Patent ID: 7249649

Claim:
An apparatus for sensing an occupant in a vehicle, said apparatus comprising: a seat defining a first zone; a first sensor, said first sensor including: a first member, said first member being pushed downward by said seat in response to a deflection of said seat in said first zone; a connecting member attached to said first member, said connecting member being pushed downward by said first member in response to said first member being pushed downward by said seat; a potentiometer including: a shuttle attached to said connecting member, said shuttle being pushed by said connecting member in response to said connecting member being pushed downward by said first member, a wiper attached to said shuttle, a resistive member in electrical contact with said wiper, said shuttle moving relative to said resistive member in response to a deflection of said seat in said first zone, a first terminal being in electrical communication with said wiper, and at least one second terminal being in electrical communication with said resistive member, a resistance between said first terminal and said at least one second terminal varying with said deflection; a processor in electrical communication with said first sensor, said processor programmed to execute a process for determining at least one of a weight and a presence of the occupant; and a vehicle occupant restraint system in communication with said processor, said vehicle occupant restraint system controlled by said processor.