Abstract: Wireless sensing and communication system including sensors located on the vehicle, in the roadway or in the vicinity of the vehicle or roadway and which provide information which is transmitted to one or more interrogators in the vehicle by a wireless radio frequency mechanism. Power to operate a particular sensor is supplied by the interrogator or the sensor is independently connected to either a battery, generator, vehicle power source or some source of power external to the vehicle. The sensors can provide information about the vehicle and its interior or exterior environment, about individual components, systems, vehicle occupants, subsystems, or about the roadway, ambient atmosphere, travel conditions and external objects. The sensors arranged on the roadway or ancillary structures would include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, moisture content or humidity sensors, and friction sensors.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for obtaining information about a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device or an object on which the RFID device is mounted when the RFID device is in a space defined by a frame includes arranging a plurality of antennas on the frame to enable transmission of signals into the space and reception of signals from the space, controlling transmission of signals by the antennas by means of an interrogator, and directing radio frequency signals from at least one of the antennas into the space to cause a RFID device in the space to return a signal if it receives any signal from any of the antennas. The return signals from the RFID device are received, e.g., by the interrogator or an associated receiver, and information about the RFID device or object to which the RFID device is attached is derived based on the return signals.

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 interrogator 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 and method for adjusting at least one pedal for a driver in a vehicle in which a determining system determines one or more morphological characteristics of the driver, a motor is coupled to the pedal(s) and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to move the pedal(s) relative to a floor of the vehicle and thus adjust the position of the pedal(s) relative to the driver, and a control circuit is coupled to the determining system and the motor for automatically controlling the motor based on the determined morphological characteristic(s) of the driver. The pedal may be an accelerator pedal and/or a brake pedal of the vehicle.

Abstract: System for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto which includes a fluid-containing bladder mounted within or beneath an upper surface of the bottom portion of the seat and supported by a base of the seat, a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the bladder for generating a signal responsive to pressure of the fluid within the bladder caused by pressure applied to the upper surface of the seat, and a processor coupled to the pressure sensor for determining the weight of the occupant from the signal and generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to the weight determination. The weight of the occupant can be used to control components in the vehicle or the seat itself.

Abstract: Electrical system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for classifying an occupying item in a seat includes at least one force sensor arranged to measure the force applied to the seat at time intervals, and a processor coupled to the force sensor(s) for receiving the force measurements therefrom. The processor analyzes the force measurements from each force sensor over time to discern patterns in the force measurements and analyzes any discerned pattern to determine if it approximates a known pattern indicative of an animate object or an inanimate object. The processor may be trained to discern patterns providing information about the occupying item by conducting tests in which different occupying items are placed in the seat and measurements of the force applied to the seat are obtained by the force sensor, before, during and after placement of the occupying item in the seat.

Abstract: System and method for conveying information from a vehicle to a fixed structure includes a data generating system arranged on the vehicle to obtain and/or generate information about conditions around the vehicle, one or more data processing facilities each arranged at a fixed structure or fixed location to process information about the vehicle, and a communications system coupled to the data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) and arranged to enable the information obtained or generated by the data generating system to be transmitted via the Internet to the data processing facility. The data generating system may obtain or generate information about at least one of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, environmental conditions around the vehicle, traffic in the vicinity of the vehicle, and construction in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Abstract: System and method for conveying data between vehicles includes a data generating system arranged on a first vehicle to obtain or generate information about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle, a first communications system arranged on the first vehicle and coupled to the data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) and a second communications system arranged on a second vehicle and communicating with an ISP. The first communications system enables the information obtained or generated by the data generating system to be transmitted via the Internet to the second communications system. The first and second communications systems can communicate with the same ISP or different ISPs linked to one another.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for obtaining information about a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device or an object on which the RFID device is mounted when the RFID device is in a space defined by a frame includes arranging a plurality of antennas on the frame to enable transmission of signals into the space and reception of signals from the space, controlling transmission of signals by the antennas by means of an interrogator, and directing radio frequency signals from at least one of the antennas into the space to cause a RFID device in the space to return a signal if it receives any signal from any of the antennas. The return signals from the RFID device are received, e.g., by the interrogator or an associated receiver, and information about the RFID device or object to which the RFID device is attached is derived based on the return signals.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for displaying and transferring information between a vehicle and at least one transmitter separate from the vehicle includes an antenna mounted on the vehicle for receiving RF wireless signals emitted by each transmitter, a location determining device for determining the vehicle's location, a display arranged on the vehicle in a position to be viewable by a vehicle occupant and to display representations of the vehicle and other objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a processor coupled to the antenna, location determining device and display. The processor performs location-based filtering of signals received by the antenna to determine whether any contain information of interest for vehicular operation, extracts the information of interest from the signals determined to contain information of interest, and displays the location of the transmitter of the signals determined to contain information of interest or the information of interest from the transmitter.

Abstract: Electrical system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Abstract: Vehicle includes a structure defining an interior space for containing or designed to contain one or more objects, and an arrangement mounted on, joined or coupled to the structure for determining whether an object is present in the interior space, or the presence of multiple objects. One arrangement includes at least one optical imaging device arranged to receive images of the interior space defined by the structure, and a processor coupled to the optical imaging device(s) and arranged to determine whether one or more objects are present in the interior space and when one or more objects are determined to be present, to obtain information about the object or objects. The processor is preferably arranged to distinguish between different objects and/or different arrangements of objects. A related method for obtaining information about objects in interior spaces of vehicles is also disclosed.

Abstract: Vehicle seat including a seat portion including a container having an interior containing fluid and a mechanism, material or structure therein to restrict flow of the fluid from one portion of the interior to another portion of the interior, a back portion arranged at an angle to the seat portion, and a measurement system arranged to obtain an indication of the weight of the occupant when present on the seat portion based at least in part on the pressure of the fluid in the container. The weight of the occupant can be used to control components in the vehicle or the seat itself.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling an occupant protection system in a vehicle which protects an occupant of a vehicular compartment during a crash involving the vehicle includes a first sensor system for obtaining information about the occupant, a second sensor system for determining a position of the occupant or a part thereof which enables a determination of the position of the occupant relative to the occupant protection system, and a processor coupled to the first and second sensor systems for controlling deployment of the occupant protection system based on the information about the occupant obtained by the first sensor system and the position of the occupant determined by the second sensor system. The first sensor system may include one or more optical imaging devices which obtain images of an area of the compartment occupied by the occupant, the information about the occupant being obtained by analysis of the images.

Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicular system based on the presence of an object in an environment around a vehicle with one goals being to prevent collisions between the vehicle and any objects. Infrared light is emitted from the vehicle into a portion of the environment around the vehicle and received by a sensor on the vehicle. Distance between the vehicle and an object from which the infrared light is reflected is determined based on the emission of the infrared light and reception of the infrared light. The presence of and an identification of the object from which light is reflected is/are determined based at least in part on the received infrared light. The vehicular system is controlled or adjusted based on the determination of the presence of an object in the environment around the vehicle and the identification of the object and the distance between the object and the vehicle.

Abstract: Accident avoidance system for a host vehicle includes a global positioning system residing on the host vehicle for determining the host vehicle's location as the host vehicle travels based on signals received from one or more satellites, a map database having digital maps corresponding to an area including the location of the host vehicle as determined by the global positioning system, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system residing on the host vehicle operative for receiving signals including location information acquired by global positioning systems residing on other vehicles directly from the other vehicles indicating the locations of the other vehicles, and a navigation system including a display residing on the host vehicle for displaying images to an occupant of the host vehicle showing the digital maps and indications of the locations of the host vehicle and the other vehicles on the digital maps.

Abstract: Vehicle with tire monitoring capabilities includes at least one wheel, each including a rim, a tire mounted on the rim, a sensor system for sensing angular, radial, tangential and/or lateral acceleration of the tire and providing acceleration signals based thereon, and an antenna arranged on the rim or tire and coupled to the sensor system for communicating data about the sensed acceleration. A processor receives acceleration signals provided by the sensor system and determines the existence of an anomaly in the tire based thereon. When arranged on the wheel, the processor provides a signal indicative or representative of the determination of the existence of the anomaly via the antenna to a receiving antenna which conveys it to a reactive system. The reactive system may provide a visual and/or audible warning to the driver of the vehicle or to personnel at a vehicle or tire monitoring facility.

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: Land-based vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle includes a source from which modulated illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle, a receiver arranged to receive illumination reflected from an object in the path of the modulated illumination, and circuitry coupled to the receiver and the source and arranged to compare a phase of the modulated illumination with a phase of the reflected radiation at a common frequency to determine whether there is a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination. The phase difference is a measure of a property of the object, such as the distance between the object and the source/receiver, which can be co-located. Otherwise, if the source and receiver and not co-located or substantially co-located, the distance is a measure of the distance of travel of the illumination.