Patent ID: 8456177

Claim:
An occupant detection system comprising: an electrode arranged proximate to an expected location of an occupant for generating an electric field between the electrode and the occupant proximate thereto; an electrical network coupled to the electrode to form a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit; and a controller coupled to the resonant circuit, said controller configured to determine a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit indicative of an occupant presence, and determine a network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency indicative of a humidity value proximate to the electrode by applying an excitation signal to a resonant circuit that includes the occupant as part of the resonant circuit, said excitation signal having an excitation frequency, detecting a network signal arising in response to the excitation signal, said network signal having a network signal magnitude, determining a resonant frequency corresponding to the excitation frequency that causes a peak network signal magnitude, and determining a humidity value based on the network signal magnitude at the resonant frequency.