Abstract: System and method for determining occupancy of a vehicle in which a radar system emits radio waves into an interior of the vehicle in which objects might be situated and receives radio waves and a processor coupled to the radar system determines the presence of any repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant in the vehicle based on the received radio waves such that the presence of living occupants in the vehicle is ascertainable upon the determination of the presence of repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant. Repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant may be a heart beat or breathing as reflected by movement of the chest. The processor may be programmed to analyze the frequency of the repetitive motions based on the received radio waves whereby a frequency in a predetermined range is indicative of a heartbeat or breathing.

Abstract: Vehicle diagnostic system which diagnoses the state of the vehicle or the state of a component of the vehicle and generates an output indicative or representative thereof. A communications device transmits the output of the diagnostic system to a remote location, possibly via a satellite or the Internet. The diagnostic system can include sensors mounted on the vehicle, each providing a measurement related to a state of the sensor or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location, and a processor coupled to the sensors and arranged to receive data from the sensors and process the data to generate the output indicative or representative of the state of the vehicle or its component. The processor may embody a pattern recognition algorithm trained to generate the output from the data received from the sensors and be arranged to control parts of the vehicle based on the output.

Abstract: Vehicular telematics system including an occupant sensing system for determining a property or characteristic of occupancy of the vehicle constituting information about the occupancy of the vehicle and a communications device coupled to the occupant sensing system for transmitting the information. The occupant sensing system may include sensors, for example, an image-obtaining sensor for obtaining images of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a motion sensor, receivers arranged to receive waves, energy or radiation from seating locations in the passenger compartment, heartbeat sensors, weight sensors associated with seats in the vehicle and/or chemical sensors. Vehicle sensors may be provided, each sensing a state of the vehicle or a state of a component of the vehicle. The communications device is coupled, wired or wirelessly, directly or indirectly, to each vehicle sensor and transmits the state of the vehicle or the state of the component of the vehicle.

Abstract: Automotive electronic safety network including devices such as a crash sensor and an airbag module and at least one electrical bus each coupling at least a portion of the devices and conveying power and/or information to or from the devices coupled to the bus. Each crash sensor generates signals relating to an impact of the vehicle and each airbag module includes a module housing, an airbag associated with the housing, an inflator assembly arranged in the housing for inflating the airbag and an electronic controller arranged in or adjacent the housing and coupled to the bus. The controller controls inflation of the airbag by the inflator assembly in consideration of the signals generated by the crash sensor(s). Each crash sensor is arranged separate and at a location apart from the housing of each airbag module. The bus can consist of a single pair of wires.

Abstract: Methods for reducing ringing of dual-function ultrasonic air-coupled transducers in which at least one electrical passive circuit is applied to the transducer. The circuit may be either a linear circuit or a non-linear circuit. Different circuits can be applied to the transducer when the transducer is in a transmission mode than when the transducer is in a reception mode.

Abstract: Method for transferring information between a vehicle and a transmitter in which a unique pseudorandom noise signal is transmitted by the transmitter in a carrier-less fashion composed of frequencies within a pre-selected band. Information is encoded in the noise signal relating to an identification of the transmitter and a position of the transmitter and the vehicle is provided with a device for extracting the information from the noise signal. The code to use for encoding the noise signal may be selected based on the position of the transmitter so that analysis of the code, or a portion thereof, provides an indication of the position of the transmitter. Information about accidents, weather conditions, road conditions, map data and traffic control devices and about errors in a GPS signal can also be encoded in the noise signals.

Abstract: Air bag for a vehicle formed from sections of material joined to one another such that interconnected compartments receivable of an inflating medium are formed. The sections of material may be fabric or discrete sheets of film with optional tear propagation arresting devices. Two or more of the sections of material may be at least partially in opposed relationship to one another and then joined to one another at locations other than at a periphery of any of the sections to thereby form the interconnected compartments between the sections of material. The sections of material may also be joined to one another along parallel lines such that the interconnected compartments formed between the sections of material are elongate, i.e., substantially straight, and when inflated will be tubular. The air bag may be sized to deploy along an entire side of a vehicle and also along a portion of the dashboard.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for controlling deployment of a side airbag from an airbag module to protect an occupant in a seat of a vehicle in a crash. The presence of an occupant and/or position of the occupant or a part thereof is/are determined and deployment of the side airbag is controlled based thereon. To determine the presence of the occupant and/or position of the occupant or part thereof, a transducer is arranged to receive waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a signal representative of the presence and/or position of the occupant is generated based on the waves received by the transducer. The transducer can be designed to transmit waves into the space above the seat portion of the seat which are also receivable thereby. The transducer may be mounted in a door of the vehicle to enable the distance between the occupant and the door to be determined, i.e.

Abstract: Vehicle seat including a cushion defining a surface adapted to support an occupying item, a spring system arranged underneath the cushion and a sensor arranged in association with the spring system and/or cushion for generating a signal based on downward movement of the cushion caused by occupancy of the seat which is indicative of the weight of the occupying item. The sensor can be a spring retained at both ends and which is tensioned upon downward movement of the cushion whereby a force in the spring indicative of weight of the occupying item is measured. The sensor can also include strain gages, e.g., SAW strain gages.

Abstract: A side impact crash sensor for a vehicle including a housing and a mass within the housing movable relative to the housing in response to accelerations of the housing. The mass moves upon acceleration of the housing and when this movement is in excess of a predetermined threshold value, it is possible to control an occupant protection apparatus (such movement being indicative of a crash involving the vehicle). The housing is mounted in such a position and a direction as to sense an impact into a side of the vehicle. Possible mounting locations of the housing include inside a door of the vehicle, between inner and outer panels not associated with a door of the vehicle, a seat in the vehicle and remote from the side of the vehicle. In the latter case, the vehicle includes a sufficiently strong member connecting the sensor to the vehicle side such that there is little or no plastic deformation between the sensor and the side of the vehicle.

Abstract: Door check mechanism including a rack adapted to be coupled to and extend outward from the frame, a gear adapted to be arranged on the door, the gear having teeth and being arranged in engagement with the rack and a detent mechanism arranged in engagement with the rack and the gear for enabling the door to be positioned in a plurality of fixed positions and for preventing movement of the door to a different fixed position when a force exerted upon the door is below a threshold. The detent mechanism may include a cam having a pawl in engagement with the rack and a detent and a spring for biasing the detent against the gear to press the gear against the rack. The gear is rotatable along the rack which each position in which the pawl engages one of the teeth being a possible position of the door.

Abstract: Wireless sensing and communication system including sensors located on the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehicle and which provide information which is transmitted to one or more interrogators in the vehicle using wireless radio frequency transmission technology. Power to operate the sensor may be supplied by the interrogator. The sensors include tire pressure, temperature and acceleration monitoring sensors, weight or load measuring sensors, switches, temperature, acceleration, angular position, angular rate, angular acceleration, proximity, rollover, occupant presence, humidity, presence of fluids or gases, strain, road condition and friction, chemical sensors and other similar sensors providing information to a vehicle system, vehicle operator or external site. The sensors 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.

Abstract: Vehicle seat structure including a seat defining a surface contacting an occupying item, slide mechanisms coupled to the seat for enabling movement of the seat and support members for supporting the seat on the slide mechanisms such that weight of the occupying item passes through the support members. At least one support member has a region with a stiffness lower than the stiffness of a remaining region thereof. A strain gage measurement system generates a signal indicative of the weight of the occupying item and includes at least one strain gage transducer arranged in the lower stiffness region of the support member to measure strain thereof. The lower stiffness region can have a smaller outer circumference than a circumference of the remaining region of the support member and/or at least one aperture extends partially across the circumference of the support member to thereby define the lower stiffness region.

Abstract: Occupant protection system for protecting one or more occupants of a vehicle including a deployable occupant protection device arranged on at least one of the seats, a deployment determining unit which generates a signal indicative of whether deployment of the occupant protection device is desired, and an electrical bus extending into the seat and electrically coupling the occupant protection device and the deployment determining unit. The signal from the deployment determining unit is sent over the bus to the occupant protection device to enable deployment thereof. The occupant protection device may include an airbag module having an airbag and be arranged at a rear of the seat to be deployable rearward for protecting an occupant situated behind the seat. The deployment determining unit preferably includes a crash sensor coupled to the bus for sensing a crash event and providing a signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: Airbag inflation control system and method for a vehicle including an airbag module having a housing mounted in combination with the seat back and an inflatable airbag arranged therein. An anticipatory sensor detects that an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash and initiates inflation of the airbag in the event an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is detected prior to the start of the impact. An inflator responds to the detection by the anticipatory sensor that an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is required and inflates the airbag. The occupant may be displaced upon inflation of the airbag.

Abstract: The fuel gage of the present invention uses a combination of (i) one or more load cells or fuel level measuring devices, plus in some cases other sensors which measure the pitch or roll angle of the vehicle or the fuel density, to approximately measure the quantity of the fuel in the tank and (ii) a processor and algorithm, which may be a look-up table or formulae, to correct for the inaccuracies arising from the pitch and roll angles of the vehicle, other external forces or from variations in fuel density. Although several weighing systems are disclosed for illustrative purposes, the invention applies to any method of making an approximate measurement of the fuel quantity (weight or volume) and then using analytical techniques to improve on the measurement.

Abstract: A sensor system for initiating deployment of an occupant protection apparatus in a motor vehicle, such as an airbag, to protect an occupant of the vehicle in a crash. The system includes a sensor mounted to the vehicle for sensing accelerations of the vehicle and producing an analog signal representative thereof; an electronic converter for receiving the analog signal from the sensor and for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a processor which receives the digital signal. The processor includes a pattern recognition system and produces a deployment signal when the pattern recognition system determines that the digital signal contains a pattern characteristic of a vehicle crash requiring occupant protection. A deployment initiation mechanism is coupled to the processor and, responsive to the deployment signal, initiates deployment of the occupant protection apparatus.

Abstract: Vehicle seat structure including a seat defining a surface adapted to contact an occupying item and a weight sensor arrangement arranged in connection with the seat for providing an indication of the weight applied by the occupying item to the surface of the seat. The weight sensor arrangement includes conductive members spaced apart from one another such that a capacitance develops between opposed ones of the conductive members upon incorporation of the conductive members in an electrical circuit. The capacitance is based on the space between the conductive members which varies in relation to the weight applied by the occupying item to the surface of the seat.

Abstract: An arrangement in a vehicle for determining vehicle occupant position relative to a fixed structure within the vehicle including an array which receives an image of a portion of the passenger compartment in which the occupant is likely to be situated and a lens arranged between the array and the portion of the passenger compartment. The image may be changed by adjusting the lens, e.g., adjusting the focal length of the lens and/or the position of the lens relative to the array, by adjusting the array, e.g., the position of the array relative to the lens, and/or by using software to perform a focusing process. By changing the image to obtain the clearest image, i.e., focusing the image, a distance between the occupant and the fixed structure can be obtained based on the parameters of the change of the image.

Abstract: An occupant protection device deployment system and safety network including at least one module housing, at least one deployable component such as an airbag associated with each housing, a deployment initiator associated with each housing for initiating deployment of the component, a determination unit for determining that deployment of one or more of the components is desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within, adjacent or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective deployment initiator and the determination unit via an electrical bus for causing the deployment initiator to deploy the component in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling operation of the initiator.