Patent ID: 8493079
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: B60N,B60R,G01G

Abstract:
1. An arrangement comprising a vehicle seat in combination with a seat heater and a capacitive occupant detection system, wherein said seat heater comprises a seat heating element disposed in said vehicle seat, wherein said capacitive occupant detection system comprises an electrode arrangement and a measurement circuit; wherein said electrode arrangement is disposed in said vehicle seat and includes a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode, wherein said measurement circuit is operatively connected to said sensing electrode and to said shielding electrode wherein said measurement circuit is configured to keep said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode at substantially the same electric potential during a capacitive measurement, wherein, of said seat heating element, said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode, said seat heating element is closest to a seating region of said vehicle seat, and wherein said sensing electrode is arranged between said seat heating element and said shielding electrode, wherein said seat heater comprises a current source and a current sink, as well as a first node operatively connected between said current source and said seat heating element and a second node operatively connected between said current sink and said seat heating element, wherein said sensing electrode comprises a third node through which said sensing electrode is operatively connected to said capacitive measurement circuit, said shielding electrode comprising a fourth node through which said shielding electrode is operatively connected to said to said capacitive measurement circuit, and wherein an electrically controllable switching arrangement is provided, said switching arrangement comprising