Patent ID: 7552792
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A pedestrian impact sensor system, comprising: a vehicle having an outer surface; a first plate and a second plate, both said first plate and said second plate being connected to said outer surface such that a capacitance between said first plate and said second plate is dependent upon whether a body proximate the vehicle is animate; a crush sensor configured to sense a force exerted by the body on the vehicle, said crush sensor including said second plate and a third plate and being configured such that a capacitance between said second plate and said third plate increases in response to the force exerted by the body on the vehicle; and a monitoring circuit configured to monitor the capacitance between said first plate and said second plate and an output signal of said crush sensor, said monitoring circuit being further configured to issue a safety countermeasure signal dependent upon: the capacitance between said first plate and said second plate; and the output signal of said crush sensor.