Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an occupant of a seat. The system includes a sensing mat that includes an upper conducting layer and a lower conducting layer. At least one of the conducting layers comprises a printed electronic circuit separated into conductive zones by at least one resistive zone. The mat also includes a plurality of sensing zones and each of the sensing zones include a conductive zone from the upper conducting layer and a conductive zone from the lower conducting layer. Each of the conducting layers are connected to a controller configured to detect a change in capacitance of each of the sensing zones resulting from a change in distance between the upper conducting layer and the lower conducting layer. The controller is connected to a vehicle network and is configured to provide data to the network that indicates the absence or presence of the occupant.

Abstract: According to various implementations, a vehicle pyrotechnic initiator assembly includes an initiator that includes at least one electrode pin and a validation device in electrical communication with the at least one electrode pin. The validation device provides validation information about at least a portion of the initiator assembly and/or a safety device in which the initiator assembly is installed. The validation information may include a date associated with an expiration of the initiator assembly and/or the safety device. The validation information may also or alternatively include a manufacturer identity associated with a manufacturer of the initiator assembly and/or safety device. In some implementations, the validation device includes an electrical circuit and/or memory that stores the validation information. For example, the validation device may include an ASIC chip.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an occupant of a seat. The system includes a sensing mat that includes an upper conducting layer and a lower conducting layer. At least one of the conducting layers comprises a printed electronic circuit separated into conductive zones by at least one resistive zone. The mat also includes a plurality of sensing zones and each of the sensing zones include a conductive zone from the upper conducting layer and a conductive zone from the lower conducting layer. Each of the conducting layers are connected to a controller configured to detect a change in capacitance of each of the sensing zones resulting from a change in distance between the upper conducting layer and the lower conducting layer. The controller is connected to a vehicle network and is configured to provide data to the network that indicates the absence or presence of the occupant.

Abstract: According to various implementations, a vehicle pyrotechnic initiator assembly includes an initiator that includes at least one electrode pin and a validation device in electrical communication with the at least one electrode pin. The validation device provides validation information about at least a portion of the initiator assembly and/or a safety device in which the initiator assembly is installed. The validation information may include a date associated with an expiration of the initiator assembly and/or the safety device. The validation information may also or alternatively include a manufacturer identity associated with a manufacturer of the initiator assembly and/or safety device. In some implementations, the validation device includes an electrical circuit and/or memory that stores the validation information. For example, the validation device may include an ASIC chip.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods that describe systems and method for detecting operator contact with a steering wheel of a vehicle. The system can include: a steering wheel, a drive motor coupled to the steering wheel, and a drive motor controller that controls the operation of the drive motor. The drive motor controller can detect contact between the operator and the steering wheel. In one aspect, the systems and methods can be used to alert the operator of the vehicle when operator contact with the steering wheel is not detected.

Abstract: A detection and classification system for detecting an occupant of a vehicle seat. The system includes a webbing, a controller and a first sensing electrode coupled to the webbing. The system also includes a second sensing electrode located in the vehicle seat. The first and second sensing electrodes are operatively coupled to the controller. The controller includes a signal generator that provides time varying voltages to the first and second sensing electrodes. The controller is configured to detect changes in the time vary voltages resulting from the electrodes being located in proximity to the occupant. The controller is configured to detect the occupant moving position or the occupant being out of position.

Abstract: A capacitive vehicle sensor includes a sensing electrode configured to generate an electric field, a shield electrode configured to reduce the electromagnetic influence of electric fields generated by objects outside of the electric field, a circuit coupled to the sensing electrode and shield electrode that allows a plurality of impedances to be coupled between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, and a control system. The control system configures the impedances between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, is configured to measure current to the sensing electrode in each configuration, and is configured to calculate a measure related to the impedance from the sensing electrode to ground.

Abstract: A capacitive vehicle sensor includes a sensing electrode configured to generate an electric field, a shield electrode configured to reduce the electromagnetic influence of electric fields generated by objects outside of the electric field, a circuit coupled to the sensing electrode and shield electrode that allows a plurality of impedances to be coupled between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, and a control system. The control system configures the impedances between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, is configured to measure current to the sensing electrode in each configuration, and is configured to calculate a measure related to the impedance from the sensing electrode to ground.

Abstract: A method of coating glass fibres to protect them from deterioration in an alkaline environment such as a Portland cement matrix, in which the glass fibres are coated with a composition containing a water-soluble film-forming material having free aliphatic hydroxyl groups in the molecule, a water-soluble ester formed by reaction of a tri-hydroxy- or di-hydroxy-substituted aromatic carboxylic acid with an alcohol having at least two hydroxyl groups in the molecule, and a cross-linking agent, the composition is cured and dried at elevated temperature so as to cross-link hydroxyl groups of the film-forming material and thereby form a thermoset film coating on the glass fibres which also retains the ester. The ester acts as a protective material to protect the glass fibres from alkaline attack.

Abstract: A coating composition for glass fibres intended for use as reinforcement in cementitious products is disclosed, which contains at least one monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic compound having at least three hydroxyl groups on the aromatic ring or (in a polycyclic compound) on at least one of the aromatic rings, together with at least one partially-cured A-stage phenolformaldehyde resin of the water-dilutable resole type.