# US 10,479,304 B2 · Capacitive detection device and system for use in vehicle interior

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- Number: US 10,479,304 B2
- Document ID: US10479304B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/579,543
- Filed: 2016-06-02
- Published: 2018-06-14
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-05
- Assignees: Iee International Electronics & Engineering S.A.
- Applicants: IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A.
- Inventors: Frank Althaus
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479304B2

## CPC

- B60R 21/01532: {using electric or capacitive field sensors}
- B60N 2/0024: {for identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat}
- B60N 2/0033: {mounted on or in the foam cushion}
- B62D 1/046: {Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches}
- B62D 1/065: {Steering wheels with heating and ventilating means (heating and ventilation of steering wheel when connected to vehicle HVAC B60H1/00292)}
- G01G 7/06: by electrostatic action
- G01G 19/4142: {for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems (electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015)}
- H03K 17/955: using a capacitive detector
- B60N 2210/12: Capacitive; Electric field
- B60N 2230/10: Wired data transmission
- H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
- H03K 2217/96078: Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16)
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)

## Abstract

A capacitive detection device and capacitive detection system for use in a vehicle interior includes at least one electrically conductive wire, at least partially attached to a component of the vehicle interior, and at least one electrically conductive layer that is arranged in close proximity to the at least one electrically conductive wire, compared to a potential minimum distance to a vehicle occupant, wherein a galvanic connection between the at least one electrically conductive layer and the at least one electrically conductive wire is avoided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A capacitive detection device for use with a component of a vehicle interior, comprising:
at least one electrically conductive wire disposed beneath an outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior and arranged to extend in a direction substantially parallel to an outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior,
a signal generating unit configured to generate and apply a time-varying output signal to the at least one electrically conductive wire,
a signal evaluation unit configured to sense a change of an electrical quantity that is indicative of a change in capacitance of the at least one electrically conductive wire, and to generate an output signal that is representative of the sensed change of the electrical quantity,
at least one electrically conductive layer arranged substantially parallel to at least a portion of the outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior and positioned with respect to a direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior either above or below the at least one electrically conductive wire, and arranged to at least partially overlap the at least one electrically conductive wire in a direction perpendicular to a portion of an outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior that is closest to the at least one electrically conductive layer, wherein a galvanic connection between the at least one electrically conductive layer and the at least one electrically conductive wire is avoided,
wherein at least a major portion of the at least one electrically conductive wire is arranged with respect to the at least one electrically conductive layer and the outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior such that a ratio R≥2, wherein R is given by:
R
=
min
⁡
(
d
⁢
⁢
2
,
d
⁢
⁢
3
)
d
⁢
⁢
1
≥
2
wherein d1 is a minimum distance taken at a location where the at least one electrically conductive wire is closest to the at least one electrically conductive layer, d2 is a minimum distance taken at a location where the portion of the outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior is closest to the at least one electrically conductive layer, and d3 is a minimum distance taken at a location where the portion of the outer surface of the component of the vehicle interior is closest to the at least one electrically conductive wire.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A vehicle seat with an installed capacitive detection system as claimed in claim 1 the vehicle seat comprising
a seat base configured for taking up a seat base cushion, the seat base and the seat base cushion being provided for supporting a bottom of a seat occupant, and
a backrest configured for taking up a backrest cushion provided for supporting a lumbar and back region of the seat occupant,
wherein the component of the vehicle interior includes at least one of the seat base cushion and the backrest cushion, and wherein at least one electrically conductive wire of the at least one electrically conductive wire is at least partially attached to at least one of the seat base cushion and the backrest cushion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a seat heater device including at least one seat heater wire, wherein at least one seat heater wire of the at least one seat heater wire serves as the at least one electrically conductive wire to which the time-varying output signal of the signal generating unit is applied.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein each electrically conductive wire of the at least one electrically conductive wire forms a meandering pattern, and wherein the meandering pattern covers a major portion of a surface of the seat base cushion or the backrest cushion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A vehicle steering wheel with an installed capacitive detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component of the vehicle interior includes the steering wheel, and wherein the at least one electrically conductive wire is at least partially attached to the steering wheel in a portion of a circumference of the steering wheel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle steering wheel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one electrically conductive layer is arranged to cover a portion of a surface of the steering wheel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The vehicle steering wheel as claimed in claim 5, wherein an areal density of the at least one electrically conductive wire is higher in regions of azimuthal positions with regard to an axis of rotation of the steering wheel that correspond to regular holding positions used by a vehicle driver when driving in a straight forward direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The vehicle steering wheel as claimed in claim 5, the vehicle steering wheel further including a heater device with at least one heater wire, wherein at least one heater wire of the at least one heater wire serves as the at least one electrically conductive wire to which the time-varying output signal of the signal generating unit is applied.