Apparatus and method for protecting a vehicle occupant utilizing a correlation between an occupant-associated center and a distance to an occupant-associated surface
US6416080B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R21/0153
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A system (10) protects a vehicle occupant. The system (10) includes an occupant protection device (24). A weight sensor (72) senses a weight value associated with an occupant (14). A portion (80) of a controller (34) determines a weight-based center characteristic (e.g., a center of gravity) associated with the occupant (14) using the sensed weight value. A distance sensor (e.g., 50) senses a distance to a surface associated with the occupant (14). A portion (46) of the controller (34) controls the protection device (24) utilizing the determined center characteristic and the sensed distance. The portion (46) of the controller (46) determines whether the sensed distance is to a surface of a head/thorax/torso of the occupant (14) utilizing the determined center characteristic.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.