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:
Jul. 09, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 04, 2000
Edward J. Gillis, South Lyon, MI (US);
Stephen R. W. Cooper, Fowlerville, MI (US);
Chek-Peng Foo, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A system ( ) protects a vehicle occupant. The system ( ) includes an occupant protection device ( ). A weight sensor ( ) senses a weight value associated with an occupant ( ). A portion ( ) of a controller ( ) determines a weight-based center characteristic (e.g., a center of gravity) associated with the occupant ( ) using the sensed weight value. A distance sensor (e.g., ) senses a distance to a surface associated with the occupant ( ). A portion ( ) of the controller ( ) controls the protection device ( ) utilizing the determined center characteristic and the sensed distance. The portion ( ) of the controller ( ) determines whether the sensed distance is to a surface of a head/thorax/torso of the occupant ( ) utilizing the determined center characteristic.