Patent ID: 9545890
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: B60R,G01V

Claim:
1. A sensor mat for determining a seat occupation situation for a vehicle seat, comprising a plurality of sensor cells to be associated to a seating area of a vehicle seat, wherein the plurality of sensor cells are configured and interconnected in such a way that an output signal of the sensor mat varies as a function of the seat occupation situation, wherein said plurality of sensor cells comprises at least a plurality of first sensor cells and a plurality of second sensor cells, said plurality of first sensor cells and said plurality of second sensor cells being operatively connected to form a sensor cell group in such a way that, under normal operating conditions of the sensor mat, variation of said output signal of the sensor mat increases with a non-simultaneous triggering of at least one cell in either said plurality of first sensor cells or said plurality of second sensor cells, and said output signal of the sensor mat exceeds or drops below a predefined threshold value only if at least one sensor cell of the plurality of first sensor cells and at least one sensor cell of the plurality of second sensor cells are simultaneously triggered, wherein each of said plurality of first sensor cells and said plurality of second sensor cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the third electrode of one of the plurality of first sensor cells being connected to the third electrode of one of the plurality of second sensor cells such that a short circuit is created between a coupled first electrode of one of the plurality of first sensor cells and second electrode of one of the plurality of second sensor cells when the one of the plurality of first sensor cells and the one of the plurality of second sensor cells is simultaneously triggered.