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:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2002
Michael Edward Farmer, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
The invention can determine whether a collision has occurred, whether an airbag should be deployed, and what the desirable strength of an airbag deployment should be based on occupant characteristics obtained from the segmented image of the occupant. Using interacting multiple model Kalman filters, the invention can infer three-dimensional characteristics from a two-dimensional image, and predict the location, velocity, and acceleration of the occupant. Kalman filters are used with respect to all measurements to incorporate past predictions and measurements into the most recent estimates and predictions in order to eliminate the “noise” associated with any particular measurement. The system can predict the position and shape of the occupant at a faster rate than the rate at which the sensor collects data. Occupant characteristics can be compared to corresponding predetermined data associated with various occupant modes, including the mode of crashing, to determine if a collision has occurred.