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:
Oct. 01, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2001
David S. Breed, Boonton Township, Morris County, NJ (US);
Wilbur E. Duvall, Kimberling City, MO (US);
Andrew J. Varga, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Automotive Technologies International, Inc., Denville, NJ (US);
Abstract
Arrangements for a vehicle including ultrasonic transmitters for transmitting ultrasonic waves into the passenger compartment, each transmitter operating at a distinct transmitting frequency and positioned at a distinct location relative to the other transmitter(s), at least one receiver disposed so as to receive ultrasonic waves transmitted from a transmitter and modified by passing through the passenger compartment, and a processor operatively coupled to the receiver(s). Based on the received waves, the processor determines whether an object is located in the passenger compartment, controls deployment of a safety restraint device and/or determines the location of an object in the passenger compartment. Other arrangements include receivers arranged at different locations in the vehicle and which facilitate a distance measurement capability. A processor analyzes the distances between the object and each receiver and based thereon, determines if an object is present, controls a safety restraint device and/or determines the location of an object.