Occupant determination device

An occupant determination device comprising a processor including:

• a tentative-determination processing unit classifying a physique of an occupant seated on a seat of a vehicle by comparing a determination value set based on sensor values of a plurality of load sensors for detecting loads applied to the seat with predetermined load threshold values;
• and
• a determination processing unit determining the physique of the occupant by using tentative determination results by the tentative-determination processing unit,
• wherein, when a number of the tentative determination results classified into a given class becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value in the tentative determination results of a predetermined number of samples, the determination processing unit determines the physique of the occupant to be the given class,
• wherein the determination processing unit performs a primary determination processing by setting the predetermined number of samples to a first number of samples and setting the predetermined threshold value to a first threshold value, and performs a secondary determination processing by setting the predetermined number of samples to a second number of samples larger than the first number of samples and setting the predetermined threshold value to a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value after the physique of the occupant is determined to be the given class by the primary determination processing,
• wherein a period of time until transferring to the secondary determination processing after the physique of the occupant is determined to be the given class by the primary determination processing differs according to whether a buckle of a seat belt for the seat is fastened or not,
• wherein, the determination processing unit determines classification indicating that the seat is vacant when the tentative determination results classified as a vacant seat by the tentative-determination processing unit continue for a threshold value for determining the vacant seat or more which is lower than the first threshold value,
• wherein the tentative-determination processing unit changes the load threshold values so that a range of a class to which the tentative determination result belongs is further expanded in the case where the determined result by the determination processing unit is neither the determination result indicating that the seat is vacant nor the determination result indicating that determination is difficult, and further, in a case where the buckle of the seat belt for the seat is fastened, and
• wherein, when it is determined that the seat is vacant, or it is difficult to determine the physique of the occupant in the secondary determination processing, restarting the processing from the primary determination processing.