Vehicle occupant classification system and method

A vehicle occupant detection system comprising;

• a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors arranged in a vehicle seat;
• a calibration unit configured to calibrate the sensors to normalize sensor sensitivities across the sensor array, wherein the calibration unit receives and uses a seat-specific calibration template file to calibrate the sensors, and wherein the seat-specific calibration template file includes data comprising one or more variables selected from a group including a baseline range, a calibration position range, a minimum delta filter value, a delta filter percentage value, a gain, and a maximum delta percent;
• a weight estimation module configured to estimate a weight of a seat occupant based on deflections of the seat created by the seat occupant;
• a pattern module configured to analyze deflection patterns of the seat;
• and a decision-making module configured to make a deployment state decision for an airbag based on data from one or more of the other modules.

A vehicle occupant detection system comprising:

• a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors arranged in a vehicle seat;
• a calibration unit configured to calibrate the sensors to normalize sensor sensitivities across the sensor array;
• a weight estimation module configured to estimate a weight of a seat occupant based on deflections of the seat created by the seat occupant, wherein the weight estimation module comprises an interpolation algorithm configured to estimate the weight by interpolation using deflection values for the sensors, wherein the interpolation algorithm is configured to optimize sensor focus to distinguish between 5th percentile females and 6-year olds;
• a pattern module configured to analyze deflection patterns of the seat;
• and
• a decision-making module configured to make a deployment state decision for an airbag based on data from one or more of the other modules.

A method of making a deployment state decision for an airbag, said method comprising:

• calibrating the plurality of sensors arranged in the sensor array by applying a selected calibration force to the seat and measuring sensor values;
• selecting the calibration force according to a target weight of a 5th Percentile Female;
• receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors arranged in a sensor array in a seat bottom, wherein said sensor data is representative of seat deflections caused by a seat occupant;
• estimating a weight of the seat occupant using the sensor data;
• analyzing a sensor array deflection pattern using the sensor data;
• and
• using the weight estimate and deflection pattern analysis to make a deployment state decision for an airbag.