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:
Feb. 22, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 20, 1997
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., , JP;
Abstract
The present invention detects not only the presence of an occupant, but also his/her posture based on the distance distribution of each portion of the occupant within each of monitor fields of view, which distance distribution is obtained by means of a single-stage or multistage occupant sensor. The result of the detection can be used in controlling inflation of an air bag, so as to avoid an accident that might otherwise occur upon inflation of the air bag, thus assuring increased safety and reliability. Since the acceleration can be calculated by arithmetic processing of the output of the distance sensor, there is no particular need to provide an exclusive acceleration sensor. Further, an optical system including the distance sensor may be designed so that the sensor can also detect an occupant whose part of the body is thrust out of automobile.