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US 9,067,518 B2Granted
Heating system
AssigneeTakata Corporation
InventorHiroshi Aoki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seat heater has heater electrodes in a film shape and a sensor electrode in a film shape. When detecting an occupant through the sensor electrode, the heater electrodes are disconnected from a heater unit to cause those electrodes to be substantially insulated from a vehicle. This makes it possible to detect the occupant seated on a seat without being affected by the heater electrodes. According to such a structure, it becomes possible to warm the occupant and to precisely detect the occupant.
Claims11
A heating system for warming an occupant seated on a seat of a vehicle, the heating system comprising:
- a heating element disposed in the seat;
- heater electrodes connected to the heating element;
- a sensor electrode disposed in the seat;
- a supply unit that supplies power to the heating element;
- a connection unit that intermittently connects the supply unit with the heater electrodes;
- a measurement unit that measures an impedance between the sensor electrode and the vehicle when the supply unit is not connected to the heater electrodes;
- and
- a detection unit that detects the occupant seated on the seat based on the impedance measured by the measurement unit;
- wherein the connection unit alternately connects the heater electrodes with the supply unit and a power source that applies a voltage to the heater electrodes.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.