Vehicular occupant detection arrangements

A vehicle including an arrangement for determining vehicle occupant position relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle, the arrangement comprising

• an array structured and arranged to receive an image of a portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle in which the occupant is likely to be situated,
• a lens,
• adjustment means for adjusting the focal length of said lens relative to said array, and
• processor means coupled to said array and said adjustment means for determining upon adjustment of the focal length relative to said array by said adjustment means when the image is clearest whereby a distance between the occupant and the fixed structure can be obtained based on the determination by said processor means when the image is clearest.

A vehicle including an arrangement for determining a position of an exterior object relative to the vehicle, the arrangement comprising

• an array structured and arranged to receive an image of an exterior environment surrounding the vehicle containing at least one object,
• a lens arranged between said array and the exterior environment,
• adjustment means for changing the image received by said array, and
• processor means coupled to said array and said adjustment means for determining upon changing by said adjustment means of the image received by said array when the image is clearest whereby a distance between the object and the vehicle is obtainable based on the determination by said processor means when the image is clearest.

A vehicle including an arrangement for determining a position of an exterior object relative to the vehicle, the arrangement comprising

• an array structured and arranged to receive an image of an exterior environment surrounding the vehicle containing at least one object,
• a lens,
• adjustment means for adjusting the focal length of said lens relative to said array, and
• processor means coupled to said array and said adjustment lens for determining upon adjustment of the focal length of said lens by said adjustment means when the image is clearest whereby a distance between the object and the vehicle is obtainable based on the determination by said processor means when the image is clearest.

A vehicle including an arrangement for determining vehicle occupant position relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle, the arrangement consisting of:

• a single array structured and arranged to receive an image of a portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle in which the occupant is likely to be situated,
• a single lens set arranged between said array and the portion of the passenger compartment,
• adjustment means for changing the image received by said array, and
• processor means coupled to said array and said adjustment means for determining upon changing by said adjustment means of the image received by said array when the image is clearest whereby a distance between the occupant and the fixed structure is obtainable based on the determination by said processor means when the image is clearest.

A vehicle including an arrangement for determining a position of an exterior object relative to the vehicle, the arrangement consisting of:

• a single array structured and arranged to receive an image of an exterior environment surrounding the vehicle containing at least one object,
• a single lens set arranged between said array and the exterior environment,
• adjustment means for changing the image received by said array, and
• processor means coupled to said array and said adjustment means for determining upon changing by said adjustment means of the image received by said array when the image is clearest whereby a distance between the object and the vehicle is obtainable based on the determination by said processor means when the image is clearest.