Trw Automotive U.S. LLC

Robert Dziadula

Jon Kelly Wallace

Yun Luo

Farid Khairallah

Russell Joseph Lynch

Raymond J David

An apparatus () for determining a location of a person's head () includes stereo vision system () for imaging an area of interest such as the interior of a vehicle (). The vision system provides an image signal of the area of interest. An analyzer () analyzes the image signal to identify head candidates () in the area of interest and provides data regarding any identified head candidates in the area of interest. A processor () processes the provided data regarding identified head candidates to locate the person's head. In an air bag restraining system (), a controller () monitors the location of the person's head and controls an air bag () in response to a sensed crash condition () and the location of the person's head.

Method and apparatus for determining an occupant's head location in an actuatable occupant restraining system

An apparatus and method for controlling an actuatable occupant protection system () in a passenger compartment () of a vehicle () includes a camera () configured for obtaining an image of a viewable field () within the passenger compartment () of the vehicle (). At least one pattern () is associated with vehicle structures () located within the viewable field (). The portions of the obtained image associated with vehicle structures () having the pattern () are removed from the image so as to obtain information regarding occupancy of the viewable field (). The actuatable occupant protection system () is controlled in response to the obtained occupancy information.

Apparatus and method for controlling an occupant protection system in response to determined passenger compartment occupancy information

A method and apparatus () for recognizing and determining a location of an object () in an area of interest () comprises an imaging device () for obtaining an image of the area of interest. At least three identifying marks () are located at predetermined positions in the area of interest (). The apparatus () also comprises a memory () in which the predetermined positions of the at least three identifying marks () are stored. A controller () determines whether the imaging device () is calibrated properly by analyzing the image obtained by the imaging device to determine whether positions of the at least three identifying marks () in the obtained image correspond to the predetermined positions stored in the memory (). The controller () is also adapted to determine whether a view of the area of interest () from the imaging device () is obstructed.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Robert Dziadula