초록 ▼

A passenger detection system including a single antenna electrode mounted on a surface of a passenger seat in an automobile. An oscillator generates an AC current having a predetermined voltage amplitude that is transmitted to the antenna electrode to produce a minute electric field around the anten

A passenger detection system including a single antenna electrode mounted on a surface of a passenger seat in an automobile. An oscillator generates an AC current having a predetermined voltage amplitude that is transmitted to the antenna electrode to produce a minute electric field around the antenna electrode. An amplitude control circuit is used to control the voltage amplitude of the output signal from the oscillator. The electrical characteristics of an object on the passenger seat alter the current and phase of the signal in the antenna electrode. A current detection circuit detects the amount of current flowing from the oscillator to the antenna electrode. In addition, a phase differential detection circuit detects a phase differential between the output signal from the oscillator and the signal on the antenna electrode. A control circuit detects the presence or absence of a passenger seated in the seat based on a current signal output from the current detection circuit and a phase differential signal output from the phase differential detection circuit. A control unit including the oscillator, the amplitude control circuit, the current detection circuit, the phase differential detection circuit and the control circuit, is contained in a single housing that is mounted under the passenger seat.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A passenger detection system comprising:a seat,at least one antenna electrode mounted on a surface of the seat,an oscillation circuit for transmitting an alternating current output signal to the antenna electrode, thereby generating an electric field adjacent to the antenna electro

[ We claim:] [1.] A passenger detection system comprising:a seat,at least one antenna electrode mounted on a surface of the seat,an oscillation circuit for transmitting an alternating current output signal to the antenna electrode, thereby generating an electric field adjacent to the antenna electrode,a current detection circuit connected between the oscillation circuit and the antenna electrode for generating a current signal indicating an amount of current flowing from the oscillation circuit to the antenna electrode,a phase differential detection circuit connected to the oscillation circuit and to the antenna electrode for generating a phase differential signal indicating a difference between a phase of the output signal sent from the oscillation circuit and a phase of the signal on the antenna electrode, anda control circuit for generating a safety restraint system control signal in response to the current signal and the phase differential signal.