This paper describes an automatic system developed to detect the presence of a passenger or the presence and orientation of a child seat on the passenger seat. It is a reliable base component for a modular occupant sensing system which provides the necessary inputs to eliminate airbag induced injuries and reduce repair costs following unnecessary airbag deployment. The Child Presence and Orientation Detection (CPOD) system consists of four components: the receiving and transmitting antennas printed on the passenger detection sensor mat in the car seat, two transponders (resonators) attached to the child seat and an electronic interface. The resonators are powered by the electromagnetic field transmitted by the antenna in the passenger seat. No external power supply is needed. Out-of-position information and orientation is transmitted to the electronic control of the airbag system. Additional data such as type of child seat and weight class can also be transmitted. The Passenger Presence Detection (PPD) is based on a patented Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) which consists of two polymer films. One with a conducting pattern in the form of interdigiting electrodes, the other semi-conductive. When pressure is applied to the sandwiched films, the resistance between the interdigiting electrodes decreases. If it sinks below a fixed threshold, the system indicates 'seat occupied'. The PPD and the COPD are in series production already and fulfill the rigid reliability requirements of a system which modifies the deployment behaviour of an airbag system. A further step could be an inclusion of belt status information into the system, thus enabling the deployment threshold for belted passengers to be adjusted to higher levels. An additional input parameter could be the weight of the passenger. Other airbag injuries could be avoided if systems could detect the head of a passenger leaning forward as being too close to the airbag.
Automatic passenger presence and child seat presence and orientation detection
Automatische Sitzbelegt- und Kindersitzerkennung
Tagung der VDI-Gesellschaft Fahrzeug- und Verkehrstechnik, Innovativer Insassenschutz im PKW, 1997 ; 355-363
VDI-Berichte ; 1354
1997
9 Seiten, 4 Bilder, 3 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Automobilindustrie , Sicherheitseinrichtung (Fahrzeuginsasse) , Sicherheitsgurt , Sicherheitstechnik , Sicherheitsvorschrift , Aufprallpuffer , Aufprall , Verkehrsunfall , Modulbauweise , Antenne , Signalerkennung , elektromagnetisches Feld , Resonator , Widerstandsaufnehmer , Halbleiterschicht , Auslösezeit , Fahrzeugsitz , Fahrzeugausrüstung , Zuverlässigkeit , Serienfertigung , Position , Gewicht , Airbag , Kindersitz , Beifahrer , Sitzposition
Automatic Passenger Presence and Child Seat Presence and Orientation Detection
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