Fujikura Limited

Yuki Noguchi

Yuichiro Yamaguchi

Takuya Osaki

Koji Sakiyama

Takeshi Togura

Shinsuke Nagahama

Ryouhei Sakurai

An occupant position detection device is an occupant position detection device disposed inside a vehicle to detect a position of an occupant, and includes: a detector comprising two or more sensor electrodes disposed forward of a seat and at least one sensor electrode disposed at a position more rearward and higher than these sensor electrodes, the detector respectively outputting a detection signal based on a distance between each of the sensor electrodes and the occupant; and a computation unit inputted with the detection signal to compute an occupant position. The computation unit selects from the detection signals outputted from the detector three or more types of combinations configured from two of the detection signals, calculates a ratio or difference for each of these combinations of detection signals, and computes the occupant position based on the three or more calculated ratios or differences of the detection signals.

Occupant position detection device and airbag deployment control system

A headrest position adjusting deviceincludes a distance measuring deviceand a drive motor unit. The distance measuring deviceincludes a plurality of sensing electrodestoand a detecting circuit. The detecting circuitincludes a plurality of capacitance sensing circuitstoconnected one-to-one to the sensing electrodesto, and an arithmetic processing circuit. The drive motor unitincludes a motor driving circuit and a drive motor. Based on the detected capacitance values, the detecting circuitcalculates a difference value between a capacitance value of the sensing electrode which shows the largest capacitance value and the capacitance value of the sensing electrode which shows the lowest capacitance value, and thereby measures an electrode-head distance L. A position adjusting operation for a headrestis performed based on the measurement result.

Device for measuring distance between headrest and head, method for measuring distance between headrest and head, headrest position adjusting   device, and headrest position adjusting method

Disclosed is a headrest position adjusting device provided with a distance measuring device and drive motor units. The distance measuring device is provided with a plurality of detection electrodes and a detection circuit including a plurality of capacitance detection circuits and a computation circuit. The computation circuit uses capacitance values, position information from the detection electrodes, and a high-degree function with a degree of at least 3 to compute a high-degree curve in a two-dimensional coordinate system with capacitance on the y-axis and detection-electrode position on the x-axis. The computation circuit computes the highest-degree coefficient of the high-degree curve and determines the distance between a head and a front part of a headrest on the basis of the computed highest-degree coefficient. On the basis of the measurement result, the headrest position adjusting device moves the front part of the headrest towards the front or back of a vehicle.

Device for measuring the distance between a head and a headrest, headrest-position adjusting device using said device, method for measuring the distance between a head and a headrest, and headrest-position adjusting method using said method

To automatically adjust the position of a headrest accurately with a simple configuration while preventing an unnecessary movement of the headrest, a headrest position adjusting deviceincludes a capacitance sensor unitand a drive motor unit. The capacitance sensor unitincludes, for example, a plurality of sensing electrodestoand a detecting circuit. The detecting circuitincludes a plurality of capacitance sensing circuitstoconnected one-to-one to the sensing electrodesto, and an arithmetic processing circuit. The drive motor unitincludes a motor driving circuit and a drive motor. The detecting circuitjudges whether or not the smallest capacitance value among detected capacitance values is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold, performs a position adjusting operation for a headrestwhen the smallest capacitance value is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold, and stops the headrestor moves the headrestto a predetermined position when the smallest capacitance value is smaller than the predetermined threshold.

Headrest position adjusting device and headrest position adjusting method

A headrest position adjustment device includes a capacitance sensor unit, and a drive motor unit. The capacitance sensor unit includes a plurality of electrode groups each configured by a plurality of sensing electrodes. The total electrode area of each of the electrode groups is switchable by a switching unit of a circuit unit between at least a total electrode area A and a total electrode area A+B. The total electrode area A is selected when the distance d between a head and a headrest is short, and the total electrode area A+B is selected when the distance is long. In this way, the sensitivity is changed depending on how long or how short the distance is. An estimated center position of the head is calculated based on capacitance values obtained, and thereby the position of the headrest is adjusted.

Headrest position adjustment device

A headrest position adjusting deviceincludes a distance measuring deviceand a drive motor unit, and the distance measuring deviceincludes a plurality of sensing electrodestoand a detecting circuit. The detecting circuitincludes a plurality of capacitance sensing circuitstoconnected one-to-one to the sensing electrodestoand an arithmetic processing circuit, and the drive motor unitincludes a motor driving circuit and a drive motor. Based on the detected capacitance values, the detecting circuitcalculates a distance calculation angle &#x3b8; formed by points representing the positions and output values of the sensing electrodesandlocated at the highest and lowest positions and a point representing the position and output value of the largest output value, and thereby measures an electrode-head distance L. A position adjusting operation for a headrestis performed based on the measurement result.

Device for measuring distance between headrest and head, method for measuring distance between headrest and head, headrest position adjusting device, and headrest position adjusting method

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Sakura, Japan

Yuki Noguchi