster seat, for which the sensitivity of the sensor is preferably reduced. The at least one region without a conductive electrode may comprise a plurality of regions, and at least one of the regions may extend laterally across the seat. Furthermore, a plurality of electrodes may be incorporated, each having a different sensitivity to particular objects to be sensed, wherein an overall capacitance measurement that is dominated by the capacitance of the particular electrode that is most sensitive to the particular object can be used to indicate the presence of that object.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Robert A Stopper