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:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1998
Shawn E. Burke, Andover, MA (US);
James E. Hubbard, Jr., Derry, NH (US);
Trustees of Boston University, Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
A sensor system preferably for use in a vehicle airbag deployment system employs spatial shading techniques and centroiding analysis to calculate an equivalent point load in two dimensional space. The location of the equivalent point load, as well as the weight of the passenger as determined from the sensors, are used to construct a set of fuzzy set logic boundaries defining different modes of deploying the airbag. The filmy set logic boundaries may include a full deployment, soft deployment, no deployment and other intermediate deployment zones. In the event of a vehicle airbag incident, the airbag is deployed in accordance with the fuzzy set logic boundary in which the weight and equivalent point load of the vehicle occupant are located.