Apparatus and method for sensing with triangulation and time-of-flight for use in an actuatable occupant restraint system
US6236035A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 25, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 22, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 25, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R21/01538
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus (32) is preferably part of an occupant protection system (10), and the apparatus determines a characteristic of an object (70) that may be located on a seat (14) of a vehicle (12) for use in control of the system. The object (70) may be a vehicle occupant, and the preferred characteristic that is determined is distance between the object and an instrument panel (22) of the vehicle (12). An emitter array (36) and a detector array (50) are located on the instrument panel (22). Each emitter (40) emits a beam (42) along a different path on which the object (70) may be located. Each detector (52) receives beams (42) emitted from the emitter array (36) that are reflected from the object (70). Each reflected beam received at the detector array (50) is indicative of distance between the instrument panel (22) and the object (70). An object sensor controller (34) determines relative intensities at each detector (52) of each reflected and received beam, and also determines time-of-flight of each reflected and received beam(s). The controller (34) processes each determined relative intensity and each determined time-of-flight to determine the object characteristic.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.