Claims
- 1. A passenger detection apparatus for detecting the presence of a passenger or an object on a seat cushion, said apparatus comprising:at least one pressure sensor having an output signal; at least one dielectric sensor having an output signal; and a decision unit coupled to said pressure sensor and said dielectric sensor configured to determine the presence of a passenger or an object on said seat cushion in response to said output signals, wherein if the presence of a passenger is identified, the decision unit is configured to determine a buttock position of the passenger on the seat cushion and a shoulder position of the passenger on a seat back, and wherein the decision unit is configured to use the buttock position and the shoulder position to determine the size of the upper body of the passenger.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a temperature sensor.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decision unit is configured to detect moisture on said seat cushion.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor comprises a matrix of a plurality of independent pressure sensor elements arranged in said seat cushion.
- 5. A passenger detection apparatus comprising:a first detector having an output signal in a seat cushion for detecting passenger contact with said seat cushion; a second detector having an output signal in a seat back for detecting passenger contact with said seat back; an angle detector having an output signal for measuring an angle defined by the relative orientation of said seat cushion and said seat back; and a decision unit configured to determine a buttock position of the passenger with respect to the seat cushion and a shoulder position of the passenger with respect to the seat back in response to said output signals, wherein the decision unit is configured to use the buttock position, the shoulder position, and the angle detector to determine the size of the upper body of the passenger.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first detector comprises one or more of a dielectric sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said second detector comprises one or more of a dielectric sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.
Priority Claims (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
11-018962 |
Jan 1999 |
JP |
|
11-093064 |
Mar 1999 |
JP |
|
11-112392 |
Apr 1999 |
JP |
|
11-122588 |
Apr 1999 |
JP |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. Section 120 to International Application No. PCT/JP00/00253, filed on Jan. 20, 2000. The disclosure of this application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
Number |
Date |
Country |
61-113527 |
May 1986 |
JP |
07-237487 |
Sep 1995 |
JP |
07-270541 |
Oct 1995 |
JP |
09-150662 |
Jun 1997 |
JP |
10-206254 |
Aug 1998 |
JP |
10-236272 |
Sep 1998 |
JP |
10236274 |
Sep 1998 |
JP |
10-297334 |
Nov 1998 |
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10-318861 |
Dec 1998 |
JP |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/JP00/00253 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/670935 |
|
US |