Abstract: A method for determining an occupancy related status relating to a vehicle seat by means of a foil-type pressure sensing mat comprises the steps of determining a raw sensor resistance value of said plurality of pressure sensing cells, determining a raw compensation resistance value of said at least one compensation resistance, calculating a compensated sensor resistance value based on said raw sensor resistance value and said raw compensation resistance value, and determining said occupancy related status based on said compensated sensor resistance value.

Abstract: In an assembly of a seat foam and a sensor mat, the seat foam has at least one incision and the sensor mat has at least one anchor tab adapted to be inserted into the at least one incision, thereby securely holding the sensor mat on a surface of the seat foam, where the seat foam includes at least one retaining element at the incision for retaining the anchor tab in the incision.

Abstract: An EL lamp includes a substrate, which is transparent in at least a light-emitting region and an electrode assembly with a transparent electrode layer and a back electrode layer, which face each other in the light-emitting region. A phosphorescent layer and a dielectric layer are arranged between the transparent electrode layer and the back electrode layer. A first connection line is provided for connecting the transparent electrode to a driver circuit and a second connection line is provided for connecting the back electrode to a driver circuit. According to an important aspect of the invention, the EL lamp comprises an insulating layer for insulating the second connection line at least locally from the back electrode and/or, if the transparent electrode extends into a peripheral region of the EL lamp, for insulating the second connection line from the transparent electrode.

Abstract: “A method for 3D imaging of an actively illuminated target region includes emitting intensity-modulated light at a variable modulation frequency into the target region, the emitted light is scattered/reflected in the target region depending on the optical properties of the objects or beings present therein, a scattered and/or reflected fraction of the light is detected during an integration time interval by phase-sensitive integration in each pixel of an imaging sensor, the modulation phase between the emitted and the detected light is determined and spatially resolved, and distance information is calculated based on the spatially resolved modulation phase and an average frequency of the modulation frequency.

Abstract: A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer, said spacer comprising at least one recess defining an active area of the switching element. At least two electrodes are arranged in the active area of the switching element between said first and second carrier foils in such a way that, in re-sponse to a pressure acting on the active area of the switching element, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the elastic carrier foils and an electrical contact is established between the at least two electrodes. According to the invention said spacer comprises at least one first reinforcement layer.

Abstract: A foil-type pressure sensor includes a first foil and a second foil. A spacer is arranged in between the first and second foils, which keeps the foils at a certain distance from each other. The spacer presents an opening that defines a sensing region. In this sensing region, the first and second foils can be brought closer one to the other against the resiliency of the foils by pressure acting on the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor further includes light emitting means arranged between the foils for inputting light into the sensing region and light collecting means arranged between the foils for collecting light propagated from the light emitting means through at least part of the sensing region to the light collecting means. When the first and second foils are brought closer one to the other, at least one of the first and the second foils at least partially blocks light propagation through the sensing region.

Abstract: An impact sensor system for pedestrian protection comprises at least one foil-type switching element having a plurality of active areas. The foil-type switching element comprises at least a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance by means of at least one first spacer, wherein said at least one first spacer comprises a plurality of recesses defining at least a first part of said active areas. In each active area, at least two electrode structures are arranged between said first and second carrier foils in such way that in re-sponse to a force acting on the active area of the switching element, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the elastic carrier foils and that, above a predetermined activation threshold force, an electrical contact is established between the at least two electrode struc-tures.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure comprises a laminated arrangement with a first flexible, electrically insulating carrier film carrying a first capacitor electrode, a second flexible, electrically insulating carrier film carrying a second capacitor electrode and a flexible, electrically insulating spacer film sandwiched between the first and second carrier films. The spacer film has a through-hole or recess therein, with respect to which the first and second capacitor electrodes are arranged opposite one another, in such a way that the first and second electrodes are brought closer together by resilient bending of the first and/or second carrier film into the through-hole or recess under the action of a compressive force acting on the pressure sensor.

Abstract: A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance by means of an inner spacer. The inner spacer comprises at least one cut-out defining an active area of said switching element where at least two electrode structures are arranged between said first and second carrier foil so as to define at least one pair of spaced switch contacts. According to the invention, the switching element further comprises a first outer spacer layer, said first outer spacer layer being arranged on an outer surface of said first carrier foil and said first outer spacer layer comprising at least one opening in the region of said active area. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foil-type switching element further comprises a second outer spacer layer, said second outer spacer layer being arranged on an outer surface of said second carrier foil and said second outer spacer layer comprising at least one opening in the region of said active area.

Abstract: A method for fitting a sensor onto a seat cushion is disclosed, which is specifically suitable for the assembly of a seat sensor onto a seat cushion, wherein the seat cushion comprises a seating surface having a central region, said central region of said seating surface being at least partially delimited by a groove extending from said seating surface into said seat cushion, and wherein said sensor comprises a first sensor portion to be arranged at least partially at a periphery of said central region. The method comprises the steps of providing a mould (10) for foaming said seat cushion, said mould comprising at least one ridge (14) designed for forming said groove into said seating surface of said seat cushion; arranging said first sensor portion (18) in said mould on said at least one ridge (14), and foaming said seat cushion, thereby integrating at least part of said first sensor (18) portion into said seat cushion.

Abstract: A 3-D imaging system is described. The 3-D imaging system comprises an illumination unit for emitting light onto a target scene, an imaging sensor for imaging the target scene by detecting scattered/reflected light, an evaluation unit for determining distance information related to the target scene on the basis of light propagation time and synchronization means for providing synchronization information to the evaluation unit. The synchronization means comprises means for generating an electrical reference signal in the illumination unit, the reference signal being directly derived from the emitted light.

Abstract: A leakage detection patch (10) for a modified atmosphere package comprises a substrate (12) and an oxygen sensing spot (14) arranged thereon. The oxygen sensing spot contains an oxygen indicator, which may be interrogated remotely An adhesive strip (16) for fixing the leakage detection patch to a package surface of the 5 modified atmosphere package extends peripherally around the sensing spot. The leakage detection patch further comprises means (20) enabling oxygen diffusion between the modified atmosphere and the oxygen sensing spot.

Abstract: A seat sensor comprises at least two switching elements which are connected in series between two connection lines, each of said connection lines comprising a first end for connecting said connection line to a control unit and a second end. Said at least two switching elements are interconnected by means of an interconnection line having a first and a second end. According to the invention each of said first end and said second end of said interconnection line is connected to one of said connection lines by means of a resistive element.

Abstract: A foil-type switching element comprises a first elastic carrier foil (A) having a first thickness (a) and a second elastic carrier foil (C) having a second thickness (c), which are arranged at a certain distance (b) from each other by means of a spacer (B). The switching element is configured such that a maximum deflection of at least one of said first or second carrier foils is equal to or greater than ? of said distance (b) between said first and second carrier foils and/or a maximum deflection of at least one of said first or second carrier foil is equal to or greater than ? of said thickness of said carrier foil.

Abstract: A sensing system for an automotive vehicle comprises at least one imager element and at least one illuminating device to be arranged within an autom-otive vehicle for sensing the presence of an object in a sensing area associated to said vehicle. According to the invention the illuminating device comprises at least one light source for generating a light beam and light beam shaping means for generating an inhomogeneous light distribution in said sensing area, said inhomogeneous light distribution presenting at least one intensity maximum in a specific region of said sensing area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure sensor in the form of a film, comprising a first carrier film and a second carrier film which are arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer. The distance holder comprises at least one recess which defines an active region of the pressure sensor wherein both of the carrier films are arranged opposite each other, also comprising a first electrode and a second electrode and a layer made of pressure-sensitive material. The first electrode, the second electrode and the layer made of pressure-sensitive material are disposed in the active region on the first and/or second carrier film such that when the carrier films are pressed together through the pressure sensitive layer, electric contact is produced between the first and the second electrode.

Abstract: A safety system for an automotive vehicle comprises a headrest associated with a vehicle seat and an actuator for adjusting a position of said headrest with respect to the vehicle seat. According to the invention, the system further comprises an optical imager system associated with said vehicle seat, said optical imager system for determining a position of a seat occupant portion, and a control unit operatively coupled to said optical imager system and to said actuator, said control unit for generating a control signal for said actuator based on the position determined by said optical imager system and on an actual position of said headrest said control signal controlling said actuator for moving the headrest in a predetermined position with respect to the seat occupant portion.

Abstract: An input device comprises a capacitive proximity and pressure sensor, which includes a first carrier layer, a second carrier layer and a spacer arranged between the first and second carrier layers, the first carrier layer having a first capacitor electrode applied thereon, the second carrier layer having a second capacitor electrode applied thereon, the first and second capacitor electrodes being arranged opposite one another with respect to the spacer in such a way that, in response to a compressive force acting on the pressure sensor, the first and second capacitor electrodes are brought closer together. The input device further comprises a control circuit configured so as to operate in at least two modes of operation, including a first and a second mode of operation.

Abstract: A method for determining a distance value d in a scene from an output of a four-tap 3D imager sensor is disclosed wherein said distance value d is determined based on the charge accumulated in a pixel of said imager sensor during a predetermined integration time Tintg. According to the invention said 5 predetermined integration time Tintg is subdivided into a number of partial integration intervals (T1, T2, T3, T4) and said distance value d is calculated based on the individual tap responses of the four taps at the end of each of said partial integration intervals (T1, T2, T3, T4).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the detection of optical sensors by means of measurement of information relative to the signal intensity and signal modulation phase shift. The proposed method employs the use of CMOS and/or CCD imager and illuminations with different wavelengths. The system is able realize a contactless measurement of a phase shift to curse on a gas concentration an distance.