Vision enhanced automatic occupant sensing for airbag deployment

An airbag deployment system comprising:

• a memory configured to store a default weight/pressure threshold value;
• a weight/pressure sensor configured for detecting a weight/pressure on a vehicle seat surface;
• and
• a remote sensor for detecting a presence of a child restraint seat installed at a vehicle seat, wherein, the remote sensor can detect the presence or lack of presence of a child restraint seat on a vehicle seat with at least one focused detection zone, and wherein the child restraint seat has different viewable features for the portion in the focused detection zone when compared to the vehicle seat and an occupant.

An airbag deployment system comprising:

• a memory configured to store a default weight/pressure threshold value;
• a weight/pressure sensor configured for detecting a weight/pressure on a vehicle seat surface;
• a remote sensor for detecting a presence of a child restraint seat installed at a vehicle seat;
• a processor for generating a weight/pressure related compensation, wherein the weight/pressure related compensation involves compensating the measured weight/pressure by subtracting an amount from the measured weight/pressure and comparing this to a weight/pressure threshold when a CRS is detected and wherein the measured weight/pressure is compared to a weight/pressure threshold when a CRS is not detected;
• a processor decision to enable airbag deployment when the compensated weight/pressure output when a CRS is detected exceeds a weight/pressure threshold and a processor decision to suppress airbag deployment when the compensated weight/pressure output when a CRS is detected is less than a compensated weight/pressure threshold;
• a processor decision to enable airbag deployment when the weight/pressure output when a CRS is not detected exceeds a weight/pressure threshold and a processor decision to suppress airbag deployment when the weight/pressure output when a CRS is not detected is less than a weight/pressure threshold;
• a vehicle controller for detecting a vehicle contact event;
• and
• an airbag deployment controller configured for suppressing a deployment of an airbag in response to a detection of the vehicle contact event and the suppression signal and for enabling the deployment of the airbag in response to the vehicle contact event and the airbag enable signal.