US 6,480,616 B1 · Status-of-use decision device for a seat

Abstract

Predetermined multiple points of the front passenger seat and its periphery are irradiated with spot beams, caught with a camera, and distances are measured based on the irradiation position of the spot beams. Conversely, the characteristics for each status of use of the seat such as the shapes of the contour of the seat or the contour of a child seat are detected from the picture information caught with the camera. The status of use of the seat is decided based the characteristics for each status of use and the distance information that was previously measured. Based on this decision, the operation of a passive safety device such as an air bag device is controlled.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A decision device for a vehicle, said device comprising:

a ranging unit configured and arranged to measure a plurality of distances between a predetermined overhead point and an occupant of a seat, each of the plurality of distances being determined with respect to an image of a spot illuminated by a corresponding beam, each beam being directed along a different angle from the predetermined overhead point;
an imaging unit configured and arranged to obtain image information of an area that includes at least a part of the seat;
and
an occupant type discriminator configured and arranged to determine the occupant type based on both the image information and the plurality of distances,
wherein the ranging unit includes a spotlight source configured and arranged to emit the corresponding beams.

2 more elements

A decision device for a vehicle, said device comprising:

an illumination source configured and arranged to cast an illumination pattern upon a seat, said illumination pattern distinguishing a first portion of the seat illuminated by the illumination source from a second portion of the seat not illuminated by the illumination source;
a camera configured and arranged to output a picture representing a distribution of intensity over an area of the seat that is two-dimensional in a plane orthogonal to an imaging axis of the camera and that includes the first and second portions, said picture including picture information of the first portion of the seat and picture information of the second portion of the seat;
a distance calculator configured and arranged to calculate a plurality of distances between the seat and the camera, said plurality of distances being based on the picture information of the first portion of the seat;
a feature extractor configured and arranged to detect features within the picture information of the second portion of the seat;
and
an occupant type discriminator configured and arranged to determine an occupant type based on both the plurality of distances and the detected features.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Status-of-use decision device for a seat

Life of this patent

Status-of-use decision device for a seat

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29