A seat assembly is provided with a seat bottom, a seat back, and a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back to detect a seating condition of a seated occupant. A controller is in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors and the at least one actuator. The controller is programmed to receive input from the plurality of sensors indicative of a seating condition of the seated occupant. The seating condition of the seated occupant is compared to stored seating conditions of prior seat occupants to determine that the seated occupant is a prior occupant.

A respiration signal of a seated person is detected with high accuracy by using a vehicle seat that includes a seat cushion; and a sensor detecting a pressure signal from a load applied from a seated person. The sensor is provided to be along an edge of a contact portion between the seat cushion and buttocks of the seated person. The sensor transmits the detected pressure signal to an arithmetic operation device of the seated person. In a respiration measuring device, the arithmetic operation device computes the detected pressure signal detected by the sensor to obtain a respiration signal of the seated person.

An occupant detection system includes a controller, a sensing electrode, and a shield electrode, the electrodes disposed in a vehicle seat. The controller is electrically coupled to the sensing electrode and shield electrode by a sensing circuit. The controller is configured to send an input signal to the sensing electrode, the shield electrode, or both and measures current, impedance, or capacitance values to determine the presence of an object on the seat, to classify the object, or both.

The present disclosure provides a vehicle occupant detection and alert system including an onboard apparatus including a controller operably connected to an occupancy sensor, an environment sensor and a transceiver. The controller generates a signal indicating that an occupant is present. A mobile communication device is operably connected to the transceiver. The mobile communication device includes a processor which upon execution of instructions performs the steps including:

receiving a signal from the controller indicating that an occupant is in the vehicle, responsive to an alert condition, initiating a first alert mode, wherein a first notification is generated and the functionality of the mobile device is restricted; and

generating a prompt to enter a code to acknowledge the first notification, wherein the functionality restriction is removed in response to entry of the code.

The present invention discloses a mm-wave radar sensor to be deployed in the vehicles for seat occupation detection applications. The key system relevant components are utilization of mm-wave integrated radar, specific planar high-gain antenna radiation pattern, and analyzing of the heartbeat and optionally also respiratory dynamics. The method of operation calculates probability of the seat occupation event regarding: detection of the passenger on the seat, detection of a baby or a child on the seat, detection of the presence of a baby or a child in the vehicle after the driver has left the vehicle, detection of the human or animal presence of intrusion in specific vehicle environment. In case that probability is above a predefined threshold, typically the interaction with vehicle control system is initiated using arbitrary automotive interfaces. Corresponding predefined actions are taken in that case. The predefined actions could be one or combination of the following: audio signal alerts to driver, inside cabin light condition change, engine operation condition change, opening of the windows or corresponding communication using arbitrary wireless means to outside vehicle environment. Optionally, the system is utilizing additional parameters like vehicle cabin temperature and/or timing information about engine stop and driver leaving the car. Preferably, the system is using 60 GHz or 77-79 GHz integrated radar front end working in Doppler operation mode, with 4?4 Tx and Rx planar radiation elements, with physical size typically in the range 4?2?1 cm, or smaller.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to determining and responding to an internal state of a self-driving vehicle. For instance, an image of an interior of the vehicle captured by a camera mounted in the vehicle is received. The image is processed in order to identify one or more visible markers at predetermined locations within the vehicle. The internal state of the vehicle is determined based on the identified one or more visible markers. A responsive action is identified action using the determined internal state, and the vehicle is controlled in order to perform the responsive action.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for treating a vehicle with radiation. The system generally comprises a being detection system, one or more sanitizing lights, a surface tinting means, and at least one processor. Sanitizing radiation is emitted onto one or more surfaces of the vehicle, as well as the air of the vehicle to sanitize the vehicle. The processor allows and being detection system allow for safe sanitizations to be conducted inside the vehicle. The vehicle may be treated with safe UV-C light and/or unsafe UV-C light, depending on the presence of beings in the vehicle.

A child detection device for a child safety seat for an automobile according to an example includes a plurality of sensors to be positioned on the child safety seat, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one capacitive sensor to generate analog capacitive signals. The child detection device includes a conversion circuit to convert the analog capacitive signals to digital capacitive values. The child detection devices includes a controller to identify movement of an object based on the digital capacitive values, and determine whether a child is positioned in the child safety seat based on the digital capacitive values and the identified movement.

A seat control device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to, based on a selection by an occupant of a vehicle, select a video display area for displaying a video from among a plurality of video display areas provided at the vehicle, determine an adjustment amount corresponding to the determined video display area for a vehicle seat provided in the vehicle, and, via a modulation section, modulate a position and posture of the vehicle seat based on the determined adjustment amount of the vehicle seat.

A load detection apparatus includes a strain element including a first fixation hole into which a fixation member is insertable to be positioned, a second fixation hole into which a connection member is insertable to be positioned, a strain gage, and a fixation support member inserted to be positioned within the first fixation hole, the first fixation hole serving as an elongated bore, the fixation support member including a base portion specified to be greater than the first fixation hole, an intermediate shaft portion protruding from the base portion and fitted to the first fixation hole, and an insertion hole into which the fixation member is inserted to be positioned, the insertion hole being provided in a state where a center position of the insertion hole is displaced relative to a center position of the intermediate shaft portion in a longitudinal direction thereof.