Passenger detection system and detection method

Abstract

A passenger detection system is presented so that the master control circuit in the system instructs the passenger airbag control circuit controlling the operation of the airbag designated for the passenger seat to be in the deployable state or not-deployable state, depending on the seating conditions of a passenger sitting on the passenger seat, for example whether the passenger is an adult or a child. The passenger detection system is operated by a plurality of antenna electrodes disposed on the passenger seat; an electric field generation device for generating an electric field around an antenna electrode; a switching circuit for connecting the electric field generation device to the various antenna electrodes; an information detection circuit for detecting information related to a current flowing in a particular antenna electrode selected by the switching circuit; a master control circuit for receiving signal data output from the information detection circuit, and judging passenger seating conditions according to the signal data; and an airbag apparatus for controlling the operation of an airbag designated for the driver seat and an airbag designated for the passenger seat.