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:
Mar. 16, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 23, 2002
Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante, Commerce Township, MI (US);
Kenneth Nero Morman, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for robust occupant position control prior to vehicle impact is provided. The method includes, in response to detecting an object, generating a Collision Index (CI) value representing a likelihood of collision with the detected object, and generating a Lateral Displacement (LD) value indicative of a distance to the detected object. A weight value (W ) for a vehicle occupant is also determined. When the CI and LD values exceed respective thresholds, the method generates a pretensioner output (PT ) value as a function of the CI and W values, and activates a seatbelt pretensioner associated with a seat of the vehicle occupant as a function of the PT value. An occupant positioning system for a vehicle activated prior to vehicle impact is also provided.