Patent ID: 8500194

Claim:
An occupant detection system, comprising: a seat assembly comprising a seat cushion having a seating surface; a heating element adjacent the seating surface, said heating element formed of electrically conductive material; a heating circuit electrically coupled to the heating element, said heating circuit configured to supply an electrical current to the heating element effective to generate heat by the heating element; an occupant detection circuit electrically coupled to the heating element, said occupant detection circuit configured to detect an occupant presence near the heating element; and an isolation circuit interposed between the heating circuit and the heating element, said isolation circuit configured to prevent the heating circuit from influencing the occupant detection circuit, said isolation circuit comprising a common mode choke, wherein the common mode choke comprises a first inductor inductively coupled to a second inductor such that current in the first in inductor induces current in the second inductor, wherein the common mode choke is characterized as a four terminal device.