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. 17, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2001
Charles A. Gray, Noblesville, IN (US);
James F. Patterson, Greentown, IN (US);
Chance Lee Scales, Kokomo, IN (US);
Phillip E Kaltenbacher, II, Kokomo, IN (US);
Royce L. Rennaker, Converse, IN (US);
Duane D. Fortune, Lebanon, IN (US);
Stuart Stites Sullivan, Peru, IN (US);
Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved occupant detection system and method includes a fluid-filled polymeric seat cushion bladder defining multiple fluid-filled chambers corresponding to different areas of the seat cushion, with no fluid flow between such chambers. Fluid pressures in the various individual chambers are detected and processed to develop a weight estimation that is compensated for occupant position. The chambers are configured to detect occupant weight in at least forward, rearward, inboard and outboard regions of the bottom seat cushion. When the detected pressures are unevenly distributed and the pressure in the forward, rearward, inboard or outboard regions of the seat exceeds the average pressure by at least a predetermined amount, a composite pressure indicative of occupant weight is adjusted in a direction to bias the suppression status in favor of allowing restraint deployment, unless the occupant is forwardly positioned on a seat that is also forwardly positioned.