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Arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item of a seat having a seat portion and a back portion. The arrangement including a distance-determining sensor arranged in the back portion of the seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and the back po

Arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item of a seat having a seat portion and a back portion. The arrangement including a distance-determining sensor arranged in the back portion of the seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and the back portion, an angle sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting an angle between the back portion and the seat portion, and a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with the seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of the seat. Additional sensors systems can be used to provide additional information about the occupying item, such as a weight sensing system arranged in connection with the seat for measuring weight applied to the seat by the occupying item and one or more wave-based, capacitance or electric field sensor systems arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item. A component adjustment system may be coupled to the arrangement and adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by the arrangement. The component may be a steering column or a pedal.

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1. A vehicle, comprising:a seat having a seat portion and a back portion;an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,said arrangement comprising:a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance b

1. A vehicle, comprising:a seat having a seat portion and a back portion;an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,said arrangement comprising:a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion;an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion; anda seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; anda seat adjustment system coupled to said arrangement for obtaining information about the occupying item in said seat and arranged to move said seat based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises weight sensing means arranged in connection with said seat for measuring weight applied to said seat by the occupying item. 3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one wave-based sensor system arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item. 4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises at least one capacitance sensor arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprise at least one electric field sensor system arranged to provide information about the position of the occupying item. 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said arrangement further comprises a processor coupled to said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on information provided by said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor. 7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a component adjustment system coupled to said arrangement, said component adjustment system being arranged to adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement. 8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the component is a steering column or a pedal. 9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an airbag system coupled to said arrangement for protecting the occupying item in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, said airbag system being controlled based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement. 10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensors comprises a capacitance sensor. 11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises an electric field sensor. 12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave transmitter arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and a wave receiver arranged to receive waves reflected from the occupying item when situated in said seat. 13. The vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor and arranged to determine the distance between the occupying item and said back portion based on the time between the transmission and reception of the waves. 14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said wave transmitter is an ultrasonic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an ultrasonic wave receiver. 15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein said wave transmitter is an electromagnetic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an electromagnetic wave receiver. 16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a combined wave transmitter/receiver arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and receive waves reflected from the occupying item when situated in said seat. 17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave receiver arranged to receive waves from an area in front of said back portion of said seat. 18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said back portion of said seat includes a headrest, said distance-determining sensor being arranged in said headrest and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said headrest. 19. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said seat comprises a coupling portion between said back portion and said seat portion, said angle sensor being arranged in connection with said coupling portion. 20. A seat in a vehicle, comprising:a seat portion;a back portion pivotable relative to said seat portion;a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion and enabling the determination of the distance between an occupying item of the seat and said back portion;an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion and said back portion for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle; anda seat adjustment system arranged to move said seat, said seat adjustment system being coupled to said distance-determining sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and being controlled to move said seat based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle. 21. The seat of claim 20, further comprising weight sensing means arranged in connection with said seat portion for measuring weight applied to said seat portion. 22. The seat of claim 20, further comprising a processor coupled to said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on information provided by said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor. 23. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave transmitter arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and a wave receiver arranged to receive waves reflected from an occupying item when situated in said seat. 24. The seat of claim 23, further comprising a processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor and arranged to determine the distance between the occupying item and said back portion based on the time between the transmission and reception of the waves. 25. The seat of claim 23, wherein said wave transmitter is an ultrasonic wave transmitter and an ultrasonic wave receiver. 26. The seat of claim 23, wherein said wave transmitter is an electromagnetic wave transmitter and said wave receiver is an electromagnetic wave receiver. 27. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensors comprises a capacitance sensor. 28. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises an electric field sensor. 29. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a combined wave transmitter/receiver arranged to transmit waves in a direction outward away from said back portion of said seat and receive waves reflected from an occupying item when situated in said seat. 30. The seat of claim 20, wherein said distance-determining sensor comprises a wave receiver arranged to receive waves from an area in front of said back portion of said seat. 31. The seat of claim 20, wherein said back portion of said seat includes a headrest, said distance-determining sensor being arranged in said headrest and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said headrest. 32. The seat of claim 20, wherein said sea t comprises a coupling portion between said back portion and said seat portion, said angle sensor being arranged in connection with said coupling portion. 33. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said seat adjustment system is arranged to move said seat portion of said seat forward and backward in the longitudinal direction to thereby change the location of said seat relative to a remaining portion of the vehicle or tilt said back portion of said seat relative to said seat portion of said seat. 34. The vehicle of claim 20, wherein said seat adjustment system is arranged to move said seat portion forward and backward in the longitudinal direction to thereby change the location of said seat relative to a remaining portion of the vehicle or tilt said back portion relative to said seat portion. 35. A vehicle, comprising:a seat having a seat portion and a back portion; andan arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,said arrangement comprising:a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion;an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; anda processor coupled to said distance-determining sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part on the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat. 36. A seat in a vehicle, comprising:a seat portion;a back portion pivotable relative to said seat portion;a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion and enabling the determination of the distance between an occupying item of the seat and said back portion;an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion and said back portion for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion;a seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat portion for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat relative to the vehicle; anda processor coupled to said distance-displacement sensor, said angle sensor and said seat displacement sensor and arranged to provide an output indicative of the identity of the occupying item based in part the determined distance between the occupying item of the seat and said back portion, the detected angle between said back portion and said seat portion and the detected longitudinal displacement of said seat. 37. A vehicle, comprising:a seat having a seat portion and a back portion;an arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat,said arrangement comprising:a distance-determining sensor arranged in said back portion of said seat and enabling the determination of the distance between the occupying item and said back portion,an angle sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting an angle between said back portion and said seat portion, anda seat displacement sensor arranged in connection with said seat for detecting longitudinal displacement of said seat; anda component adjustment system coupled to said arrangement for obtaining information about an occupying item in said seat, said component adjustment system being arranged to adjust a component operative with respect to the occupying item based in part on the information about the occupying item obtained by said arrangement,the component being a steering column or a pedal.