Back to results
US 8,783,114 B2Granted
Occupancy sensor
AssigneeHealthsense, Inc.
InventorsDavid T. Anderson, Brian J. Bischoff, John L. Ryan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, devices, and systems for determining occupancy of a user. One method to determine occupancy of a user includes sensing a change in resistance of a sensor element of an occupancy sensor, correlating the change in resistance to a force transmitted to the occupancy sensor, and determining an occupancy status of a user based on the force transmitted.
Claims18
A method for determining occupancy of a user, comprising:
- transmitting a force to an occupancy sensor via an activator bar, wherein the activator bar is fixed at a first end and a second end and is coupled to a sensor element of the occupancy sensor between a first end and a second end of the sensor element, and an edge support surrounds the activator bar and wherein the occupancy sensor is between a base and the activator bar;
- sensing a change in resistance of a sensor element of the occupancy sensor;
- correlating the change in resistance to a force transmitted to the occupancy sensor;
- and
- determining an occupancy status of a user based on the force transmitted.
2 more elements
An occupancy sensor, comprising:
- a sensing element, wherein a resistance of the sensing element is dependent on a force exerted on the sensing element;
- an activator bar, wherein an edge support surrounds the activator bar, wherein the activator bar is fixed a first end and a second end and is coupled to the sensing element between a first end and a second end of the sensing element, and wherein the occupancy sensor is between a base and the activator bar, and wherein the activator bar transmits the force to the sensing element;
- and
- a module, wherein the module senses the resistance of the sensing element and converts the resistance to a corresponding voltage.
1 more element
A system for determining occupancy of a user, comprising:
- a support structure, wherein a static object is placed on the support structure;
- and
- an occupancy sensor, wherein the occupancy sensor includes:
- a sensing element, wherein a resistance of the sensing element is dependent on a force exerted on the sensing element;
- an activator bar, wherein the activator bar is formed of materials with variable stiffness, wherein the activator bar is fixed at a first end and a second end and is coupled to the sensing element between a first end and a second end of the sensing element, wherein the occupancy sensor is between a base and the activator bar, and wherein the activator bar transmits the force to the sensing element;
- and
- a module, wherein the module senses the resistance of the sensing element and converts the sensed resistance to a voltage correlating to the force exerted on the sensing element.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.