Patent ID: 6609054
Filing Date: 2003-08-19
Classification: B60R,G06K

Abstract:
A vehicle occupant detection system comprising:a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors arranged in a vehicle seat; a calibration unit configured to calibrate the sensors to normalize sensor sensitivities across the sensor array; a weight estimation module configured to estimate a weight of a seat occupant based on deflections of the seat created by the seat occupant; a pattern module configured to analyze deflection patterns of the seat, wherein the pattern module is configured to generate and analyze a grayscaled image of the sensor deflections; and a decision-making module configured to make a deployment state decision for an airbag based on data from one or more of the other modules, wherein the decision-making module is configured to make an airbag deployment state decision based on information from the pattern module, and wherein the deployment state decision comprises a decision regarding airbag deployment force, airbag deployment direction, or whether or not to deploy the airbag at all.