Seat with occupancy detection

A seat comprising a first sensor arranged in order to generate a first electrical signal upon a user seating themselves on a seat and upon the vacating of the seat by the user,

• wherein the seat also comprises a second sensor that is capable of generating a second electrical signal in a substantially continuous or repeated manner when the user is seated on the seat,
• wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are energy harvesting sensors;
• wherein the first sensor comprises at least one piezoelectric transducer;
• and
• wherein the first sensor comprises a plurality of piezoelectric transducers that are distributed under a seating base and/or a back rest of the seat, the first sensor being configured so as to detect the user seating themselves on the seat or the vacating of the seat by the user, and to generate the first signal when at least a predetermined number of the piezoelectric transducers undergo a variation in mechanical stress.

An occupancy detection method for detecting the occupying of a seat by a user, said seat comprising a first sensor arranged in order to generate a first electrical signal upon a user seating themselves on a seat and upon the vacating of the seat by the user and a second sensor that is capable of generating a second electrical signal in a substantially continuous or repeated manner when the user is seated on the seat, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are energy harvesting sensors, said method comprising:

• the user seating themselves on the seat and applying of a pressure by the user on the seat;
• generation of the first signal by the first sensor and transmission of a primary signal being sent to a data acquisition module;
• reception of the primary signal by the data acquisition module and determination of a change of status of the seat to an occupied status;
• occupying of the seat by the user and generation in a continuous or repeated manner of the second signal by the second sensor and continuous or repeated transmission of a secondary signal being sent to the data acquisition module;
• reception of the secondary signal by the data acquisition module and confirmation of the occupied status of the seat, or correction of an erroneous vacant status by the data acquisition module;
• vacating of the seat by the user, generation of the first signal by the first sensor and transmission of the primary signal being sent to the data acquisition module;
• and
• reception of the primary signal by the data acquisition module and determination of a change of status of the seat to a vacant status.