Abstract: Lower seat assembly for a vehicle seat, including a compressible cushion, with an upper face for supporting a seat occupant, and a lower face, such that the cushion is compressed when a load is applied on the upper face by an occupant. The lower seat assembly further includes a cushion supporting element, disposed below the cushion for supporting the cushion, and at least one sensing device comprising a proximity sensor, configured to sense a distance to a proximity sensor target facing the sensor. Either the sensor or the target is fixed to the lower face of the cushion, and the other one is fixed to the cushion supporting element. The lower face bends when the cushion is compressed and generates a relative movement between the sensor and the target, and the sensing device is configured to derive a weight class of an occupant from the distance between the sensor and the target.

Abstract: In addition to the loading mode of a capacitive sensing device of a seat occupancy detection and classification system, a second measurement mode is introduced, which allows a discrimination of objects (CRS or human) with and without grounding condition. Depending on the value of the new measurement, the data is allocated to different groups which are subject to different thresholds in the loading mode. This means that if the new measurement indicates a grounding condition of the object, a higher threshold in the loading mode will be applied. In this way CRS with grounding condition will be classified by means of the higher threshold, resulting in a robustness increase. Typical human sitting positions do not show a grounding condition and will be classified by the lower threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle seat occupancy detection system includes at least one capacitive sensor member having at least one sensing electrode, an impedance measurement circuit for determining a complex impedance or a complex admittance of the at least one sensing electrode, an evaluation unit for generating an output signal based on a determined complex admittance of the at least one sensing electrode and comparison of the determined complex admittance to at least one predetermined value, and at least one electrically conductive ground connecting member that is intentionally electrically connected to the reference electrode and that is arranged in close proximity to the at least one sensing electrode. The at least one ground connecting member and the at least one sensing electrode are galvanically separated such that, when the seat gets wet, the sensing electrode is directly electrically connected to the reference electrode by the at least one ground connecting member.

Abstract: A vehicle seat occupancy detection system includes at least one capacitive sensor member having at least one sensing electrode, an impedance measurement circuit for determining a complex impedance or a complex admittance of the at least one sensing electrode, an evaluation unit for generating an output signal based on a determined complex admittance of the at least one sensing electrode and comparison of the determined complex admittance to at least one predetermined value, and at least one electrically conductive ground connecting member that is intentionally electrically connected to the reference electrode and that is arranged in close proximity to the at least one sensing electrode. The at least one ground connecting member and the at least one sensing electrode are galvanically separated such that, when the seat gets wet, the sensing electrode is directly electrically connected to the reference electrode by the at least one ground connecting member.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle has arranged therein a vehicle seat and is equipped with an occupant detection system for detecting whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, the system including a first antenna electrode arranged in the seat and a sensing circuit associated with the seat where the sensing circuit includes an oscillation circuit connected to the first antenna electrode for applying to the first antenna electrode a first oscillating signal and a current detection circuit also connected to the first antenna electrode for determining a first current flowing in the first antenna electrode in response to the first oscillating signal being applied, the first current indicating whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, where the vehicle is further equipped with an appliance including an appliance control device arranged in the vehicle compartment at a location where it can be operated by an occupant of the seat and the occupant detection system is configured for detecting whether the occupa

Abstract: An automotive vehicle has arranged therein a vehicle seat and is equipped with an occupant detection system for detecting whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, the system including a first antenna electrode arranged in the seat and a sensing circuit associated with the seat where the sensing circuit includes an oscillation circuit connected to the first antenna electrode for applying to the first antenna electrode a first oscillating signal and a current detection circuit also connected to the first antenna electrode for determining a first current flowing in the first antenna electrode in response to the first oscillating signal being applied, the first current indicating whether an occupant is present on the vehicle seat, where the vehicle is further equipped with an appliance including an appliance control device arranged in the vehicle compartment at a location where it can be operated by an occupant of the seat and the occupant detection system is configured for detecting whether the occupa

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system has an oscillator and an electrode operatively coupled to the oscillator, to which the oscillator applies an oscillating voltage signal. In response to the oscillating voltage being applied, an electric current is caused to flow in the electrode, the current being responsive to an electric-field-influencing property of an object or occupant proximate to the electrode. The current caused to flow in the electrode has a first current component in phase with the oscillating voltage signal and a second current component 90°-phase-offset with respect to the oscillating voltage signal. A sensing circuit is operatively coupled to the electrode and to the oscillator so as to generate a first signal indicative of the first current component and a second signal indicative of the second current component.

Abstract: An occupant classification system for a vehicle seat includes an electrode arrangement for being integrated into a seating portion of the seat, which electrode arrangement includes a sensing electrode, a shielding electrode and an insulating layer sandwiched between the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode. The electrode arrangement is provided with at least one local test region, the electrode arrangement includes means for enhancing, inside the at least one test region with respect to outside the at least one test region, electrolytic conduction between the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode, under moist environmental conditions.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system has an oscillator and an electrode operatively coupled to the oscillator, to which the oscillator applies an oscillating voltage signal. In response to the oscillating voltage being applied, an electric current is caused to flow in the electrode, the current being responsive to an electric-field-influencing property of an object or occupant proximate to the electrode. The current caused to flow in the electrode has a first current component in phase with the oscillating voltage signal and a second current component 90°-phase-offset with respect to the oscillating voltage signal. A sensing circuit is operatively coupled to the electrode and to the oscillator so as to generate a first signal indicative of the first current component and a second signal indicative of the second current component.