Abstract: Method for inflating an airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle in which an inflator having a propellant is arranged in the vehicle, the propellant is ignited after determination of a crash involving the vehicle to generate gas therefrom, the gas is directed into an airbag and pressure in the airbag is controlled based on the occupant by varying the flow of gas into the airbag. Variation in the flow of gas into the airbag may be obtained by varying a flow of aspirating gas into a mixing chamber in which the aspirating gas mixes with gas generated from the propellant.

Abstract: System and method for detecting the presence of contents of a vehicular compartment in which a detector system generates an output signal indicative of the absence of an object in the compartment when an object is not situated in the compartment and a different output signal indicative of a particular object in the compartment when such an object is situated in the compartment. Different output signals are thus generated for different objects. A processor is coupled to the detector system for processing the output signal to create a signal characteristic of the object which is indicative of whether the object is animate or inanimate. This system is coupled to a reactive system for affecting one or more vehicular components when the created signal is indicative of an animate object. The reactive system may be a release device for opening an access door or panel to the compartment.

Abstract: System and method for sensing one or more occupant characteristics of a vehicle occupant in which an electromagnetic energy signal is transmitted toward an occupant location within a vehicle and absorption of the energy signal by a vehicle occupant is detected, if such absorption occurs. An absorption signal indicative of the absorbed energy signal is detected and processed to determine the occupant characteristic(s). Occupant characteristics include the presence or absence of an occupant, size, location, biometric features such as a voice print, a hand print, a finger print, an iris scan and a facial feature, and type, e.g., a child seat. The occupant characteristic may be used to control a vehicular component such as an occupant protection device.

Abstract: Method for obtaining information about tires on a vehicle includes arranging a tire monitor on each tire, arranging an interrogator on the vehicle, arranging antennas on the vehicle, each antenna being spaced apart from one another and associated with some tires and further being spaced different distances from the tire monitors on the associated tires, wirelessly transmitting initiation signals from the interrogator to each tire monitor through the antennas to cause each tire monitor to provide signals containing information about one or more properties of the tire on which the tire monitor is arranged, receiving the signals provided by the tire monitors at the antennas, directing the signals from the antennas to the interrogator, and determining a location of each tire monitor and thus a location of a tire on which the tire monitor is arranged by analyzing the signals provided by each tire monitor.

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: 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: Vehicle with diagnostic capability includes different vehicle-resident sensors, each providing a measurement related to a state of the sensor or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location of the sensor, a vehicle-resident diagnostic processor coupled to the sensors and arranged to receive data from the sensors and process the data to generate an output indicative or representative of a state of the vehicle or a state of a component of the vehicle, and a communications device coupled to the diagnostic system and arranged to automatically establish a communications channel between the vehicle and a remote facility without manual intervention and wirelessly transmit the output of the diagnostic system to the remote facility. The processor may embody a pattern recognition algorithm trained to generate the output from the data received from the sensors.

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 for a vehicle includes at least one section of material defining a plurality of cells, chambers or compartments, and one-way valves arranged in connection with the material section(s) between the cells to control flow of inflating fluid between the cells. Each valve can lead from a respective first cell to a respective second cell and are preferably designed to close once a predetermined pressure prevails in the second cell to prevent fluid outflow from the respective second cell. The cells may be interconnected such that at least one cell is interposed between and connected to two other cells. A plurality of valves may be arranged between adjacent pairs of the cells, or only a single valve may be arranged between an adjacent pair of cells.

Abstract: Heads-up display arrangements for vehicles including a seat in which an occupant sits, a system for forming an image of text and/or graphics in a field of view of the occupant, a determination arrangement for determining a position of the occupant (or a part thereof) and an adjustment system for adjusting the seat based on the occupant's determined position to thereby change the orientation of the occupant relative to the image. Change of the orientation of the occupant relative to the image may entail adjusting the seat and/or adjusting the image forming system, which is often a heads-up display system. Adjustment of the seat may involve moving the seat forward or backward and/or up or down, or any other direction or way possible given the construction of the seat.

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 form and a curved or arcuate form if necessary or desired. The housing may be elongate and/or mounted to a roof rail and/or made 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 in-vehicle communications during use of the vehicle, in which a first, data-processing component is arranged on the vehicle, at least one second component is arranged on a non-rotating part of the vehicle, each second component being a sensor arranged to measure a property of the vehicle or a component thereof or an actuator arranged to control a system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle, and the first and second components wirelessly communicate with one another. When the second component is a sensor, it wirelessly transmits data about the measured property and the first component receives the data wirelessly from the second component and processes the received data. When the first component is an actuator, it processes data relating to control of the second component and generates and wirelessly transmits signals to the second component to control the system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicle including a door frame alongside a position in a passenger compartment of the vehicle normally occupied by a driver, a driver door having a first, closed position arranged in the door frame and a second, fully open position outside of the door frame, and an infinite door check mechanism which enables the door to be moved between the first and second positions and to any open position therebetween. The infinite door check mechanism includes a motor arranged to move the door between the first and second positions and to any of the open positions therebetween. A control mechanism controls the motor to initiate movement of the door and stop the movement when the door is in any one of the different open positions and maintain the door in the stopped position in the absence of applied force to hold the door in the stopped position.

Abstract: Airbag inflator system includes an inflatable airbag, e.g., a side curtain airbag, a housing, a gas generating system arranged apart from the housing for generating gas, and a conduit leading from the gas generating system to the housing to provide gas to the housing, e.g., to a lateral end of the housing. A filter may be arranged between the gas generating system and the housing, possibly in the conduit. A 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 housing may be movably arranged relative to a fixed base and mounted to vary its relation to the base as a function of temperature, e.g., via elastic or deformable supports which support the housing on the base.

Abstract: Method and system for obtaining information about a category of an occupying item in a volume of a passenger compartment of a vehicle in which the occupying item is situated during use of the vehicle and controlling one or more vehicular components. A time-varying signal is directed into the volume from at least one location. A modification of the directed signal arising from a property of any occupying items in the volume is detected, different occupying items causing different modifications of the same directed signal. A distinction is made between different occupying items of the volume or between parts of an occupying item based on the detected modification to the directed signal and each component, e.g., an inflatable airbag, is controlled based on the distinction between the occupying items or parts thereof.

Abstract: Vehicular tire monitoring system includes an energy providing system arranged on the tire, and a sensor system arranged on the tire and coupled to the energy providing system to be provided with energy by the energy providing system. The sensor system obtains data about at least one property of the tire, such as pressure, and converts the data into signals. An communication system is arranged on a frame of the vehicle and wirelessly communicates with the sensor system to receive the signals from the sensor system and derives, from the signals, the data obtained by the sensor system. A reactive system on the frame of the vehicle may be responsive to the data obtained by the sensor system, e.g., a display to display the data about the tire such as its pressure, or a communications system which transmits data about the tire to a remote site.

Abstract: System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

Abstract: Optical classification method for classifying an occupant in a vehicle by acquiring images of the occupant from a single camera and analyzing the images acquired from the single camera to determine a classification of the occupant. The single camera may be a digital CMOS camera, a high-power near-infrared LED, and the LED control circuit. It is possible to detect brightness of the images and control illumination of an LED in conjunction with the acquisition of images by the single camera. The illumination of the LED may be periodic to enable a comparison of resulting images with the LED on and the LED off so as to determine whether a daytime condition or a nighttime condition is present. The position of the occupant can be monitored when the occupant is classified as a child, an adult or a forward-facing child restraint.

Abstract: Method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat in which a support structure is arranged underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle. The support structure transfers a force exerted by the occupying item on the support structure to the substrate. At least one strain measuring transducer is mounted at a respective location on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which it is mounted. The weight of the occupying item of the seat is determined based on the strain in the support structure measured by the strain measuring transducer(s).

Abstract: Arrangement and method for analyzing weight of an occupying item in a seat including one or more weight sensors arranged to obtain a measurement of the force applied to the seat, a forcing function determination arrangement for measuring a forcing function of the seat and a processor coupled to the weight sensor(s) and forcing function determination arrangement for receiving the measurement of the force applied to the weight sensor(s) and the measurement of the forcing function from the forcing function measurement system and determining the weight of the occupying item based thereon. The forcing function determination arrangement may include an accelerometer and measures effects on the seat caused by load of a seatbelt associated with the seat and/or effects on the seat of road roughness, steering maneuvers, and a vehicle suspension system.