An occupant position detection system includes an imaging device configured to capture an image of an occupant seated on a seat provided in an interior of a vehicle, a sensor provided on the seat, a first calculating unit configured to calculate a first position of the occupant from the image captured by the imaging device, a second calculating unit configured to calculate a second position of the occupant from a detection result of the sensor, an occupant position calculating unit configured to calculate an occupant position by fusing the first position and the second position, and an output unit configured to output information on the occupant position calculated by the occupant position calculating unit, to a safety device.

A plurality of pressure-sensitive switches of a sitting sensor (1) has a first pressure-sensitive switch group including a first pressure-sensitive switch (SW11) including a first specific pressure-sensitive switch and a second pressure-sensitive switch (SW21), and a second pressure-sensitive switch group including first pressure-sensitive switches (SW11, SW12) including the first specific pressure-sensitive switch, and a second pressure-sensitive switch (SW22), in which in the first pressure-sensitive switch group, the first pressure-sensitive switch (SW11) and the second pressure-sensitive switch (SW21) are disposed adjacent to each other along a left-right direction of a seat (SE), in the second pressure-sensitive switch group, the first pressure-sensitive switches (SW11, SW12) and the second pressure-sensitive switch (SW22) are disposed adjacent to each other along a front-rear direction of the seat (SE), and turning on the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure-sensitive switch causes a current to flow between a pair of terminals (T1, T2).

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to detect and/or classify a vehicle occupant, such as a passenger seated within the cockpit of a vehicle. An occupant classification system includes an occupant weight sensor, an occupant presence sensor, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant weight sensor and the occupant presence sensor. The logic device is configured to receive occupant weight sensor signals from the occupant weight sensor and occupant presence sensor signals from the occupant presence sensor, determine an estimated occupant weight and an occupant presence response based, at least in part, on the occupant weight sensor signals and the occupant presence sensor signals, and determine an occupant classification status corresponding to the passenger seat based, at least in part, on the estimated occupant weight and/or the occupant presence response.

A method for providing protection for an occupant of a vehicle includes acquiring at least one live image of the vehicle interior. An occupant is detected within the at least one live image. The detected occupant is classified based on the at least one live image. An operator of the vehicle is notified of the detected classification. At least one deployment characteristic of an airbag associated with the detected occupant is set based on the classification.

Attributes of a human or animal body are detected by the generation and detection of an electric field. A laminated membrane, connected to a control circuit, is placed over an electrically conductive ground-plane. An upper-mattress is placed above this for supporting a human or animal body. To improve the response of the detector, a response-enhancement-layer of a substantially electrically non-conducting compressible-material containing electrically-conductive-particles, such as carbon particles, is located between the laminated-membrane and the upper-mattress.

A seat comprising: cushioning made from flexible material comprising a blind cavity, an instrumented unit made from flexible material received inside the cavity, this instrumented unit comprising: an oblong housing, this oblong housing comprising sidewalls that extend mainly toward the inside of the instrumented unit from an entrance situated on one of the side faces of the instrumented unit, this entrance being suitable for allowing an electric device to be inserted into the housing, and the electric device received in its entirety inside this housing.

A restraint system for an occupant seat mounted in a motor vehicle includes a processor to produce at least one control signal to control either or both of an electronically controllable unit to disable or impede operation of the motor vehicle and a notification device to produce a notification unless, in sequence, a first sensor produces a first signal indicating detection of an occupant being seated in the occupant seat followed by at least one second sensor producing least one second signal indicating that a rotatable shaft of a web retractor coupled to a web of a restraint harness has rotated by at least a threshold amount followed by a third sensor producing a third signal indicating that a tongue of the restraint system is engaged with a buckle of the restraint system.

An occupancy sensor is provided for detecting the occupancy status of a wheeled mobility device securement system. The occupancy sensor may additionally confirm adequate “tightness” of the wheeled mobility device securement system and/or provide an indication of the magnitude of “tightness.” In one embodiment, the occupancy sensor comprises a spring-loaded follower that breaks the straight-line path of a wheeled mobility device tie down as it travels between two touch points. The follower is displaceable from an extended position to a compressed position in response to the magnitude of tension applied to the tie down. Proximity sensors are used to detect the displacement distance of the follower, thereby providing an indication of occupancy, adequate securement, and/or the magnitude of tension.

An adaptive force vehicle airbag (AFVA) system includes airbag(s) stowed in a compressed state within an interior of a vehicle. An impact sensor detects a change in motion of the vehicle indicative of a collision. Selectable force gas generator(s) (SFGGs) gas-generating propellant cells that are individually fired. The SFGGs have conduit(s) that receive gas from fired gas-generating propellant cells and direct the gas to inflate at least one of the airbag(s). A controller is communicatively coupled to the inflation initiating component and the gas-generating propellant cells of the SFGGs. The controller enables the AFVA system to: (i) receive an inflation signal from the impact sensor; and (ii) fire a selected number of the gas-generating propellant cells to at least partially inflate the at least one airbag.

A load detection sensor unit 1A includes: a load detection sensor 5 that has a sensor sheet 50 having a pair of resinous insulating sheets 56s and 57s, a first electrode 56e provided on a surface of one insulating sheet 56s, and a second electrode 57e forming a pair with the first electrode 56e, and a metal plate 60 provided in at least a portion overlapping with the first electrode 56e and the second electrode 57e on one surface of the sensor sheet 50; and a pressing member 4 that has a pressing portion 46 disposed on the side of the metal plate 60 opposite to the side of the sensor sheet 50 and pressing the metal plate 60. The pressing portion 46 is harder than the seat cushion SC and the sensor sheet 50 and the metal plate 60 are bonded by an adhesive layer 70.