Abstract: Vehicular monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle including at least one active pixel camera for obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle and a processor coupled to the active pixel camera(s) for determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by the active pixel camera(s). The active pixel camera can be arranged in a headliner, roof or ceiling of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, in an A-pillar or B-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, or in a roof, ceiling, B-pillar or C-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle behind a front seat of the vehicle. The determined characteristic can be used to enable optimal control of a reactive component, system or subsystem coupled to the processor.

Abstract: Control system and method for controlling an occupant restraint system in which a plurality of electronic sensors are mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each sensor providing a measurement related to a state thereof or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location. A processor is coupled to the sensors and diagnoses the state of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensors. The processor controls the occupant restraint system based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle in an attempt to minimize injury to an occupant.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling a component in a vehicle in which at least one morphological characteristic of an occupant is measured and a current position of at least a part of a seat on which the occupant is situated is obtained. The component is controlled based on the measured morphological characteristic(s) and the current position of the seat. The component may be an occupant restraint device, such as an airbag whose inflation, deflation and/or deployment direction is/are controlled.

Abstract: Control system for controlling a part of the vehicle including electronic sensors or sensor systems on the vehicle, each sensor system providing a measurement related to a state of the electronic sensor system or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location, and a processor coupled to the electronic sensors or sensor systems and arranged to diagnose the state of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor system, e.g., by the application of a pattern recognition technique. The processor controls the part based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle.

Abstract: System for obtaining information about an object in the vehicle including one or more resonators or reflectors arranged in association with the object, each resonator emitting an energy signal upon receipt of a signal at an excitation frequency, a transmitter device for transmitting signals at least at the excitation frequency of each resonator, an energy signal detector for detecting the energy signal emitted by each resonator upon receipt of the signal at the excitation frequency, and a processor coupled to the detector for obtaining information about the object upon analysis of the energy signal detected by the detector. The information obtained about the object may be a distance between each resonator and the detector, which positional information is useful for controlling components in the vehicle such as the occupant restraint or protection device.

Abstract: Headrest for a seat of a vehicle including a frame attachable to the seat and a fluid-containing bag attached to the frame. The bag allows movement of the fluid within the bag to thereby alter its shape and enable it to conform to the head and neck of an occupant. A deformable cover substantially surrounds the bag and is elastically deformable in response to changes in pressure in the bag. A protection system for protecting an occupant in an impact includes an anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash involving the vehicle is about to occur and a movable cushioning arrangement coupled to the anticipatory crash sensor. The cushioning arrangement is movable toward a likely position of the occupant, ideally into contact with the occupant, upon a determination by the anticipatory crash sensor that a crash involving the vehicle is about to occur. The cushioning arrangement includes a frame coupled to the vehicle and a fluid-containing bag attached to the frame.

Abstract: The invention is a chair having a removable surface (a “skin”), attachments, and a frame with a pair of opposing side members with channels to accept the attachments. The skin comprises cords incorporated into a material that has sufficient resiliency to bear the load of the chair user. The attachments have at least one portion, whereby a portion of the attachments connects to the cords of the skin and a portion of the attachments connects to a side member. The opposing side members have a hollow or grooved channel to accept a portion of the attachment used to connect the attachment to the side member. The skin attaches to the frame through the use of the attachments by, for each side of the skin, sliding the portion of the attachments used to connect the attachment to the side member into the channel of the side member. Replacement of the skin is relatively easy and can be accomplished by unskilled persons by sliding the attachments out of the opposing side members.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for obtaining and conveying information about occupancy of a passenger compartment of a vehicle including a health state determining mechanism for determining the occupant's health state, and a communications mechanism coupled to the health state determining mechanism for establishing a communications channel between the vehicle and a remote facility to enable the occupant's health state to be transmitted to the remote facility. The determining mechanism may include a heartbeat sensor, a sensor for detecting motion of the occupants such as a micropower impulse radar sensor and/or an arrangement for detecting changes in the weight distribution of the occupants, a motion sensor for determining whether the occupants are breathing, a chemical sensor for analyzing the amount of carbon dioxide in the passenger compartment or around the occupants and/or a chemical sensor for detecting the presence of blood in the passenger compartment.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling a component in a vehicle in which at least one morphological characteristic of an occupant is measured and a current position of at least a part of a seat on which the occupant is situated is obtained. The component is controlled based on the measured morphological characteristic(s) and the current position of the seat. The component may be an occupant restraint device, such as an airbag whose inflation, deflation and/or deployment direction is/are controlled.

Abstract: Arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item of a seat having a seat portion and a back portion. The arrangement including a distance-determining sensor arranged in the back portion of the seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and the back portion, an angle sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting an angle between the back portion and the seat portion, and a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of the seat. Additional sensors systems can be used to provide additional information about the occupying item, such as a weight sensing system arranged in connection with the seat for measuring weight applied to the seat by the occupying item and one or more wave-based, capacitance or electric field sensor systems arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for adjusting a steering wheel extending from a front console of a vehicle in which at least one motor is coupled to the steering column or steering wheel and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to adjust the steering wheel relative to the front console. A system determines at least one morphological characteristic of a driver and a control circuit is coupled to the system and the motor(s) for automatically controlling the motor(s) based on the morphological characteristic(s). In this manner, the position of the steering wheel can be adjusted for each driver and can be changed when the driver of the vehicle varies between sequential uses.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling audio reception by occupants of a vehicle in which the position of any occupants is determined and the entertainment system controlled to provide specific sound for the occupants based on the determined positions of the occupants. Sound generating components of the entertainment system are automatically adjustable based on the determined position of the occupants. A hypersonic sound generating system may be used wherein ultrasonic frequency generators generate ultrasonic waves which mix with ultrasonic waves generated by another ultrasonic frequency generator to thereby cause the creation of new audio frequencies in an area determined based on the position of the occupants. In addition, the presence and direction of unwanted noise may be detected and sound created to cancel the unwanted noise in the area including the determined positions of any occupants.

Abstract: Vehicular monitoring arrangement for monitoring an environment of the vehicle including at least one active pixel camera for obtaining images of the environment of the vehicle and a processor coupled to the active pixel camera(s) for determining at least one characteristic of an object in the environment based on the images obtained by the active pixel camera(s). The active pixel camera can be arranged in a headliner, roof or ceiling of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, in an A-pillar or B-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle, or in a roof, ceiling, B-pillar or C-pillar of the vehicle to obtain images of an interior environment of the vehicle behind a front seat of the vehicle. The determined characteristic can be used to enable optimal control of a reactive component, system or subsystem coupled to the processor.

Abstract: Control system and method for controlling a vehicle or a component of a vehicle in which an inertial reference unit includes accelerometers and gyroscopes which provide data on vehicle motion and a processor processes the data and controls the vehicle or the component of the vehicle based thereon. Movement of the vehicle may be controlled via control over servos, such as a servo associated with the braking system, a servo associated with the drive train or throttle and a servo associated with the steering system. A display to the driver can also be controlled by the processor to provide data on vehicle motion or data or information derived from the data on vehicle motion. Optionally, a Kalman filter is coupled to the processor for optimizing the data on vehicle motion from the inertial reference unit.

Abstract: Wireless sensing and communication system including sensors located on the vehicle, in the roadway or in the vicinity of the vehicle or roadway and which provide information which is transmitted to one or more interrogators in the vehicle by a wireless radio frequency mechanism. Power to operate a particular sensor is supplied by the interrogator or the sensor is independently connected to either a battery, generator, vehicle power source or some source of power external to the vehicle. The sensors can provide information about the vehicle and its interior or exterior environment, about individual components, systems, vehicle occupants, subsystems, or about the roadway, ambient atmosphere, travel conditions and external objects. The sensors arranged on the roadway or ancillary structures would include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, moisture content or humidity sensors, and friction sensors.

Abstract: Method for controlling an occupant protection device in a vehicle in which data is acquired from at least one sensor relating to an occupant in a seat to be protected by the occupant protection device, the type of occupant is classified based on the acquired data and when the occupant is classified as an empty seat or a rear-facing child seat, deployment of the occupant protection device is disabled or adjusted. Otherwise, the size of the occupant is classified based on the acquired data, the position of the occupant is determined by one of a plurality of algorithms selected based on the classified size of the occupant using the acquired data, each algorithm being applicable for a specific size of occupant. Deployment of the occupant protection device is disabled or adjusted when the determined position of the occupant is more likely to result in injury to the occupant if the occupant protection device were to deploy. The algorithms may be pattern recognition algorithms such as neural networks.

Abstract: Combined airbag inflation and occupant displacement enabling system including a seat movably attached to a floor pan of the vehicle for supporting an occupant, an airbag which is inflated to protect the occupant during a crash, a sensor which detects that a crash requiring deployment of the airbag is required and an inflator which inflates the airbag. The inflator is coupled to the sensor and is triggered to inflate the airbag in response to the detection by the sensor of a crash requiring deployment of the airbag. The seat is arranged to move upon inflation of the airbag whereby movement of the seat causes displacement of the occupant. If an anticipatory sensor is provided, the seat can be designed to move at any time after a determination is made that a crash will occur.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for monitoring tires mounted to the vehicle in which thermal radiation detecting devices are arranged external of and apart from the tires for detecting the temperature of the tires. The detected temperature of the tires is analyzed, e.g., relative to a threshold or as to the magnitude of a difference between mated tires, and an action is effected in response to the analysis. The thermal radiation detecting devices are preferably supplied with power wirelessly, e.g., through an inductive system, a capacitive system or a radio frequency energy transfer system.

Abstract: Externally deployed airbag system for a vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags deployable outside of the vehicle, an anticipatory sensor system for assessing the probable severity of an impact involving the vehicle based on data obtained prior to the impact and initiating inflation of the airbag(s) in the event an impact above a threshold severity is assessed, and an inflator coupled to the anticipatory sensor system and the airbag for inflating the airbag when initiated by the anticipatory sensor system. The airbag may be housed in a module mounted along a side of the vehicle, in a side door of the vehicle (both for side impact protection), at a front of the vehicle (for frontal impact protection) or at a rear of the vehicle (for rear impact protection). Also, the externally deployed airbag can be deployed to cushion a pedestrian's impact against the vehicle.

Abstract: System and method for moving a headrest against which an occupant can rest his or her head in which an anticipatory crash sensor detects an impending crash based on data obtained prior to the crash and a movement mechanism moves the headrest upon detection of an impending crash by the crash sensor. The crash sensor may produce an output signal when an object external from the vehicle is approaching the vehicle at a velocity above a design threshold velocity. The crash sensor may be any type of sensor designed to provide an assessment or determination of an impending impact prior to the impact, i.e., from data obtained prior to the impact Thus, the crash sensor can be an ultrasonic sensor, an electromagnetic wave sensor, a radar sensor, a noise radar sensor and a camera, a scanning laser radar and a passive infrared sensor.