Patent ID: 6279946
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
In a motor vehicle having an interior passenger compartment for enclosing at least one occupying item having surfaces, a method for controlling a system in the vehicle based on the at least one occupying item comprising the steps of:arranging a first transducer in a tube having an opening,irradiating at least a portion of the passenger compartment in which the at least one occupying item is situated by controlling the first transducer to emit waves which travel through the tube and out of the opening of the tube into the passenger compartment;receiving reflected radiation from the surfaces of the at least one occupying item within the passenger compartment at the first transducer after the reflected radiation enters into the tube through the opening;processing the received radiation in order to create at least one electronic signal containing information of the distance from at least one of the surfaces of the at least one occupying item to the first transducer; andcontrolling the system in the vehicle based on the at least one signal.