Nec Corporation

Other

Honda Elesys Co., Ltd.

Yoshitaka Oka

Kazunori Jinno

Masahiro Ofuji

Takashi Saitou

Nobuhiro Koyota

Kazutomo Isonaga

Tsutomu Fukui

Satoshi Baba

Takashi Inou

A passenger detection system is presented so that the master control circuit in the system instructs the passenger airbag control circuit controlling the operation of the airbag designated for the passenger seat to be in the deployable state or not-deployable state, depending on the seating conditions of a passenger sitting on the passenger seat, for example whether the passenger is an adult or a child. The passenger detection system is operated by a plurality of antenna electrodes disposed on the passenger seat; an electric field generation device for generating an electric field around an antenna electrode; a switching circuit for connecting the electric field generation device to the various antenna electrodes; an information detection circuit for detecting information related to a current flowing in a particular antenna electrode selected by the switching circuit; a master control circuit for receiving signal data output from the information detection circuit, and judging passenger seating conditions according to the signal data; and an airbag apparatus for controlling the operation of an airbag designated for the driver seat and an airbag designated for the passenger seat.

Passenger detection system and detection method

A passenger detecting system includes an antenna electrode, a signal generating circuit, a detecting circuit, and a control circuit. The antenna electrode is provided in a seat to be occupied by a passenger. The signal generating circuit generates and supplies a supply signal to the antenna electrode through a resistor such that an electric field is generated around the antenna electrode. The detecting circuit includes the resistor, and detects a direct current data signal from a line voltage associated with a voltage drop across the resistor, wherein the line voltage changes depending upon an object on the seat. The control circuit determines from the detected direct current data signal, whether or not a passenger is present in the seat and whether the passenger is an adult or a child.

Passenger detecting system and air bag apparatus using the same

A passenger detection system for precisely detecting the sitting condition of a passenger occupying a seat, who leans against the seat supporting section, and for suitably controlling the deployment/non-deployment of the side airbag based on the results of the detection process. The system comprises a seat having a seat supporting section in which an antenna electrode is provided; a voltage generation device for generating a high-frequency and low-voltage signal which induces a weak electric field around the antenna electrode; a current detection section for detecting a current which flows according to the generated weak electric field; and a control circuit for detecting a leaning condition of the passenger against the seat supporting section, based on a signal output from the current detection section; and an airbag apparatus including a side airbag unit positioned close to a door, the apparatus having a function of deploying the side airbag unit when a collision occurs. Data representing results detected by the control circuit is sent to the airbag apparatus so as to set the side airbag unit to one of the deployable and non-deployable states.

Passenger detection system comprising side airbag which is deployable or non-deployable according to seating condition

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Yoshitaka Oka