Patent ID: 6015163
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: B60N,B60R

Abstract:
A sensor system comprising:a surface configured to receive and support a weight having a mass and a foot print, said surface being formed of a material which deflects in a pattern reflective of said mass and said foot print between a first position without said weight on said surface and a second position with said weight on said surface;an array of flexible potentiometers each having an electrical resistance that predictably varies upon deflection from a first position to a second position, said array of flexible potentiometers being positioned under said surface, each of said flexible potentiometers being positioned to move from its first position to its second position to sense the deflection of said surface in said pattern between the first position of said surface and the second position of said surface and to generate deflection signals reflective of said pattern; anda circuit means connected to receive said deflection signals reflective of said pattern and to supply a control signal to an exterior receiver, said circuit means having means to process said deflection signals reflective of said pattern and to generate said control signal.