Patent ID: 7916007

Claim:
A pedestrian collision detection sensor for detecting a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian, comprising: a plurality of load detection cells arranged with predetermined pitches in a lateral direction of a front side of the vehicle to output individual load signals in accordance with collision loads; and a controller having a pedestrian determination unit configured to calculate a total sum of collision loads to a load detection cell group or an amount correlated to the total sum based on collision signals outputted from the load detection cell group, the load detection cell group including load detection cells, which are included in the plurality of load detection cells, the load detection cell group including the load detection cells arranged within a predetermined width being approximately equal to a pedestrian width, determine whether or not a collision object is a pedestrian based on the calculated total sum of the collision loads to the load detection cell group or the amount correlated to the total sum; wherein the pedestrian determination unit is configured to determine the load detection cell group by designating multiple load detection cell groups from the plurality of load detection cells, each load detection cell group including mutually adjoining load detection cells arranged within the predetermined width approximately equal to the pedestrian width, the each load detection cell group including at least one load detection cell, which is not included in other load detection cell groups.