Passenger detecting system and air bag system using the same

A passenger detecting apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of antenna electrodes provided in a seat;
• a signal generating section generating an electrode signal;
• a switching circuit sequentially supplying said electrode signal to said plurality of antenna electrodes one by one in response to a switching control signal;
• a detecting section detecting change of said electrode signal and generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• and
• a control unit outputting said switching control signal to said switching circuit and generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes,
• wherein said plurality of antenna electrodes are dispersedly provided in said seat,
• wherein each of said plurality of antenna electrodes is an electrically conductive portion of an insulation cloth,
• wherein each of said antenna electrodes is connected to said switching circuit by use of a cable, and
• said cable has a washer having a peripheral section and a plurality of portions extending from said peripheral section into a direction of a center portion, and
• a fixture has a first section of a first diameter, a second section of a second diameter on said first section, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter, and a third section of a third diameter on said second section, the third diameter being larger than the first diameter, and
• said fixture is pushed and inserted to pass through a base member, said antenna electrode and the center portion of said washer such that said base member and said antenna electrode are sandwiched by said third section of said fixture and said peripheral section of said washer through an elastic force of said plurality of portions of said washer.

A method of detecting a passenger in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• and
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes.

A method of detecting a passenger in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• and
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes, wherein said generating a passenger data includes:
• calculating a summation of said detection signals for said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• determining whether said passenger exists on said seat, based on said summation to generate said passenger data,
• calculating a ratio data of each of said detection signals to said summation, when it is determined that said passenger exists on said seat;
• determining the ratio data corresponding to a head of said passenger;
• calculating a second summation of said ratio data of said detection signals other than the ratio data corresponding to the head;
• and
• determining whether said passenger is a child or an adult, based on said second summation, to generate said passenger data.

A method of detecting a passenger in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• detecting a phase difference before and after the change of said electrode signal, and
• said generating a passenger data includes determining whether said passenger exists on said seat, based on said phase difference, to generate said passenger data.

A passenger detecting apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of antenna electrodes provided in a seat;
• a detecting section detecting change of an electric field intensity around each of said plurality of antenna electrodes and generating a detection signal;
• and
• a control unit generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes.

A method of controlling expansion of an air bag in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• controlling an air bag based on said passenger data such that said air bag is selectively expanded.

A method of controlling expansion of an air bag in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• controlling an air bag based on said passenger data such that said air bag is selectively expanded,
• wherein said generating a passenger data includes:
• calculating a summation of said detection signals for said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• and
• determining whether said passenger exists on said seat, based on said summation to generate said passenger data;
• calculating a ratio data of each of said detection signals to said summation, when it is determined that said passenger exists on said seat;
• and
• determining whether said passenger is a child or an adult, based on a distribution pattern of said radio data of said detection signals, to generate said passenger data.

A method of controlling expansion of an air bag in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• controlling an air bag based on said passenger data such that said air bag is selectively expanded,
• wherein said generating a passenger data includes:
• determining whether said passenger is on said seat, and whether said passenger is a child or an adult, based on a distribution pattern of said detection signals;
• calculating a ratio data of each of said detection signals to said summation, when it is determined that said passenger exists on said seat;
• determining the ratio data corresponding to a head of said passenger;
• calculating a second summation of said ratio data of said detection signals other than the ratio data corresponding to the head;
• and
• determining whether said passenger is a child or an adult, based on said second summation, to generate said passenger data.

A method of controlling expansion of an air bag in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• controlling an air bag based on said passenger data such that said air bag is selectively expanded,
• detecting a phase difference before and after the change of said electrode signal, and
• said generating a passenger data includes determining whether said passenger exists on said seat, based on said phase difference, to generate said passenger data.

A method of controlling expansion of an air bag in an automobile, comprising:

• sequentially supplying an electrode signal to a plurality of antenna electrodes one by one, said plurality of antenna electrodes being provided in a seat;
• detecting change of said electrode signal;
• generating a detection signal when said electrode signal is supplied to each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• generating a passenger data associated with a passenger on said seat based on said detection signal for each of said plurality of antenna electrodes;
• controlling an air bag based on said passenger data such that said air bag is selectively expanded,
• wherein said generating a passenger data includes:
• detecting one of said plurality of antenna electrodes corresponding to a position of a shoulder of said passenger, based on the detection signals, when it is determined that said passenger exists on said seat;
• and
• determining whether said passenger is a child or an adult, based on the detected antenna electrode, to generate said passenger data.