Sensors for vehicle occupant classification systems and methods

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for detecting and / or classifying vehicle occupants, such as passengers seated within a vehicle cabin. The occupant classification system includes an occupant weight sensor, an occupant presence sensor, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant sensors. The occupant weight sensor includes at least: a first conductive electrode and a second conductive electrode separated by a dielectric layer; a top protective plastic layer and a bottom protective plastic layer configured to support the respective first and second conductive electrodes; and an adhesive layer disposed between the plastic layers and the conductive electrodes, and between the conductive electrodes and the dielectric layer. The top protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the first conductive electrode, and the bottom protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the second conductive electrode, to provide edge protection against electrical shorting of the first and second conductive electrodes.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application for patent having application date of June 28, 2018, application number 201880055298.2, entitled "SENSORS FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS."

[0002] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 947,194, filed April 6, 2018, entitled "SENSORS FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which claims priority to, and is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 795,187, filed October 26, 2017, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 527,973, filed June 30, 2017, the entire contents of all of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to occupant detection systems, and more specifically to systems and methods, for example, for classifying vehicle occupants. BACKGROUND

[0005] Vehicles are becoming increasingly safer by incorporating automated systems that monitor their operation while in transit and provide coordinated alerts and assistance, if needed. However, there remain difficulties in reliably detecting the presence of vehicle occupants and accurately classifying them as children, relatively small adults, and / or according to other classification aspects, especially in distinguishing between classifications. Accurate classification can be critical when a vehicle attempts to assist or enact safety measures to protect an occupant.

[0006] In particular, deployment of airbags can be adjusted to reduce the risk of injury caused by the airbag while maintaining the safety of the occupant during a collision. However, while the use of reduced force airbags is recommended for relatively small adult females, the use of reduced force airbags is not recommended for young children (e.g., 10 years old and younger), even though young children can reach the same height and weight as a relatively small adult female. Thus, particularly in the context of controlling an occupant restraint system that can exert force on a vehicle driver, there is a need for improved methods to provide reliable and accurate classification of vehicle occupants. SUMMARY

[0007] Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods for detecting and / or classifying vehicle occupants (e.g., passengers seated within a vehicle cabin). A vehicle accessory control system can include one or more occupant weight sensors, occupant presence sensors, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant weight sensors and the occupant presence sensors. Each occupant weight sensor can be configured to provide an occupant weight sensor signal associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle, and each occupant presence sensor can be configured to provide an occupant presence sensor signal associated with the passenger seat. The logic device can be configured to receive the sensor signals associated with the occupant weight and occupant presence sensors, determine an estimated occupant weight and occupant presence response, and determine and report a corresponding occupant classification state. The logic device can be configured to determine the estimated occupant weight and occupant presence response based at least in part on various environmental conditions, thereby compensating for the environmental conditions prior to providing the occupant classification state.

[0008] In various embodiments, the occupant classification system can include one or more temperature sensors, electrical sensors, environmental sensors, sound monitoring subsystems, communication modules, and / or additional sensors, actuators, controllers, user interfaces, and / or other modules mounted to or within the vehicle. Each component of the system can be implemented with a logic device adapted to form one or more wired and / or wireless communication links for transmitting and / or receiving sensor signals, control signals, or other signals and / or data between the various components.

[0009] In one embodiment, an occupant classification system can include an occupant weight sensor configured to provide an occupant weight sensor signal associated with a passenger seat of a vehicle, an occupant presence sensor configured to provide an occupant presence sensor signal associated with the passenger seat, and a logic device coupled within the vehicle and configured to communicate with the occupant weight sensor and the occupant presence sensor. The logic device can be configured to receive the occupant weight sensor signal from the occupant weight sensor and the occupant presence sensor signal from the occupant presence sensor, determine an estimated occupant weight and occupant presence response based at least in part on the occupant weight sensor signal and the occupant presence sensor signal, and determine an occupant classification state corresponding to the passenger seat based at least in part on the estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence response.

[0010] In another embodiment, a method can include receiving, from an occupant weight sensor, an occupant weight sensor signal associated with a passenger seat of a vehicle; receiving, from an occupant presence sensor, an occupant presence sensor signal associated with the passenger seat; determining, based at least in part on the occupant weight sensor signal and the occupant presence sensor signal, an estimated occupant weight and an occupant presence response; and determining, based at least in part on the estimated occupant weight and / or the occupant presence response, an occupant classification status corresponding to the passenger seat.

[0011] In one embodiment, an occupant weight sensor can include a first conductive electrode and a second conductive electrode separated by a dielectric layer; a top protective plastic layer and a bottom protective plastic layer configured to support the respective first conductive electrode and second conductive electrode, wherein the top protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the first conductive electrode and the bottom protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the second conductive electrode to provide edge protection against electrical shorting of the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode; and an adhesive layer disposed between the top protective plastic layer and the first conductive electrode, between the bottom protective plastic layer and the second conductive electrode, between the first conductive electrode and the dielectric layer, and between the second conductive electrode and the dielectric layer.

[0012] In another embodiment, a method of forming an occupant weight sensor can include forming a first conductive electrode and a second conductive electrode; forming a dielectric layer configured to separate the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode; forming a top protective plastic layer and a bottom protective plastic layer configured to support the respective first conductive electrode and second conductive electrode, wherein the top protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the first conductive electrode and the bottom protective plastic layer is longer and / or wider than the second conductive electrode to provide edge protection against electrical shorting of the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode; and applying an adhesive layer between the top protective plastic layer and the first conductive electrode, between the bottom protective plastic layer and the second conductive electrode, between the first conductive electrode and the dielectric layer, and between the second conductive electrode and the dielectric layer.

[0013] The scope of the application is defined by the claims, which are incorporated in this section by reference. The embodiments of the application in their various aspects will be more fully understood by considering the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements throughout. The drawings will first be described briefly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1A A block diagram of a vehicle accessory system is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 1B A diagram of a vehicle control and reporting system is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2A A diagram illustrating a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] Figure 2B A chart illustrating general but problematic passenger classification for a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2C A chart illustrating passenger posture and position complicating operation of a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0019] Figures 3A-3J Various capacitive passenger weight sensor arrangements for a passenger classification system, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating a capacitive passenger presence sensor for a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5 A diagram illustrating a capacitive passenger presence sensor for a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0022] Figure 6 A flowchart of various operations to detect and / or classify vehicle passengers, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0023] Figure 7 A simplified passenger classification logic table for a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0024] Figure 8A A two-dimensional plot of detected passenger presence versus passenger weight for various detected passengers having different passenger classification states, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0025] Figure 8B A three-dimensional plot of detected first and second passenger presence versus passenger weight for various detected passengers having different passenger classification states, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0026] Figure 9 A flowchart of various operations to calibrate a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0027] Figure 10 A flowchart of various operations to manufacture a mutual capacitance passenger weight sensor for a passenger classification system, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

[0028] Embodiments of the present application, together with its advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, occupant detection and classification can be provided by occupant weight sensors, occupant presence sensors, and logic configured to convert sensor signals provided by the occupant weight sensors and occupant presence sensors into estimated occupant weight and occupant presence responses, which can be used together to improve sensitivity, accuracy, and granularity for reliably detecting and classifying occupants compared to conventional detection systems. In particular, embodiments of the present occupant classification system can be employed to detect and distinguish children from relatively smaller women or men, and to disable, partially enable, or fully enable airbags as appropriate. As described herein, such occupant classification systems can be implemented with various types of user feedback mechanisms, including reporting detections and classifications locally and remotely (e.g., to a smart phone), as well as reporting potential unsafe conditions and / or undesirable operation of the vehicle.

[0030] Figure 1A A block diagram of a vehicle control system 100 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the system 100 can be adapted to measure the orientation, position, acceleration, velocity, temperature, and / or other environmental conditions and / or states of the vehicle 110 and / or one or more elements of the system 100. The system 100 can then use these measurements to control the operation of the vehicle 110, the occupant restraint system 170, and / or one or more other elements of the system 100. In various embodiments, the system 100 can be implemented as a stand-alone system, or as part of a larger system, such as a vehicle control system. Figure 1AIn the illustrated embodiment, system 100 can be implemented to facilitate operation of occupant restraint system 170, which can include a seatbelt sensor and / or locking mechanism, an airbag deployment system, and / or other occupant restraint and / or safety systems and / or modules, including an occupant classification system (OCS) 200. In some embodiments, system 100 can include one or more of the following: a user interface 120, a controller 130, a communication module 132, an orientation sensor 140, a rate sensor 142, a gyroscope / accelerometer 144, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 146, a temperature sensor 148, a humidity sensor 148, a steering sensor / actuator 150, a propulsion system 160, an occupant restraint system 170, and / or one or more other sensors and / or actuators (e.g., other modules 180). In various embodiments, one or more elements of system 100 can be implemented in a coupled combination housing or structure, which can be coupled to vehicle 110 and / or held or carried by a user of vehicle 110. Generally, vehicle 110 can be a land vehicle, a water vehicle, and / or an air vehicle, including a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a boat, and / or an airplane.

[0031] User interface 120 can be implemented as a display, a touchscreen, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a knob, a steering wheel, a boat steering wheel or helmet, a yoke, and / or any other device capable of accepting user input and / or providing feedback to a user. In various embodiments, user interface 120 can be adapted to provide user input (e.g., as a type of signal and / or sensor information) to other devices of system 100 (e.g., controller 130). User interface 120 can also be implemented with one or more logic devices that can be adapted to execute instructions (e.g., software instructions) implementing any of the various processes and / or methods described herein. For example, user interface 120 can be adapted to form a communication link, transmit and / or receive communications (e.g., sensor signals, control signals, sensor information, user input, and / or other information), or perform various other processes and / or methods.

[0032] In various embodiments, user interface 120 can be adapted to present occupant presence identifiers, occupant classification identifiers, and occupant classification status identifiers, warning indicators, and / or other identifiers related to operation of occupant restraint system 170 and / or OCS 200, e.g., on a touchscreen display of user interface 120; accept user input (e.g., user selection of confirmation of one or more such identifiers and / or warnings); form communication links (e.g., using communication module 132); select a particular wireless network protocol and / or parameters for a particular wireless network protocol and / or wireless link (e.g., passwords, encryption keys, MAC addresses, device identification numbers, device operational profiles, parameters for operation of devices, and / or other parameters); select methods of processing sensor signals to determine sensor information; and / or otherwise facilitate operation of system 100 and devices within system 100. Once user interface 120 accepts user input, the user input can be transmitted to other devices of system 100 over one or more communication links.

[0033] In one embodiment, user interface 120 can be adapted to receive sensor signals or control signals (e.g., from directional sensor 140 and / or steering sensor / actuator 150), e.g., over a communication link formed by one or more associated logic devices, and display sensor and / or other information corresponding to the received sensor signals and / or control signals to a user. In related embodiments, user interface 120 can be adapted to process sensor signals and / or control signals to determine sensor and / or other information. For example, sensor signals can include orientation, angular velocity, acceleration, velocity, and / or position of vehicle 110. In such embodiments, user interface 120 can be adapted to process sensor signals to determine sensor information indicative of estimated and / or absolute roll, pitch, and / or yaw (attitude and / or velocity) and / or position or series of positions of vehicle 110, and display the sensor information to a user as feedback. In one embodiment, user interface 120 can be adapted to display a time series of various sensor information and / or other parameters as part of or overlaid on a graphic or map, which can be referenced to a position and / or orientation of vehicle 110. For example, user interface 120 can be adapted to display a time series of position, heading, and / or orientation of vehicle 110 and / or other elements of system 100 overlaid on a geographic map, which can include one or more graphics indicative of corresponding time series of actuator control signals, sensor information, and / or other sensor signals and / or control signals.

[0034] More generally, user interface 120 can be adapted to display sensor information to a user, for example, and / or to transmit sensor information and / or user input to other user interfaces, sensors, modules, or controllers of system 100 for display, communication, and / or further processing, for example. In one embodiment, user interface 120 can be integrated with one or more sensors (e.g., imaging module, position and / or orientation sensors, other sensors) and / or be portable (e.g., such as a portable touch screen display or, for example, a smart phone, or a wearable user interface) to facilitate user interaction with various systems of vehicle 110.

[0035] Controller 130 can be implemented as any suitable logic device (e.g., processing device, microcontroller, processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory storage device, memory reader, or other device, or combination of devices) that can be adapted to execute, store, and / or receive suitable instructions (such as software instructions implementing a control loop for controlling various operations of, for example, vehicle 110, occupant restraint system 170, OCS 200, and / or other elements of system 100). Such software instructions can also implement methods for processing sensor signals, determining sensor information, providing user feedback (e.g., with user interface 120), querying devices for operational parameters, selecting operational parameters for devices, or performing any of the various operations described herein (e.g., operations performed by logic devices of various devices of system 100).

[0036] Further, a machine-readable medium can be provided to store non-transitory instructions for loading into and execution by controller 130. In these and other embodiments, controller 130 can be implemented with other components as appropriate (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, one or more interfaces, and / or various analog and / or digital components for interfacing with devices of system 100) as appropriate. For example, controller 130 can be adapted for storing sensor signals over time, sensor information, calibration parameters, sets of calibration points, and / or other operational parameters, and providing such stored data to a user using user interface 120. In some embodiments, controller 130 can be integrated with one or more user interfaces (e.g., user interface 120) and can share one or more communication modules in one embodiment. As described herein, controller 130 can be adapted to execute one or more control loops for steering control (e.g., using steering sensor / actuator 150) and / or to perform other various operations of vehicle 110 and / or system 100. In some embodiments, the control loops can include processing sensor signals and / or sensor information in order to control one or more operations of vehicle 110, occupant restraint system 170, and / or other elements of system 100.

[0037] As Figure 1B As shown in more detail, the communication module 132 can be implemented as any wired and / or wireless interface configured to communicate sensor data, configuration data, parameters, and / or other data and / or signals between elements of the vehicle 110 and / or wirelessly to remote user devices and / or servers, for example. As described herein, in some embodiments, the communication module 132 can be implemented in a distributed manner such that portions of the communication module 132 are implemented within one or more elements of the system 100.

[0038] The orientation sensor 140 can be implemented as one or more of a compass, a float, an accelerometer, and / or other digital or analog devices capable of measuring an orientation of the vehicle 110 and / or one or more other elements of the system 100 (e.g., a magnitude and direction of roll, pitch, and / or yaw relative to one or more reference orientations (e.g., gravity and / or magnetic north)) and providing such measurements as sensor signals that can be communicated to various devices of the system 100. In some embodiments, the orientation sensor 140 can be adapted to provide a heading measurement for the vehicle 110. In other embodiments, the orientation sensor 140 can be adapted to provide a roll, pitch, and / or yaw rate for the vehicle 110 (e.g., using a time series of orientation measurements). For example, the orientation sensor 140 can be positioned and / or adapted to make orientation measurements relative to a particular coordinate system of the vehicle 110.

[0039] The velocity sensor 142 can be implemented as an electronic pitot tube, a metered gear or wheel, a water speed sensor, a wind speed sensor, a wind velocity sensor (e.g., direction and magnitude), and / or other devices capable of measuring or determining a linear velocity of the vehicle 110 (e.g., in a surrounding medium and / or aligned with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle 110) and providing such measurements (e.g., sensor signals) that can be communicated to various devices of the system 100. In some embodiments, the velocity sensor 142 can be adapted to provide a velocity of the surrounding medium relative to the sensor 142 and / or the vehicle 110.

[0040] The gyroscope / accelerometer 144 can be implemented as one or more electronic sextants, semiconductor devices, integrated chips, accelerometer sensors, accelerometer sensor systems, or other devices capable of measuring angular / accelerational and / or linear accelerational (e.g., orientation and magnitude) of the vehicle 110 and / or other elements of the system 100 and providing such measurements as sensor signals that can be communicated to other devices of the system 100 (e.g., the user interface 120, the controller 130). For example, the gyroscope / accelerometer 144 can be positioned and / or adapted to make such measurements with respect to a particular coordinate system of the vehicle 110. In various embodiments, the gyroscope / accelerometer 144 can be implemented in a common housing and / or module with other elements of the system 100 to ensure a common frame of reference or known transformation between frames of reference.

[0041] The GNSS 146 can be implemented as a global positioning satellite receiver and / or other device capable of determining an absolute and / or relative position of the vehicle 110 (e.g., or another element of the system 100), for example, based on wireless signals received from space-based and / or terrestrial sources, and providing such measurements as sensor signals that can be communicated to various devices of the system 100. In some embodiments, the GNSS 146 can be adapted to determine a velocity, speed, and / or yaw rate of the vehicle 110 (such as an absolute velocity and / or yaw component of an angular velocity of the vehicle 110) (e.g., using a time series of position measurements). In various embodiments, one or more logic devices of the system 100 can be adapted to determine a computed speed of the vehicle 110 and / or a yaw component of a computed angular velocity from such sensor information.

[0042] The temperature sensor 148 can be implemented as a thermistor, electrical sensor, electrical thermometer, and / or other device capable of measuring a temperature associated with, for example, the vehicle 110, the occupant restraint system 170, the OCS 200, and / or one or more other elements of the system 100, and providing such measurements as sensor signals that can be communicated to various elements of the system 100, including the controller 130. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 148 can be configured to measure an operating temperature of one or more elements of the OCS 200 and / or other elements of the system 100 that are directly coupled (e.g., thermally and / or physically) to or in the vicinity of the OCS 200. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor 148 can be configured to measure an ambient temperature associated with the vehicle 110, such as a cabin temperature or an instrument panel temperature, for example, which can be used to estimate a temperature of one or more elements of the system 100, including the OCS 200.

[0043] The humidity sensor 149 can be implemented as a relative humidity sensor, an electrical sensor, an electrical relative humidity sensor, and / or other device capable of measuring relative humidity associated with the vehicle 110, the occupant restraint system 170, and / or one or more other elements of the system 100, and capable of providing such measurements as sensor signals that can be communicated to various elements of the system 100, including the controller. In some embodiments, the humidity sensor 149 can be configured to measure relative humidity associated with one or more elements of the OCS 200, and / or associated with other elements of the system 100 that are directly coupled (such as physically coupled) to the OCS 200 or in the vicinity of elements of the OCS 200. In other embodiments, the humidity sensor 149 can be configured to measure ambient relative humidity associated with the vehicle 110, for example, a cabin relative humidity or a dashboard relative humidity, which can be used to estimate relative humidity of one or more elements of the system 100, including the OCS 200. In one embodiment, the humidity sensor 149 can be integrated with the temperature sensor 148.

[0044] The steering sensor / actuator 150 can be adapted to physically adjust a heading of the vehicle 110 in accordance with one or more control signals provided by logic of the system 100 (e.g., the controller 130) and / or user input. The steering sensor / actuator 150 can include one or more actuators and control surfaces (e.g., a rudder or other type of steering or trim mechanism) of the vehicle 110, and can be adapted to physically adjust the control surfaces to various positive and / or negative steering angles / positions. The steering sensor / actuator 150 can also be adapted to sense a current steering angle / position of such steering mechanisms, and provide such measurements to the controller 130, for example, to facilitate feedback autopilot control of the vehicle 110, or to adjust operation of other elements of the system 100.

[0045] The propulsion system 160 can be implemented as a propeller, a turbine, or other thrust-based propulsion system, a mechanical wheeled propulsion system and / or tracked propulsion system, a sail-based propulsion system, and / or other types of propulsion systems that can be used to provide power to the vehicle 110. In some embodiments, the propulsion system 160 can include, for example, non-articulating elements such that the direction of power and / or thrust generated by such elements is fixed relative to the coordinate system of the vehicle 110. Non-limiting examples of non-articulating propulsion elements include, for example, a fixed drive train for a land vehicle, an in-vehicle motor for a watercraft with a fixed thrust vector, or a fixed aircraft propeller or turbine. In other embodiments, the propulsion system 160 can include articulating elements, and it can be coupled to and / or integrated with the steering sensor / actuator 150, for example, such that the direction of power and / or thrust generated is variable relative to the coordinate system of the vehicle 110. Non-limiting examples of articulating propulsion elements include, for example, a steerable drive train for a land vehicle, an out-of-vehicle motor for a watercraft, an in-vehicle motor for a watercraft with a variable thrust vector / portal (e.g., for steering a watercraft), a sail, or an aircraft propeller or turbine using a variable thrust vector.

[0046] The occupant restraint system 170 can be implemented with one or more airbag controllers, airbag assemblies, seatbelt detection and locking / unlocking assemblies, and / or other passenger restraint subsystems (e.g., including the occupant classification system 200). In general, the occupant restraint system 170 can include various environmental and / or state sensors, actuators, and / or other devices that facilitate operation of safety mechanisms associated with operation of the vehicle 110. For example, the occupant restraint system 170 can be configured to receive motion and / or state data from the sensors 140-149 and use such sensor data to inhibit or deploy airbags. The occupant restraint system 170 can also act as an intermediary between various critical safety systems and the controller 130, for example, in order to provide a low-latency or prioritized command structure that facilitates safe operation of the vehicle 101.

[0047] The occupant classification system 200 can be implemented with one or more different types of occupant detection sensors, such as occupant weight sensors and occupant presence sensors, as described in greater detail herein. The occupant classification system 200 can also include or be configured to access various types of environmental sensors, including temperature sensors 148 and humidity sensors 149, in order to apply appropriate compensation to the various occupant sensors and produce more reliable and accurate results. The occupant classification derived from the sensor data can include the following classifications: child, 5th percentile female (e.g., a relatively small and / or light adult female), 50th percentile male (e.g., an average male), and embodiments are capable of reliably distinguishing each classification under a variety of different conditions, such as conditions related to posture, position, leg extension, clothing, presence and type of car seat, and / or other conditions. The occupant classification states can include application-specific states tailored to specific applications of airbags, including operation of airbags for protecting occupants of the vehicle 110. In some embodiments, such occupant classification states can include a "suppress" or "inhibit" state (e.g., to suppress detonation of airbag inflators), a "small" state (e.g., to partially detonate airbag inflators or one or a few of a plurality of airbags / inflators), and a "large" state (e.g., to fully detonate airbag inflators or a plurality of airbags / inflators). Embodiments of the OCS 200 are capable of reliably classifying occupants according to standard classification criteria. Moreover, in the event of a collision and airbag deployment and / or other action moderated by the occupant restraint system 170 and / or other elements of the system 100, the increased sensitivity and granularity provided by embodiments of the OCS 200 can provide for safer and more graduated responses.

[0048] For example, in some embodiments, the more granular occupant classification states can include an inhibit state (e.g., corresponding to an empty passenger seat or a passenger seat with an infant car seat - different occupant classification - specific state for the same application), a type 1 airbag deployment state (e.g., corresponding to a small child occupant classification), a type 2 airbag deployment state (e.g., corresponding to a small adult occupant classification), a type 3 airbag deployment state (e.g., corresponding to a large adult occupant classification), and a type 4 airbag deployment state (e.g., corresponding to an extra large adult occupant classification). Each type of airbag deployment state can identify a graduated airbag deployment, such as from type 1 to type 4 (and / or additional types), total airbag inflator energy, number and location of airbags, and / or other airbag deployment characteristics. Alternatively or additionally, each type of airbag deployment state can identify a different airbag deployment mechanism, such as a particular type and location of airbag configured to safely deploy for a child. In general, an empty or car seat occupant classification can correspond to an inhibit state, and a child occupant classification can correspond to a type 1 airbag deployment state.Figure 2B In some embodiments, the small child occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 242 of the chart 240 in FIG. 2B, the small adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 244 of the chart 240 in FIG. 2B, the large adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 246 of the chart 240 in FIG. 2B, and the super large adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 248 of the chart 240 in FIG. 2B. In some embodiments, the small child occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 242 of the chart 240 in FIG. 2B and a portion of the gray zone 250, the small adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 244 and a portion of the gray zone 250 and 252, the large adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the pattern 246 and a portion of the gray zone 252 and / or 254, and the super large adult occupant classification can correspond to a portion of the gray zone 252.

[0049] Although Figure 1A While various sensors and / or other components of the system 100 are shown separate from the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200, in other embodiments, any one or a combination of the sensors and components of the system 100 can be integrated with the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200. For example, the temperature sensor 148 and / or the humidity sensor 149 can be integrated with the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200 and configured to provide a direct measurement of the temperature and / or humidity of one or more elements of the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200.

[0050] The other modules 180 can include other and / or additional sensors, sensor arrays, actuators, logic devices, communication modules / nodes, power and / or power distribution components, and / or user interface devices for measuring and / or providing additional environmental conditions and / or status information related to the vehicle 110 and / or other elements of the system 100. In some embodiments, the other modules 180 can include additional humidity sensors, barometers, pressure sensors, position sensors, alarms, radar systems, cameras, and / or other environmental sensors that provide measurement values and / or other sensor signals that can be displayed to a user and / or used by other elements of the system 100 (e.g., the controller 130) to provide operational control of the vehicle 110 and / or the system 100 that compensates for environmental conditions. In some embodiments, the other modules 180 can include a sound monitoring subsystem configured to monitor voice commands and / or other sounds within a cabin of the vehicle and provide the verbal commands and / or sounds to the controller 130.

[0051] Generally, each of the elements of the system 100 can be implemented with any suitable logic device (e.g., a processing device, a microcontroller, a processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a memory storage device, a memory reader, or other device or combination of devices) that can be adapted to execute, store, and / or receive suitable instructions, such as, for example, software instructions implementing a method for controlling operation of the occupant restraint system 170, or software instructions implementing a method for transmitting and / or receiving communications, such as sensor signals, sensor information, and / or control signals, between one or more devices of the system 100. In one embodiment, such a method can include instructions for forming one or more communication links between various devices of the system 100 and / or between one or more remote user devices and / or servers. Further, one or more machine-readable media can be provided for storing non-transitory instructions for loading into and execution by any logic device implemented with one or more devices of the system 100. In these and other embodiments, the logic device can be implemented with other components as appropriate, such as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and / or one or more interfaces (e.g., an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interface, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), a joint test action group (JTAG) interface (e.g., IEEE 1149.1 Standard Test Access Port and Boundary Scan Architecture), and / or other interfaces, such as an interface to one or more antennas, or an interface to a particular type of sensor).

[0052] Each of the elements of the system 100 can be implemented with one or more amplifiers, modulators, phase adjusters, beam shaping components, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), various interfaces, antennas, transducers, and / or other analog and / or digital components that enable each of the devices of the system 100 to transmit and / or receive signals, for example, of varying frequencies, in order to facilitate wired and / or wireless communications between one or more devices of the system 100. For example, such components can be integrated with the corresponding elements of the system 100. In some embodiments, the same or similar components can be used to perform one or more sensor measurements, as described herein. Sensor signals, control signals, and other signals can be communicated among the elements of the system 100 using various wired and / or wireless communication techniques, including voltage signaling, Ethernet, WiFi, CAN bus or other medium and / or short range wired and / or wireless networking protocols and / or implementations. In such embodiments, each element of the system 100 can include one or more modules that support wired communication techniques, wireless communication techniques, and / or a combination of wired and wireless communication techniques.

[0053] Figure 1B A diagram illustrating a vehicle control and reporting system 102 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As can be seen in Figure 1B , the system 102 can include Figure 1A the system 100 configured to communicate with a user device 112 and / or a server 116 through one or more of the communication links 113, 115, and 117, and the network 114 and / or the optional direct communication link 111. In various embodiments, the communication links 111, 113, 115, and 117, and the network 114 can include one or more wired and / or wireless network interfaces, protocols, topologies, and / or methods as described herein.

[0054] In typical operation, the system 100 can be configured to provide information related to the operation and / or status of the vehicle 110 and / or elements of the system 100 / vehicle 110 to the user device 112 and / or the server 116, and / or receive control commands associated with elements of the system 100 / vehicle 110 from the user device 112 and / or the server 116, for example. For example, the controller 130 of the system 100 can be configured to use the communication module 132 to establish a communication link 117 to the network 114 (e.g., a wide area network such as a cellular network and / or the Internet), to communicate with the server 116 through the communication link 115 and / or the user device 112 through the communication link 113, for example, and to receive control commands associated with elements of the system 100. In other embodiments, the controller 130 of the system 100 can be configured to use the communication module 132 to establish a direct communication link 111 to the user device 112 (e.g., a local area network such as a Bluetooth® or Wifi network), and to receive control commands directly from the user device 112.

[0055] ​Alternatively, the controller 130 and the communication module 132 can be configured to report various operational characteristics and / or statuses associated with the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200 to the user device 112 and / or the server 116 using any communication mechanism. In particular, the controller 130 can be configured to determine an occupant classification and / or an occupant classification status of an occupant and report the occupant classification and / or the occupant classification status to the user device 112 and / or the server 116. Such reporting can indicate, for example, a safety issue associated with a particular occupant or occupants (such as an unbuckled occupant), a number of occupants detected in the vehicle and / or their classifications and / or classification statuses, a cabin temperature coupled with the presence of a child and / or a locked / closed vehicle cabin, and / or other safety issues identified by the occupant restraint system 170 and / or the OCS 200. In various embodiments, communications between elements of the system 102 can be time-stamped to distinguish old and updated commands, statuses, and / or associated environmental conditions.

[0056] The user device 112 can be implemented as a logic device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a smartphone, a desktop computer, and / or a server computer that can be configured to provide control commands (e.g., a door unlatch command or a window open command) to the system 100 and / or receive classifications, statuses, and / or associated environmental conditions reported by the system 100 and present corresponding identifiers on a display of the user device 112. In some embodiments, the user device 112 can be configured to present a control selector on the display of the user device 112, receive a selection of the control selector by a user, and provide a corresponding unlatch or control command to the system 100.

[0057] The server 116 can be implemented as a logic device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and / or a server computer that can be configured to provide control commands to the system 100 and / or receive classifications, statuses, and / or associated environmental conditions reported by the system 100. In some embodiments, the server 116 can be used to communicate such commands, statuses, and / or other data between the system 100 and the user device 112. In other embodiments, the server 116 can initiate various control commands. For example, a user can inadvertently lock the user device 112 in the vehicle 110 and / or a vehicle accessory of the vehicle 110. The user can call a service provider operating the server 116 (e.g., using a different user device 112) to request that the service provider unlatch the vehicle 110 and / or unlatch a vehicle accessory of the vehicle 110, and the service provider can use the server 116 to do so.

[0058] Communication link 111 can typically be used for local area networks (such as, according to...) Communication link 117 can typically be implemented using one or more wireless network interfaces, protocols, topologies, and / or methods configured for a wide area network (such as a WiFi or cellular communication link). Communication links 113 and / or 115 can typically be implemented using one or more wired and / or wireless network interfaces, protocols, topologies, and / or methods configured to connect to a wide area network interface. Network 114 can typically be implemented using a wide area network such as a cellular network and / or the Internet. Although network 114 is... Figure 1B While shown as a single element, in various embodiments, network 114 may include multiple network infrastructures and / or combinations of infrastructures, such that each of system 100 / vehicle 110 and / or user equipment 112 may be configured to access server 116 using substantially different network infrastructures.

[0059] Figure 2A A diagram of an OCS 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Figure 2A As shown, the OCS 200 includes a passenger seat 210 having an occupant weight sensor 222 and an occupant presence sensor 224 disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210, and an occupant presence sensor 226 disposed within the backrest 216 of the passenger seat 210. The passenger seat 210 can be used to secure an operator / driver and / or a passive passenger to and / or within the cabin of the vehicle 110 (e.g., as used herein, "passenger seat" can refer to any type of seat for a vehicle, including a driver's seat). The occupant weight sensor 222 and the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 are electrically coupled to the OCS controller 230 and configured to communicate with the OCS controller 230 via corresponding sensor leads 223, 225, and 227 (e.g., transmitting and / or receiving sensor signals and / or data). Figure 2AAlso shown is an airbag controller 172 and airbag assembly 174 of an occupant restraint system 170 communicatively coupled to other controllers and / or the OCS controller 230 by communication links 173 and 175. Generally, the OCS 200 can be configured to detect and / or classify an occupant of the passenger seat 210 and provide the occupant classification status to the airbag controller 172 to facilitate safe control of the airbag assembly 174. Such occupant classification status can also be used with other elements of the system 100, for example, such as to alert a user of the presence of a child (e.g., an occupant with a particular classification status that is generally different from an adult classification status) in the vehicle 110 when the vehicle 110 is parked and locked.

[0060] Conventionally, occupant detection and classification is relatively difficult. For example, Figure 2B A chart 240 is illustrated that depicts general but problematic occupant classification for an occupant classification system. As Figure 2B As shown, the chart 240 depicts three common operating modes 242 (e.g., to detect a toddler), 244 (e.g., to detect a 5th percentile female), and 246 (e.g., to detect an average or 50th percentile male), each well defined but bordering on gray zones 250, 252, and 254 that are generally not well distinguished from the modes 242, 244, and 246, which can cause injury, for example, when an airbag should be inhibited (e.g., for a child), or deployed according to a "small airbag" protocol (e.g., partially deployed or partially suppressed deployment) rather than a "large airbag" protocol (e.g., fully deployed). Embodiments of the present disclosure address this need by providing additional granularity and sensitivity in a way that reliably distinguishes children from, for example, relatively small men and women. Figure 2C A chart 260 is illustrated that complicates operation of an occupant classification system with occupant posture and position 264. As can be seen from the graph 264 and accompanying description 262, children and restless adults can be particularly difficult to detect and classify while the vehicle is in motion. This is particularly true when attempting to classify an adult that is sometimes sitting with legs extended and sometimes with feet flat and positioned near the front edge of the passenger seat 210. Embodiments of the OCS 200 can provide relatively reliable and granular occupant classification status by incorporating multiple differentiated and relatively sensitive occupant sensors (e.g., as shown, occupant weight sensors 222 and occupant presence sensors 224 and 226).

[0061] Figure 2AThe occupant weight sensor 222 can be a capacitive and / or other type of weight sensor configured to provide occupant weight sensor signals associated with the passenger seat 210 to the OCS controller 230. For example, the occupant weight sensor 222 of the OCS 200 can be implemented by one or more of an air bladder weight sensor (e.g., a compressible sealed air enclosure disposed within the seat cushion 212 and coupled to a pressure sensor configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of occupant weight) and / or other conventional vehicle occupant weight sensors. As Figure 2A shown, the occupant weight sensor 222 can be disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210 to measure the seated weight of a passenger or occupant of the passenger seat 210. In some embodiments, the occupant weight sensor 222 can be generally planar and can be oriented substantially parallel to a top surface or seat pan of the seat cushion 212. The occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 can be capacitive and / or other type of occupant / passenger presence sensors configured to provide occupant presence sensor signals associated with the passenger seat 210 to the OCS controller 230. As Figure 2A shown, the occupant presence sensor 224 can be disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210 to measure the seated presence or position of a passenger or occupant of the passenger seat 210. The occupant presence sensor 226 can be disposed within the seat back 216 of the passenger seat 210 to measure the reclined presence or posture of a passenger or occupant of the passenger seat 210. In some embodiments, either of the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 can be omitted from the OCS 200.

[0062] In Figure 2A each of the occupant weight sensor 222 and the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 is communicatively coupled to the OCS controller 230 by sensor leads 223, 225, and 227. In various embodiments, the OCS controller 230 can be similar to the OCS controller 130 described with respect to Figure 1AThe OCS controller 230 can be configured to poll the occupant weight sensor 222 and / or the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 and receive corresponding sensor data. For example, as described in greater detail herein, in embodiments in which each of the occupant weight sensor 222 and the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226 are implemented as capacitive sensors, the OCS controller 230 can be configured to supply a capacitive probe signal (e.g., a signal having a frequency and / or bandwidth) to the occupant weight sensor 222 and the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226, and in turn receive corresponding mutual and / or self-capacitance sensor signals corresponding to the mutual and / or self-capacitance of each of the sensors. Various capacitive and / or other measurement techniques can be used by the OCS controller 230 to receive corresponding occupant weight sensor signals / data and / or occupant presence sensor signals / data from the occupant weight sensor 222 and the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226.

[0063] The airbag controller 172 can be implemented, for example, similarly to the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230, and can be configured to control operation of the airbag assembly 174. The airbag assembly 174 can include various pyrotechnic charges, airbags, and / or other devices and / or structures that facilitate deployment of airbags in the event of a collision. In various embodiments, the communication links 173 and / or 175 can be implemented, for example, utilizing one or more wired or wireless communication links, and can be coupled through the controller 130. In some embodiments, a portion or all of the communication link 173 can be implemented, for example, as part of a CAN bus of the vehicle 110, or can be a secure direct link between the OCS controller 230 and the airbag controller 172, in order to ensure un- congested and / or relatively low-latency communication between the OCS controller 230 and the airbag controller 172. In some embodiments, the OCS 200 can include a seat belt latch 220 of the passenger seat 210, which can include a seat belt sensor (e.g., to detect seat belt engagement) and / or a lock, and operation of the OCS 200 can be coordinated with the seat belt engagement or lock state, for example, to sound an alarm or warning, or to suppress or prohibit activation of the airbag, in the event that a particular class of occupant is not belted to the passenger seat 210 when the vehicle 110 is in motion or a collision occurs.

[0064] Figures 3A-3F Various capacitive occupant weight sensor arrangements for an occupant classification system are illustrated in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As Figure 3AAs shown, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A is positioned approximately at the center of the seat cushion 212, and is roughly equidistant from the front edge 312 of the seat cushion 212 and the interface 316 with the seat back 216. The capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A occupies approximately 25% of the top surface of the seat cushion 212. Figure 3A The diagram also shows a cutting line 313, which illustrates the cutting line 313 formed by... Figure 3D The orientation of the cross-sectional view of the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A is shown. Figure 3B In this configuration, a capacitive occupant weight sensor 322B is also positioned approximately at the center of the seat cushion 212. However, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322B is larger (e.g., wider and longer) than the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A, and occupies approximately 90% of the top surface of the seat cushion 212. This increased surface area typically increases the sensitivity of the weight sensor, particularly for problematic postures and foot positions. Generally, the surface area of ​​the capacitive occupant weight sensor (viewed from above) can vary between approximately 25% and 90% of the surface area of ​​the top surface of the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. Figure 3C In this configuration, a first capacitive occupant weight sensor 322C and a second capacitive occupant weight sensor 322D are disposed within the seat cushion 212. Similar to the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322B, this arrangement provides increased sensitivity but is easier to conform to the contours of the seat cushion 212 and is less prone to damage. Furthermore, this dual capacitive occupant weight sensor can be configured to sense a wider range of differentiated postures and positions for the occupant. As shown, the first capacitive weight sensor 322C is disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210, adjacent to the front edge 312 of the seat cushion 212, and is oriented such that its generally planar structure is substantially parallel to the top surface and / or seat plate of the seat cushion 212. The second capacitive weight sensor 322D is disposed within the seat cushion 212, between the first capacitive weight sensor 322D and an interface 316 located between the seat cushion 212 and the backrest 216 of the passenger seat 210.

[0065] Figure 3D A cross-sectional view of the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A along cut line 313 is shown. Figure 3D The dimensions of the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A are not drawn to scale and are enlarged to show component details. (See attached image.) Figure 3D As shown, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322A is implemented as a mutual capacitance-based sensor and includes two substantially parallel conductive planar electrodes / metal plates 334 and 336 separated by a dielectric layer 340. Figure 3D In the illustrated embodiment, the dielectric layer 340 can be implemented by patterned dielectric foam, which can be approximately 3 mm to 4 mm thick.

[0066] Conductive electrodes / metal plates 334 and 336 can be made of, for example, copper, aluminum, or other conductive elements or alloy metals, and as shown, can be relatively thin conductive metal foils, such as those bonded to plastic layers 330 and 332 via adhesive layer 339, less than 1 mm thick (e.g., approximately 100 micrometers thick). In other embodiments, one or more of conductive electrodes 334 and 336 can be formed from conductive fabrics, meshes, or grids, such as individual wires, strips, tabs, and / or other conductive structures, which can be woven together, potted (e.g., using adhesives / epoxy resins), sintered, and / or otherwise formed into conductive electrodes 334 and / or 336, and then bonded to protective plastic layers 330 and 332. At least as Figure 3D As shown, at least in cross-section, conductive electrodes 334 and / or 336 can be formed as substantially planar electrodes. However, more generally, in other embodiments, at least in cross-section, conductive electrodes 334 and / or 336 can be formed according to different shapes and arrangements, which may or may not be substantially planar, and conductive electrodes 334 and / or 336 can be accommodated by correspondingly shaped dielectric layers 340. For example, conductive electrodes 334 and / or 336 can each be formed from multiple mesas or substructures conductively linked to corresponding mesas or other substructures in another electrode, the multiple conductively linked mesas or substructures having different spacings (e.g., relative to each other) and / or varying spacings (e.g., within a particular substructure), and all such mesas and / or substructures can be supported by corresponding pockets and / or other shaped portions within plastic layers 330 and 332.

[0067] In various embodiments, the top protective plastic layer 330 may generally (but minimally) be longer and / or wider than the bottom protective plastic layer 332, and both plastic layers 330 and 332 may be at least longer and / or wider than the conductive electrodes / metal plates 334 and 336 and the dielectric layer 340, thereby providing sufficient edge protection against electrical short circuits. Thus, both the top plastic layer 330 and the top copper layer 334 may comprise between 25% and 90% of the surface area of ​​the top surface of the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210, and the conductive electrodes / metal plates 334 and 336 may be oriented such that they are substantially parallel to the top surface of the seat cushion 212 and / or the seat plate of the seat cushion 212. As shown, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322 can be assembled by bonding a plastic layer 330 to a copper layer 334 via adhesive 339 to form a first sub-component, bonding a plastic layer 332 to a copper layer 336 via adhesive 339 to form a second sub-component, and bonding the two sub-components to a dielectric layer 340 via adhesive 338 to form a "sandwich" parallel plate capacitor.

[0068] Figure 3E A cross-sectional view of a dielectric layer 340B is shown, which is oriented similarly to Figure 3D a dielectric layer 340. In some embodiments, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322 can be implemented with an air gap dielectric 340B supported by a compression spring assembly, which is formed by a pair of plastic layers 342 and 344 supported and held apart by a flat compression spring 350 to form an air gap 356, without relying on the extended elasticity of the foam dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the flat compression spring 350 can be formed from a single metal plate / spine 352 having a plurality of spring tabs 354 distributed across the top and bottom surfaces of the metal plate / spine 352. As shown in Figure 3F the flat compression spring 350 can be formed from a patterned metal plate 352 having a plurality of alternating spring tabs 354 and cutouts 360. In various embodiments, each spring tab 354 can include a short bend tab 358, where each spring tab 354 interfaces with the plastic layer 342 or 344 to form the compression spring assembly / air gap dielectric layer 340B. Such tabs 358 can be used to clip and / or otherwise secure the flat compression spring 350 to the plastic layers 342 and 344. Generally, the overall width of the air gap dielectric layer 340B is much greater than the 3-4 mm width of the foam dielectric layer 340, and its thickness can be close to 1 cm or more.

[0069] Figure 3G A cross-sectional view of the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322 is shown as it is disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. Figure 3D The dimensions of the elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale and can have been exaggerated for the sake of illustration. As Figure 3G shown, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322 can be disposed above the seat pan 370 and spring pad 372 of the seat cushion 212, below the foam layer 374 of the seat cushion 212. In some embodiments, the seat cushion 212 can include a heater pad assembly disposed near the top surface / cover 378 of the seat cushion 212 (e.g., the heater pad assembly 376 can be sewn to the back of the interior trim of the seat cushion, which is about 3 mm below the top surface 378, and the trim is hooked to the frame of the passenger seat 210). The seat cushion 212 / passenger seat 210 can be coupled to the vehicle 110 through a mounting assembly 380, which can be adjustable. Similar arrangements with respect to heater pad assemblies, top surfaces / cover, foam layers, and / or other similar elements can be used for the seat back 216 of the passenger seat 210.

[0070] Figure 3H A side view of the dielectric layer 340C is shown, which can be oriented and / or arranged to form a dielectric layer for the occupant weight sensor, similar to the dielectric layer 340 of Figure 3D and / or the dielectric layer 340B of Figure 3E In some embodiments, the capacitive occupant weight sensor 322 can be implemented with an air gap dielectric 340C supported by a compression spring assembly, formed by an array of wave springs 354C supporting and maintaining apart a pair of plastic layers 342C and 344C (e.g., upper and lower plates, respectively) to form an air gap 356C. As shown in Figure 3G the plastic layers 342C and 344C can include one or more alignment assemblies 362 configured to secure and align the plastic layers 342C and 344C to each other, and to secure the wave springs 354C between the plastic layers 342C and 344C. In various embodiments, for example, the wave springs 354C can be implemented by, for example, one or more single turns, multiple turns (e.g., 2 or more turns), and / or nested wave springs and / or other spring arrangements, diameters, and / or components, and the wave springs 354C can be selected to provide a corresponding range of occupant weight and / or a particular range of capacitance change (e.g., deflection of the conductive electrodes / metal plates 334 and 336) across the weight distribution of the top surface / cover 378 of the seat cushion 212.

[0071] As shown in Figure 3I the plastic layers 342C and / or 344C can include one or more patterned recesses / grooves 345 and / or mesas 347 (e.g., formed in the inner surfaces 343 of the plastic layers 342C / 344C) configured to align each individual wave spring 354C relative to the inner surfaces 343 and / or the plastic layers 342C / 344C, and / or relative to other springs in the array of wave springs 354C, and / or to hold the wave springs 354C in place. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3I the patterned recesses 345 and / or mesas 347 and corresponding array of wave springs 354C are generally arranged in a square grid arrangement. In other embodiments, the patterned recesses 345 and / or mesas 347 and corresponding array of wave springs 354C can be numbered and / or arranged according to other grid arrangements (e.g., oblique rectangular, centered rectangular, and / or hexagonal) and / or patterns to provide a particular range of capacitance change for a corresponding range of occupant weight and / or weight distribution across the top surface / cover 378 of the seat cushion 212. Arrays of different sizes, including different numbers of columns and / or rows, different inter-spring spacing, and / or different spring diameters, are contemplated.

[0072] In various embodiments, each alignment assembly 362 of the plastic layer 342C / 344C can include a shaped alignment ridge / seat 364 formed around a through-hole 363 (e.g., for a set screw) formed in the inner surface 343 within each of the perimeter tabs 365 of the plastic layer 342C / 344C. Figure 3J A plastic layer 342C / 344C is shown Figure 3I with a wave spring 354C placed in the patterned recess 345 and / or mesa 347 and aligned through (e.g., located within). As Figures 3H-3J shown, in some embodiments, the plastic layers 342C and 344C can be formed, for example, to be substantially structurally identical, thereby simplifying the manufacturing of the plastic layers 342C and 344C (e.g., the same pressing, molding, and / or cutting pattern can be used to manufacture the plastic layer 342C and the plastic layer 344C). In general, the total width of the air gap dielectric layer 340C can be similar to the width provided by the air gap dielectric layer 340B (e.g., can approach a thickness of 1 cm or more).

[0073] Figure 4 A diagram of a capacitive occupant presence sensor 424 for the OCS 200 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. As Figure 4 shown, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424 is implemented as a self-capacitance based sensor and includes at least one conductive metal trace 440 disposed within the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. In Figure 4 particular, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424 is integrated with a heater mat assembly 450 that includes an outer conductive metal trace 452 configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 450. The inner conductive metal trace 440 can extend across between 50% to 100% of the length and / or width of the seat cushion 212 (such as in a serpentine pattern) and forms a self-capacitance based sensor configured to detect the presence and / or presence response of a passenger in the passenger seat 210. Figure 4 Terminals 454 and 442 are also shown, with the terminals 454 facilitating electrical connection to the outer conductive metal trace / heater element 452 and the terminals 442 facilitating electrical connection to the inner conductive metal trace 440. The sensor lead 225 extending from the terminals 440 is insulated in a corrugated tube surrounded by felt, thereby preventing direct contact with the vehicle 110 ground.

[0074] Generally, the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424 is approximately inversely proportional to the distance between the inner conductive metal trace 440 and a passenger seated or attempting to be seated on the seat cushion 212. In various embodiments, once at least a portion of a passenger is within approximately 4 mm of the inner conductive metal trace 440, a passenger seated on the seat cushion 212 will generate a measurable change in the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424. This presence detection proximity threshold can be increased or decreased (e.g., from 2 mm - 8 mm or from, e.g., more) by, for example, adjusting the pattern, size, and / or other structural characteristics of the inner conductive metal trace 440 and / or the seat cushion 212, and / or by adjusting the frequency, amplitude, and / or other characteristics of the capacitive probe signal (e.g., supplied by the OCS controller 230) that is used to generate the self-capacitance sensor signal from the occupant presence sensor 424. Further, the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424 is approximately proportional to the footprint of the passenger over the inner conductive metal trace 440 when the passenger is seated on the seat cushion 212. Thus, the occupant presence sensor signal provided by the occupant presence sensor 424 is indicative of both the presence of an occupant on the seat cushion 212 and the passenger seat 210, as well as a measure of the footprint of the occupant over the surface area of the top surface / cover 378 of the seat cushion 212, which, as described herein, can be used to detect occupants and distinguish between different classes of occupants.

[0075] Figure 5 A diagram of a capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 for the OCS 200 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is implemented as a self-capacitance based sensor and includes at least one conductive metal trace 540 disposed within the backrest 216 of the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is integrated with a heater mat assembly 550 that includes an outer conductive metal trace 552 configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550. Figure 5 Figure 5 In various embodiments, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is integrated with a heater mat assembly 550 that includes an outer conductive metal trace 552 configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550. The inner conductive metal trace 540 can extend across between 50% to 100% of the length and / or width of the seat backrest 216 (such as in a serpentine pattern) and forms a self-capacitance based sensor configured to detect the presence and / or presence response of a passenger in the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. Figure 5 In various embodiments, the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is integrated with a heater mat assembly 550 that includes an outer conductive metal trace 552 configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550. The inner conductive metal trace 540 can extend across between 50% to 100% of the length and / or width of the seat backrest 216 (such as in a serpentine pattern) and forms a self-capacitance based sensor configured to detect the presence and / or presence response of a passenger in the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210. In various embodiments, the outer conductive metal trace 552 is configured to function as a heater element of the heater mat assembly 550 and is configured to be heated by the OCS controller 230 to heat the seat backrest 216 and / or the seat cushion 212 of the passenger seat 210.

[0076] ​Similar to the capacitive occupant presence sensor 424, the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is approximately inversely proportional to the distance between the inner conductive metal trace 540 and a passenger sitting or attempting to sit against the backrest 216 (e.g., leaning back in the backrest 216). In various embodiments, once at least a portion of the passenger is within approximately 4 mm of the inner conductive metal trace 540, the passenger sitting against the backrest 216 will generate a measurable change in the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526, and such presence detection proximity threshold can be increased or decreased (e.g., from 2 mm to 8 mm or from, for example, greater) by adjusting the structural characteristics of the inner conductive metal trace 540 and / or the seat backrest 216, and / or by adjusting the characteristics of the capacitive detection signal, which is used to generate a self-capacitance sensor signal from the occupant presence sensor 526. Furthermore, when a passenger is seated against the seat back 216, the self-capacitance of the capacitive occupant presence sensor 526 is approximately proportional to the area of ​​the passenger covered above the inner conductive metal trace 540. Therefore, the occupant presence sensor signal provided by the occupant presence sensor 526 indicates both the presence of an occupant against the seat back 216 and / or in the passenger seat 210, and a measure of the area of ​​the occupant covered above the surface area of ​​the top surface / cover of the seat back 216, which, as described herein, can be used to detect occupants and distinguish different categories of occupants.

[0077] Figure 6 The illustration shows a flowchart of a process 600 for detecting and / or classifying vehicle occupants using various elements of an OCS 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, Figure 6 The operation can be implemented by and Figures 1A-5 The software instructions executed by one or more logic devices associated with the described corresponding electronic device, sensor, and / or structure. More generally, Figure 6 The operation can be implemented using any combination of software instructions and / or electronic hardware (e.g., inductors, capacitors, amplifiers, actuators, or other analog and / or digital components). It should be understood that any step, substep, subprocess, or block of process 600 can be implemented in conjunction with... Figure 6 The illustrated embodiments are performed in different orders or arrangements. For example, in other embodiments, one or more blocks may be omitted from or added to the process. Furthermore, block inputs, block outputs, various sensor signals, sensor information, calibration parameters, and / or other operating parameters may be stored in one or more memories before moving to a subsequent part of the corresponding process. Although references... Figures 1A-5The described systems describe the process 600, but the process 600 can be performed by other systems different from those, including different selections of electronic devices, sensors, components, actuators, vehicle accessories, vehicles, and / or vehicle attributes. As described herein, upon initiation of the process 600, various system parameters can be populated, for example, by a previous execution of a process similar to the process 600, or can be initialized to zero and / or to one or more values corresponding to typical, stored, and / or learned values derived from past operations of the process 600.

[0078] At block 602, the logic device receives an occupant weight sensor signal and / or an occupant presence sensor signal. For example, the controller 130 of the system 100 and / or the OCS controller 230 of the OCS 200 can be configured to receive an occupant weight sensor signal associated with the passenger seat 210 from the occupant weight sensor 222 and an occupant presence sensor signal associated with the passenger seat 210 from the occupant presence sensors 224 and / or 226. In some embodiments, as described herein, the received occupant weight sensor signal and occupant presence sensor signal can be uncompensated sensor signals. The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to receive a temperature and / or relative humidity associated with the passenger seat 210 (e.g., from the temperature sensor 148 and / or the humidity sensor 149) and use the temperature and / or relative humidity to convert the uncompensated sensor signals to compensated sensor data (e.g., typically digitized sensor signals, but optionally compensated analog sensor signals).

[0079] In various embodiments, as described herein, the occupant weight sensor 222 can be implemented by a capacitive weight sensor 322, and the occupant weight sensor signals can comprise mutual capacitance sensor signals. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to supply a capacitive probe signal (e.g., a signal having a frequency and / or bandwidth) to the capacitive weight sensor 322, and in turn receive a corresponding mutual capacitance sensor signal indicative of a strain and / or compressive pressure experienced by the capacitive weight sensor 322, which can be related to the weight of an occupant seated on the passenger seat 210. Similarly, as described herein, the occupant presence sensors 224 and / or 226 can be implemented by capacitive presence sensors 424 and / or 526, and the occupant presence sensor signals can comprise self-capacitance sensor signals. The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to supply a capacitive probe signal to the capacitive presence sensors 424 and / or 526, and in turn receive a corresponding self-capacitance sensor signal indicative of a change in the dielectric environment experienced by the capacitive presence sensors 424 and / or 526 (e.g., a change in the electrical sensitivity or permittivity of the environment surrounding the occupant presence sensors 424 and / or 526), which can be related to the presence and / or size / footprint of an occupant seated on the passenger seat 210. In alternative embodiments, the occupant weight sensor 222 of the OCS 200 can be implemented by a gas bag weight sensor and / or other conventional vehicle occupant weight sensor, and the occupant presence sensors 224 and / or 226 can be implemented by capacitive presence sensors 424 and / or 526.

[0080] At block 604, the logic determines an estimated occupant weight based on the received occupant weight sensor signal. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine an estimated occupant weight based at least in part on the received occupant weight sensor signal in block 602. In embodiments in which the received occupant weight sensor signal is an uncompensated occupant weight sensor signal, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine a compensated occupant weight sensor data based at least in part on a temperature and / or relative humidity associated with the passenger seat 210 (e.g., received from the temperature sensor 148 and / or the humidity sensor 149 in block 602). For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to convert the uncompensated occupant weight sensor signal (e.g., which can first be digitized to extract a sensor signal characteristic that is generally proportional to a current mutual capacitance of the capacitive weight sensor 322) to compensated occupant weight sensor data using a temperature and / or humidity calibration table (e.g., generated from calibrations for known weights, temperatures, and humidities, and stored in memory for the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230). The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to then determine an estimated occupant weight based at least in part on the compensated occupant weight sensor data.

[0081] At block 606, the logic determines an occupant presence response based on the received occupant presence sensor signal. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine an occupant presence response based at least in part on the received occupant presence sensor signal in block 602. Such an occupant presence response can correspond to, for example, a presence and / or footprint of an occupant in the passenger seat 210 (e.g., a self-capacitance value that can be normalized or combined with known calibration values or ranges to indicate a presence of an occupant and / or a particular footprint relative to an empty passenger seat), or can simply be a Boolean value indicating a presence or absence of an occupant (e.g., after comparison to calibration values or ranges corresponding to known presence or absence states). In one particular embodiment in which the occupant presence sensor is implemented by a capacitive presence sensor (e.g., the capacitive presence sensor 424 and / or 526), the occupant presence response can be determined as a difference between a currently measured self-capacitance of the capacitive presence sensor and a known self-capacitance calibration or threshold (e.g., which can be adjusted / compensated for a particular temperature or humidity of the passenger seat) that corresponds to an empty passenger seat.

[0082] In embodiments in which the received occupant presence sensor signal is an uncompensated occupant presence sensor signal, controller 130 and / or OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine compensated occupant presence sensor data based at least in part on a temperature and / or relative humidity associated with passenger seat 210 (e.g., received from temperature sensor 148 and / or humidity sensor 149 in block 602). For example, controller 130 and / or OCS controller 230 can be configured to use a temperature and / or humidity calibration table (e.g., generated from calibration for known occupant presence, temperature, and humidity, for example, and stored in memory for controller 130 and / or OCS controller 230) to convert the uncompensated occupant presence sensor signal (e.g., which can first be digitized to extract a sensor signal characteristic that is generally proportional to a current self-capacitance of capacitive presence sensor 424 and / or 526) to compensated occupant presence sensor data. As described herein, controller 130 and / or OCS controller 230 can be configured to then determine an occupant presence response based at least in part on the compensated occupant presence sensor data.

[0083] At block 608, the logic determines an occupant classification state based on the estimated occupant weight and / or the occupant presence response. For example, controller 130 and / or OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine an occupant classification state corresponding to passenger seat 210 based at least in part on the estimated occupant weight and / or the occupant presence response determined in blocks 604 and / or 606. In some embodiments, the occupant classification state can be determined based on a relatively simple logic table, such as the logic table 700 shown. Figure 7 As shown, two rows corresponding to two presence classifications (e.g., not present and present, a Boolean reduction of the occupant presence response) can be distinguished from one another by a threshold presence value (e.g., or two threshold presence ranges), and used in table 700 to select one of two states for each range of estimated occupant weight (e.g., from capacitive weight sensor 322). Three columns corresponding to three weight classifications (e.g., inhibit, small, and large) can be distinguished from one another by two threshold weight values (e.g., or three threshold weight ranges), and used in table 700 to select one of three possible states based on the occupant presence response. Figure 7 As shown, two rows corresponding to two presence classifications (e.g., not present and present, a Boolean reduction of the occupant presence response) can be distinguished from one another by a threshold presence value (e.g., or two threshold presence ranges), and used in table 700 to select one of two states for each range of estimated occupant weight (e.g., from capacitive weight sensor 322). Three columns corresponding to three weight classifications (e.g., inhibit, small, and large) can be distinguished from one another by two threshold weight values (e.g., or three threshold weight ranges), and used in table 700 to select one of three possible states based on the occupant presence response.

[0084] Figure 8A And Figure 8B Other similar methods to determine an occupant classification state are illustrated. Figure 8AFigures illustrating a two-dimensional plot 800 of various detected occupants having different occupant classification states, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, is the detected occupant presence response (e.g., as supplied by the capacitive presence sensors 424 in the seat cushion 212) versus the occupant weight (e.g., as supplied by the capacitive weight sensors 322 in the seat cushion 212). In some embodiments, as shown, the plot 800 can be used as a calibration table for determining occupant classification states by plotting measured occupancy versus known occupancy (e.g., estimated occupant weight and / or presence response), and classifying similar occupancies according to a common classification state. In such embodiments, when used with a feedback system, the plot 800 can refine its classification states over time. In Figure 8A In particular, the plot 800 shows four classification states: an empty state 810 (e.g., corresponding to calibration data 820 and thresholds 830 and 840), a prohibited state 812 (e.g., corresponding to calibration data 822 and thresholds 830, 832, 840, and 842, as shown), a small allowed state 814 (e.g., corresponding to calibration data 824 and thresholds 832, 834, 842, and 844, as shown), and a large allowed state 8146 (e.g., corresponding to calibration data 826 and thresholds 834 and 844, as shown).

[0085] Figure 8B Figures illustrating a three-dimensional plot 801 of various detected occupants having different occupant classification states, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, is the detected first occupant presence response and second occupant presence response (e.g., as supplied by the capacitive presence sensors 424 in the seat cushion 212 and the capacitive presence sensors 524 in the seat back 216) versus the occupant weight (e.g., as supplied by the capacitive weight sensors 322 in the seat cushion 212). In some embodiments, as shown, the plot 801 can be used as a calibration table for determining occupant classification states by plotting measured occupancy versus known occupancy, and classifying similar occupancies according to a common classification state. In such embodiments, when used with a feedback system, the plot 801 can refine its classification states over time. In Figure 8B In particular, as shown, the plot 801 shows three classification states distinguished by threshold planes 870 and 872, and eight sub-classified calibration data sets 850-864. Generally, as shown, the magnitude of the occupant presence response associated with each calibration data set increases from data set 850 to data set 864.

[0086] In block 610, the logic device reports the occupant classification status. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to report the occupant classification status to the airbag controller 172 and / or a user interface 110 of the vehicle 110. In some embodiments, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to use the communication module 132 to establish a communication link 111 and / or 117 with the user device 112 and / or the remote server 116 over a local network (e.g., the communication link 111) and / or a wide area network (e.g., the network 114). The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can additionally report various types of environmental data, vehicle status, and / or vehicle characteristics and / or other information associated with the operation of the system 100 along with the occupant classification status. The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can additionally be configured to sound an alarm (e.g., honk a horn or otherwise energize a sound transducer and / or a light - elements of the other modules 180 - to indicate a possible safety issue to a user or passerby). In various embodiments, the occupant classification status can include at least an empty status, a prohibited status, a small allowance status, and a large allowance status or other status, as described herein. Such occupant classification status can also include additional classification statuses to provide a more granular identification to further distinguish among classes of passengers, such as for reporting purposes and / or for different types of airbag controllers and / or airbag assembly deployment procedures.

[0087] In some embodiments, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to implement a feedback system, for example, to improve the accuracy of the OCS 200. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to report the occupant classification status to a user or manufacturer (e.g., through use of the user interface 110 of the vehicle 110, the user device 112, and / or the remote server 116) and receive user feedback indicating an accurate occupant classification status or an inaccurate occupant classification status. The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 may, for example, cause the user interface 110 and / or the user device 112 to present a user selector on a touchscreen display of either device and receive user input as a selection of the presented user selector indicating an accurate occupant classification status or an inaccurate occupant classification status. The controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 may, for example, also present a request for an accurate weight and / or presence of the occupant and receive user feedback indicating an accurate weight and / or presence. Upon receiving such feedback, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can adjust one or more calibration tables and / or thresholds to refine the operation of one or more elements of the OCS 200 and produce more accurate results over time.

[0088] It is contemplated that any of the methods of controlling a vehicle accessory actuator, or combinations thereof, can be performed in accordance with one or more operational contexts of the control loop (e.g., such as start-up, learn, run, and / or other types of operational contexts). For example, the process 600 can proceed back to block 602 and again proceed through the process 600 to re-detect and / or re-classify a vehicle occupant, or to detect and / or classify a different vehicle occupant, as in a control loop.

[0089] Embodiments of the present disclosure can thus provide reliable and granular occupant classification. In particular, the OCS 200 can be configured to provide reliable occupant classification even when subject to a variety of different postures, car seats, seating positions, clothing, and / or other occupant characteristics. Moreover, the OCS 200 can be configured to provide additional granularity that cannot be provided by conventional systems, at least in part due to its multi-element array of highly sensitive and reliable occupancy sensors. When coupled with corresponding airbag controllers and / or airbag assemblies, or additional other elements of an occupant restraint system, embodiments provide increased safety and / or additional safety features compared to conventional systems.

[0090] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating a process 900 for calibrating the OCS 200 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, Figure 9 The operations of the process 900 can be implemented as software instructions executed by one or more logic devices associated with the corresponding electronic devices, sensors, and / or structures depicted. Figures 1A-5 Generally, Figure 9 The operations of the process 900 can be implemented with any combination of software instructions and / or electronic hardware (e.g., inductors, capacitors, amplifiers, actuators, or other analog and / or digital components). It should be appreciated that any of the steps, sub-steps, sub-processes, or blocks of the process 900 can be performed in a different order or arrangement than shown in the embodiments of Figure 9 For example, in other embodiments, one or more blocks can be omitted or added to the process. Moreover, block inputs, block outputs, various sensor signals, sensor information, calibration parameters, and / or other operational parameters can be stored to one or more memories prior to moving to subsequent portions of the corresponding process. Although reference is made to Figures 1A-5The described systems describe the process 900, but the process 900 can be performed by other systems different from those systems, including different selections of electronic devices, sensors, components, actuators, vehicle accessories, vehicles, and / or vehicle attributes. Various system parameters can be populated, e.g., by a previous execution of a process similar to the process 900, or can be initialized to zero and / or one or more values corresponding to typical, stored, and / or learned values derived from past operation of the process 900, as described herein, at the initiation of the process 900.

[0091] At block 902, the OCS is initialized. For example, the manufacturer, the controller 130, and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to energize and / or otherwise power elements of the OCS 200 in preparation for operation. At block 904, the OCS is broken in or otherwise calibrated for use. For example, the manufacturer, the controller 130, and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to, e.g., energize and de-energize elements of the OCS 200, and / or operate the OCS 200 while a dummy occupant of known weight is placed in the passenger seat 210, thereby physically exercising the occupant weight sensor 222 and / or the occupant presence sensors 224 and 226.

[0092] At block 906, a known occupant is loaded into the OCS. For example, the manufacturer, the controller 130, and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to load a known actual or dummy occupant into the OCS 200 by placing the known occupant in the passenger seat 210. In some embodiments, the known occupant can be a known weight placed on the top surface 378 of the seat cushion 212. At block 908, an estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence response corresponding to the known occupant is determined. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine an estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence response corresponding to the known occupant loaded into the OCS 200 in block 906. In embodiments in which the known occupant is a simple known weight, any corresponding changes in the occupant presence response can be ignored from further processing. At block 910, the known occupant is unloaded from the OCS. For example, the manufacturer, the controller 130, and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to unload the known occupant loaded into the OCS 200 in block 906.

[0093] In performing such an uninstall, as described herein, the process 900 can optionally return to block 906 to repeat blocks 906-910 to make repeated determinations of estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence responses, such as for various different known occupants, or over time and / or according to various different temperatures and / or relative humidities. In some embodiments, block 906 can optionally include receiving such measured temperatures and / or relative humidities for each loop of blocks 906, 908, and 910. Optionally, as shown, the process 900 can instead proceed to block 912, and through blocks 906-912, for a loop.

[0094] At block 912, an estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence response corresponding to the uninstalled OCS is determined. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine an estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence response corresponding to the known empty passenger seat 210 of the OCS 200 (e.g., to determine a tare weight and / or tare presence response). After a sufficient number of cycles of blocks 906, 908, 910, and optionally 912, the process 900 can proceed to block 914. The sufficiency of such a cycle can be determined, for example, based on a desired number of iterations, based on a number of different known occupants available for testing, and / or a range and resolution of temperatures and / or relative humidities to calibrate the OCS 200. At block 914, an OCS calibration is determined. For example, the controller 130 and / or the OCS controller 230 can be configured to determine one or more thresholds based on the known occupant weight and / or presence response and corresponding temperatures, relative humidities, and estimated occupant weight and / or occupant presence responses determined and / or measured in blocks 906-910 and optionally 912. Such thresholds and data can produce a graph similar to the graphs 800 and 801 of Figures 8A-8B and / or a logic table similar to the logic table 700 of Figure 7 .

[0095] It is contemplated that any of the methods or combinations of methods of calibrating an OCS can be performed according to one or more operational contexts of the control loop (e.g., such as start-up, learning, run, and / or other types of operational contexts). For example, the process 900 can proceed to return to block 902 and again proceed through the process 900 to calibrate the OCS 200 with additional known occupants and / or according to different environmental conditions, as in the control loop.

[0096] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a process 1000 of forming a capacitive weight sensor 322 is shown, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the operations of Figure 10 may be implemented as being performed by the same components as Figures 1A-5The software instructions executed by one or more logic devices associated with the described corresponding electronic device, sensor, and / or structure. Typically, Figure 10 The operation can be implemented using any combination of software instructions and / or electronic hardware (e.g., inductors, capacitors, amplifiers, actuators, robotic manufacturing machines, or other analog and / or digital components). It should be understood that any step, substep, subprocess, or block of process 1000 can be implemented in conjunction with... Figure 10 The illustrated embodiments are performed in different sequences or arrangements. For example, in other embodiments, one or more blocks may be omitted from or added to the process. Furthermore, block inputs, block outputs, various sensor signals, sensor information, calibration parameters, and / or other operating parameters may be stored in one or more memories before moving to a subsequent part of the corresponding process. Although references... Figures 1A-5 The system described herein describes process 1000, but process 1000 can be executed by other systems different from those systems. These other systems include various selections of electronic devices, sensors, components, actuators, vehicle accessories, vehicles, and / or vehicle attributes. Upon startup of process 1000, as described herein, various system parameters can be populated, for example, by previous executions of processes similar to process 1000, or can be initialized to zero and / or one or more values ​​corresponding to typical, stored, and / or learned values ​​derived from past operations of process 1000.

[0097] In block 1002, a dielectric is formed. For example, the manufacturer, controller 130, and / or OCS controller 230 may be configured to form a dielectric foam layer on a large flat surface, thereby forming a dielectric sheet that can later be patterned to suit a specific application. In some embodiments, the dielectric foam layer may be pretreated and baked to achieve relatively stable physical elasticity and optimal performance as a dielectric for capacitive weight sensors. In other embodiments, such as Figures 3E-3F As shown, the dielectric can take the form of a metal plate used to form a flat compression spring for the compression spring assembly 340B. In such an embodiment, the metal plate can be planarized and / or cleaned in preparation for subsequent steps in process 1000. In another embodiment, the dielectric can take the form of multiple wave springs 354C or multiple other types of springs to form a compression spring for the compression spring assembly 340B. Figures 3H-3J The compression spring assembly 340B is a spring array. In such an embodiment, the springs can be selected and / or cleaned in preparation for subsequent steps in process 1000.

[0098] In frame 1004, the dielectric and conductive electrodes are patterned. For example, the manufacturer, controller 130, and / or OCS controller 230 may be configured to die-cut or otherwise pattern the dielectric foam layer or metal sheet, as well as the conductive electrodes 334 and 336, plastic layers 330 and 332, adhesive layers 338 and 339, and / or plastic layers 342 and 344, formed, for example, in frame 1002. In embodiments where the dielectric is in the form of a flat compression spring (e.g., to form an air gap dielectric), individual spring tabs 354 and / or cutouts 360 may be formed in the metal sheet and bent away from the plate / ridge 352 to form Figure 3E A flat compression spring 350. In embodiments where the dielectric takes the form of an array of wave springs 354C (e.g., to form an air gap dielectric), individual patterned recesses / grooves 345 and / or mesas 347 may be formed in the inner surface 343 of the plastic layers 342C / 344C, which are intended to assemble the wave springs 354C and the plastic layers 342C and 344C to... Figure 3H In the compression spring assembly 340B, the perimeter of the foam dielectric 340, the compression spring 350, and / or the plastic layers 342C / 344C can be sized to fit the desired shape and / or size for the capacitive weight sensor 322.

[0099] In block 1006, the occupant weight sensor is assembled from a patterned dielectric and conductive electrodes. For example, the manufacturer, controller 130, and / or OCS controller 230 may be configured to assemble the capacitive weight sensor 322 by first bonding conductive electrodes 334 and 336 to their respective plastic layers 330 and 332 via adhesive layer 339, and then bonding / clamping the two sub-assemblies around the patterned dielectric layer 340 via adhesive layer 338. Alternatively, the two sub-assemblies may be bonded to respective plastic layers 342 and 344, which may then be clamped, slotted, and / or otherwise bonded to a flat compression spring to form an air gap dielectric 350 for the capacitive weight sensor 322. In another alternative embodiment, the two sub-components can be bonded to respective plastic layers 342C and 344C, which can be secured to each other around the wave spring 354C (e.g., using alignment assembly 362) to form an air gap dielectric for the capacitive weight sensor 322. At block 1006, leads are coupled to the occupant weight sensor. For example, the manufacturer, controller 130, and / or OCS controller 230 can be configured to press-fit annular terminals onto the electrode region of the capacitive weight sensor 322, which may optionally include a thermistor attached adjacent to the pressed-fit annular terminals to measure the interface temperature of the capacitive weight sensor 322.

[0100] It is contemplated that any of the methods for forming an occupant weight sensor or a combination of methods can be performed according to one or more operational contexts of the control loop (e.g., such as start-up, learning, running, and / or other types of operational contexts). For example, the process 1000 can proceed to return to block 1002 and again perform the process 1000 to form additional occupant weight sensors, as in the control loop.

[0101] Various embodiments provided by the present disclosure can be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardware and software, as desired. Also, various hardware components and / or software components set forth herein can be combined into composite components including software, hardware, and / or both, as desired, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Various hardware components and / or software components set forth herein can be divided into sub-components, if desired, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, where appropriate, software components can be implemented as hardware components, and vice versa, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0102] Software, such as non-transitory instructions, program code, and / or data provided in accordance with the present disclosure can be stored on one or more non-transitory machine readable media. It is further contemplated that the software identified herein can be implemented using one or more general purpose or special purpose computers and / or computer systems, networked and / or otherwise. Where appropriate, the order of the various steps described herein can be changed, combined into composite steps, and / or separated into sub-steps to provide features described herein.

[0103] The embodiments described above illustrate but do not limit the present application. It should also be understood that numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, the scope of the present application is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a vehicle including a logic device coupled with the vehicle and configured to determine an occupant classification state based on an input signal received from at least one of an occupant weight sensor or an occupant presence sensor associated with a passenger seat in the vehicle, wherein the logic device is further configured to send at least the determined occupant classification state via a communication interface and receive a control command associated with an element of the vehicle; and a computing device associated with a processor and a memory, the computing device configured to execute computer-executable instructions that cause the computing device to receive occupant classification state information about the vehicle sent from the logic device via the communication interface and determine at least one control command to be executed by a control component on the vehicle, wherein the computing device is further configured to send the determined at least one control command to the vehicle in response to receiving the occupant classification state information, wherein the occupant weight sensor includes: a first conductive electrode; a second conductive electrode; and a dielectric layer disposed between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode, wherein the first conductive electrode includes at least two conductively linked sub-structures each having a different spacing to a corresponding conductively linked sub-structure of the second conductive electrode, wherein each different spacing is accommodated by a corresponding shape and / or thickness of the dielectric layer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to determine the occupant classification state based on the input signal received from the at least one of the occupant weight sensor or the occupant presence sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes wide area network communication.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes local area network communication.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device corresponds to a server computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device corresponds to a mobile computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one control command includes a control command to cause a display in an output device associated with the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to generate a display corresponding to the received occupant classification state information.

9. A system comprising: a vehicle including a sensing device associated with a passenger seat in the vehicle, the sensing device including at least one of an occupant weight sensor or an occupant presence sensor; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the vehicle via a network, the computing device configured to: receive one or more input signals associated with the sensing device, determine an occupant classification state based on the one or more input signals, determine a control command based on the occupant classification state, wherein the control command is associated with a control component on the vehicle, and communicate an indication of the control command to the vehicle, wherein the control component executes the control command upon receipt of the control command, wherein the occupant weight sensor comprises: a first conductive electrode; a second conductive electrode; and a dielectric layer disposed between the first conductive electrode and the second conductive electrode, wherein the first conductive electrode comprises at least two conductively linked sub-structures, each of the sub-structures having a different spacing to a corresponding conductively linked sub-structure of the second conductive electrode, wherein each different spacing is accommodated by a corresponding shape and / or thickness of the dielectric layer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is within the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is remote from the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is configured to: determine at least one of an estimated occupant weight or an occupant presence response based on the one or more input signals, wherein to determine the occupant classification state, the computing device determines the occupant classification state based on the at least one of the estimated occupant weight or the occupant presence response.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the control component is associated with at least one of an occupant restraint system, a locking mechanism, or an airbag deployment system.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein execution of the control command causes a display within the vehicle to display an indication of the occupant classification state.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the network is a cellular network.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the network is a Wi-Fi network.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is a server computing device.

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