The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 1998
Filed:
May. 16, 1995
Brian K Blackburn, Rochester, MI (US);
Scott B Gentry, Romeo, MI (US);
Joseph F Mazur, Washington, MI (US);
Charles E Steffens, Jr, Washington, MI (US);
John E Bessonen, Redford, MI (US);
William M Jarocha, South Lyon, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint system (20) in response to a sensed position of an occupant (36) in an occupant compartment of a vehicle includes a variable capacitor (60) mounted relative to a known reference location (30) within the vehicle. The variable capacitor (60) is adapted so that its capacitance value is functionally related to the occupant's position relative to the reference location (30). A controller (50) is coupled to a capacitance sensing circuit (80) for controlling the actuatable restraint (22) in response to the sensed occupant position relative to the reference location.