Vehicle occupant detection system
AssigneeUusi, LLC
InventorDavid W. Shank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An occupant detection system and method may include a user interface and at least one sensor to determine if there is an occupant in the vehicle. In one embodiment, the system and method use capacitive sensing sensors embedded into a cushion and/or back of seats in a vehicle. The capacitive sensor sends a sense signal to a controller and the controller would recognize various conditions such as an empty seat or a seat occupied by a person or animal. It could also determine if there was a child seat in a position on a vehicle seat and if there is a child in the child seat.
Claims30
An occupant detection system for a vehicle comprising:
- a user interface comprising a touch sensitive input device adapted to be fixedly mounted to a vehicle and having a touch sensitive active surface;
- at least one first sensor located in a seat back of a seat assembly of the vehicle and at least one second sensor located in a seat cushion of the seat assembly, the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor being operable for detecting an occupant in the seat assembly;
- a controller in communication with the user interface and the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor to receive sensor signals from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor and user interface signals from the user interface, the controller being operable for monitoring the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor and the user interface;
- and
- wherein the controller processes the sensor signals and the user interface signals and determines whether the seat assembly is one of unoccupied and occupied and characteristics of any occupant in the seat assembly if the seat assembly is occupied.
An occupant detection system for a vehicle comprising:
- a user interface comprising a touch sensitive input device adapted to be fixedly mounted to a vehicle and having a touch sensitive active surface;
- a plurality of sensors comprising a seat back sensor located within a seat back of a seat assembly of the vehicle and a seat cushion left sensor, a seat cushion right sensor, and a seat cushion front sensor, all located within a seat cushion of the seat assembly and operable for detecting an occupant in the seat assembly;
- a controller in communication with the user interface and the plurality of sensors to receive sensor signals from the plurality of sensors and user interface signals from the user interface, the controller being operable for monitoring the plurality of sensors and the user interface;
- and
- wherein the controller processes the sensor signals and the user interface signals and determines whether the seat assembly is one of an empty and occupied and characteristics comprising presence, size, position, and type of an occupant in the seat assembly.
The occupant detection system as set forth in claim 25 wherein the controller sends a signal to one of a cell phone, fob, and service if the audible noise is detected in the cabin of the vehicle.
A method for detecting an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:
- providing an occupant detection system comprising a user interface comprising a touch sensitive input device adapted to be fixedly mounted to a vehicle and having a touch sensitive active surface, at least one first sensor located in a seat back of a seat assembly of the vehicle and at least one second sensor located in a seat cushion of the seat assembly, and a controller in communication with the user interface and the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor;
- detecting by the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor an occupant in the seat assembly;
- receiving, by the controller, sensor signals from the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor and user interface signals from the user interface;
- and
- processing, by the controller, the sensor signals and the user interface signals and determining, by the controller, whether the seat assembly is occupied and characteristics of any occupant in the seat assembly if the seat assembly is occupied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.