Apparatus for evaluating occupancy of a seat

Abstract

An apparatus for evaluating occupancy of a seat in which electromagnetic radiation is emitted into a space above the seat, the emitted electromagnetic radiation returning from the direction of the seat is detected, and a processor determines the presence of an occupying item of the seat based on the detected electromagnetic radiation and if an occupying item is present, distinguishing between different occupying items to thereby obtain information about the occupancy of the seat. The electromagnetic radiation may be visible light or infrared radiation. An apparatus for controlling a deployable occupant restraint device in a vehicle to protect an occupant in a seat in the vehicle during a crash includes the evaluating apparatus and the processor further affects the deployment of the occupant restraint device based on the determined presence or absence of an occupying item and the information obtained about the occupancy of the seat.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.