Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Aptiv Technologies Limited

Thomas Fischer

Marcel Fruend

Mike Albani

Ludger Oel

Christian A Fischer

Kai Niederhagen

Morgan Daniel Murphy

Kevin J Hawes

Duane Donald Fortune

William W Fultz

James Frank Patterson

Charles A Gray

Mark C Hansen

Sandeep D Punater

Kendall B Gerhardt

Lars Wiemer

Frank Hofmann

Bo Lu

Georg Hofmann

Christian Fischer

Marcel Fründ

A method for monitoring the performance range of a radar system placed behind a portion of a vehicle including, in an operational mode, the steps of: transmitting a first signal in a high range resolution mode from the radar system through the portion of the vehicle; receiving a first return signal comprising a part of the first signal that is reflected by the portion of the vehicle at the radar system; measuring the first return signal; comparing the first return signal with a calibration return signal representative of a part of the first signal that is reflected by the portion of the vehicle in a calibration mode; determining the relative loss of transmission of the portion of the vehicle from the comparing step.

Method for monitoring the performance range of an automotive radar system

A radar system includes a controller that receives radar data from a first radar sensor and a second radar sensor mounted to a vehicle. The controller determines, based on fields of view of both the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor, reduced fields of view that overlay a travel path of the vehicle. The reduced fields of view are enabled by reflecting portions of transmitted radar signals away from both the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor, thereby inhibiting detections of objects outside of the travel path of the vehicle. The controller determines whether a stationary object is detected by both the first radar sensor and the second radar sensor in the reduced fields of view while the vehicle is stationary.

Radar system of a vehicle and method for detecting an object in standstill situation

An occupant detection system and method that uses an isolation assembly to isolate electrically a power supply providing power to a heater element for heating a vehicle seat from a sensing circuit that uses the heater element as an electrode for electric field or capacitance type occupant detection. The isolation assembly includes a common mode choke that by itself provides sufficient isolation when the sensing circuit excitation signal frequency is high enough, and provides switches that infrequently interrupt electrical power to the heater element so a humidity level can be determined using a relatively low excitation signal frequency. Knowing the humidity level is desirable to adjust a threshold use to determine if the sensing circuit indicates that the seat is empty, or is occupied.

Occupant detection system and method

An occupant detection system including a seat assembly comprising a seat cushion having a seating surface, a heating element adjacent the seating surface, said heating element formed of electrically conductive material, a heating circuit electrically coupled to the heating element, said heating circuit configured to supply an electrical current to the heating element effective to generate heat by the heating element, an occupant detection circuit electrically coupled to the heating element, said occupant detection circuit configured to detect an occupant presence near the heating element, and an isolation circuit interposed between the heating circuit and the heating element, said isolation circuit configured to prevent the heating circuit from influencing the occupant detection circuit, said isolation circuit comprising a common mode choke. The common mode choke is arranged so current or charge from an excitation signal for detecting an occupant that is received by the heating circuit is replaced so the excitation signal can used to accurately detect an occupant.

Seat occupant detection circuit isolation from seat heating circuit using a common mode choke

An occupant detection system and method are provided for detecting an occupant seated in a vehicle seat. An electrode is arranged in a seat proximate to an expected location of an occupant for sensing an occupant proximate thereto. The electrode may be integrated with a seat heater. Control circuitry controls the seat heater. A signal generator is coupled to the electrode and configured output to the electrode a plurality of signals at a plurality of frequencies. Occupant detection circuitry detects voltages responsive to the plurality of signals at the plurality of frequencies and detects a state of occupancy based on the detected voltages. An LC circuit coupled to the electrode and the control circuitry suppresses capacitance generated by the control circuitry.

Capacitive occupant sensing system and method

A safety belt warning system for vehicles comprises a sensor mat for the detection of a force acting on its surface, which includes, for the formation of two electrical capacitors, two dielectric layers which are located one above the other in sandwich fashion and arranged in each case between electrically conductive coats, and which have different compressibility at least in the direction of loading due to force, so that the capacitances of the two capacitors vary differently with a load on the sensor mat.

Seat belt warning system

An occupant detection system for a vehicle includes an antenna arrangement of a capacitance-based occupant detection device in particular provided beneath the seat surface of a vehicle seat for the generation of a first occupation signal in the event of occupation of the vehicle seat by a person based on a radiation of predetermined minimum strength starting from the antenna arrangement and passing through the person, based on at least one switch arrangement of a weight-based occupant detection device which is provided beneath the seat surface of the vehicle seat and can be actuated in dependence on the pressure acting on it in order to generate a second occupation signal in the event of occupation of the vehicle seat by a person, in particular an adult, as well as a controller that generates an occupation detection signal in the event that both the first occupation signal of the capacitance-based occupant detection device and the second occupation signal of the weight-based occupant detection device are present and which generates an error signal in the event that only the second occupation signal of the weight-based occupant detection device of the two occupation signals is present.

Occupant detection system

An occupant presence sensor apparatus disposed in a seat includes first and second substantially non-compliant force translation plates generally parallel to the seating surface of the seat, an elastomeric mat disposed between the first and second force translation plates, and a switch mechanism disposed between the first and second force translation plates within an opening formed in the elastomeric mat. The elastomeric mat includes a distributed array of hollow protuberances that extend toward and contact the force translation plates, and the mat has a stiffness that normally provides a clearance between the switch mechanism and one of the force translation plates. When an occupant of specified or higher weight sits on the seating surface, the protuberances collapse and the force translation plates activate the switch mechanism.

Seat sensor apparatus for occupant presence detection

The invention relates to a device and a method for checking and/or calibrating a passenger recognition device arranged in a vehicle seat, in the case of which device a child's seat can be pressed against a vehicle seat and in the case of which method a vehicle seat is loaded with a child's seat and a corresponding reaction from the passenger recognition device in the vehicle seat is evaluated.

Device and method for checking and/or calibrating a passenger recognition device arranged in a vehicle seat

A device and a method for recognizing the occupancy of a seat has two sensor mats which independently of one another detect the pressure exerted on them.

Device and method for recognizing the occupancy of a seat

A capacitive sensing apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a deflectable dielectric mat and a flexible printed circuit that wraps around the major surfaces of the dielectric mat to define upper and lower conductor strips that overlap in a direction perpendicular to the dielectric mat. Overlapping regions of the conductor strips define an array of capacitive load cells distributed over the seating surface. A connector stub depending from the flexible printed circuit couples the conductor strips to an external circuit that measures the capacitance of the various load cells to determine occupant weight and weight distribution.

Capacitive sensing apparatus for a vehicle seat

An occupant recognition system for vehicles comprises at least one pressure sensor arranged beneath the foam of a vehicle seat, at least one temperature sensor and an electronic control and/or evaluation unit to which the sensors are connected. Means are provided to match the time behavior, in particular the time behavior present on changes in the ambient temperature, of the output signal of the temperature sensor arranged at a distance from the pressure sensor or from the seat foam to the time behavior of the temperature prevailing in the region of the pressure sensor or of the seat foam.

Occupant recognition system for vehicles

An improved weight-based occupant characterization method reliably distinguishes between an empty seat and a seat occupied by an ultralight child seat. The seat occupancy is initially characterized using a primary classification technique in which the measured seat pressure is compared to an allow threshold representative of a minimum weight adult. If the primary classification technique determines that the seat is empty and a seat belt for the passenger seat is buckled, a secondary classification technique is initiated to compare the measured seat pressure to a predetermined pressure range characteristic of occupied ultralight child seats. If the measured pressure falls within the ultralight child seat range, characterization of the primary classification technique is discarded in favor of the characterization of the secondary classification technique.

Growing community of inventors

Wenden, Germany

Thomas Fischer