Airbag and restraint system control using seat pressure data
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMitesh Lalwala, Chin-Hsu Lin, Nilesh D. Mankame, Alok Warey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle airbag and restraint system includes a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle. At least one pressure sensor is included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with the vehicle seat. At least one airbag is opened in response to a vehicle crash event. A controller determines when the user is seated on the vehicle seat in a position different than a normally upright position thereby defining the user being out-of-position, and generates a signal applied by the controller to modify an opening sequence of the at least one airbag when the user is out-of-position.
Claims15
A vehicle airbag and restraint system, comprising:
- a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle;
- at least one pressure sensor included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with the vehicle seat;
- at least one airbag opened in response to a vehicle crash event;
- a controller determining when the user is seated on the vehicle seat in a position different than a normally upright position thereby defining the user being out-of-position, the controller when the user is out-of-position generating a signal to modify an opening sequence of the at least one airbag;
- a user warning generated if the user is out-of-position;
- an in-vehicle camera system operated to identify if the user is out-of-position;
- an opt-in query requesting the user to enable the vehicle airbag and restraint system;
- and
- an override query provided when the user warning is generated providing the user an option to use the vehicle airbag and restraint system functionality for a predetermined trigger.
A vehicle airbag and restraint system, comprising:
- a vehicle seat positioned in a vehicle;
- multiple pressure sensors included with the vehicle seat to sense when a user is in contact with different elements of the vehicle seat, including a seat base and a seat back;
- a user restraint element provided with the vehicle seat;
- at least one airbag opened in response to a vehicle crash event;
- a controller determining a user posture of the user seated on the vehicle seat, the controller also including the user posture to infer the user is identified as being out-of-position to generate a signal to perform a dynamic suppression of the at least one airbag and a modification of the user restraint element;
- a user warning generated if the user is out-of-position;
- an in-vehicle camera system operated to identify if the user is out-of-position;
- an opt-in query requesting the user to enable the vehicle airbag and restraint system;
- and
- an override query provided when the user warning is generated providing the user an option to use the vehicle airbag and restraint system functionality for a predetermined trigger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.