Abstract: Vehicle seat including a seat portion including a container having an interior containing fluid and a mechanism, material or structure therein to restrict flow of the fluid from one portion of the interior to another portion of the interior, a back portion arranged at an angle to the seat portion, and a measurement system arranged to obtain an indication of the weight of the occupant when present on the seat portion based at least in part on the pressure of the fluid in the container. The weight of the occupant can be used to control components in the vehicle or the seat itself.

Abstract: Vehicle including an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur unless a corrective action is taken based on data obtained prior to the impact and determining whether the potential impact requires activation of a reactive system which controls operation of the vehicle. The anticipatory sensor system includes a receiver for receiving waves or energy and a pattern recognition system for analyzing the received waves or energy, or data representative thereof, to determine that an impact is about to occur if corrective action is not taken and whether the potential impact requires activation of the reactive system. The pattern recognition system ascertains the identity of an object from which the waves or energy have been emitted, reflected or generated, so that the determination whether the impact requires activation of the reactive system is based on identification of the object.

Abstract: An airbag deployment system including at least one module housing, at least one deployable airbag associated with each housing, an inflator associated with each housing for inflating the airbag(s) to deploy into the passenger compartment, an airbag inflation determination unit for determining that deployment of the airbag(s) is/are desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective inflator and the airbag inflation determination unit for initiating the inflator to inflate the airbag(s) in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the airbag inflation determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling initiation of the inflator.

Abstract: System for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto which includes a fluid-containing bladder mounted within or beneath an upper surface of the bottom portion of the seat and supported by a base of the seat, a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the bladder for generating a signal responsive to pressure of the fluid within the bladder caused by pressure applied to the upper surface of the seat, and a processor coupled to the pressure sensor for determining the weight of the occupant from the signal and generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to the weight determination. The weight of the occupant can be used to control components in the vehicle or the seat itself.

Abstract: Security system and method for monitoring vehicular compartments includes at least one optical image receiving unit arranged to receive optical images of a compartment of the vehicle, e.g., from at least a portion of the face of a person located at a driver's station in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and produce image signals therefrom and a processor including an electronic facial-recognition system coupled to the optical image receiving unit(s) responsive to the image signals and controllably coupled to the enabling system, and an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system to store a set of image signals. The facial-recognition system enables ignition of the vehicle system only if signals representative of select characteristics of a scanned face of the person derived from the image signals produced by the optical image receiving unit(s) match a member of a set of signals stored in the electronic storage device.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for obtaining information about objects in an environment in or around a vehicle includes one or more optical imagers for obtaining images of the environment and a processor coupled to the imager(s) for obtaining information about an object in one or more images obtained by the imager(s). The processor is arranged to process the obtained images to determine edges of objects in the images and input data about the edges into a trained pattern recognition algorithm which has been trained to provide information about the object as output. The pattern recognition algorithm may include a neural network or variation thereof. The information about the object may be used to control a vehicular component such as an airbag or light filter.

Abstract: Programmable video generation and analyzer including a video asset for generating video signals having a primary composite video module for producing different types of a primary video signal and outputting the primary video signal via output channels, and a secondary video source module for producing a secondary composite video signal and outputting the secondary composite video signal via output channels. The secondary video source module produces the secondary composite video signal in an identical or different format than the primary video signal and different than the primary video signal. An NTSC/PAL converter is included, for example, as part of the secondary video source module, for generating video in NTSC format and PAL format. The NTSC/PAL converter accepts a stream of data from the primary composite video module and the secondary video source module and converts it into Composite Baseband Video, Y/Pr/Pb Component Video, Y/C Video (S_Video) or RGB Video.

Abstract: Adjustment system for adjusting a vehicular component based on occupancy of a seat includes a support structure arranged underneath the seat to movably support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle, the support structure being structured and arranged to transfer a force exerted by the occupant on the support structure to the substrate, a sensor system arranged underneath the seat, optionally in connection with the support structure, for providing a variable output as a function of weight of the occupant, an adjustment system arranged in connection with the component for adjusting the component, and a processor for receiving outputs from the sensor system and directing the adjustment system to adjust the component based thereon. An object recognition or identification system or other morphological characteristic determining system may be used to determine that the occupant is one which requires adjustment of the component.

Abstract: Apparatus for playing sports-related, table and floor games includes a single sheet of material having a front surface layer defining a smooth exposed playing surface and a rear surface layer, and defines left and right center panels, a spine panel section arranged therebetween, left and right side panel sections connected to the left and right center panels respectively, and left and right longitudinal edge panels connected to the left and right side panel sections, respectively. Cuts extend through the front and rear surface layers in lateral edge portions between the longitudinal edge panels and adjacent side panel sections, and separation lines are present between the panels and panel sections to enable the panels and panel sections to pivot relative to one another to allow folding. A stabilizing structure forms walls perpendicular to the smooth playing surface to provide a playing structure. Game accessories associated with the sheet enable game-play.

Abstract: Airbag inflator system includes an inflatable airbag, a flexible housing, and a gas generating system for generating gas which is directed from the housing to the interior of the airbag. The housing may be made by an extrusion process to provide it with its flexible cl of plastic. An aspirating structure or nozzle may be arranged between the gas generating system and an interior of the airbag, which nozzle is varied as a function of temperature. The aspirating structure or arrangement enables air from the passenger compartment of the vehicle to mix with the generated gas prior to being directed into the airbag.

Abstract: Method for vehicle component control based on occupancy of the vehicle includes determining at least one morphological characteristic of the occupant, classifying the occupant based only on the determined morphological characteristic(s) to provide an identification of the occupant, and adjusting a component of the vehicle based on the identification. Morphological characteristics include weight of the occupant and height of the occupant. The morphological characteristics can be determined using only sensors arranged in a seat on which the occupant is seated. Classification of the occupant can include generating a table of classifications for different determinations of the morphological characteristic, either individually or combinations of two or more morphological characteristics, so that an identification is provided based on each determination, detection or measurement of the morphological characteristic(s).

Abstract: Movable vehicular assembly including an electricity generating system includes a movable substrate such as a tire, a power generating system arranged on, in connection with or within the substrate and to generate energy from movement of the substrate, and a circuit coupled to the power generating system and including an energy storage device. The circuit is operable in an active mode when the substrate moves and the power generating system generates energy or the energy storage device contains energy for powering the circuit and in a passive mode when the substrate is not moving and the energy storage device does not contain sufficient energy to power the circuit. The circuit receives power to operate in the passive mode from a signal received by the circuit. Components which may be part of the circuit include a surface-acoustic-wave device and a radio-frequency identification device.

Abstract: Bone length adjustment method and system includes a two-part telescopic device connected to bone parts whose length between the connection points is to be adjusted, with each part of the telescopic device being secured to the bone part, and a rod with an embedded permanent magnet which is in threaded engagement at one or both of its ends with one or both of the parts of the telescopic device. The permanent magnet in the rod is excited by an external solenoid arrangement to cause a radial force to develop at the rod thereby causing it to rotate. Rotation of the rod is converted via the threads at one or both of its ends to axial motion or movement of the telescopic parts relative to each other and thereby causes an increase or decrease in the bone length depending on the direction of axial movement between the telescopic parts.

Abstract: Airbag module mounted in connection with a steering wheel includes an inflator for generating gas and arranged on the steering wheel assembly, a conduit between the inflator and the interior of the airbag, and an aspirating structure arranged in connection with the conduit for enabling air from a passenger compartment to flow into the conduit and thus into the interior of the airbag. The airbag may be housed in a housing in a middle of the steering wheel. The aspirating structure may include one or more nozzles and/or one or more valves to allow for air flow from the passenger compartment into the conduit and prevent reverse flow. The inflator may include propellant distributed around an outer wall of the inflator.

Abstract: Airbag inflator system includes an inflatable airbag, a housing and a gas generating system arranged in the housing for generating gas. The gas generating system provides variable amounts of gas to the airbag as a function of temperature. A nozzle may be arranged between the gas generating system and an interior of the airbag, the nozzle being varied as a function of temperature. The housing may be movably arranged relative to a fixed base and mounted to vary its relation to the base. To this end, elastic or temperature-deformable supports may be used to support the housing on the base. When the housing defines a chamber containing generated gas, the properties of a conduit between the chamber and the interior of the airbag can be varied as function of the pressure in the chamber.

Abstract: Method and system for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle includes directing illumination into the compartment, spatial or temporally modulating the illumination, receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, and analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object. The compartment may be a passenger compartment of an automobile, the trunk of an automobile or the interior of a trailer of a truck. The illumination may be directed from a light source and the reflected light received at a receiver spaced apart from the light source. Analysis of the reflected light may therefore entail applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object. The same method and system can be adapted for monitoring the environment around the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicular system for determining the presence of an object in a passenger compartment of the vehicle includes a first image receiver arranged at a first location for obtaining a first two-dimensional view of a portion of the compartment, and a second image receiver arranged at a second location for obtaining a second two-dimensional view of the same portion of the compartment, the second image receiver being arranged relative to the first image receiver such that three dimensions of the portion of the compartment are encompassed by the first and second views. A processor receives images from the first and second image receivers and determines whether an object is present in the compartment based on the images. A reactive system, such as an airbag assembly, may be coupled to the processor and controlled thereby based on the determination of whether an object is present in the imaged portion of the compartment.

Abstract: Airbag deployment system for a vehicle having a passenger compartment includes airbags arranged to substantially fill the passenger compartment upon deployment, an inflator system for inflating the airbags and a crash sensor system coupled to the inflator system for directing the inflator system to inflate the airbag. Multiple housings may be arranged around the passenger compartment, each including at least one airbag. Some of the airbags may be interconnected to provide a primary airbag and at least one secondary airbag extending from the primary airbag. The inflator system may be an aspirated inflator system. The crash sensor system may be an anticipatory sensor system. The airbags may be film airbags. One-way valves may be arranged between adjacent airbags.

Abstract: Method for controlling outflow of gas from an airbag includes deploying the airbag toward an occupant prior to or during an accident involving the vehicle, detecting contact between the airbag and the occupant by means of a sensor, and controlling outflow of gas from the airbag based on the detected contact. Contact between the airbag and the occupant may be detected by analyzing deceleration of the airbag, e.g., via an accelerometer arranged on a surface of the airbag, a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure in the airbag which is correlatable to the deceleration of the airbag and tension sensors arranged on tethers between opposed inner surfaces of the airbag. Outflow of fluid from the airbag may be controlled by arranging an exit control valve or vent in, on or in connection with the airbag and which is adjustable to provide variable outflows of gas from the airbag.