Vehicle occupant proximity sensor
AssigneeIntelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc.
InventorsFakhreddine Karray, Vladimir Filippov, Otman Adam Basir
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in a vehicle headliner above the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.
Claims18
A method for activating a vehicle occupant safety system including the steps of:
- a. Measuring capacitance at each of a plurality of points in a vehicle passenger compartment having an occupant safety system;
- b. Comparing the capacitance measured at each of the plurality of points to one another and determining relative distances from an occupant to each of the points;
- c. Determining a position of the occupant relative to the safety system based upon said step a;
- and
- d. Determining whether to activate the vehicle occupant safety system based upon said step c.
A vehicle passenger compartment proximity sensing system comprising:
- A plurality of capacitive sensors arranged to measure capacitance at a plurality of points in a passenger compartment;
- and
- A controller comparing the capacitance measured by each of the plurality of sensors to one another and determining a position of an occupant based upon the relative capacitance measured at the plurality of points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.