Patent ID: 8082026

Claim:
A heartbeat detecting apparatus comprising: a plurality of piezoelectric sensors providing output signals; a seat containing the plurality of piezoelectric sensors; each output signal including a signal component; a signal processing device that executes a frequency analysis separately on the respective output signals to provide a result; and a determining device that determines that the signal component of each of two or more of the output signals includes a waveform of a seated person indicating that a person is seated on the seat, based on the result of the frequency analysis, when the signal component exists within a first predetermined frequency range and within a predetermined amplitude range, determines that the signal component of each of the two or more output signals is a potential heartbeat signal when the signal component exists within a second predetermined frequency range and during a predetermined time frame, and determines that at least one of the potential heartbeat signals is a heartbeat signal of a person when the signal component of each of the two or more of the output signals includes a waveform of a seated person and is determined to be a potential heartbeat signal.