Abstract: A window-anti-pinch system suitable to operate a powered-window in a vehicle includes a motor and a controller. The motor is coupled to a window by an apparatus. The motor is operable to raise the window when the motor is operated in a first-direction and lower the window when the motor is operated in a second-direction opposite the first-direction. The apparatus is characterized by slack between the motor and the window. The controller is in communication with the motor. The controller is configured to apply a slack-removal-signal to the motor prior to operation of the motor to raise the window when a most-recent-operation of the motor was effective to lower the window. The slack-removal-signal is a predetermined-waveform effective to operate the motor in the first-direction to take-up the slack but not raise the window.

Abstract: An occupant sensor mat configured to be located proximate to a seating surface of a vehicle seat assembly. The mat includes a sensor electrode formed of conductive material and configured to radiate an electric field in response to an excitation signal for determining an occupant presence proximate to the seating surface. A heater element is configured to underlie the sensor electrode. The heater element is formed of conductive material and configured to radiate heat in response to electrical current for warming an occupant residing on the seating surface. An incompressible spacer is interposed between the sensor electrode and the heater element. The incompressible spacer formed of a material sufficiently flexible for locating proximate to a seating surface, and sufficiently incompressible to prevent a substantial change in capacitive coupling between the sensor electrode and the heater element from before to while an occupant resides on the seating surface.

Abstract: A seat occupant sensor and heater device configured for use in a vehicle seat including an occupant detection electrode and a seat heating element. The occupant detection electrode may be configured to capacitively detect and classify a seat occupant in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS-208. The device includes a compressible spacer disposed intermediate to the occupant detection electrode and the seat heating element. The compressible spacer is configured to reduce capacitive coupling between the occupant detection electrode and the seat heating element when uncompressed and increase capacitive coupling between the occupant detection electrode and the seat heating element when compressed. The seat occupant sensor and heater device may exclude a fabric covering on the occupant detection electrode in order to improve sensitivity of the occupant detection electrode in high humidity conditions, i.e. relative humidity near or above 85 percent.

Abstract: A passenger occupancy detection system and method are provided for detecting occupancy of a vehicle seat. The system includes a pressure sensor for monitoring pressure of the seat. Routines are employed to monitor the pressure and to determine the occupancy of the seat based upon one or more of vehicle acceleration, vehicle deceleration and variances in inertia experienced during driving of the vehicle. A supervisory routine may combine outputs from the multiple routines to process the outputs and provide an output indicative of a detected occupancy of the seat.