Vehicle occupant weight estimation apparatus having controlled v

Details Vehicle occupant weight estimation apparatus having controlled v Vehicle occupant weight estimation apparatus having controlled v

1998-03-16

2000-05-02

Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.

Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location

Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication

Vehicle subsystem or accessory control

701 49, 280735, 2972846, 180273, G06F 1700, G05D 300

Patent

active

06058341&

ABSTRACT:
A weight estimation apparatus for the passenger seat of a motor vehicle, in which a single bladder substantially encompassing the seat bottom is evacuated and then inflated with a known volume of air. The average pressure in the bladder is determined to estimate the passenger weight. According to a first embodiment, the apparatus continues to monitor the average pressure, and the process is re-initiated if the average pressure changes by at least a predetermined percentage. According to a second embodiment, a bleed valve allows the pressure in the bladder to slowly escape, and the apparatus monitors the rate of change in pressure as a corresponding indication of passenger weight; in this embodiment, the process of evacuating and inflating is re-initiated if the monitored change in pressure does not correspond with the estimated weight. The sides of the bladder may be pleated to permit the bladder to expand under the weight of an occupant without stretching the bladder, and thereby affecting the average pressure. A temperature sensor may be disposed in proximity to the bladder provides a temperature signal for compensating the weight estimation for temperature variations. Also, the pressure sensor may be configured to sense the gage pressure--that is, the differential pressure between the bladder pressure and atmospheric pressure; alternatively, the pressure sensor may be configured to detect absolute pressure, and a second absolute pressure sensor responsive to atmospheric pressure may be used to compensate for changes in atmospheric pressure.

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