Occupant detection apparatus

An occupant detection apparatus that detects whether an occupant is seated on a seat in a vehicle, the occupant detection apparatus comprising:

• a wave motion sensor provided to be upper than the seat in the vehicle, the wave motion sensor performing transmission of a wave motion towards a predetermined range which includes a head part of the occupant at least, the wave motion sensor performing reception of the wave motion that is reflected;
• and
• a controller configured
• to calculate at least either a first value or a second value as a result value, based on the transmission and the reception of the wave motion by the wave motion sensor, the first value being a receiving intensity, the second value being a period of time or a distance, and
• to perform an occupant determination, the occupant determination determining either (i) that the seat is occupied by the occupant or (ii) that the seat is empty or occupied by a physical body other than the occupant, based on comparison of the result value with a threshold value,
• wherein:
• the wave motion sensor is provided either (i) in a central position in a lateral direction in the vehicle or (ii) in a position between a right seat and a left seat which are located, respectively, on a right side and a left side of the central position in the lateral direction in the vehicle;
• the controller is configured to perform the occupant determination with respect to a determination target based on the wave motion by the wave motion sensor, the determination target including a plurality of seats, which are either (i) the right seat and the left seat located, respectively, on the right side and the left side of the central position, or (ii) all seats in the vehicle;
• and
• the predetermined range includes at least a head part of an occupant who is seated on each of the seats included in the determination target.

An occupant detection apparatus that detects whether an occupant is seated on a seat in a vehicle, the occupant detection apparatus comprising:

• a wave motion scanning sensor provided to be on an upper side of the seat and on a front side of the seat in a longitudinal direction in the vehicle, the wave motion scanning sensor performing scanning and transmission of a wave motion in a predetermined range which includes at least a predetermined part of the occupant, the wave motion scanning sensor performing reception of the wave motion that is reflected;
• and
• a controller configured
• to produce scanning information based on the scanning, the transmission, and the reception of the wave motion by the wave motion scanning sensor, and
• to perform an occupant determination that determines either (i) that the seat is occupied by the occupant or (ii) that the seat is empty or occupied by a physical body other than the occupant, based on the scanning information produced,
• wherein:
• the wave motion scanning sensor is provided either (i) in a central position in a lateral direction in the vehicle or (ii) in a position between a right seat and a left seat which are located, respectively, on a right side and a left side of the central position in the lateral direction in the vehicle;
• the controller is configured to perform the occupant determination with respect to a determination target based on the scanning information produced from the wave motion by the wave motion scanning sensor, the determination target including a plurality of seats, which are either (i) the right seat and the left seat located, respectively, on the right side and the left side of the central position, or (ii) all seats in the vehicle;
• and
• the predetermined range includes at least a head part of an occupant who is seated on each of the seats included in the determination target.

An occupant detection apparatus that detects whether an occupant is seated on a seat in a vehicle, the occupant detection apparatus comprising:

• a wave motion sensor provided to be upper than the seat in the vehicle, the wave motion sensor performing transmission of wave motion towards a predetermined range which includes a head part of the occupant at least, the wave motion sensor performing reception of the wave motion that is reflected;
• and
• a controller configured
• to calculate at least either a first value or a second value as a result value based on the transmission and the reception of the wave motion by the wave motion sensor, the first value being a receiving intensity, the second value being a period of time or a distance, and
• to perform an occupant determination, the occupant determination determining either (i) that the seat is occupied by the occupant or (ii) that the seat is empty or occupied by a physical body other than the occupant, based on comparison of the result value with a threshold value,
• wherein:
• the wave motion sensor comprises at least one transmitter that performs the transmission of the wave motion, and a receiver that performs the reception of the wave motion reflected;
• and
• the at least one transmitter is provided in a first range in the vehicle and the receiver is provided in a second range in the vehicle, the second range being separate from the first range.

An occupant detection apparatus that detects whether an occupant is seated on a seat in a vehicle, the occupant detection apparatus comprising:

• a wave motion scanning sensor provided to be on an upper side of the sea and on a front side of the seat in a longitudinal direction in the vehicle, the wave motion scanning sensor performing scanning and transmission of a wave motion in a predetermined range which includes at least a predetermined part of the occupant, the wave motion scanning sensor performing reception of the wave motion that is reflected;
• and
• a controller configured
• to produce scanning information based on the scanning, the transmission, and the reception of the wave motion by the wave motion scanning sensor, and
• to perform an occupant determination that determines either (i) that the seat is occupied by the occupant or (ii) that the seat is empty or occupied by a physical body other than the occupant, based on the scanning information produced,
• wherein:
• the wave motion scanning sensor comprises at least one transmitter that performs the transmission of the wave motion, and a receiver that performs the reception of the wave motion that is reflected;
• and
• the at least one transmitter is provided in a first range in the vehicle and the receiver is provided in a second range in the vehicle, the second range being separate from the first range.