Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in a vehicle headliner above the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.

Abstract: A child seat detection system determines the presence of an infant seat and can distinguish between a forward-facing infant seat and a rearward-facing infant seat. The system determines the weight on a vehicle seat and compares the weight on the vehicle seat to a rear-facing infant seat maximum. If the weight on the vehicle seat exceeds the rear-facing infant seat maximum, the system determines whether a forward-facing infant seat is on the seat. If the weight on the vehicle seat does not exceed the rear-facing infant seat maximum, then the system determines whether a rear-facing infant seat is on the seat.

Abstract: This invention describes a roof-mounted sensor consisting of two rows of intersecting electrodes that are placed across an area of the vehicle's roof and a method to determine the position and motion of an occupant. This is accomplished by measuring physical values, which depend on the distance between the highest point of an occupant's body to each electrode in the row. Analysis of said physical values is used to derive an occupant's position relative to each row and the distance between the highest point of an occupant's body and the vehicle's roof. By analyzing the change in distances with respect to time, the occupant's motion can be tracked.

Abstract: A vehicle seat weight calibration includes at least one weight sensor for determining weight on a seating surface and at least one presence sensor for determining the presence of an occupant on the seating surface. The at least one weight sensor is calibrated based upon a determination by the presence sensor that an occupant is not present on the seating surface. If it is determined that no occupant is present on the seating surface, and if the current weight indication from the weight sensor is within a predetermined value of a previously stored zero-reference weight, the current weight is stored as the new zero-reference weight.

Abstract: This invention describes a non-intrusive system used to determine if the driver of a vehicle is drowsy and at risk of falling asleep at the wheel due to drowsiness. The system consists of two different drowsiness detection systems and a control unit. This redundancy reduces the risk of a false drowsiness assessment. The first subsystem consists of an array of sensors, mounted in the vehicle headliner and seat, which detects head movements that are indicative characteristics of a drowsy driver. The second subsystem consists of heart rate monitoring sensors placed in the steering wheel. The control unit is used to analyze the sensory data and determine the driver's drowsiness state and therefore corresponding risk of falling asleep while driving. Through sensory fusion, intelligent software algorithms, and the data provided by the sensors, the system monitors driver characteristics that may indicate a drowsy driver.

Abstract: The system described in this invention can be used for monitoring and analyzing real time visual and non-visual information pertaining to the occupant, vehicle, and surroundings prior to, during and post eccentric operating conditions for a given period of time. The system stores vehicle and occupant data from sensors throughout the vehicle and also makes use of existing vehicle sensors that may already be present in the vehicle. The invention also includes a video recording module that makes use of a fish-eye camera to capture video from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. Real-time data analysis is performed to detect and to recognize vehicle occupants, and recognize impending eccentric events. Vehicle, occupant, and video data are stored in circular buffers. When an eccentric event, a collision for example, has been detected, the device continues to record data and video for a fixed period of time.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in a vehicle headliner above the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to sense the presence of a seated occupant in a vehicle such as an automobile, plane, train or bus, or in a room or location where it is desirable to detect if seats are occupied. The occupant presence detection device consists of a single seat-mounted electrode, an oscillator circuit, a bridge circuit, a detection circuit and a circuit for processing the detected signals. The oscillator circuit excites the electrode. If an occupant is present on the seat, additional capacitance from the human body is introduced into the bridge via the electrode. This created differences in the voltage and phase of the waveform in each arm of the bridge circuit which are amplified by a differential amplifier. The signal is then converted to a DC voltage that, when above a predetermined threshold, causes the device to outputs a signal that indicates the presence of an occupant.

Abstract: A child seat detection system determines the presence of an infant seat and can distinguish between a forward-facing infant seat and a rearward-facing infant seat. The system determines the weight on a vehicle seat and compares the weight on the vehicle seat to a rear-facing infant seat maximum. If the weight on the vehicle seat exceeds the rear-facing infant seat maximum, the system determines whether a forward-facing infant seat is on the seat. If the weight on the vehicle seat does not exceed the rear-facing infant seat maximum, then the system determines whether a rear-facing infant seat is on the seat.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in a vehicle headliner above the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant proximity sensor includes a transmitting electrode in a vehicle seat and an array of receiving electrodes mounted in a vehicle headliner above the vehicle seat. The sensor determines the capacitance at each of the receiving electrodes, which varies based upon the proximity of the occupant to each receiving electrode, thus producing an array of proximity information indicating in two dimensions the position of the occupant.