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:
Jun. 12, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 05, 1999
Morgan Daniel Murphy, Kokomo, IN (US);
Pamela Ann Roe, Kokomo, IN (US);
Peter Alan Thayer, Noblesville, IN (US);
Douglas Allen Nunan, Kokomo, IN (US);
Phillip E Kaltenbacher, II, Lafayette, IN (US);
Duane Donald Fortune, Lebanon, IN (US);
Chiutsun Albert Lee, Kokomo, IN (US);
Charles A. Gray, Noblesville, IN (US);
Stuart Stites Sullivan, Peru, IN (US);
David R. Little, Kokomo, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved weight-based occupant characterization method that can inexpensively and reliably distinguish between a child or small adult and a tightly cinched child seat. When the sensed weight is in a specified range that could be produced by a tightly cinched child seat, the system characterizes the occupant based on a detected variation in sensed weight during movement of the vehicle. If the variance of the sensed weight is below a threshold for a predetermined interval, the occupant is characterized as a child seat, since a tightly cinched seat belt severely restricts variance. If the variance exceeds the threshold for a predetermined interval, the occupant is characterized as a child or small adult. A correlative factor that can be used in distinguishing between a child seat and a child or small adult is determined by computing a slope reversal rate, or frequency, of the measured weight. In this case, a child seat is indicated by the combination of low variance and a high frequency, whereas a child or small adult is indicated by the combination of high variance and a low frequency. Additionally, movement of the vehicle can be detected when the variance of the sensed weight is within a predetermined range for at least a predetermined interval.