Apparatus and method for protecting a vehicle occupant utilizing a correlation between an occupant-associated center and a distance to an occupant-associated surface

A method of protecting a vehicle occupant, said method comprising:

• sensing a weight value associated with an occupant;
• determining a weight-based center characteristic associated with the occupant using the sensed weight value;
• sensing a distance to a surface associated with the occupant;
• and
• controlling an occupant protection device utilizing the determined center characteristic and the sensed distance, including determining whether the sensed distance is to a surface of a head/thorax/torso of the occupant utilizing the determined center characteristic.

A vehicle occupant protection system comprising:

• an occupant protection device;
• a plurality of weight sensors associated with a vehicle seat, each for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on the seat;
• means for determining center of gravity associated with the occupant using the sensed weight values;
• means for sensing a distance to a surface associated with the occupant;
• and
• control means for controlling said protection device, including means for determining control of said protection device utilizing the determined center of gravity and the sensed distance, said means for determining control including means for determining whether the sensed distance is to a surface of a torso/head/thorax of the occupant utilizing the determined center of gravity.

A vehicle occupant protection system comprising:

• an occupant protection device;
• a plurality of weight sensors associated with a vehicle seat, each for sensing a weight value associated with an occupant located on the seat;
• means for determining center of gravity associated with the occupant using the sensed weight values;
• means for sensing a distance to a surface associated with the occupant;
• and
• control means for controlling said protection device, including means for determining control of said protection device utilizing the determined center of gravity and the sensed distance,
• wherein said means for determining center of gravity includes means responsive to horizontal acceleration.